

## The Holy Ghost

Copyright 2020 Monica Clayton

Published by M.E. Clayton

All Rights Reserved

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This book is a work of fiction. The entire content is a product of the author's imagination and all names, places, businesses and incidences are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), places or occurrences, is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any manner, whatsoever, without the express written consent from the author, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Formatting: Smashwords

Cover: Adobe Stock

Warning: This book contains sexual situations and other adult themes. Recommended for 18 years of age and over.

Table of Contents

Author's Note

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Playlist

Prologue

1. Phoenix

2. Francesca

3. Phoenix

4. Francesca

5. Phoenix

6. Francesca

7. Phoenix

8. Francesca

9. Phoenix

10.Francesca

11. Phoenix

12. Francesca

13. Phoenix

14. Francesca

15. Phoenix

16. Francesca

17. Phoenix

18. Francesca

19. Phoenix

20. Francesca

21. Phoenix

22. Francesca

23. Phoenix

24. Francesca

25. Phoenix

Epilogue

About the Author

Other Books

Contact Me

Newsletter Sign-Up
Author's Note

Just a couple of things before I let you go and get your read on. While I am doing my best to work with better editing and proofreading software, all my books are solo, independent works. I write my books, proofread my books, edit my books, create the covers, etc. I have one beta who gives me feedback on my stories, but other than that, all my books are independent projects.

That being said, I apologize, in advance, for the typos, grammar inconsistencies, or any other mistakes I may make. Since writing is strictly a hobby for me, I haven't looked for commitments in regard to publishers, editors, etc. My hope is that my stories are enjoyable enough that a few mistakes, here and there, can be overlooked. If not, my books are probably not for you.

Also, I am an avid reader-I mean an _AVID_ reader. I love to read above any other hobby. One of the things about reading that hurts my heart, though, is when I fall in love with a book, but I have to wait for the additional books in the series to be released. Because I feel that disappointment down to my soul, I vowed that if I ever write a series, all books will be published at once. Nope-no waiting over here...LOL. So, if you are reading one of my books, but can't find any other books on the secondary characters of that book, that means the book is a standalone project. Now, the exception to this was, both Enemy Series (Facing the Enemy and In Enemy Territory). I got enough requests for their secondary characters' stories, I decided to write them. But, in the future, series books not released all at once will only happen at the request of my readers. As much as this is a hobby, I am writing these books for you guys as well as myself.

Thank you, all, for turning this hobby into something exciting and magical!
Acknowledgements

The first acknowledgement will always be my husband (unless we ever divorce, then probably not so much after that), but seeing as how I can't imagine that day ever coming, I can't ever put myself out there without thanking him for all his love, support, and belief in me.

Second, there's my family; my daughter, my son, my grandchildren, my sister, and my mother. They are the people who love me the most, know me the best, and love me dearly, despite all they know...LOL!

And, of course, there's Kamala. She insists that I don't have to thank her in every book, but my love for her and gratitude for all her support and enthusiasm, claims otherwise. She's the first person (outside my family) that I shared this dream with, and she's been by my side every step of the way. Kam, you really are the best kind of friend!

And, finally, I'd like to thank everyone who's purchased, read, reviewed, shared, and supported me and my writing. Thank you so much for helping make this dream a reality and a happy, fun one at that! There are not enough 'Thank You's in the world.
Dedication

For Jason-

Your loss is felt every single day, but your face still smiles at us through the boys. You were a great person and a wonderful father, and we will miss you terribly. You were more than just a son-in-law; you were our son.
Playlist

Series Theme Song

Fire Meets Fate - Ruelle

Falling Inside The Black – Skillet

Swagger Like Us – T.I. ft. Jay Z, Lil' Wayne & Kayne West

Where You Belong – The Weeknd

I Don't Want To Live – Zayen Malik ft. Taylor Swift

Life After You – Daughtry

Cross Me – Ed Sheeran

One Thing Right – Kane Brown/Marshmallow

It's Not Over – Daughtry

Blood/Water – grandson

Angry Too – Lola Blanc

Walls Could Talk – Nightcore

Someday – Nickleback

It Will Rain – Bruno Mars

Get Stoned – Hinder

It Ain't Over Til It's Over – Lenny Kravitz

Home – Gwyneth Paltrow
Prologue

2013~

The scene was a quietly violent one that would live in my mind until my mind could no longer hold memories.

This was my choice, though.

It was my choice to be here, doing this.

In a perfect world, I'd be at home in bed with Frankie.

I was supposed to be the good boyfriend who chose her above everything else. But the world sure as fuck wasn't perfect, and nothing was ever that simple.

Life wasn't that simple.

While the lies and the secrets were killing me, I knew if I told Frankie the truth, it would gut her. She had plans for us, and they didn't include the gun that my fingers were currently wrapped around.

Ciro was good about deflecting when she'd shoot those accusatory amber-colored eyes at us, but me? All I had was her addiction to my touch. I deflected by touching her, kissing her, or fucking her.

Tonight was the night that would forever change the direction of my life.

And hers.

I tried to convince myself that it would all be okay because her brother was standing next to me, but, deep down, I knew this would change everything.

While all of us neighborhood kids grew up together, as we'd grown older, we learned early on the trio we were becoming a part of. My family and I had lived a couple of blocks over from the Mancinis, but the mutual friend Ciro and I shared brought us together like nothing else could. That friend was Luca Benetti, and everyone knew the Benetti Family ruled Morgan City.

As we grew older, Luca became the dark prince he was groomed to be, and it had gotten harder and harder to resist the temptation and lure. When you grow up lower middle-class and always struggling, money and power can make a remarkable impression on the young male mind.

We wanted better.

We wanted it all.

I stood in the center of the warehouse next to one of my best friends, and we both had guns aimed at the two men strapped to the metal chairs before us. Luca and his father, Giovanni Benetti, stood behind us, looking on.

The room held about ten men, including the two men who were gagged and tied to the chairs. The rest of the men stood, forming an arch behind us, waiting for our next move.

It didn't matter that these guys were pedophiles. It didn't matter that we were judging them in a way only The Lord had the right to. It didn't matter that every second I stood here I was jeopardizing my relationship and future with Frankie.

Frankie-the girl I've been in love with since we were seven-years-old; Ciro's sister.

I glanced over at Ciro and, with the conviction of a thousand men, he looked back and gave me a tightly measured nod. I looked back at the men before us, raised my arm, aimed, and fired a hole clean through one man's forehead while Ciro did the same to the other.

The room was silent for a few seconds before we turned around and handed the guns back to two of the sentinels that had been standing by. We handed them back without wiping them clean of our fingerprints as a show of loyalty and trust to Giovanni Benetti.

He stepped forward and shook both our hands. His smile was evil and powerful and there was no going back.

Luca was the next to shake our hands and it had felt like a homecoming. He was our best friend, and we knew he'd been doing this shit at a young age, but now we were more than best friends.

We were family in a way no one outside the Benetti Family could understand.

There was no way I was going to be able to keep this from Frankie much longer. Not when I planned on marrying her as soon as she graduated from college next semester. My only hope would be that she loved me enough to balance the life she wanted with the life I would now lead.

Little did I know that she already knew.

Little did I know that she would shatter everything I believed we were.

Little did I know that I would lose my mind when the dust settled.

It was the first step to the obliteration of my soul as it existed.
Chapter 1

Phoenix – 2019~

I should have been home hours ago.

Normally, a hit took no time at all. They called me The Holy Ghost for a reason. And the reason? I was in and out within minutes without anyone ever setting eyes on me.

When I was working, I was invisible.

When I was working, I didn't exist.

Sure, on paper, I existed.

On paper, I was clean as a whistle.

On paper, I was a respectable accountant, and I even had a degree in my name that claimed I had the proper credentials to manage someone's money.

In reality, I was the Benetti Family's number one hitman, and I was good at what I did. Never missed a mark, and no one ever knew it was me doing the marking. The only other souls on the planet that ever knew my agenda were Giovanni Benetti, Morgan City's Mob Boss, Luca Benetti, the Underboss, and my best friend, Ciro Mancini, who just happened to be the Benetti Family's number one enforcer.

My hits were so high profile that no one outside us four knew my kill count. In six short years, I went from a Mafia soldier to the Benetti's most prolific killer.

And I was fucking great at it.

Granted, what else did a person become when they had no soul? And, tonight, I was in Neil Hansen's home waiting patiently to put a bullet through his head.

Now, usually, my homework was spot on. I knew everything about my mark before I made my move. And I mean every-fucking-thing. I left nothing to chance. It was how my kill count was so high and I wasn't behind bars for life.

Well, for a couple of lives if they only knew.

However, tonight had thrown me a curve when Neil's mistress arrived on his doorstep, weeping uncontrollably, claiming to be pregnant with his child.

Normally, every Thursday afternoon, Neil Hansen sent his wife to a luxurious spa salon to get the works. He manipulated her into this tradition by convincing her that she needed to look her best in case he wanted to whisk her away to The Bahamas at the last minute. Leslie Hansen thought it romantic, but if the dingbat only knew the truth. Good, ol' Neil sent her to the spa, so he could get his dick sucked by...wait for it...his workout trainer, who was thirty years his junior and a he.

Don't let Neil's pregnant mistress fool you. Respectable Neil Hansen had a boatload of sexual proclivities he indulged in.

A ship size boatload.

So, with his dick sucked, relaxed, and unsuspecting, it should have been easy-peasy to slip in, put a bullet in his head, and slip out.

But, no.

Enter the hysterical, pregnant girlfriend.

Now, while there've been very few in my lifetime as a Mafia hitman, I didn't relish killing women. The women I have put down were sex traffickers or worse, if you can believe there's something worse out there. But, trust me, there is. And I've never killed a child. I don't care if you're seventeen and your birthday is tomorrow; I'll wait until tomorrow to kill you. So, there was nothing I could do until the pregnant mistress left. Even if she were evil, she was pregnant, and I'd never take an unborn life. I didn't care what anyone else's stance was on pregnancy, but to me, it was a life as long as the woman was nurturing it.

As a hitman, I shouldn't have any weaknesses, but children were one of them for me. Probably because I knew I was never going to have any. Sure, Made Men had families all the time; hell, it was expected. But my chances at a family were blown to shit the day Frankie left me. I couldn't imagine another woman birthing my children, and so I gave up on that dream. Kids held a special place for me because they were the only thing I'd be denied in this life. Sure, it was of by my own hand, but that's how I felt.

Or maybe it was because my own parents were pieces of shit and I felt kids deserved better. Anthony and Ana Fiore should never have had children, and the only blessing to behold during my younger years was that I had been an only child. They only screwed up one life instead of the potential many they could have. Had it not been for meeting Ciro and Francesca, then Luca, who knows where I might have ended up. Everything good in me had been for Frankie, and everything strong in me had been for Ciro and Luca. They had been my only real family.

The four of us.

And then, one day, four became three.

I shook off those memories and went back to growing roots, waiting for Neil to get his hysterical mess under control and gone.

Now, you're probably wondering what Neil has done to warrant being offed by the Mob, because surely being a sleaze who cheats on his wife and embezzles a bit isn't that bad in comparison to some of the evil out there, and you'd be right. Being a cheating scumbag is not death worthy. Though I've never been of the same mind, I knew plenty of men who could separate sex from love. I knew plenty of men who will blow their loads all over their mistresses and then go home to worship their wives. Adultery is up there with murder in the Mob; it might be a Commandment, but you can always rationalize it away if you believe the reason justifiable enough.

I did neither.

I didn't justify my kills or cheat on anyone. I slept like a baby at night because my conscience had been silenced the night Frankie left me. My soul died that same night.

No, I was here in Neil Hansen's Garden Grove mini-mansion, waiting in the shadows, because Neil's little embezzlement problem? Yeah, that was due to the fact that Neil liked to gamble.

And he liked to gamble big.

However, because Neil was also the CEO of Hansen and Belmilch Financial-Grandy Belmilch was the CFO-his murder was sure to bring a lot of media and law enforcement attention. It was why Luca didn't trust this hit to one of his many other shooters.

A month ago, after Ciro had gotten a hold of good, ol' Neil, it was clear within the following week that, even after Ciro's handiwork, the man couldn't make good on his eight-hundred-thousand-dollar debt to the Benetti Family. And Grandy Belmilch wasn't just a CFO; he was a smart CFO. After doing my homework, I knew there was no way Neil would be able to embezzle the amounts he needed without Grandy catching wind of what he was doing. And once I took that information to Luca, he made the decision to make a topnotch example out of good, ol' Neil.

The sound of the front door slamming shut told me two things; one, Neil's mistress didn't get the comforting she thought she was going to get and, two, I could finally get down to business.

Again, because I did my homework, I knew the exact layout of Neil's home and his fading footsteps told me he was heading into his study. But, to be fair, I also knew this because Neil was a creature of habit, and he always drank his finest whiskey in his study to wind down after getting his dick suck by his trainer.

Now, usually, I just went in, shot the sonofabitch, and disappeared. But I took offense to good, ol' Neil ignoring Ciro's warning. Most people got some quick get-right after being on the receiving end of one of Ciro's visits, but Neil's gambling problem outweighed his survival instincts this go-round.

I crept silently into the study. Neil's back was to me as he poured himself another drink, no doubt hoping it wouldn't be interrupted by another pregnant mistress. My dick almost got hard as the tumbler slipped from his hand and bounced on the carpet as the tip of my gun met the back of his head.

