Hush 2: Slow Burn Page 5

  Taking over the family is a big deal. Honestly, I have always thought in the back of my mind that my father would find a way to give it all over to Uri. I was stunned by his words in Italy. He believes in me.

  That matters a lot to me. I may seem spoiled to most, but I have been the way I am because a part of me has always felt like my dad was prouder to have Uri as a nephew than me as a son. I have never been jealous of Uri though.

  He was my hero when I was little. Being eight years older than I am, he never did anything wrong in my eyes. Uri has always treated me like I was so much older, one of the cool guys that he hung out with when he decided to hang out with anyone.

  This is why no one knows of the real age gap in between us, although, some people may view me as a whiny little brat. This brings me to Pam. I never deserved her. I never should have had a chance.

  I see that now more than ever. I mean look at her and her husband. As we sit on this jet trying to get Valentina and me to the States as quickly as possible, I can’t stop watching her.

  She looks so happy with her new son in her arms. The way she is looking down at her little boy makes me wonder if she would have looked at our baby the same way. It is when her eyes lift and meet those of the father of her son that I know I am not looking at the woman I once loved.

  This is not my Pamela. My Pam never looked at me this way. Sure I believe Pam had love for me, but not this. Her eyes shine with so much love as she looks up at Nathaniel Briggs. It is like they are having a conversation without even speaking.

  I turn away only to see the same look on Valentina’s face as she looks at Uri. Uri has little Vita in his arms and I am still floored at how big she has gotten since I have been away. She is seven months old now and absolutely gorgeous.

  It is like everyone has moved on with their lives and here I sit still reeling because of the web of lies I have woven. My lies have cost me everything. My unborn child, the woman I loved, and now I may have even lost the woman I am currently gut-twistingly head over heels for.

  If I am going to be the head of the family, this has to end. I can’t continue like this. My father is right I need to grow up and be the man he has molded me to be. Not this whiny, arrogant, asshole that I portray to the world. I have been the little cousin of the world’s most lethal killing machine that hides behind that machine’s skirt all too often. I have called on Uri to fix my mess more times than I can count. It stops now!

  “I was twenty-two,” I blurt out.

  Nate’s head snaps up from nuzzling his son’s head. He is now holding the adorable little boy. My heart squeezes as I come to grips with finally letting what could have been go.

  “I want you to know the truth. When I met you, I never thought I had a chance. I was only twenty-two. I lied,” I say holding Pam’s gaze. Her mouth is hanging open as my word sink in.

  “What,” she finally gasps out.

  “I knew you were older. I could tell by the way you carried yourself. You were nothing like the silly girls I was used to chasing. You were stunning and I had to have you. So when we started to talk and you told me you were twenty – five I lied and told you I was twenty – six,” I say and lick my suddenly dry lips.

  “Nate, hand me back the baby so I don’t fly across the plane at him,” Pam says through tight lips.

  Nate hands her the baby but keeps his eyes glued on me. I am in no way a punk. I may let Uri fight my battles, but I can handle my own when needed. I have just never needed to. Just my cousin’s name has gotten me out of a lot of shit.

  “Why are you telling me this now,” Pam snaps.

  “Because I need you to know the truth. I ran when you told me you were pregnant because I didn’t know what to do. I had every intention of coming back to you. I just needed to think. I was just turning twenty – eight when you dropped that bomb on me.

  “I wasn’t ready for a baby. I knew I would be getting engaged to Shannon soon and I didn’t know how I was going to support a wife and baby once I told my dad I couldn’t follow through with the proposal. I planned to ask you to marry me. When Uri called me to tell me you lost the baby, I lost my shit.

  “I knew it was my fault. I wasn’t there for you. I was too busy trying to find my balls to tell my dad what I needed to do,” I run my hand through my hair as I shake my head.

  “You didn’t look like you were planning shit to me. You looked relieved,” Pam hisses at me.

