Tempting the Mafia Boss

Chapter One: Bloodshed. Lonzo pov: “Boss—please.” Liam's blood drips from his brow, over his lips. “It was a mistake.” I pace in front of him. He kneels, wrists bound behind his back, face painted black and blue. “There's one thing I ask when you join my empire,” I say. “Loyalty.” “I didn't know what to do!” His voice cracks. “He threatened my family—” My fist meets his face. Blood hits the floor. Saliva strings from his lip. He almost tips over but I grab his collar and shove him back to his knees. I lean in, mouth beside his ear. “You're a liar.” He shakes beneath my grip. “They didn't threaten you. You gave the information up for cash. Didn't you?” “Boss. I'm sorry. Please, let me fix this. Let me do something to make it right—” I drive my foot into his chest. He falls back onto his ass, crushing his bound hands beneath him. A wet sound escapes his throat. He whimpers. “Why would I give you another chance when you were so prepared to f**k me over? You're such a f*****g liar. And I don't like liars.” Pure horror floods his expression. He knows what's coming. He just doesn't want to say it. I raise the gun and aim it directly between his eyebrows. “Boss, please. Don't do this. Please don't do this—” I pull the trigger. The bullet punches straight through his forehead and into his brain. Droplets of blood fall from the wound and into his open eyes. His gaze turns numb. His body folds onto the wood. Silence. I stare at his lifeless body for a moment. Then I disarm my gun and tuck it back into my waistband. Merda. The guards stand against the wall, hands tucked behind their backs, eyes fixed straight ahead. Not looking in my direction. “Clean this up.” I gesture to the body. “I've got things to take care of.” “Yes, boss.” --- The warehouse door groans shut behind me. I signal to my driver and push my sleeves up as the heat hits my skin. It does nothing to settle the weight riding my back. I climb into the back of the car and press my fingers into my eye sockets. Release a deep sigh. One that's been sitting on my chest since I found out he stabbed me in the back. Liam was a dead man the moment he took that money. He just didn't know it yet. Loyalty means everything to me. Proving your worth to the gang, to me, that's the price of entry. How can we work together if there's no f*****g trust? My patience is wearing thin today. What I want is to pack it in, find a bar, pick up a woman who can satisfy my needs for an hour. What I have is damage control. Important things that can't be put off any longer. Because of a dead man's mistakes. And now I'm the one paying for them. Fucking traitor. --- Twenty minutes later, the car pulls through the gates. I head straight to my office and get on the phone with my suppliers across the country. There's a lot of explaining to do. Some of them let me off lightly. Some don't. Either way, the numbers aren't pretty. We lost millions because Liam wanted a cash bonus. I'm still in the middle of working when a knock sounds at my office door. I know who it is. “What.” Gabriel strolls in like he owns the place. He walks straight toward my desk and drops into the chair across from me, tattoos crawling up his knuckles, that ridiculous nose hoop catching the light. Women love it. I don't get it. “What do you want? I'm busy.” “Jheez.” He drapes his arms over the armrests. “What the f**k is up with you?” I look up at him through hooded eyes. “I'm working. Can't you see that?” He rolls his eyes. Dark, like his hair. Like his sister's, probably. Not that I care. “Yes, I can see that. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Why are you so grumpy today?” “If you've come here to bother me, kindly f**k off.” He cracks a smile, white teeth flashing. Annoying. “No. I've come here to tell you something.” I groan and lean back into my black leather chair. “Go on then. Please, quickly enlighten me. I have things to do. Unlike some people.” Gabriel doesn't even pause. He comes straight out with it. “My sister is coming to stay with us.” I blink. Once. Twice. Definitely a third time. “What did you say?” “She's not safe with my parents anymore. They can't guarantee her safety. She's got nowhere else to go. If she's here, I can keep an eye on her. We can protect her.” “We?” My eyebrow shoots up. “You want me to look after your f*****g sister?” “Look.” He uncrosses his legs and presses his elbows into his knees. “It's only for a little while. My parents got into some s**t. They need to keep her safe, so I told her it's okay to come here.” My eyes narrow toward him. Gabriel loves making decisions and filling me in at the last minute. I hate him for it. He thinks he can get away with everything, that he can treat me sweetly and I'll never break. But there will be a day. “I don't like strangers.” “She's my sister.” I drag my hands down my face and shake my head. This is the last f*****g thing I needed today. All I wanted was to come home and be alone, drink some whiskey in peace. Instead, I can't get a single day to myself without thinking about someone else. “I don't know who she is.” My voice grows louder than his. “She needs our safety. My parents wouldn't send her here unless they thought something would happen. She's my blood, Lonzo. She's my family.” He hits his chest with his hand. “You don't turn your back on family.” I hold his stare for a couple of moments. My lungs rumble with a distressed sigh that I refuse to fully release. “Lonzo. You won't even know she's here. You're barely home for starters. She's going to be doing whatever she's doing. She'll stay out of our business.” My finger grazes down my stubble. I clutch my jaw. “It's my house.” “Our house.” I scoff at his words. He shoots me a warning look. “Really?” “My name is on the lease. Don't act like you're a f*****g idiot.” He grumbles under his breath and settles back into the chair. “Fake name,” I correct. He ignores my comment. “You know this is a joint house.” My eyes roll into the back of my head. I lean onto the desk with my elbows. “Whatever. Fine.” I want this conversation over now. “But don't let this change anything. She does not have any say in anything. She is here to sleep and that is it. I don't give a f**k about what you say.” Gabriel holds up his hands. “Never said it was anything more than a bed.” “This won't be a permanent thing.” “Trust me. I don't want that either.” Gabriel pushes up from the chair and walks two steps backward toward the door. He clutches the handle and pulls it back. Then he pauses. Turns to me suddenly. His voice drops. Flat. Deathly. “I swear if you go near her, if you touch her, or look at her the wrong way, I will f*****g kill you. Don't even think about it and you'd better tell everyone else the same. If you or anyone touches her, everything will be over. I promise you.” His words are deathly serious. I don't doubt he would kill someone for touching his baby sister. Gabriel is a protective guy. But I can't help it. I laugh. “The fact that you think I'd go for your sister is comical. That would be a disgusting line to cross. I'd see your damn face every single time. It would haunt me in my dreams.” “Good.” His chest puffs. “I hope you do see my face when you meet her. So you stay the f**k away.” I clear my throat and look back at my laptop. How has my day gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds? I've gone from having to source a couple million pounds to playing babysitter with my best friend's sister. This whole day has gone to f*****g s**t.