"Good evening, Neil," I chuckled. I might not have a soul, but I did find joy in the little things.

"Uh..."

I took a step back and eased off the pressure of the gun, so he could turn around and see his fate. Again, normally, I didn't play games like this, but I was feeling...irritated having to wait so long to off him. When he turned around and saw me, his eyes widened, and though we've never met, he knew who I was.

I smiled.

"I promise-"

I tsk'ed at the poor man. "Now, now, Neil," I sing-songed, "I've heard all about the promises you make. I heard them all from Ciro Mancini as a matter of fact."

"But-"

I shook the bag out of my back pocket with my free hand, and I had it over his head and a bullet in his brain before he could beg some more. Letting his body fall, I held onto the bag and stuffed it in my back pocket to get rid of later when I got rid of everything else. Now, some might think it was morbid to carry around a bag with brain splatter in it, but that kind of shit stopped bothering me years ago.

Sneaking out the way I snuck in, I jumped the back yard into the adjoining yard of the vacant house next door. In the dead of night, no one would see me, but I took great care in everything I did. Nothing would lead the cops to my door.

They didn't call me The Holy Ghost for nothing.
Chapter 2

_Francesca~_

I stared at the twenty-seven cents on the table, and it was all I could do not to visibly cringe while other customers were still around. I didn't want to feel ungrateful for the change, but I never understood why people did that. It was insulting and unnecessary. However, scooping up the change along with the dishes, I reminded myself that every little bit helped.

It wasn't that I was starving or anything like that. I got paid a decent wage at Brighton's Steak House and, usually, the tips made it possible for me not to have to live paycheck-to-paycheck. But I knew my customer service was worth more than the change I just dropped in my apron. I wasn't one of those people who thought I was owed a tip, so I made sure to do my best to earn one. I was all smiles and politeness, even to the rude customers.

Plus, I enjoyed my job. Was it what I saw myself doing for the rest of my life? No. But life doesn't always turn out the way you expect it. A couple of the girls knew I was only a semester away from getting my degree in Business Finance, and they always encouraged me to go back to school, but I was a realist.

Or maybe I was just a loser.

Either way, school wasn't in the cards for me right now. Or ever if I was being completely honest. I just didn't have the...drive anymore. When I had graduated from high school, I had been young and eager to conquer the world. I was going to go to college, get my degree, and make a good life for myself. But when that dream died, carving out a nice, quiet, low-key life had become the goal, and I've been living it for the past six years.

I finished cleaning off the table and took the dirty dishes back to the kitchen. We had busboys for this, but I liked to keep busy, and being a Tuesday evening, Brighton's was slow.

"I need some rich, handsome, single stranger to stop in for dinner, fall madly in love with me as soon as he spots me from across the room, and carry me away from this lower-class, change-counting life," Mona muttered as she dumped a tray of dirty dishes on the counter beside me.

I laughed. "I saw the pictures you posted this weekend," I informed her. "You wouldn't be living a lower-class, change-counting life if you didn't buy top-shelf liquor every weekend."

Her blue eyes flew sideways, and she smiled. "How else am I supposed to cope with having to count out my change to pay the bills?" she teased. "It's a vicious cycle, for sure."

"Well, when you come across that rich, handsome, single stranger ask him if he has a brother," I joked. "Preferably one who is also single, not gay, has a job, and isn't an asshole."

"No rich and handsome?"

I rolled my eyes. "Looks fade, the love of money is the root of all evil, and, Christ, Mona," I grumbled, "at this point, I'd settle for a man who doesn't give me a headache when he talks."

"Amen, sister," she agreed. "Is Edmond still asking you out?"

The dishes in the dishwasher, I turned towards her. "Yeah, but he just seems too...normal," I excused lamely. "Plus...I don't know, Mona. There's absolutely no butterflies when he flirts with me, and there should be some attraction, don't you think?"

She laughed. "There's nothing worse than lugging around a man who doesn't do it for you. If you don't feel the butterflies, don't even bother." Mona walked out of the kitchen and left me there to stew on my lonely thoughts. Truthfully, the only man who's ever made me feel butterflies, or any-damn-thing for that matter, was Phoenix Fiore.

I met Phoenix when we were children, five-years-old to be exact. We had all gone to the same neighborhood daycare, and he and my brother, Ciro, had become fast friends. Ciro, being the big brother that he was, always had me with him, so it had been natural to become friends with Phoenix, too.

That was, until we became more.

At seven-years-old, he had told me he was going to marry me and, over the years, our friendship had become more, until I was so in love with the boy, I hadn't known how to live life without him. Even when Luca Benetti had come into the picture, nothing had changed between me and Phoenix. Sure, Ciro was my brother, and Luca had become my best friend, but Phoenix had become something more.

He had become part of my soul.

He had taken pieces of me I couldn't get back and those missing pieces have made it hard for me to date anyone else these past six years. And because I loved him so deeply, it also felt as if I were still dating Phoenix and being with another man would be like cheating on him. I knew it was stupid and untrue, but that's how I felt. Whenever another man flirted with me, that's how I felt.

Most people would label me stupid or crazy to be faithful to a man I left-a man who betrayed me, but I felt what I felt. It didn't matter that I was sure Phoenix has moved on after all these years, I could only handle what I felt. And I wasn't going to jump into bed with a man I wasn't attracted to just to prove a point.

The door swung open just as I was ready to head back outside and my best friend, Roberta Regal, came flouncing in. "Jesus, it's slow as shit out there," she complained. Robbie was in the same boat I was. While she wasn't starving, she counted on her tips the same way I did. The only difference was I didn't have a boyfriend who didn't work sponging off my paycheck.

"I know," I agreed. "But that didn't stop some dude in a suit from leaving me a golden treasure of twenty-seven cents."

She winced. "What a shit," she grumbled.

I shook off my dark mood. "That's what the weekends are for," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. "We'll make it all back then."

Her pretty brown eyes shifted, and I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Yeah, I uh..."

"What's wrong, Robbie?"

"Nothing," she mumbled. "Well, I don't think it's anything to worry about yet."

My brows shot up. "What isn't?"

She started to bite on her lip, and I wondered if she was going to answer. She finally said, "I overheard Randy on the phone last night and it sounded like he was arguing with someone over money. And, well...I'm just hoping he doesn't expect me to bail him out again."

It took everything I had to bite my tongue. I could go on a rant of what a loser her boyfriend was, but I didn't want to be that friend. I wanted to be the kind of friend that could give Robbie advice based on her life and her personality, and not on what I would do in her situation. Besides, what the hell did I know about relationships? The first and only one I've ever been in crashed and burned.

"Well, you know what you can do and what you can't do," I said cautiously. "Don't overextend yourself if you can't afford it."

She shook her head and plastered on a smile. "You're right," she agreed. "Besides, he hasn't even asked, so I probably shouldn't be borrowing trouble." I smiled back at her for a lack of something better to do. "I'll see you back out there." She winked and flounced back out the same way she came in.

I took a deep breath and prayed she'd listen. I've only met Randy a couple of times when we've gone out for drinks together and, plain and simple, I didn't like the man. He was a mooch and had that troublesome vibe about him. But, as long as he made Robbie happy, I planned to watch what I said about the guy and word my advice carefully. However, I still didn't like him.

Growing up, I was used to men who took care of their women. From where I came from, men were men and women were women and there was no confusion. If a man didn't outright support his woman, then he had a partnership with her, and they took care of each other. From what I could see, Robbie took care of herself and Randy.

Shaking off my thoughts, I went back outside into the restaurant and tried to mind my own business. Robbie wasn't a stupid woman. She might be putting up with more than most because she cared about her boyfriend, but she wasn't stupid. All I could do was be there for her when enough became enough.

As I entered the floor of the restaurant, I realized it was true what they said; say the Devil's name, and he shall appear. But, in this case, it was Edmond who appeared, not the Devil.

He was sitting in my section, and he was all smiles when I approached. "Hey, Frankie," he greeted me. "How are you?"

I put on my service smile and made sure not to hint at anything more. "Hi, Edmond. I'm doing well. How are you?"

It wasn't that he wasn't good-looking; on the contrary, he was. He had sandy blonde hair and sweet, light blue eyes. He had that surfer vibe even though there wasn't an ocean or lake anywhere near Cedar Creek. There wasn't even a creek. He was also tall and athletically built. He wasn't a gym rat with too many muscles, but he also wasn't a slob with a pouch over his dick.

Overall, he was a nice-looking man. He just didn't do it for me.

No one did.

"I'm great," he answered. "I'll be doing better if ever you take me up on my offer of dinner or drinks."

I kept my smile in place. "What can I get you, Edmond?"

"Okay, okay," he teased. "I can take a hint."

Since he's been hitting on me for weeks, my money says he can't.
Chapter 3

_Phoenix~_

It didn't matter how many times I've been in this house, this study particularly, it always felt like I was sitting down with the sorry souls who were unfortunate enough to cross paths with Giovanni Benetti. Or any Benetti, for that matter.

It was also how I knew when Luca was talking to us as a Mob Underboss and not the boy who we played tag with as children. Whenever we were invited to meet him at the Benetti home, which was still occupied by his mother and father, we knew we were here for business.

Luca owned an apartment building on the outskirts of Morgan City. He occupied the entire top floor while me and Ciro shared the floor underneath, our apartments separated by a shallow hallway. No one had access to our floor or Luca's save us three. The remaining six floors were empty of residents except for the first floor which consisted of the lobby and the smaller apartments that housed a few guards. The second floor housed a gym, swimming pool, sauna, etc. Any member of the Benetti family was required to be healthy and in shape, so Luca made access to a gym easier for his men. No one in the Benetti family got soft, not even the retirees.

No one.

The third floor was a common area, where a lot of our impromptu meetings were held. The fourth and fifth floors were empty and completely gutted of anything besides structure beams. The sixth floor was our arsenal floor. Only a few people had access to the floor, and one of them was Vincent Costas, our weapons expert and manager. His sole purpose in life was to issue our weapons and firearms and make sure they could never be traced back to any of us. We had more firepower on that one floor than most gun stores. Needless to say, the security in Luca's building rivaled that of The Pentagon.

Whenever Luca wanted to spend time with me and Ciro as friends, we were called up to his penthouse, or he'd stop by one of our apartments. Being called to the Benetti home meant he wanted to talk business. It was no secret that Giovanni Benetti didn't care for the fact that mine and Ciro's alliances were with Luca and not him, so he didn't appreciate our presence or called on us often. He tolerated us because we were good at what we did, and he didn't want to cause a rift between him and his son. No one voiced it out loud, but we all knew Luca was ten times more powerful than his father these days.

When I had driven through the gates and circled the arched driveway until I was parked in front of the house, well, mansion really, no one had stopped me, and no one had greeted me. When I had gotten out of the car and walked up the steps to the house, even though there had been a dozen pairs of eyes on me from the moment I had turned the corner on Park Street, no one had stopped me because they knew.

They knew who I was.

And they knew I belonged here.

I sat on the deep brown leather couch, my elbows braced on my knees, a tumbler of whiskey in between my hands. Ciro was seated on one of the bar stools near the bar on the right side of the study, while Luca's ass was perched against his father's desk. Well, technically, his father's desk, but we all knew the truth.

"So, what warrants a visit to Daddy Benetti's house," Ciro asked in that flippant way that irritated Giovanni Benetti and I couldn't say I blamed the man.

Luca shrugged a shoulder. "Nothing business related," he clarified immediately. "I just had some business to attend to and I knew you guys were near." While Luca's apartment building was on the outskirts of Morgan City, the Benetti home was on the north side of the city where the wealthy dwelt and the homes sat on acres of land, making neighbors a mile-wide non-issue. And because the Benettis had enemies by the thousands, it was rare for Luca, Ciro, and me to be seen together. Even though our homes were in the same building, we each had three different residences that were spread throughout Morgan City.

"So, what's up?" I asked.

"Have either of you been to see Massimo today?"

In the poor neighborhood of Silver Heights, Massimo had been every child's favorite uncle. His wife had died young, taking all his love with her. He never remarried, and since she died so suddenly, they never had kids. Massimo took to adopting all the neighborhood children and making them his. He bandaged wounds, bailed out troublemakers, fed the neglected, and even harbored fugitives. Even his nails were often painted by little girls whose mothers were too busy turning tricks or passed out from drugs to play with them. Every one of us held a special place in our hearts for Massimo. Even those of us who no longer possessed one.

And one week ago, he had landed in the hospital, stage-four cancer, and he hadn't told anyone. He had wanted the last few months of his life to be happy ones, not to be drowned in sadness and depression.

"Yeah. I was there this morning," Ciro answered. "Around two, maybe." Luca donated a shitload of money to Mercy Hospital for round-the-clock premium care and visiting hours for Massimo.

Not to mention, a fuckton of guards switching shifts.

"I stopped a couple of hours ago," I added. "In time to have lunch together."

Luca didn't comment. He just nodded, thoughts already organizing themselves in his head. Luca was a thinker. And the motherfucker was always ten steps ahead of everyone else. The man's mind never stopped.

We watched as he reached back, grabbed his glass of Louie Xiii, and downed it in one swallow. My eyes darted towards Ciro to see if he was seeing this shit, because that brand of cognac was supposed to be savored, not abused.

And Luca never abused his luxuries.