  “Pam, I was. Not that you lost our baby, but I was relieved that I wasn’t going to have to disappoint you when you found out I had nothing. Without my family, I have a few pennies, but I don’t have the kind of money you had come accustom to,” I sigh in frustration.

  “You sound like an ass. No, you sound like a boy. I was fucking a boy,” Pam sneers. “I had my own money, you idiot. I loved you and not because of your money. If you were paying half attention to what was going on around you instead of being self-centered, you would have known that I had my own and didn’t need a thing from you. So you can shove that excuse up your ass where it belongs.”

  “Do you understand how proud a man I am? I couldn’t just live off of you. I couldn’t burden you with taking care of our family. You are right I was a boy. I was a boy trying to hold on to a woman that he should have never had.

  “I just needed you to know. I hoped that if you knew you would understand that you were always out of my league. I was always fighting an uphill battle trying to love a woman when I was just becoming a man,” I say and look away.

  Uri gives me a stern look. I know what is coming. I never told him I lied about my age. I know he always wondered how I managed to land a woman like Pam. She was the first woman I ever got to be myself with. Shannon is the only other and hopefully the last.

  I close my eyes and beg for her to be okay when we get there. I just need to get to her. I’m coming, Baby. Hold on. The look Pam gives Nate and the look on Valentina’s face, when she looks at Uri, is exactly the look Shannon gives me.

  I have been such a fool. Still acting like a boy. I swear if Shannon makes it through this I will be a better man. I will love her the way she deserves. I will bend hell in half to make her happy and give her the love she deserves.

  “Bella, if I had known this was the rubbish he was telling you I would have given you the truth,” Uri says tightly to Pam.

  Pam sighs heavily and I turn back to her. She shakes her head as if she is clearing it. “I can’t blame it all on him. I allowed his crap for seven years. There are times I questioned the level of his maturity and yet I remained in the relationship,” Pam pauses and glares at me. She points a finger. “You better love that woman like your life depends on it. I swear to you, Luca. If you hurt Shannon any more than you already have, I will cut your balls off and feed them to you after I sew your butt shut.”

  Nate bursts into laughter and kisses the top of Pam’s head. He then looks over at me. “I plan to help her,” he says with laughter in his eyes.

  Uri and Valentina are trying not to laugh, but it is not working. Valentina snorts and buries her face in Uri's shoulder. I shrug my shoulders and sit back in my seat.

  “For the record, I never cheated on you and I did love you. I just know now that we’re both meant to love someone else more. I love Shannon and I owed her more than a man who had a lie riding on his back from the past.

  “I needed this. I needed closure. To know I came clean. I hurt you and I am sorry for it all, but you found the better man for you. Even if Shannon and I were only supposed to be an arrangement, in the beginning, I fell in love with her and I plan to show her,” I say as I run my finger over the picture I have of Shannon on my phone.

  “You better, because Uri is not going to be able to talk me out of killing you next time. I will be there to finish what Pam starts,” Valentina winks at me.

  Uri just stifles a laugh and pecks his wife on her lips. I shake my head and turn for the window once again, getting lost in my thoughts. Shit is about to change.

  chapter Seven

  False Charges

  Uri

  New York

  After my little cousin’s confession, the tension on the plane evaporated a bit, thank bloody fuck. I could tell at the beginning of the flight that Nate was not comfortable with having Luca around his wife and newborn son. I can’t fault him. I would feel the same way if I knew the man sitting across from me had some type of history with my woman.

  The scene was more intense than I would have liked with my little Vita on the plane. Both Pam and Valentina refused to leave the babies at home for this trip. It was hard enough on Pam to leave the twins behind. She had only done so because her parents were in town and wanted to spend time with the girls.

  However, there was no way Pam was leaving her three-month-old son behind and Valentina felt the same about our seven-month-old, Vita. I did not disagree with either of them.

