A Mafia Grudge: Revenge or Desire

Beautiful Distraction

(Adam’s POV)

As usual, the casino never fell asleep. Bright shining light beamed as I walked into the open space filled with greedy and deceptive humans. Chips clicked against green felt tables, dice rolled, cards flipped as transactions were exchanged at a quick pace. Funny, how the noise soothes my nerves. The night was closing faster than expected, but I needed to come up with a good plan.

I pushed through the private entrance, rolled the sleeves of my shirt, revealed my arms and tightened my jaw. I quickly noticed the blood on my shirt, but that’s not exactly my problem right now. I get to see that everyday. As long as it wasn't mine, but someone else's…

The attack at the gala had been sloppy.

Someone had moved too soon. Someone had disrupted years of planning. Patrick must have so many enemies haunting him then. And now everything was changing.

My guards immediately straightened as I walked in..

"Boss."

I ignored them as I made my way through the private corridor leading toward the upper offices overlooking the gaming floor. By the time I entered my office, Rio was already waiting by the door.

My Head of Security.

A former military officer who saved my life after I lost my family. One of the few men I have trusted over the years. The older man studied his expression carefully.

"You look like you're about to kill somebody."

Not wanting to hear his next word, I headed straight to the bar and poured myself a glass of whiskey.

My hand tightened around the glass.

"I was." I faced him with anger written all over my face. “I f*****g was this close to killing that bastard.”

Rio's face turned pale.

"The Patrick attack?"

A cold laugh burst through my throat...

"No."

My answer surprised him. He must have completely forgotten for a brief second about the shooters entirely. Rio was quite a funny man, but not one to mess with… I turned slowly and walked towards the open balcony. With the glass of whiskey in one hand, I pushed open the curtain with the other. The cold breeze came rushing in with a speed of lightning. Right now, my thoughts have shifted elsewhere.

I could clearly see them. Those pairs of terrified green eyes. How soft skin melted underneath my touch as I held her in place. The way her eyes darkened as she stared at me inside that maintenance room.I immediately shoved those memories away. Replacing my thoughts with something even more dangerous..

Very dangerous..

I walked back to my chair and lowered myself onto it. Rio followed suit.

"Right now, that attack changes things," Rio spoke in low tune. My expression darkened as I leaned forward with a smirk on my face.

"No."

My voice dropped.

"Those guys just helped accelerate things." I smiled devilishly as I leaned backward. “To Harrison, I'm his daughter's Savior, you sure know what that means." I continued.

Silence filled the room.

Rio already understood what I meant.

THE PATRICK EMPIRE

The family I had spent years preparing to destroy. The family responsible for taking everything from me. My Dad, Mom and my family legacy.

I slowly reached into my pocket and pulled out the silver pendant. The Patrick symbol shined underneath the office lights. Rio stared at it and said nothing. The same way he always did. This same symbol was found years ago beside my parents' bodies. I could see everything clearly like it was yesterday. My mother's lifeless hand stretched across the floor. My father's body was covered with bullets.

The betrayal, lies…

And the one person that ruined it all…

HARRISON PATRICK

My jaw clenched so hard, that I could taste blood in my mouth.

"They built an empire on blood," I muttered as I drove my fist onto the table . “On my parents blood and sweat”

Rio remained quiet, I guessed he had heard me say this a million times.

"They took my family.” My eyes became ice, filled with hatred and anger. "And now I'll take theirs." I have spent years waiting, building, planning, calculating, trying to become powerful enough to strike like an anaconda that has been awakened by its prey. But I was never going to hit Harrison Patrick with bullets alone.

Not yet.

I have prepared something far worse. I wanted Harrison Patrick to suffer, he would watch everything crumble. Piece by piece, trust by trust, until nothing is left of him to hold unto.

"What's the next move?" Rio finally asked. I stared through the office windows overlooking the casino floor. My reflection stared back like cold ice.

"The daughter." I finally let it out.

Rio stared quizzingly at me. "The girl?"

I nodded.

"I know Harrison trusts no one." I pause. "But now I saved her life."

The realization settled heavily between us, but I could see his face etched with worry.

This was a big opportunity for me…

Rio leaned forward. "You plan to get close."

I smiled as I nodded instantly. Then they continued, "I plan to become indispensable."

Trust will come first, then destruction follows.

What a perfect revenge plan!!

Strangely, the thought didn't satisfy me at all tonight. Because every time I think about Patrick's, my thoughts instantly drift to her… And I don’t like how that made me feel. Rio eventually stood up and headed for the door, but paused and spun around. "Just remember why you're doing this." He said with an expressionless look.

I raised my head and our eyes met. As if he could ever forget the condition he met me in the night I lost my parents.

"Trust me." My voice became deadly.

"I remember everything," I reassured him. “Clearly.".

. . . . .

Hours later..

I stood alone inside my apartment as I stared into the night. Los Angeles sure holds so much beauty but to me.. it was the birthplace of destruction. The silence felt so unreal. Although I would have appreciated solitide but I wasn't getting any sense of that. Tonight, my thoughts were just wandering aimlessly without any guard…

Again, my thoughts were clouded by her.

“f**k, Adrianna.” I cursed under his breath. I loosened my tie, but it didn't help at all. I was restless, the image of her was sucked into my head. I remembered every second inside that maintenance room.

The closeness

.

The heat that radiated from both our bodies. The way her breathing had quickened when he stepped closer. The way her eyes had dropped briefly to my mouth before looking up at me. Neither of us had spoken. Sometimes, silence speaks the loudest. I had spent years around beautiful women. None of them had affected me this much. I still remember how her hand clutched my jacket after the shooting. I could tell she trusted me, wanted me close and I had wanted exactly the same thing. This was madness.

One reckless moment…

The destruction that one more step would have cost me in that maintenance room.

God, please help me..

I exhaled deeply as I clenched both hands..

“No. I need to keep my emotions in check." I murmured to myself. Adrianna Patrick wasn't just any woman.

She was a Patrick.

The daughter of the family he intended to destroy.

Nothing more. Nothing less….

Yet no matter how many times I repeat it…

My mind immediately returned to her. I walked into my room, stared at my reflection and it stared back at me. And for the first time in a very long time, revenge wasn't the only thing occupying my thoughts. That realization disgusted my entire being.

The thought of finally having Harrison Patrick's at my mercy was intriguing. Finally, everything was falling into place. Everything I ever wanted. Except for one problem.

One very beautiful distraction.

Adrianna Patrick.

And I was beginning to suspect she might become far more dangerous than anyone who had opened fire at the gala before I even thought of attacking the Patrick's. I slowly drifted to sleep with my heart heavy with guilt and desire.