"I was there last night," he finally said, his dark gaze continuously dancing back and forth between mine and Ciro's. "We talked for about two hours or so." People said Luca didn't have a soul, but he did. Massimo's sickness and impending death was hard on all of us. "He gave me an update on his condition, and he was completely honest when he said he had only a few days left. Maybe a week."

The silence in the room was heavy. We saw evil all the time. Hell, we were evil. Things like this shouldn't happen to good people, and Massimo was as good as a person could get.

This time Luca's eyes stayed glued to mine as he said the last thing I ever expected him to say. "I'm going to go get Francesca tomorrow."

My entire body stilled.

My heart stopped, and my blood turned to ice in my veins.

Frankie.

We've always known where she was, who she was with, and what she was doing. The night she walked out on us, she was only allowed to go under the condition that she was never really gone. Of course, she didn't know that we knew every minute of how she spent her days, but we weren't going to apologize for it. At the end of the day, no matter how pissed off she was at us, she was Ciro Mancini's sister, Luca Benetti's best friend, and the love of my life. She would always be protected.

Ciro didn't say anything, but I knew his eyes were on me the same as Luca's. I finally managed to find my voice. "Frankie," I repeated, tossing back my whiskey. Fuck savoring.

"She's the only person from the neighborhood that doesn't know about Massimo yet," Luca explained. "And he made it clear he'd like to see her before it's too late." I knew Luca wasn't asking permission. His decision was already cemented in his dark gaze. "I'm not going to deny that man whatever it is in my power to grant him."

I didn't blame him.

I couldn't.

Massimo was a good man, and he gave himself to us lost, neglected children and, if he wanted to see Frankie, then it's the least he deserved.

I let out a deep breath and stood up. Ciro already had the whiskey bottle in his outstretched hand for me as I grabbed it and drank straight from the bottle. I knew I was going to pay for this tomorrow because, like Luca and Ciro, we didn't drink to get drunk. We always had to have our wits about us, and that was nonnegotiable. So, since I wasn't a heavy drinker, I could see a hangover meeting me first thing tomorrow.

The bottle was held tight in my hand as it hung at my side. I looked over at Luca. "Okay." I wasn't sure what else to say. Again, he wasn't asking me for permission. He was letting me know he was bringing Frankie back. And, knowing Frankie, I knew she was going to come running once she found out why she was needed. She loved Massimo just as much as the rest of us.

I stared at Luca and I knew he already knew what I was going to say. He could see it written all over my face, just as I'm sure Ciro could. "She doesn't get to leave," I told him. "She can come back to see Massimo, but she doesn't get to go back to Cedar Creek, Luca."

Luca's expression remained stoic as Ciro mumbled, "Bloody hell."

Luca finally gave me a tight nod and said, "I figured as much." He let out a rare chuckle. "I'll also let you be the one to tell her."

"Thank God," Ciro burst out. I turned to look at him. His brows shot up. "What?" he asked. "This is Frankie we're talking about. The fuck I'm going to be the one to tell her she isn't going back home. And we'll be up to our ears in bullshit if she ups and kills Luca for telling her, so, yeah, thank God it's not me."

"You're a dick."

"Maybe," he conceded. "But it won't be my balls gripped like a vise in her fucking hands."

Ignoring Ciro, I turned back to Luca. I barely survived letting her walk away the first time, there's no way I'd survive it a second time. I knew it and so did Luca and Ciro. "You can't interfere," I insisted. I was talking to him as both a friend and our Underboss. Luca and Frankie had been tight. They had a bond that no one could deny. If she went running to Luca, begging for freedom, and he gave the order to let her leave, I'd have to let her. Or die for disobeying a Benetti's order. He knew it and I knew it.

"You have my word, Phoenix," he replied. "But only because I know Francesca still loves you. Her time of running is over, and she needs to be back where she belongs."

"How do you know she still loves me?"

"Because it's been six years, Phoenix. She hasn't been on one date in six fucking years. The girl still loves you. She just happens to still be pissed off."

"Or she knows that if word got back to Nix that she was dating someone, the poor fuck would end up six feet under," Ciro chimed in. "I mean, the girl's not stupid."

"Thanks, Ciro," I remarked, flipping him off.

Luca smirked. "It doesn't matter if she still loves him or not. The tides are turning, gentlemen, and it's time for Francesca to come home."

Her Highness was finally coming home.

And it was about fucking time.
Chapter 4

_Francesca~_

Five more minutes until my break. Wednesdays were just as slow as Tuesdays, so it felt pointless to take a break, but our shift manager was very adamant about following labor laws. That being said, I made a quick round of my section and informed everyone that I'd be taking a break soon, but Sabrina would help them should they need anything before I got back.

I had just walked into the back and was about to take my apron off when Mona walked into the employee break area. "Hey, Frankie."

"Hey, Mona."

"I know you're on break, but there's a guy out there insisting that he be waited on by you."

What?

My brows furrowed. "Is it Edmond?"

Mona shook her head. "No, it's not. But I gotta tell you, girl, if you don't serve him, I sure as hell will," she replied. "The man is tall, dark, handsome, and more."

My stomach dipped as I froze in the middle of untying my apron. "What?"

Moan fanned herself in true dramatic fashion. "The man is gorgeous, Frankie. Dark hair and black fucking eyes. I mean, have you ever seen someone with black eyes? They're fucking stunning."

My heart stopped in resignation.

I've only seen two men in my life whose gazes were as black as evil, and that was Luca and Giovanni Benetti. Even Luca's two younger brothers, Leo and Sal, didn't have the Giovanni Benetti black eyes. Only Luca. Leo and Sal had their mother's eyes, mossy green. And while they looked like Benettis through and through, Luca was the only one who resembled his father one hundred percent.

"He's insisting on me?"

"Yeah. I told him you were going on break, and he said that was perfect. Which made no sense," she replied, confused a bit.

If I had any doubt it was Luca before, I didn't now. The only question was what was he doing here?

I took off my apron to lessen the odds of us being interrupted. I told my tables I was on break, but if they saw me out there in my apron, they might believe I was still in service-mode.

I plastered on a fake smile. "Okay. Thanks, Mona."

As I went to walk past her, she grabbed me by my shoulders. "No, seriously, Frankie. Find out if that man is single and, if so, put in a good word for me. Good Lord," she praised.

"Sure thing, Mona." Not. Even if Luca were single, I wouldn't do that to Mona. I wouldn't sign her up for a life that I knew she couldn't mold herself to fit into.

As soon as I stepped out from the kitchens, I saw him. He was sitting at a booth, his back up against the wall, his eyes scanning the restaurant. He made sure to choose a booth with no window and made sure it was one that gave him the perfect view of the entire place and the people in it.

Some things never change.

He didn't smile or stand up or anything as I walked towards the booth. That black gaze Mona had fallen in love with stayed glued to mine until I sat down on the opposite side of the booth. It's been six years, and the beautiful boy I once shared so many secrets with had grown up to be a heartbreakingly gorgeous man.

Luca's hair was still black as coal, short on the sides, but long enough everywhere else that it'd be no problem for some lucky girl to run her fingers through it. His brows were just as dark, thick, and arched. His eyes were so black, you couldn't see where the color began, and where the pupil ended. Gone was any softness that once marked him as a boy. Now his face was all hard angles and a strong jaw. He looked like he was carved from stone. And I knew without a doubt his body was in prime condition underneath that expensive suit he was wearing. All the Benetti men were as conditioned as soldiers in their prime. Luca Benetti was six-foot-two-inches of pure, unstoppable muscle.

As a boy, Luca had been beautiful.

As a man, he was breathtaking.

"What are you doing here?"

Luca leaned in and placed his forearms on the table, clasping his hands together. He didn't quite smirk, but there was something in his expression. "Is that your way of telling me you haven't missed me?"

I almost cried.

I almost cried because I did miss my friend. I missed him terribly. That's the thing about running away. Your memories and emotions go with you, so it ends up just becoming geography.

I cleared my throat of the emotions that threatened to take over. "What are you doing here, Luca?" I repeated. I didn't want to talk about how much I missed him. I'd lose it for sure if I did.

This time he did smirk.

Then he straightened his imposing frame and pinned me with that dark gaze he uses to cripple people with. "Massimo has cancer," he said, his voice betraying nothing. He might as well have been talking about the weather. But that didn't bother me. I knew Luca felt, and I knew he felt deeply.

I, however, hadn't been able to master Luca's level of aloofness. "What?"

"It's true, Francesca. Massimo has cancer. Stage-four." Luca is the only person who calls me Francesca. He's never called me Frankie. I've always been Francesca to him.

My eyes watered, but I didn't care. Massimo had been one of the most stable things in our lives, and he was vital to the children of Silver Heights. He saved so many lives with his unconditional love and support of the worst of us.

"I...I..."

Luca took pity on me, and I didn't take his kindness lightly. We may have been best friends once, but Luca was still Luca. "He was diagnosed earlier this year," he said, explaining. "He had two choices. He could fight the good fight or surrender peacefully when the time came."

"Did chemo not w...work, or something?"

"He declined chemo treatment, Francesca. He didn't want the final days of his life to be riddled with treatments, weakness, and agony when he's as old as he is."

Before I could comment, Robbie walked up to our table. "Good Afternoon. May I get you guys something to drink? Eat?"

Luca didn't spare her a glance which told me he had at least two of his men in the restaurant with us for him not to acknowledge her approach. "Nothing for me, thank you."

I looked up at her. "I'm...I'm good, Robbie. My break isn't that much longer, anyway."

Her face was full of concern, but she didn't push. "Okay. No problem," she replied, and I knew she was going to demand an explanation later.

Luca didn't speak again until she was out of earshot. "He's almost eighty-years-old, Francesca. He didn't want to put his body through an ordeal it might not survive. He chose to go the way of dying naturally, and he didn't tell anyone because he didn't want any of his kids to worry."

The tears I was holding in finally fell free.

His kids.

"Oh, God..." I brokenly whispered.

"Massimo was admitted into the hospital last week and that's when he could no longer keep his secret. Everyone from the neighborhood has been visiting him, reminiscing, and saying their final goodbyes," he said.

I shook my head, then grabbed a napkin from the napkin dispenser to dry my eyes and keep snot from running down my face. "Final goodbyes?"

Luca's face softened and it was a rare sight to behold. "He only has a few days left, Francesca. A week at the most."

"Oh, Luca...how..." I didn't even know what I wanted to ask him. The idea of Massimo suffering his secret alone was heartbreaking, but not surprising. He always protected us kids.

And then Luca got to the reason he was here. "I see him every day, Francesca," he said. "And the last time I was with him he asked me about you." I gasped in surprise, but then in shame. In the six years that I've been gone from Morgan City, I never once checked in on Massimo. I left him behind, along with everyone else, when I left town. "He wants to see you before he passes. You're the only person left from the neighborhood that hasn't gone to see him."

"I don't know what to say," I replied, shame flooding my entire being.

"I don't expect you to say anything," he retorted. "I'm not here to tell you Massimo is dying, Francesca. I'm here to tell you that I will be here when your shift is over and you're going back to Morgan City with me."

It was on the tip of my tongue to issue an automatic refusal, but I wisely caught myself in time. There's no way I'd deny a dying man's last wish. And, even if I were heartless enough to do something that vile, there's no way Luca would let me. Luca was here for exactly what he said he was here for. He was taking me back, whether peacefully or by my hair, and I didn't blame him one bit.

"O...okay," I agreed. "I...uhm, my shift ends at-"

"At five, I know," he interrupted, and I hated that he knew that. I also wasn't surprised that he did.

"Can...can I go home and change first?" I hated asking him for permission, but I was smart enough to realize the boy I knew was not the man sitting before me. Once upon a time, I could have sworn Luca Benetti would never harm me, but now? It's possible six years has turned the Luca Benetti I once knew into an entirely different person.

"You may," he allowed. "However, since we don't have time for bullshit, your bag will already be packed and ready to go." He eyed me in a way that issued a dare my way, but my mind was primarily on Massimo and hoping I wasn't too late to say goodbye.

"Bag?"

Luca jerked his head towards the openness of the restaurant. "Today's Wednesday. It's been arranged that you will be off the next few days for a family emergency. It's all been arranged, and you will be back to work on Monday."

My schedule wasn't a set schedule, but Leda, the restaurant manager, usually scheduled me on the weekends. I was a good waitress, and she knew I enjoyed working the weekends. "Luca, I need to work. That's too many days off. Maybe I can go see him today and go back..." I trailed off as Luca leaned closer and narrowed his eyes at me.

"If you need money, I'll provide that for you, Francesca, but let's get one thing clear." I'd swallow if my mouth hadn't gone complete dry. "If that man wants you sitting by his bedside every hour of the rest of his days, then that's what you will fucking do. Am I clear?"

His words hit my chest like a sledgehammer. Shame was a hurtful wave throughout my body. Even if I couldn't afford it, Massimo was dying and here I was complaining about something as trifling as money. I let out a deep breath, hoping to release my shame along with it. "Of course."

Luca didn't grace me with any more conversation. He simply stood up, gave me a kiss on the top of my head, and walked out, taking three other random patrons with him.

I stayed in the booth until Robbie came to get me, and the entire time I couldn't think of anything but Massimo. But as the clock ticked down to the end of my shift, another name crossed my mind.