  My wife has turned out to be a wonderful mother. I didn’t think it possible to love her anymore, but I fall in love with my Tina on a daily basis. Valentina and Vita have become the air I breathe and I would have it no other way.

  Valentina is well suited to motherhood. It shows in every inch of her body and being. Her face just glows with her happiness these days and that is all I want.

  My cock twitches in my pants just thinking about how I plan to lay her down and devour her as soon as we settle matters with Shannon. I chide myself for my wayward thoughts as I bring myself back to the reason we are rushing back here to New York. It is so unlike Shannon to be irresponsible. I would never imagine that she would drink and drive.

  Nate had voiced those exact same thoughts before we took off from London. I was a bit relieved when he called his cousin Jasper to go to the hospital. Nico is at an away game and Michael has been getting a few details in order for the upcoming events that will formally name me the successor of the Caprisi family.

  Annabella will be in Italy for a few more weeks with my mother so there is no one from the family available to be there. I will forever be grateful for the bond that has been steadily growing between my family and the Mairettie and Briggs families.

  I see why Grandpa Donati had such a tight relationship with the Briggs. I believe their friendship has been good for both Valentina and Shannon. Well, at least, I thought Shannon was taking to having the other woman in her life.

  I frown as I think again about how out of character this is for Shannon. It has been a bit too quiet. If my instincts are right, something is very off about what happen during Shannon’s call to Luca.

  I hope my instincts are off because if not my trigger finger has been a bit twitchy lately and I would love to give it some relief. The family hasn’t been calling on me much.

  I have a feeling it is because of the new role I will be taking up shortly, that and the fact that like I said it has just been too quiet. You know that feeling you get right before something big is about to erupt, or when everyone is just extremely quiet as they watch something epic about to happen.

  That is exactly how I feel like I am the wanker about to get caught with his pants down in front of a full stadium. Everyone else can see it coming but no one is saying a word. I don’t like the feeling and I plan to start looking into the silence to see what is staring at me.

  “Mrs. Valentina Donati?” An ununiformed blonde haired officer asks, as who I assume to be his partner, a tall bald guy and three more uniformed officers stand beside him.

  I take note of the female officer with the pinched face glaring in my wife’s direction. Her hand is resting on her gun and her eyes are narrowed as if she is ready to make a move. I move to place my body between my wife and the officers.

  This is the last thing I expected to find on the tarmac as we disembark from the plane. I want to think this is about Shannon. They could very likely be here to escort us to the hospital, but I wouldn’t be Uri Donati if I believe that crap for one single minute.

  It looks like my pants are indeed going to come down before I reveal the hidden threat. I fold my arms over my chest as I remain a shield for my wife and my daughter that is sleeping in her arms.

  “What is this about,” I ask firmly.

  “We are here for Mrs. Donati, Sir,” the bald cop speaks.

  Valentina steps from around me handing Vita to the nanny that traveled with us. I tighten my jaw and pull her into my side. I don’t like the vibe I am getting off of this bunch.

  The female officer steps forward reaching for Valentina’s wrist. The blonde cop starts to read her the Miranda. “Valentina Donati, you are being charged with the murder of Patrick Mims,” the blonde cop states.

  I hear nothing else as my blood boils over. I set my jaw and see Nate doing the same out of the corner of my eye. He pulls his mobile from his pocket and starts placing calls.

  “Who,” Valentina asks with furrowed brows. “What is this about?”

  “NOT. A. WORD,” I growl at Valentina.

  The look of shock on her face is genuine. Valentina is a professional. I bet she could tell you the name of every mark she has ever had. The name Patrick Mims means nothing to her because he was my mark, my favor.

  He was the bastard that promised me he would have reach beyond the grave. Patrick Mims was the animal that threatened my friend and her unborn children. I would kill him again if I could. Even in death, he isn’t man enough to come after me a man, directly. He is going after my woman; like the weak man he was in life.