Phoenix.
Chapter 5

_Phoenix~_

Back to Luca, Ciro, and I being rarely seen together at the same time, we staggered our visits to see Massimo. Even though Luca's security was topnotch, we still didn't like to chance it. We knew what the city called us, and it would be the ultimate show of power to take out The Holy Trinity all at once.

Luca was called The Father for obvious reasons. He was destined to take over the Benetti Family one day and there was no doubt he planned on running it with an iron fist. Even now, Giovanni was more of a figurehead than the actual head of the family. Luca ran the show, and we all knew he'd be in charge of the entire empire before he even hits thirty-five. He was only thirty now.

Ciro was called The Son because he might as well be the Son of God where the Benetti Family was concerned. Luca had trusted Ciro early on; since we were kids, really. But six years of getting dirty and filthy in ways that would made hardened murderers weep, Ciro earned his place next to Luca. Ciro was also referred to as The Son because, out of the three of us, he was the most likely to play with his food and throw a tantrum, but those moniker characteristics were only shared by me and Luca. No one else knew Ciro drove us crazy sometimes with his hotheadedness.

And I was called The Holy Ghost because I was invisible.

I felt it deep in my soul, too.

There was also a fourth member, she just didn't know it. The streets of Morgan City referred to Frankie as Church. Growing up, we never downplayed how much Frankie Mancini meant to the three of us, and so almost everyone knew there was nothing we wouldn't do for her. Her leaving Morgan City hadn't changed that and everyone just got to calling her Church. She was our sacred place, and she was the only female the three of us worshiped.

It's the reason why we agreed to all be present when Luca brought her back to see Massimo. Ciro wasn't going to miss out on the chance to see his sister again after all these years, and I was here to drag her the fuck home with me after her visit with Massimo. I knew she wouldn't go peacefully, but I didn't care. I actually wanted her to fight me. I had six years of pent-up anger in me, and I loved the idea of taking it all out on her. I'd drag her by her motherfucking hair if I had to and I knew Ciro nor Luca would stop me. Frankie might be Ciro's sister, and she might be Luca's best friend, but I was her other half and both men knew it. They'd never interfere unless she was in real, actual danger.

I had just finished checking the en suite attached to my bedroom to make sure Frankie had everything she'd need while she was here when my phone rang. "What's up?"

"Luca said he'd have her there around seven," Ciro answered. "I figured we'd give her and Massimo a couple of hours to themselves before we showed up there."

Even with the heads-up from Luca yesterday, it was still hard to wrap my mind around the fact that Frankie was coming back. I've waiting six years for her and these last twenty-four hours have been hell. Ciro wanting to wait two more hours to see her sounded reasonable, but they were two more additional painful hours for me.

"Luca's going to have the hour drive from Cedar Creek to Morgan City to play catch up with Frankie, how many hours do you need before I get her?" Ciro and Frankie's parents died in a car wreck when they were young and that made Frankie Ciro's only blood family left. It crushed him when she left. I might have felt alone, but Ciro had felt abandoned. He survived the same way I did; by Luca keeping tabs on her.

Ciro chuckled into the phone. "I just want to see her, Nix," he said. "You can take her home and fight it out. If you're both still alive tomorrow, I'll stop by then."

"Really?" I asked surprised.

"Phoenix, seriously," he laughed. "I can't even begin to imagine the shit that's going to go down when you two finally come together. I figure she's going to need me tomorrow to help her pick up the pieces more than she'll need me tonight." He was right. "I'll stop by tomorrow, so you can leave to cool down, and she can pour her heart out to me. Or help her hide your body."

I snorted. "You're delusional if you think she's not still pissed off at you, too," I pointed out. "The only reason she didn't claw Luca's eyes out is because he wasn't the one who lied to her and betrayed her. He kept our secrets, but then, she never asked him what was going on."

"True," he agreed. "However, I'm hoping she'll be too tired from fighting with you all night to argue with me tomorrow."

I laughed. "You really are a cocksucker."

"Hey! Don't knock those pretty things who spend countless hours on their knees to please me."

"You're also a goddamn manwhore," I added.

Like water off a duck's back, he said, "I don't stick my dick in all of them, Nix. For whatever reason, most of them enjoy just blowing me."

"Enough about your dick, Ciro. I say we give Massimo maybe ten minutes or so of the four of us before we head out and let him rest. I still don't feel good about all of us being in the same place at the same time. It's too dangerous for Frankie." Knowing how many people would love to take us out, Frankie being with the three of us put her in danger as collateral damage. It had actually been a blessing in disguise that she wanted to live low-key in Cedar Creek when she left. No one in that town knew who she was. Sure, neighboring cities knew all about the Benettis, but Morgan City was where they laid their kingdom. Most surrounding towns minded their own business.

"I hear ya," he replied. "As much as I want my sister back home, I'm not ignorant to the danger this kind of life puts her in."

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Good thing the girl's a badass and can take care of herself," he joked, only it wasn't really a joke. Growing up with us, Frankie learned how to fight, how to shoot a gun, and how to race a car. She knew how to defend herself when needed, and she knew how to escape when needed.

I also knew Ciro didn't mean anything by it, but his comments felt akin to gargling glass. Yes, Frankie could defend herself, but there shouldn't ever be a need for her to if I were doing my job as a man. "Ciro, you know I'll never let anything happen to your sister, right?" I knew the answer, but the question still needed to be asked.

His sigh was answer enough, but he said, "Of course, I do, Phoenix. I never would have let you date her if I didn't believe you'd love and protect her. But that doesn't mean shit doesn't happen, dude. That's all I meant."

"Good to know," I replied "However, you never had a say. Nothing or no one was ever going to keep your sister from me, and that included your dumb ass."

"I'll be sure to use that as a direct quote at your funeral after she kills you," he tossed back.

I couldn't help but smile. I've killed many people in my short twenty-eight years, and I've been in more fights than I can count but going toe-to-toe with Frankie was sure to do some permanent damage.

"Look, I gotta go," I told him. "I gotta make sure everything is ready for Frankie's arrival."

"Good luck, man." And I knew he meant it seriously.

"Thanks." I hung up and got to checking the kitchen, making sure it was stocked up with her favorites. Then I was almost brought to my knees when I realized it's been six years. Her favorites might have changed.

She might have changed.

It killed to me to think I might not know her as well as I used to, but that was something that could be remedies with time. The next fifty years to be exact. There was no way I was letting Frankie go again, and if I had to hold her prisoner in my house, I would.

Then there was the matter of Massimo's funeral. I knew that he and Luca had it already planned and paid for, and it was going to be a farewell to rival a king's. However, Luca, Ciro, Frankie, and I would not be in attendance. While I was pretty confident that Massimo was respected enough by everyone that there'd be no bloodshed on his fateful day, we still couldn't risk it. So, it was arranged that, when Massimo passed, he would be moved to a private room at the hospital where a priest will meet us, and we are to have our own private ceremony, just the five of us.

Now I had no illusion that mine and Frankie's reunion would go smoothly. I knew it wouldn't. Just like I had six years of pent-up pissed-the-fuck-off and loneliness to contend to, I imagine she had a lot of shit she wanted to get off her chest, too.

The night Frankie left, we learned the hard way that she had gotten fed up with mine and Ciro's lies and caginess and had followed us to the Benetti warehouse. She had climbed on top of some abandoned crates and, through a dirty window up top, she had seen mine and Ciro's initiation.

The. Entire. Fucking. Thing.

And while we were being introduced and drinking to a job well done, Frankie had run home, packed only the shit she needed, and had fled. Of course, not before she left a note to us all, telling us that the moon shone beautifully through the north end corner window around the docks.

Ciro had ranted and raved.

Luca had shut down.

I had lost my mind and destroyed everything in the house.

We had all been prepared to go after her until Luca came to his senses and stopped us. He took his emotions out of the equation and convinced us that she deserved her space. He promised he would put guards on her and that she'd be safe while she cooled down. However, the joke was on us. It was six years later, and the girl had still not cooled down.

Tonight was going to be fucked-up.
Chapter 6

_Francesca~_

The drive to Morgan City had done nothing to help put the past behind me. In fact, the drive over only fueled the anger and resentment I thought I conquered years ago.

The first few months, anger and righteousness kept me warm at night. Sure, I missed Phoenix terribly, but anger, hurt, and resentment kept me from reaching out to him. There was also the fact that I had been too busy trying to build a new life. I had submerged myself in finding jobs and a place to stay.

I had worked many jobs those first two years, sometimes holding down four jobs at once. It helped to keep me from starving or being homeless, but it also kept me from being lonely. I barely had time to eat or sleep, so there was no time to dwell in the heartbreak of leaving my family behind. I had also lucked out and found an affordable apartment almost immediately. It wasn't much, but it had included utilities and that was practically unheard of.

The third year was when I got my job at Brighton and met Robbie and Mona and everyone else. Robbie and I clicked immediately having guy names, but I became friendly with almost everyone who worked at Brighton. No one knew my story, not even Robbie, as I lied to everyone and told them I had dropped out of college because I was no longer happy in life. I gave a speech about how happiness was more important than money and I'd rather be a waitress with real friends than a corporate rat drowning in Wallstreet waters.

They all bought it.

I sold it so well, it was hard not to believe it sometimes.

The past three years have been spent going through the motions. Sure, I had girls' night and enjoyed my job and friends, but the hole in my heart was always there. I missed my brother, best friend, and lover. I never contacted Phoenix or Luca, but because Ciro was my brother, and we lost our parents the way we did at such a young age, I owed it to him to let him know I was alive and well. So, after I got a new phone and I texted him that it was me, over the years I sent him random texts here and there just to let him know I was fine. He never pushed for conversation and his texts were always the same.

One word-Okay.

But come to find out it was all for nothing as Luca so casually informed me. The entire drive back to Morgan City, he thought it necessary to inform me that they've always known where I've been and what I've been doing. I wanted to be pissed off and surprised, but, deep down, I wasn't. They let me walk too easily and now I knew why.

I had never really left.

By the time we reached the hospital, I'd reached my limit of Luca Benetti and was ready to see Massimo. My plan was to jump out of the car as soon as it came to a stop in front of the hospital, but it didn't work out that way. Luca hadn't pulled up to the front of the hospital. He had driven around the back of the five-story building and had pulled into the physicians' entrance.

When I reached for the door, Luca's voice stopped me. "Don't you fucking dare." I froze where I sat and waiting like a good underling as Luca got out, rounded the car, and opened the door for me. The entire time his eyes danced across the parking garage, and he was on high alert, as always. It wasn't until I got out of the car did I notice a handful of Benetti sentinels scattered throughout the place. Seeing them, once again, hammered home that being in Morgan City was nowhere near being in Cedar Creek.

Luca placed a hand on the small of my back and escorted me to the elevators, his eyes seeing everything even though he had guards everywhere. Luca was never off. He was always on, and he's always been that way. Even as children, Luca had always been...aware.

Once we entered the elevator, I asked the one question I didn't want to, but I needed to. "Will it be just me and Massimo in there?"

Luca pushed the button that led to Massimo's floor as he answered, "You have two hours of privacy with him, Francesca. That's what's been allotted and deemed reasonably safe."

The elevator jolted upwards, my heartbeat increasing with each floor we passed. "Who all knows I'm here?"

"Up until the guards saw you downstairs just now, only me, Ciro, and Phoenix knew you were coming," he replied, and I hated how he answered so casually. I hated how he could say those two names like they meant nothing when, to me, they meant everything.

I wanted to ask him if they were here, but Luca already knew I was asking that question when I asked if it was going to be just me and Massimo in his room. So, the fact that he hadn't answered my underlying question kept me from asking him outright.

When the elevator came to a stop, my heart almost did too. I knew there was a possibility that Ciro and Phoenix would be on the other side of these doors, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that. Seeing Ciro wouldn't be nearly as hard as seeing Phoenix, but it would still be an emotional punch to see my brother after all these years.

When the doors opened, I saw nothing but more Benetti sentinels, and I was momentarily relieved that I had more time before facing Ciro and Phoenix. As Luca led me out of the elevator, I realized how egotistical I was being. It's been six years. Surely, Phoenix wasn't still pining over me. There's no way he hasn't moved on to someone else. Men like my brother, Luca, and Phoenix weren't meant to suppress their masculinity. And there wasn't a shortage of women willing to do whatever it took to be with one, two, or all three of them.

No one showed any surprise as we walked past, but then they shouldn't. Benetti men were trained to always be in control. If they were surprised to see us, they were doing their best to hide it. Especially, in front of Luca. I also noticed that the hallways were devoid of visitors and noise. This floor was private and secluded.

We stopped in front of room 1478, and I reached for the door handle, but suddenly the reason I was here hit me at full force. Massimo was dying, and I was here to say goodbye. My hand froze and I had to steady myself before walking into his room.

The world was going to weep with his passing.

Luca's breath tickled my ear as he leaned down and said, "He's waiting for you, Francesca." His lips touched the side of my head. "It's going to be okay."

I let out a shaky breath but wrapped my hand around the handle and pushed the door open. I walked inside and was surprised that Luca hadn't followed me inside. However, my thoughts immediately shifted towards Massimo as I watched his head turn to see who was visiting him.

His face lit up and I felt worse than I already had. "Little Frankie Mancini," he cooed. "My beautiful, beautiful girl." His arms opened and I ran into them.

He didn't care that I was practically across the hospital bed and neither did I. He didn't care that I almost knocked everything askew and neither did I. He didn't care that I was soaking his hospital gown with my tears and neither did I.

All that mattered was that I was here, and I hadn't been too late.

When I finally pulled back, Massimo was all smiled and shiny eyes and I had to reach over and pluck some tissue from his necessity tray. He chuckled as I cleaned myself up, but he was kind enough to give me time to compose myself.

Once I was cleaned up, he asked, "How have you been, Francesca?"

"Selfish," I automatically replied. "Completely selfish, Massimo."

His head fell to the side and his face softened with my regret. "Don't do that, dear. Don't ever feel bad for going out to live your life."

I shook my head. "I didn't go out to live my life," I corrected him. "I left because I was hurt and pissed off at the guys. And, in that rage, I let myself forget about everyone else. I was so angry and so wrapped up in my own misery, I forgot about everyone else who loved me." My eyes teared up again. "I'm so sorry, Massimo. I'm so sorry for not keeping in touch."

Massimo reached out and patted my knee. I was sitting on his bed, not eager to move at all. "Well, why don't you do this old man a favor and tell me all about what you've up to? I'd rather hear about this new life you carved out for yourself, Frankie, than listen to regret that doesn't do anybody any good."

I smiled because that was so like Massimo. He forgave us all our mistakes. He always looked towards the positive and did his best to steer us away from the negative. "I'd like that," I told him. "I'd like that a lot."

Massimo sat up straighter and adjusted his hospital bed to accommodate the both of us. As soon as I was nestled up against him, like a father comforting his broken child, I started telling him everything. Even though I didn't tell him the details of what I saw that night at the warehouse, I told him how I ran and how my life came to exist in Cedar Creek. I told him about Robbie, Mona, and Brighton. I told him how I dropped out of college, but I was relatively happy with my life. And, the entire time, he just listened. He listened as if he truly cared about my life; about me.

When it was his turn, he told me all about the kids he's been helping these past few years, about how he made the right choice to keep helping the kids of the neighborhood versus chemo treatment. He told me his last day was going to be filled with peace at knowing that he spent every day of his life doing what he loved best, loving us.

We went back and forth with all the things we needed to say to each other and all the new things we wanted to learn about each other. He even told me about the elaborate funeral Luca had planned for him. He said that, even though he might not be able to see the funeral, his spirit will be able to feel it wherever he may be. That had brought on another bout of tears that he soothed away.

Eventually our conversation led to the topic of Ciro, Phoenix, and Luca, and when I told him that I really didn't want to talk about them, he left me with one piece of advice.

Holding me in his arms, he said, "I've watched those young men turn into a force that strikes the fear of God into everyone they come across, Frankie. I've watched the light die out and darkness take over in each one of them. However, no matter what they've done or how soulless they may seem, you are the only thing that still makes them human. You, my dear girl, are the only chance at redemption they have, because you are the only thing on this earth that those three men care about." His arms tightened around me. "Don't dismiss the power in that, Frankie. Treat it like the fragile bomb is it. And recognize the magnitude of damage that bomb can inflict."

His words were cutting me to the bone. He was quietly scolding me, and he wasn't wrong. I knew leaving them would hurt them, and that's why I did it. I wanted them to hurt as much as they hurt me, but I never wanted to damage them.

"I still love them all," I confessed. Phoenix included.

"I know, Frankie Girl," he said, squeezing me. "I know."
Chapter 7

_Phoenix~_

I didn't partake in this scene often, but I was feeling anxious and I found I didn't care for that particular feeling. It's been years since I got butterflies or felt any sort of nervousness, but I was feeling unsettled now, and I needed to ease the tension somehow.

"Just like old times, huh?" Ciro grinned as he meticulously set up his tray of instruments, studiously ignoring the muffled screams echoing off the walls.

"It does bring back a certain feeling of nostalgia," I replied, taking a seat at the far end of the basement.

"It's like being back in that warehouse," he chuckled.

I let out a sigh, leaned back, and got comfortable. Well, as comfortable as anyone could get in these goddamn metal chairs. "Who do we have here?" I asked, nodding towards the poor sonofabitch tied to a chair just like mine. Only mine was stationed comfortably outside the splatter zone. That poor fuck's chair was positioned and bolted right over the drain.

Ciro smiled, showing me all his teeth. "This stupid bastard is Robert Miller," he answered.

My brows shot up in interest. "Robert Miller, huh?"

Ciro turned back towards the man. He smiled as he cocked his head. "Yep. Mr. Robert Miller of Meredith." Meredith was a small outlining town about a half hour drive from Morgan City.

"Nice town," I commented.

"Yeah," Ciro agreed. "Not bad."

I threw one foot across my knee and got situated to watch the show. "And how did Mr. Robert Miller...uh, find his way to Morgan City?"

I watched as Ciro grabbed a handful of Robert Miller's hair and yanked his head up, causing the man to scream louder behind the handkerchief stuffed in his mouth. "Last night's delivery," Ciro said, his voice taking on a dark edge. "Did you hear about it?"

Of course, I did. Ciro knew it too, so this line of questioning was for entertainment purposes only. "Michael Morelli was caught trying to short the shipment," I replied.

"Yes. Young Michael was caught trying to steal a TEC-9. So, of course, he was questioned, and do you know what we discovered?" You could almost hear the drumroll. I knew Ciro had questioned the kid and had taken him to see Luca afterwards. But Luca had given me the night off because he wanted me to get my shit together before he brought Frankie home, so I wasn't privy to the aftermath of Michael's error in judgement. "We found out that there were extenuating circumstances behind young Michael's attempted theft."

"Really?"

Ciro finally let go of Robert Miller's hair, but instead of his head collapsing, his frantic blue eyes were wildly trying to get my attention. The scent of urine was strong, even from where I was sitting. "It seems that our young Michael overheard his mother talking on the phone with her new boyfriend and, in exchange for drugs and money, she made the unfortunate decision to trade her daughter for those...items."

I could feel my body tense, and now I knew why Ciro had specifically mentioned the warehouse when he talked about old times. I didn't bother to hide the anger in my voice. "And how old is the daughter?"

Ciro's voice was ice, and that was a bad thing. Normally, Ciro was a hothead. He often erupted and it was never pretty. But when he was so angry that he couldn't even express it, that was never a good thing for his victim. But, then, calling Robert Miller a victim wasn't entirely accurate. "Eight," he bit out. "Eight fucking years old, Ghost."

I almost snorted. Ciro rarely called me Ghost. He was doing it now to emphasize for poor Robert Miller just who exactly had him in their clutches. And it worked because Robert Miller started thrashing about. Too bad for him, that chair was solidly bolted to the floor.

I stood up, smoothing out my slacks and adjusting my cuff links, as I strolled over to Ciro. Casual was only permitted at home. We always wore suits or dress clothing.

Always.

"Let me guess," I replied. "Michael, overhearing this conversation, wanted to protect his sister and snagging that gun at the last minute was a desperate decision?"

"Ding, ding, ding," Ciro sing-songed. "Give the man a prize." Ciro went back to his tray of goodies. "Robert was scheduled to go by and collect his...purchase tonight, and Michael wanted to be ready and waiting for him." Ciro smiled at me. "Guess what Robert found instead?"

I smirked. "You?"

His grin widened. "Me," he confirmed.

I picked up a scalpel. "What happened with the mother?"

The revulsion on his face turned his otherwise good looks wicked. "She's been dealt with. And Michael and his sister are now staying with their mother's cousin, where they will be safe."

I put the scalpel down and picked up the mallet. "That's good," I said conversationally. I glanced over at the asshole tied to the chair. "And I take it Robert, here, swore it was a misunderstanding."

Ciro laughed. "Yeah, but only after I kicked his ass and secured him to the chair. Before that, he was telling me shit was none of my business."

I tsk'ed. "Not good."

"Oh, well, then you'll love this," Ciro added cheerfully. "He also told me I could suck his dick and to go fuck myself."

I laughed.

I couldn't help it.

See, Ciro's claim to fame was a bit unconventional. When someone was unfortunate enough to cross his path, he didn't order a group of guys to beat his latest toy into submission. He didn't knock the guy out and then tie him up. Nope. Ciro abducted his prey and then gave the poor soul a chance to save himself. Ciro meets with the guy, one-on-one, and if the guy can beat Ciro, he lets them go. If he can't, well...they end up in the chair poor Richard Miller is currently sitting in. Ciro had his own code of honor and it didn't involve kicking a man when he was down. No. Ciro was a man's man, and he took down his prey fairly, but ruthlessly. In the entire six years that we've been doing this, Ciro has never lost a fight. It could be because he was trained in more than one fighting discipline or because he was simply crazy, but whatever it was, Ciro was unbeatable. Unfortunately for the women who've crossed his path, they didn't get that same chance to escape. Ciro wasn't fond of beating women, so he usually just got down to business and killed them if the job was a female. However, Luca was good at leaving the women to the Benetti members who were able to stomach that shit.

"Was that before or after he knew who you were?" I asked. "I mean, did the urine stain come before or after you told him The Son had found him?"

"Before," Ciro confirmed. "Once he knew who I was, well...I'm just grateful he didn't shit himself."

I put the mallet down and examined ice pick. "That'll come later," I predicted because it always did. I looked at Ciro. "No screaming?"

He shook his head. "Nah, not this time. I got a bitch of a headache what with Frankie coming back." And here I thought I was the only one on pins and needles. "She's waited six years to cuss us out. I can't imagine it'll be pretty."

I didn't want to talk about Frankie just yet. It was the whole reason I crashed Ciro's party for two. I wanted to get my mind off the unknown. I jerked my chin towards Richard Miller. "What are you going to do first?"

Ciro turned to face Richard, and we stood side by side studying the piece of shit, who was still pleading for his life behind the handkerchief. Ciro cocked his head and those amber eyes of his, the ones that have haunted me for six years because they were the same ones that decorated Frankie's face, narrowed a bit. "Well, since I'm not trying to get information out of him and I'm crunched for time because of Frankie, I'm thinking I might just start at the top and work my way down."

"Eyes first?"

Ciro looked over at me. "You think?" Again, this was all for show. Ciro didn't need me to tell him the quickest and most efficient way to kill someone. Ciro was the professional torturer here, not me. I was just helping him mentally torture Robert Miller.

I shrugged a shoulder. "If you're pressed for time, blinding him will heighten his fear as he won't be able to see what's coming next."

"Too true," he commented as if he was in deep thought.

I made a show of glancing at my watch. "You have good two hours before you have to shower and change," I told him.

"Just me?" Ciro knew there was a reason I crashed his party, and he knew the reason was Frankie. He also knew I needed to work out my anxiousness before meeting up with her.

"Okay. Us," I clarified.

Ciro dropped on his haunches, so he was face-to-face with Robert Miller. "Look at you, being all special," he taunted. "You got me and The Holy Ghost, bud. And that doesn't happen often."

Robert Miller's eyes were the size of saucers. He started thrashing about again, but he had to know it was futile at this point. No one ever escaped Ciro Mancini. Besides, we've already mentioned Frankie's name and the fact that she was back. That, alone, signed his death warrant. We'd never talk so freely about our family business if there was any chance this guy would live to tell about it.

Ciro reached behind him and I slapped the ice pick in his hand. "So, I'm going to start by blinding you as Ghost so helpfully suggested, and I'm going to work my way down." Robert Miller's screams turned to pathetic whimpers. He knew he was fucked. "However, it's all going to end in a magnificent show of me pulling your dick out, skinning it back and pouring salt all over it, before chopping it up into little pieces." Robert started screaming again. "Since we're here because of your dick, it only seems appropriate that it gets to star in the grand finale."

"Have you ever skinned a dick before?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Nah," Ciro replied. "But how hard can it be?" He didn't give me time to answer before the ice pick was already logged into Robert Miller's right eye. His screams of pain were loud as fuck even though he was muzzled but, blessedly, they were loud enough to put thoughts of Frankie on hold.

We had two hours with Robert Miller, and I wasn't about to waste a second of it.
Chapter 8

_Francesca~_

I never imagined I'd feel this exhausted, but I should have. Emotional reunions were always taxing and catching up with Massimo had been extremely emotional. No matter what we talked about, I couldn't get past the pain in my heart that he would be gone soon. I hurt for him, myself, all the neighborhood kids he's helped and all the neighborhood kids he'd never get to meet.

When I exited his room, I expected the guards, however, I hadn't expected Luca. I figured he'd be off doing whatever it is he did these days, and he'd have a ride waiting for me. Instead, he stood up from a chair that had been placed outside Massimo's room. It hadn't been there when we arrived, so I imagine it had been placed there specifically for Luca.

When I stopped in front of him, he asked, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "Not really," I answered honestly. "I...I just can't believe..." There were no words. I knew it and Luca knew it.

His nod was short and simple. "I know. We're all still trying to come to terms with it, Francesca."

I let out a deep breath and did my best to regain some sense of composure. "Did you book me into a hotel, or are you leaving that up to me?"

He scowled. "What?"

"You said I had to stay in town until Sunday," I reminded him. "I figured you would have booked me a hotel room or-"

"Francesca, you are not staying in goddamn hotel room," he bit out.

I really didn't want to stay with Luca, but I also knew I didn't have a choice if that's what he wanted. Plus, I was in the wrong here. I never should have discarded Massimo so effectively when I left. If I should have kept in contact with anyone, it should have been him. The way he stepped in and helped me and Ciro after our parents died in that car wreck was more than we were entitled to.