  Valentina clamps her mouth shut as they cuff her. We communicate without words that I will take care of this. There is no way I am letting her take the wrap for a murder I committed.

  I would take her place now but I have a feeling that is what someone wants. There is no murder without a body and after what I did to that man. Trust me, I know there is not a trace of him to be found or identified. They are shooting in the dark.

  My Val is strong. They will not break her before I get some answers. I move forward and kiss her on her forehead, glaring at the officer in a dare to stop me. I peck her lips and murmur in Italian. “Ti amo. Si occupera di questo.”

  “Lo so. Ti voglio bene anch’io,” Valentina responds with her head held high.

  My heart swells with pride because I see in her eyes she believes my words. She knows I will take care of this and there is no doubt that I love her more than life itself.

  I turn to Luca because right now there is no way I will be going with him to the hospital. I have always been there for him but this time, my Bella Donna needs me. Luca clamps a hand on my shoulder.

  He nods toward the officers placing my wife in a car for something she didn’t do. “This is your family now. Go with your wife. I love you, Brother. You have been more than a cousin to me. I have already asked too much in this life. Valentina needs you and Shannon needs me. Thank you,” Luca turns pulling his mobile from his pocket.

  “Take the car in the rear,” Nate says to Luca. “Pam will go with you. I will be with Uri.”

  I lift a brow but say nothing. Nate is a bigger man than I. I don’t care about Luca’s love confession. There is no way in hell Valentina would be getting in a car with him.

  “Get in the car. I will explain,” Nate mutters just low enough for me to hear.

  I climb in the SUV swiftly as we follow after my wife. Nate sends off rapid texts as I wait impatiently for him to give me some answers. He growls at his mobile before looking back at me.

  “Where the fuck should I start,” Nate rumbles. “I sent Pam with Luca because that is where she is safest right now. Someone is targeting our women. Shannon was not driving just as we thought. She was with Rita. Someone rammed their car while they were parked on the side of the road.

  “My sister wasn’t in the car at the time, but Shannon and my sister’s driver are pretty banged up. They are both lucky. If they were in any other type of car we probably would be having a different conversation.

  “Add to that, Wyatt Black called Jas. Someone is trying to pin a murder on his wife, just like yours. No body, no evidence, just some bogus anonymous tip. Somehow Mims’s family and the family of some prick that put his hands on Wyatt’s wife got wind of the tips and they have put pressure on the police to follow through. Money talks so they are talking pretty loudly right now.

  “I called Bobby to handle this mess, but he and Paige are with Wyatt getting this shit thrown out in California. Marcus and James will be meeting us at the station to handle this instead. Valentina will still be in good hands. We should have this squashed within the hour. The chief owes me a favor.

  “But it doesn’t stop there. Rita said that the passenger of the SUV that rammed her car got out with a gun to finish the job. My tech is cleaning up a video of the incident as we speak. The best part is my father and Wyatt received calls that confirmed all this shit is linked together.

  “The call to Wyatt mentioned us both by name. They also mentioned Vanessa. I don’t believe in coincidences. I just don’t get why they are bringing the Blacks into this,” Nate runs a hand over his head in thought.

  “We are more connected than you know,” I rumble.

  “What,” Nate narrows his eyes at me.

  “It is not my place, but I will say this. There is a connection,” I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I have yet to take over the family and I have a feeling it is coming for me. I don’t know how it connects to Mims or Black’s wife. They could just be involving them to get to what they want, but there is a deeper connection between us all.”

  “Uri, what are you not telling me. Someone has called my father and threatened all the women in our families. It is my job to protect them so I need to know what you are not telling me,” Nate says firmly.

  “Don’t get your knickers in a bunch, Nathan. It would just be better if this came from your family and those you protect. You know I would let no harm come to Pam or the children. It is just not my place to connect the dots on this one,” I turn to look him in his eyes. “I think it is time you ask your father and uncles what you have truly inherited.”