"Fine," I replied. "If you have a spare room-"

Luca shook his head. "Francesca, you aren't staying with me either."

So, I'll be staying with my brother. It wasn't ideal because I was still angry with him, but I figured we could spend these next four days fighting it out until we could find a middle ground.

Hopefully, we didn't kill each other first.

"Luca-"

"Come with me," he instructed as he grabbed my hand and led me down the corridor. I followed because I didn't know what else to do. I was doing my best to behave because I didn't want to cause drama for Massimo, but, also, because I didn't know this Luca. I knew what he was capable of, because the rumors of The Holy Trinity had reached Cedar Creek and beyond, but I didn't know who I was or where I stood with this new Luca.

When we reached the waiting room doorway, I saw Ciro standing in the middle of the room, his hands in his pockets. My stomached dropped as I took in my grown brother. He was no longer a young boy or young twenty-something; he was a grown man at the age of thirty.

His style had changed but not really. His dark brown hair still lay haphazardly on top of his head, as if he couldn't be bothered to style it. His amber eyes still shown as bright as the sun. However, his face no longer held any softness. He was all hard angles and all man, like Luca.

The biggest difference was the suit he was wearing. Ciro had always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy, but, now, he was dressed to the nines in a suit that cost more than most people's rent. The suit didn't hide his six-foot-one physique, though. You could tell, even through the fabric of the suit, that he was ripped all to hell. That's another thing that's changed. While Ciro always took care of himself, his body now looked like a weapon, and it probably was.

"Frankie," he whispered, and he looked pained. He looked as if that one word was slicing him to ribbons.

For one moment, years of anger and resentment faded to the background, and all I saw was my brother. The brother who never left me behind. The brother who never dismissed me. The brother who always protected me. The brother who raised me after our parents died. The brother who made sure I ate, had clothes, and got an education. The brother who was my only remaining blood relative.

The force of how much I missed him hit me hard. Looking at him, and noting all the changes in his appearance, I was suddenly aching with all the things I missed out on by leaving. By leaving, we had six years of empty memories of each other, and that hurt. It hurt more than I ever thought I'd realize.

My feet carried me into the room, and they didn't stop until I was wrapped in my brother's arms. His embrace felt like I was being squeezed by a vise, but I didn't mind. It felt good to be in his arms. While my reunion with Luca had been cold and business-like, my reunion with my brother was what it should be, all emotion.

"Ciro," I breathed into his neck. Being only five-three to his six-one, I was on my toes as he crushed me, and I still couldn't meet his height.

"I missed you so much, Frankie," he mumbled into my hair. "So fucking much."

"And I'm still pissed at you," I choked out. "So fucking pissed at you."

His arms tightened around me even more, if you could believe it, as he said, "I know you are."

I blinked the tears threatening to escape away. Now wasn't the time to hash out our differences. No matter how much I wanted to rip into him, telling him everything I've kept hidden all these years, I refused to cause a scene on Massimo's hospital floor. I could tear into Ciro tonight at his house later.

His house.

Another pang hit my chest as it occurred to me that I didn't even know where my brother lived. Even though the hurt and betrayal lay at his feet, the six years of separation lay at mine.

I pulled back and looked up at his handsome face. "Well, we have all night to sort it out," I told him. "It's been a long time coming, I think." Of course, I hadn't been having any of those thoughts until I talked to Massimo this evening, but I did know I couldn't leave without making things right with my brother. He was all I had. And even if he has changed, he was still my brother.

His eyes searched mine, and he looked as if he wanted to say something but wasn't sure. Then he glanced over my shoulder and took a step back. "Uh, Frankie, you're not staying at my place," he finally said.

"Then where am I staying?"

"With me."

My entire body froze. It's been six years, and though it's been touched by age, I would still know that voice anywhere.

Phoenix.

The pounding in my chest was real, and the punch felt ten times stronger than when I had seen my brother. Maybe it had been naïve of me, but I really hadn't expected to see Phoenix. There was no need. Reconnecting with my brother made sense. Having to see Phoenix didn't. It's been years. Whatever he's done, whoever he's moved on with, there was no need for us to see each other.

None.

And I knew every second that I didn't turn around screamed of cowardice, but I didn't care. These three were blindsiding me left and right, so if I needed a few precious seconds to collect myself, then I was going to take them.

And then his words registered.

With me.

I finally turned around and immediately wished I hadn't.

Phoenix Fiore stood just inside the doorway with Luca at his back, and he looked better than any man had the right to.

Like Ciro and Luca, gone was anything that used to mark Phoenix as soft or young. Though he was two years younger than Luca and Ciro, one wouldn't be able to tell it. Phoenix stood as tall as Luca at six-two and filled out just as strong. I used to always think that because we were the same age, Phoenix and I were sheltered from the darkness that surrounded Luca, but I was wrong. Darkness swirled around Phoenix like a wild mist that couldn't be contained.

He was wearing a suit, much like Ciro's and the one Luca had on, but that was the only thing gentlemanly about him. Phoenix stood tall with his hands in his pockets and his chin up in a challenge. He was waiting for me to defy him, but I was too busy taking in everything that was difference about him and everything that was the same.

Phoenix had the same dark brown hair but gone was the curl at the ends. It was now kept short and neat. Messy, but in that way most men aimed to style. His hazel eyes, bright with thick lashes, were clear and sharp as he assessed me, waiting for my reaction. They no longer looked like they crinkled in joy. And, like Ciro and Luca, his face was hard angles and clean-shaven. I also knew that if he smiled at me right now, dimples as deep as caverns would render me stupid. They accompanied a smile full of straight white teeth, unless something has changed about his smile in the past six years. And, just like Luca and Ciro, the suit Phoenix wore did nothing to hide what had to be a magnificent body underneath.

Growing up, Phoenix had never been a pretty boy, but once puberty hit, and he saw what his cut, muscular physique did to me, Phoenix had made it his mission the make sure he always had a terrain of abs for me to run my tongue over. He had always kept in shape, and I couldn't imagine that's changed much. My stomach roiled with the quick, unpleasant thought of which lucky woman was running her tongue over his abs nowadays.

I quickly shoved that thought aside because I had no right to that answer. I was the one who walked away from him. And I was the one who stayed away for six years. Whatever or whoever Phoenix was doing was none of my business.

Neither of us moved an inch. We stayed planted where we were as I asked, "What do you mean, with you?"

His chin inched up further. "Just what I said," he replied coolly, his voice rough and enticing. "You'll be staying with me at my place."

"Says who?" I snapped, this time, my chin up in challenge.

"Says me," he tossed back.

I could feel my lip curl in a snarl. "Over my dead body," I seethed. Where Ciro had been reasonable and knew we needed to talk, he hadn't issued any challenges. He hadn't demanded. Phoenix Fiore was out of his mind if he thought he could demand anything of me after all this time, and after what he did.

"Not a problem," he bit out, and I couldn't help the wave of tremors that shook my body as he stalked towards me.

Holy shit.
Chapter 9

Phoenix~

Frankie was more beautiful than any girl had the right to be.

I mean, she'd always been a beautiful girl, but age and maturity had turned her into one stunning fucking woman. Even after enduring a long day of working, driving, and the emotional toll she went through with Massimo, Francesca Mancini was still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a french braid that left random wisps of strands dancing around her face. Her dark brown brows were still arched to perfection above those goddamn amber eyes. They reminded me of a lion's mane, and they were just as bright. Frankie and her brother were the only two people I've ever known who possessed that color of eyes. They were also surrounded by long, dark lashes which made them look like liquid gold whenever she cried. She had soft, rosy cheekbones, a slim nose, and thick, juicy lips.

Her body was something else entirely. Frankie was only five-three, but her small frame packed a hell of a punch. When we were younger, she considered herself plus sized, but I never thought she was. I thought she was curvy and sexy as fuck. I had always adored her, but when the girl had hit puberty, I was stupid with it. Her tits and ass filled out into the perfect hourglass figure and it was all I could do not to attack her every goddamn time I saw her. The first time she let me feel her up, I had nearly cum in my pants. Francesca Mancini was stunning, but that fucking chest of hers belonged in a temple to be worshiped always. And, looking at her now, she still had those sinful curves designed to drive me fucking insane.

I stood in front of her, peering down on her, and I knew there was no way she'd be given her freedom a second time. Her eyes were wide with anticipation as I stood before her. And she might be wary, but this girl would never back down. Ciro, Luca, and I taught her too well. And six years didn't mean shit. I could still read Frankie like a book. I've studied the girl for most of my life. There was no way I didn't know what she was thinking. And, right now, she was thinking she had a say, but she didn't.

"We can do this one of two ways, Frankie," I told her. "You can walk out of here on your own two feet, your dignity and pride in place. Or I can drag you out of here by your motherfucking hair, kicking and screaming. Either way gives me what I want."

Her eyes narrowed and she looked ready to spit fire. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she snarled. "And you're out of your mind if you think I am."

I smirked down at her. "You can't win," I pointed out. Her eyes flicked behind me to Luca. "Luca and Ciro won't help you."

Frankie's eyes were flashing with anger as her gaze shifted back to me. "I'm here for Massimo," she replied. "I'm here for Massimo and only Massimo. There's no reason I can't stay at a nearby hotel."

"There are plenty of reasons," I argued. "Mainly, your safety." Her face went from angry to confused, so I decided to enlighten her. "You're Francesca Mancini, and although we've done our best to keep your return a secret, we can't guarantee that word hasn't gotten out that you're back."

"So?" she sassed. "Who cares if I'm back?"

"A lot has changed since you've been gone, Frankie," I told her. "The fact that you're Ciro's sister, Luca's best friend, and my..." I trailed off because she looked down at the floor at the mention that she was still Luca's best friend.

She shook her head before lifting her gaze to mine. "Whatever," she said dismissively. "Then I can stay with my brother if there's a chance I'm in danger."

"You're not your brother's responsibility," I snapped, losing my patience. It's been six years, and all I wanted was to get Frankie home, so we could fight it out before fucking her unconscious.

"I'm not yours either," she said, stressing each word like I was stupid or something.

I've spent the last six years honing my craft. I've developed a very intimate relationship with patience, but, right now, that relationship was becoming nonexistent. "That's where you're wrong," I said as I grabbed her by her arm and yanked her forward. "You've always been my responsibility. You were my responsibility when you were five and you're my responsibility now."

Frankie tried to shake me loose, but it was no use. The grip I had on her arm was sure to leave some bruising, but I didn't care. She was going to be covered in bruises come morning after I got her naked anyway. Frankie always liked her sex rough and dirty and, knowing her legs have been closed for the past six years, I imagined she still liked it that way.

"I am not leaving here with you, Phoenix," she almost yelled.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

My free hand snaked out and I tangled my fingers in the intricate layers of her braid and tightened it into a fist. "Then dragging you by your fucking hair it is," I threatened.

Her eyes widened. "Ciro! Luca! Are you guys going to just stand there and let him do this to me?"

"Yes," came Luca's easy reply.

"Frankie, it's not my place," Ciro answered.

Frankie knew Luca was a lost cause, so she focused on her brother. "Ciro, you're my brother! Of course, it's your place," she insisted. "You're just going to let some man put his hands on your sister?!"

Ciro's words were clear, direct, and unwavering. "Phoenix's not just some man, Francesca."

"So, that gives him the okay to mistreat me?!"

"He's not mistreating you, Frankie," Ciro said, softening. "He's doing what he should have done six years ago."

That set her a-fucking-blaze. "Fuck you, Ciro!" she lashed out, and I thanked God the hospital floor was bought out for privacy. "Fuck you, too, Luca!" Her eyes were like daggers dripped in poison, vengeful and lethal. "Fuck you, most of all, Phoenix!"

"That's enough!" I roared. "We're going to do this, Frankie, but we're not going to do it here!" I started to step with every intention of dragging here behind me when her fist came flying high. I released her just in time to catch it before hitting me straight in my jaw. I held her trapped and no amount of wiggling around was going to free her. "You want to fight? Because I do," I growled.

I saw the second she knew she wasn't going to win this round. Her fury was so palpable, I was certain the entire floor could feel it radiating from her soul. I also knew that, while she might concede in losing the round, she was gearing up to win the war.

Frankie wasn't a quitter.

"I'll walk," she rushed out, furious as all get out.

I stared down at the beautiful spitfire in my arms, and wondered for the first time if I should have checked for weapons. She had her purse hanging over her shoulder and I was certain she was probably cataloging what was in there that she could use as a weapon to use on me. Yeah, Ciro, Luca, and I taught her well, indeed.

I dropped her hands, but when she went to step around me, I grabbed her left hand and laced her fingers through mine. Her head shot up. "Wh...what are you doing?"

Ciro had already walked around us to join Luca when Frankie announced that she'd walk, so it was just her and me in the room. Ciro and Luca had made their exits, making sure they left separately. We'd remained at the hospital together for too long as it was.

I looked down at her as I grabbed her chin and held it between my fingers. "Listen to me, and listen carefully, Francesca," I said. "We are going to walk out of this room, and we are going to walk out of it as a couple." She automatically opened her mouth to argue, but I squeezed her chin hard enough to cut off her objection. "You are going to walk out of this room with me as Francesca fucking Mancini, you got me?"

She had questions, but common sense finally settled in. Frankie knew something was going on even if she didn't know exactly what. "Okay," she quietly agreed. "But once we get to your place, you better explain to me what's going on, Phoenix."

I had every intention of letting her know what was going on. I just wasn't sure if she was going to want to hear it. Hell, I knew she wasn't going to want to hear it, but it made no difference. And in the privacy of my place, she could rant and rave all she wanted. "I promise," I replied.

She snorted. "That's reassuring," she huffed. "Because your promises mean so much, right, Phoenix?"

I ignored the barb because I deserved it. At the heart of all this mess, I had lied to her. I had kept secrets from her. I had made decisions that impacted our lives without her input. It didn't matter that we had all betrayed her. I was the one she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. I had obligations to her that Ciro and Luca hadn't, therefore, my betrayal stung ten times worse than Ciro's or Luca's and I understood that. It was the reason I was giving her so much leeway. It was the reason I let her leave. It was the reason I let her be gone for so long.

But none of that mattered anymore.

A new era was coming upon us and a new kingdom was coming about. A kingdom that would be led by Luca Benetti with the backing of Ciro, me, and Frankie, even though she didn't know it yet. That's why she needed to walk out of here with her back straight and her head held high. She needed to walk out of here like the Mafia Princess that she was.

And even if I did have to drag her out by her hair, everyone just would have seen me exerting my power and dominance over my woman. No one would have blinked an eye or thought less of Frankie. Everyone would have just seen me taking my woman in hand just like a million Made Men before me. It was the way of our world. Men ruled and women supported that role.

But what a lot of outsiders didn't know was that Frankie wasn't just another Mob sister, friend, lover, or wife. She wasn't just another woman in a life riddled with violence and illegal activity. She wasn't just a submissive wife, closing her eyes to her husband's shady ways and interchangeable mistresses.

Frankie was called Church for a reason.

In a world were three men were reputed to have no souls and showed no mercy, Frankie held each one of us in the palm of hand. There wasn't anything Ciro, Luca, and I wouldn't do for her, including letting her throw a fit for six years.

She was the only thing that mattered to us above and beyond who and what we were. We would kill for her, and we would die for her.

We would start a war for that girl.

And that is why she needed to walk out of here with her head held high. Shit was about to change, and she was the catalyst that was going to set it all off.

She just didn't know it yet.
Chapter 10

_Francesca~_

The drive to Phoenix's house was weighed in furious silence.

I had caved at his command to walk out of the hospital, hand in hand, because he promised me answers later, but that still didn't mean I was happy about it. And, if I was being honest with myself, I didn't completely trust myself to be alone with him at his place. It's been six years since I've had sex, and I was feeling every bit of those lonely years the more time I spent in Phoenix's proximity.

It didn't help that he knew my body better than I did either.

However, the silent ride to Phoenix's gave me time to think. It was crazy how the past few years I've been relatively easy-going and my life had been so bland and uneventful, I hadn't needed to raise my voice in forever. But in the matter of a few minutes in Phoenix's company, I had turned into a raving banshee. My blood had run hot and my anger had been real and deep. I had lost my mind and my temper, and I had been ready to beat Phoenix with my fists. That hotheaded girl I used to be came out in full force and I realized I missed her some. I'd gotten use to boring and had forgotten what it was to feel passionate about anything.

I knew Morgan City fairly well, so I didn't sightsee or question where we were going. But once Phoenix turned off Grant Avenue, I was slightly confused. The last time I was here, there was nothing here, but driving around block fence towards the back, I finally saw a tall building that looked like it belonged in the middle of New York City or somewhere like that.

Phoenix drove towards an underground garage, and I watched as he rolled down the window and placed his hand on scanner of some sort. The scanner flashed green and the garage door began to rise. I sat in the car thinking what the actual fuck.

Someone got fancy all of a sudden.

Of course, maybe it wasn't all of a sudden. Not knowing what's transpired in the past six years, this new Phoenix might have been around for a while already.

Phoenix pulled into an empty parking stall and I noticed quite a few cars in attendance. I figured we must be in an apartment complex of some sort and the cars must belong to the other tenants.

I was wrong.

Much like Luca had done at the hospital, Phoenix commanded I wait until he opened the door for me. Once we were both out of the car, he escorted me to an elevator where the same type of scanner was set up for access to the elevator. Once we were inside, Phoenix gave me a rundown of the building.

"Even though we have other condos scattered throughout Morgan City, this is our primary residence," he told me.

"We?"

He pushed the button to his floor. "Me, Ciro, and Luca," he clarified. "However, the building consists of eight floors. The first floor is the lobby and extra apartments for some of the Benetti soldiers assigned to Luca. The second floor is the gym, swimming pool, and all that. The third floor is a common area where a lot of...us sometimes get together to discuss shit. The fourth and fifth floors are completely empty."

"Empty apartments?"

"No. Empty of anything. They look like unfinished floors with only support beams visible." I thought that strange, but I didn't question it. "The sixth floor is our armory. The seventh floor belongs to me and Ciro, while the top entire floor belongs to Luca."

"All this and, yet, you still need other apartments throughout the city?" I hated the girl in me who wondered if one of those apartments were Phoenix's fuck pads.

The elevator came to a stop, and Phoenix placed his hand on the small of my back as he led me out of the metal box. "We very rarely like to be in the same place at once, Frankie. It's too easy to take us all out in one shot that way." His very candid answer left me speechless. "Besides, with the kind of...uh, work we do, it saves time to have easy access to a place where we can crash."

I wasn't sure if the entire building was designed the same, but the hallway was decorated in dark blues and greens. It was very vivid and very masculine. It wasn't until we stopped in front of a bright white door that I noticed there was only one other white door in the entire hallway. It was located a few feet away instead of right across from Phoenix's door. "Why are there only two doors?"

Phoenix unlocked his front door the same way he had entered the building and the elevator. He pressed his palm against another scanner located on the door frame. "Because, as I've already mentioned, only Ciro and I live up here. The floor is made up of just two apartments." My jaw almost hit the ground. If that were the case, the apartments had to be huge.

When the door clicked open, Phoenix placed his hand on the small of my back again and led me inside. Once we were inside, he dropped my overnight bag on the floor just inside the door and I finally got a good look at Phoenix's apartment.

Holy fucking shit.

The apartment had an open floor plan and it was huge just like I had suspected. It was also fucking stunning. Everything was silver, white, or black. Chrome making up accents and the appliances that I could see inside the kitchen area.

I stepped further into his apartment and I didn't even pretend I wasn't looking at everything. Whoever decorated his apartment did a magnificent job of combining the cold colors with plush luxury. The only splash of color were random works of art lining his walls.

"Your apartment is beautiful, Phoenix," I told him honestly because it was. But it was also a testament to what he must have been up to all these years. Millions had to be sitting in his bank account with an apartment like this. I heard the whispers just like everyone else within a fifty-mile radius, but I had done my best to ignore them because I wanted nothing to do with Morgan City, but looking around, the rumors were probably truer than I had given them credit for.

Phoenix couldn't afford all this unless he was all in.

"Our apartment," he said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I turned around to face him. "What?" I blurted, surprised.

"Our apartment," he repeated. "This is our apartment, Frankie."

I could only imagine the look on my face as his words bounced around in my head. I shook my head to try to clear the confusion. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "How long have you lived here?"

"The building was completed about two years ago," he replied. "We moved in immediately."

I chose to ignore his comment about this being our apartment. I was already on emotional overload with Luca walking back into my life unexpectedly, then learning about Massimo, and then seeing my brother for the first time in years. I needed time to...decompress before taking Phoenix on.

"Well, I imagine an apartment this size has several guest rooms," I surmised. "Which one is mine?"

Phoenix smirked and I could feel myself feeling violent again even as weary as I was. "Which room do you think is yours?" he taunted.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Look, Phoenix, it's been a long day, and I am tired. Either start talking or, kindly, let me go to bed."

"Alright," he replied. "We might as well get this over with."

"Then start talking," I demanded.

Phoenix stuck his hands in his pocket and, to anyone else, he would look casual, but I knew better. He was poised to pounce at any minute. "You're not going back," he declared as if it were fact.

I could feel my teeth start to grind because he sounded like he meant what he said. "Excuse me?"

One dark brow shot up, and he looked cocky and too fucking sexy for any woman's peace of mind. "You heard me," he said. "You're not going back to Cedar Creek. Your place is here, as it's always been. It's time to come home, Frankie."

I scoffed at the absurdness of his words. "You are insane if you think I'm going to just pack up my life and come back to Morgan City," I said scathingly. "I have a job, Phoenix. I have an apartment, and friends. I have a life in Cedar Creek."

The look on his face told me just what he thought of my life in Cedar Creek. The distaste was stamped all over him. "Your apartment's scheduled to be packed up tomorrow. Luca didn't arrange for you to go back to work on Monday, Frankie. He gave them your notice and convinced them to accept one week's notice instead of two. As for your friends, you have a phone."

My body trembled in rage. I wanted to charge him and take every frustration I was feeling out on him.

How dare he?

How dare them?

" _What?"_

"You heard me."

I was so enraged, I almost couldn't see with it. "What in the hell give you guys the right?!"

"Because we're your real family, Frankie," he snapped. "We're your only family."

I let out a laugh devoid of humor. "My family?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from each word. "Don't speak to me about family, Phoenix. You guys left me in the fucking cold with your bullshit. You guys lied and kept secrets as easily as you brushed your teeth in the morning."

"Frank-"

"What kind of family does that, huh?" I asked, ignoring him. "You, Ciro, and Luca are a family. I'm nothing."

He was in front of me in a flash. His hand wrapped around my arm, toying with the bruises that were already forming from earlier. "That's not true," he seethed.

"Of course, it's true," I argued, refusing to believe him. "You three went into this together, never once including me."

"We were trying to protect you!" he yelled.

"Bullshit!" I yelled back. "You were trying to protect yourselves! You were hoping to ask for forgiveness instead of permission."

"What did you expect?" he exploded, his grip tightening. "We knew how you felt about Luca's family's lifestyle."

"So what?" I said, still yelling in his face. "It didn't change how I felt about Luca. I always knew there was a chance you guys would end up with the Benettis."

"Then why did you leave?" he asked, yelling just as loud as I was. "If you already knew where we were headed, why in the fuck did you run off?"

"Because you guys hid it from me," I said, finally explaining my pain. "You guys made this huge life decision and you hid it from me. I'm not mad because you work for the Benettis. I'm mad because you guys lied to me. You lied and, after years of holding me close, you guys left me out in the cold, making me feel less than what I thought I meant to you guys."

"Frankie-"

"I don't have room in my life for liars, Phoenix," I announced, unable to stop the purging of six years of resentment. "There's no way I'm moving back to Morgan City."

"It's already been decided," he stated, releasing my arm.

Fury was burning bright in my gut. "Even if that's the case, coming back doesn't mean I'm coming back to you," I pointed out.

Phoenix's back straightened, and he stood there, every inch of his six-foot-two-inch frame vibrating with rage. "You think so?" he finally asked.

"I know so."

I couldn't stop the cry that escaped as he grabbed me by my hair and drug me behind him. When we finally reached his bedroom, where he threw me on the bed, he snarled, "We'll see about that."
Chapter 11

_Phoenix~_

Fury had me blind to everything else but the woman on my bed currently shooting daggers at me.

I knew this was going to get ugly, but she was out of her fucking mind if she thought she could come back to Morgan City and not be with me.

Out. Of. Her. Fucking. Mind.

"You don't get to manhandle me, Phoenix," she raged from the center of our bed.

"That's where you're wrong," I informed her as I started removing my suit jacket. "I get to do whatever the fuck I want to you, Francesca."

She came flying off the bed and stood there like a beautiful, raging storm. And the more anger she displayed, the more she cemented the fact that she was born to walk next to Luca, Ciro, and me. Not just anyone could end up with Luca, Ciro, or me. Though many women have tried over the years, it took someone special to stand by our sides. Especially, Luca. One day, soon, he was going to take over this entire fucking city and the woman who ended up with him was going to have to be made of some strong motherfucking shit.

Like Frankie.

"You lost those rights to me six years ago, Phoenix," she raged. "Once upon a time you might have had that privilege, but that time has come and gone."

My tie came flying off next. "That's doubtful, seeing as how I've been taking care of you for the past six fucking years, Frankie," I bit out. "I'd say that gives me all and every right to you and that delectable body of yours."

Her eyes rounded in shock, now whether from my statement or my undressing, I wasn't sure. "What the hell are you talking about?" she screeched. "How in the hell have you been taking care of me?"

I smirked. "Do you really believe you were so lucky that there just happened to be an apartment available to you that included all utilities for less than a grand a month, Frankie?" The second Luca's henchman had mentioned the apartment he saw Frankie looking at, Luca had called me and I had gotten in touch with the rental manager and told him to rent it to Frankie for eight-hundred dollars a month and I would make up the rest, including paying for her utilities. He was also malleable enough that he managed to free up an apartment right across from hers for Elio, the guard Luca assigned her.

Her face went from astonishment to denial. "You're lying," she accused. "There's no way..."

I kicked off my shoes as I informed her, "I've been paying your rent and utilities for six fucking years, Frankie."

She started shaking her head. "That's...that can't be true," she said, her voice betraying her emotions. It wasn't anger anymore. It was denial. She wanted me to be lying. "That doesn't make sense, Phoenix. Why would you do that?" Suddenly, she noticed me pulling my socks off. "What the hell are you doing?"

I stepped towards the dresser, taking off my holster vest, and placing it on top. Next came my shirt as I pulled it out of the waistband of my pants. "What does it look like I'm doing, Frankie," I deadpanned. "I'm getting ready for bed."

Her amber eyes were the size of the sun, but then she shook her head again, getting back to the subject at hand. "Why would you pay my rent?"

I tossed my shirt on the floor before stepping up to her in nothing but my slacks. I didn't miss the way her pupils flared at the sight of my bare torso. The tattoos were new, and my body was sharper and more defined, but I knew she couldn't miss her name blasted across my lower collarbone. I'd gotten it done the same week she had left Morgan City.

I stared down at the only female on the planet who's ever brought me to my knees and roared in that pretty little face of hers. "Because you are mine, Frankie! You've always been mine, and I will always take care of you, no matter where the fuck you are!"

"No," she whispered, her voice filled with anguish.

"Yes," I countered.

Frankie took a step back and I followed her until the bed blocked any more progress. "You can't just...own me, Phoenix," she argued.

"It's too fucking bad you feel that way, Frankie, because I already do own you." I leaned down into her face. "I fucking own you, Francesca. I always have. And you can deny it until you're blue in the fucking face, but it changes nothing. You're not going back to Cedar Creek, and that's final!"

"So, you just get to treat me however you want, and I'm just supposed to take it?" she asked, outraged.

Now she was really pissing me off. "Other than lying to you about the Benettis, I've never mistreated you, Frankie," I snapped. "Do not ever accuse me of that again."

"And the manhandling?" she asked as she slapped her hands on her hips.

My eyes raked up and down her body before I told her the truth. "Get used to it." She let out a Broadway worthy gasp. "I plan on manhandling the fuck out of you, and don't kid yourself, Francesca. You and I both know you love it when I put my hands on you."

"Loved," she had the nerve to say. "I used to love it."

I was going to fucking kill her.

"It's been six years, Phoenix," she said haughtily. "How do you know my tastes haven't changed?"

My hand wrapped around her throat and I held her trapped between the bed and my body. I squeeze with the image she tried to plant in my head, even though I knew better. Her hands flew up and wrapped around my forearm, trying to pull my hand off her throat. "Because had you spent one minute with another man, I would have buried him before he knew what he'd done wrong, Frankie," I growled. "Not only did I pay your bills, but Luca had eyes on you every day, all fucking day, baby. So, don't try to tell me different because I know better."

Her chest was heaving, and her eyes were dilated, erasing nearly all the gold. Frankie was turned on, and I was going to take advantage of that fact, and I wasn't going to feel not one bit of remorse over it. The plan was to be married by the end of the week, so in my mind, that negated taking advantage of the fact that she's not been fucked in six years.

I leaned down and bit her jaw. "Let me fuck that sweet pussy of yours, Frankie," I whispered against her soft skin. "You can go back to hating me tomorrow, but let me have your body tonight, baby."

She whimpered and I knew I had her. If I were a better man, I'd insist we finish talking and work our shit out, but I wasn't. I wanted inside her tight cunt more than I wanted to take my next breath. I moved to nibble on her earlobe. "We both know you want my dick to rip you apart. All you have to do is say yes," I taunted.

"I hate you," she sobbed with regret. And I knew it was because she was going to give in.

"I know you do," I murmured against her neck. "And, even though I deserve it, I still need you to let me fuck you, Frankie. It's been too long, baby."

Her hands tightened around my forearm and I knew I had her. I slammed my lips down on hers, and she opened for me immediately. Our arms wrapped around each other everything after that was a blur of lips, teeth, hands, and clothes flying everywhere. The second I covered Frankie's naked body with mine on the bed, I knew she'd have to kill me before I ever let her leave me again.

This is where we belonged.

Me and her, and no one else.

I wish I could say I handled her with all the finesse of a seasoned lover, but I didn't. It's been six years since I've touched a woman, this one in particular, I couldn't hold back even if I wanted to. I only prayed she was turned on enough that I didn't tear her body to shreds.

With her legs spread wide for me, I rammed my hard as fuck cock straight into her body, and as her body bowed, and she screamed bloody murder, I swore the rest of the night would be spent making it up to her. I planned on spending all night making up for the six years we lost, so there would be plenty of time to savor her body, eat her pussy, and explore that smartass mouth of hers and that tight ass she used to beg me to take.

My body, recognizing hers, immediately began pumping in and out of her tight, hot warmth. And, God forgive me, I ignored her discomfort and just took what's been denied me for years. My body braced on my arms, I stared down at Frankie as I crashed into her body over, and over again. But, soon, her nails were digging into my flesh and her whimpers of discomfort turned into pornographic moans. My dick started gliding in and out of her body more easily, telling me my cock was probably covered in her white cream right now.

"Nothing has ever felt better than my cock in your pussy, Frankie," I grunted. "Fuck, I've missed you."

She raised her hips, trying to match my thrust, and I knew she was searching for that high that only came from being fucked into oblivion. "Phoenix..." she moaned, and I almost came inside her. I've always lived for that moment when she moaned my name. Even when we were younger, Frankie moaning my name while I was fucking her always sent me over the edge.

"What, baby?" Her eyes opened at the endearment. "You need to cum, Frankie?" I taunted. "You need me to make you cum?"

"Yes," she begged. "Please, Phoenix..."

She said my name again and the insanity of our situation started taking over. "That's right," I growled as my thrusts became harder and deeper. "Phoenix," I repeated. "I'm the only one who gets to see you like this, Frankie. I'm the only one who knows what your sweet, tight pussy feels like." Frankie started panting and I knew she was close. "This pussy is mine, Frankie. It's fucking mine, and I'll be goddamn if you ever leave me again," I raged as I fucked her like a machine.

"Phoenix...oh, God...oh, God..." Frankie started thrashing about and I knew she second she clamped down on my dick. And I was going to mark the fuck out of her, so she knew I wasn't fucking around this time.

"From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, I fucking own you. I fucking own you, Frankie, and I'll fucking kill you before I let you leave me again," I threatened, and she screamed my name, exploding all around me.

Her cunt clamped down so hard, I shot my load with enough force I almost put out my back. But I kept pumping into her as I leaned down and bit into her neck until I drew blood. I forced her to take my cock as she rode out her orgasm and it wasn't until my dick was completely soft that I finally pulled out of her and stopped sucking on her neck.

I rolled off her and pulled her pliant, spent body with mine as I laid on my back and held her to me. The only sounds in the room was our mingled harsh breaths. My heart felt like it was going to explode, and so did hers. I could feel it thumping into my side.

After a few minutes, Frankie finally spoke. "I still hate you," she murmured.

My arm tightened around her, and I pulled her closer. "I know you do, baby."

And I did.

But it changed nothing.
Chapter 12

_Francesca~_

I woke up alone the next morning and thank God.

My entire body ached something fierce and I couldn't even begin to bring myself to regret it. I had folded like a cheap suit and I had no one to blame but myself.

It wasn't that I still wasn't mad, but I wasn't so prideful that I couldn't admit that I missed them. I missed them, and seeing them again, after all this time, just intensified how much I missed them. I still love them, too. And that included Phoenix.

I didn't want to examine the possibility that I may have overreacted when I ran away, but I could admit that I gave in because I missed them more than I was mad at them. Hell, maybe I wasn't even still mad anymore. Still hurt, sure, but mad? I wasn't even sure anymore.

After Phoenix had attacked me last night, he had spent the rest of the night reacquainting himself with my body and all the things he remembered I used to love. He had kissed every inch of my skin before sliding inside me again. We had showered where he had immediately gone down on me afterwards. He had spent over an hour eating me out and letting his fingers dance all over my lower body. When I could no longer take him, he prepped me and worked me into such a frenzy, it hadn't taken much for me to beg him to finally take my ass. After that, I passed out from exhaustion and nothing existed further until I opened my eyes a half hour ago.

A half hour I used to try to come to terms with everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours. I knew I needed to talk to my brother, but I also knew I needed to decide what I was going to do about Phoenix. Even though it was my fault for faltering at the first sight of his naked chest, getting back together wasn't an automatic full-blown conclusion just yet.

Even if he did have my name tattooed across his chest.

I heard my phone's ringtone for Robbie, surprising me, as I had dropped my purse in the living room when Phoenix had dragged me to his bedroom last night. But as I looked around, I saw my purse and clothes on a chair in the corner, my phone was on the nightstand on my side. Phoenix must have brought my stuff into the bedroom while I slept.

I sat up, reached for my phone, and answered. "Hey."

"Oh, my God, Frankie," she rushed out. "What the hell is going on?"

I let out a small sigh. I called Robbie my best friend, but I've kept this part of my life a secret from everyone in Cedar Creek, her included, and I hated that I had to confess I've been lying to her all these years. "It's a long story," I hedged.

"Mona said she heard you put in your notice," Robbie divulged. "She said you're not coming back to Brighton." Her voice sounded worried, but also hurt. "What's going on?"

I wasn't sure how much to tell her, but I had to tell her enough to let her know that I hadn't abandoned her. "You...you remember that guy I was sitting with yesterday?"

"Yeah. The dark haired one," she replied. "The one who looked like Satan's favorite son."

I almost chuckled. She wasn't wrong. "Yeah," I confirmed. "He came to tell me about a sick...friend. Or relative, really. He's...dying and I came to see him."

"Oh, Frankie," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," I told her. "Anyway, I came to see him, and...well, I also learned that the decision was made for me to move back to Morgan City."

The silence was loud on the other end of the phone. After a few seconds, Robbie finally said, "The decision was made for you to move. Is that what you said?"

"Yes," I answered, knowing I was going to have to tell her the basics.

"I don't understand, Frankie," she muttered, confused. "What do you mean, the decision was made?"

I could feel my heart beating in a rapid tempo. It wasn't that I didn't trust Robbie because I did. It was just...a lot to divulge my relationship with Luca, Ciro, and Phoenix. To anyone outside Morgan City they were like ghost stories. They were like mystical legends you tell people to spook them. You heard about them, but you doubted their existence because the stories had to be exaggerated, right?

"The guy who came to see me yesterday is Luca Benetti, Robbie," I finally admitted.

" _What?!"_

I winced at the level of screeching the girl had reached. "The guy who came to see me yesterday is Luca Benetti," I repeated.

"I heard you the first time, Frankie," she replied, her voice full of shock and confusion. "Are you talking about Luca Benetti? The Luca Benetti? The goddamn Father of The Holy Trinity? I'm mean, you said you'd tell me what was going on later, when I asked who he was, but...Christ, Frankie, I hadn't expected this! Luca freakin' Benetti."

I grimaced. I had heard they referred to the guys as that name, but I had done my best to not hear or talk about anything that had to do with Morgan City while I'd been away, so I chalked it up to rumors and had done my best to mind my own business. But I knew they referred to Luca as The Father, Ciro as The Son, and Phoenix as The Holy Ghost, and I didn't care to learn why. Whatever made them earn those titles wasn't good.

"Yes," I answered.

And just when I didn't think her screeching could reach higher levels, she caused dogs harm everywhere with her next realization. "Holy shit. You're Francesca Mancini," she cried. "You're Ciro Mancini's sister. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit."

"Robbie, calm-"

"Oh, my God, Frankie," she went on. "You're the freaking Church."

Church?

"The what? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my Sweet Jesus," she mumbled. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" I honestly had no idea what she was talking about.

"People call you Church," she said. "No one believed you existed because no one has seen you in years, but...the rumor is that The Holy Trinity worships the ground you walk on. Hence, calling you Church; a place of worship."

"That's ridiculous," I blurted. "Those three men don't...they don't..."

Ignoring me, she said, "I knew your last name was Mancini, but I never connected you to those three. Why would the sister of Ciro Mancini be working as a waitress in Cedar Creek?"

Exactly, I wanted to tell her.

Once she settled her fandom down, her voice changed from incredulous to hurt again. "Why...why didn't you ever say anything?" she asked. "I...I thought we were...close."

"Robby, I'm sorry," I replied, and I was. I truly was. She's been the best all these years, and she deserved better. "I was trying to distance myself from...my life in Morgan City. I didn't tell anyone. Even if it wasn't a matter of privacy, it was a matter of safety. I couldn't walk around freely if people knew who I was." And in saying those words, I realized what a fool I've been. I was able to walk around too freely, and I never connected the dots.

Robbie let out a deep sigh, and I knew she was trying to absorb what I was saying without taking it personal. I also knew it was hard to find out the person you thought you knew wasn't all they claimed to be. It's how I felt the night I followed Ciro and Phoenix to that warehouse and found out I wasn't as close to them as I had believed.

"That's a good point," she conceded. "It's just...a lot."

I pulled the sheet tighter around my naked body. I had to shift around to get comfortable from the ache between my legs. "I know it is, Robbie. I'm sorry I kept this from you, but...it is a lot."

"So...no more playing common peasant, huh?"

I hated how she phrased that. Luca might be royalty, maybe even Ciro and Phoenix, but I wasn't. And there was nothing common about good people who carved out decent livings for themselves. "I wasn't playing a role," I replied, trying to keep my voice from sounding defensive. "I left Morgan City for a reason, Robbie, and I was happy with my life."

"Oh, God, Frankie," she rushed out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that at all. I...it's just...well, the Benettis are...infamous. Your brother is infamous. I...I was just being...dumb."

I let out bone-deep tired sigh. "No, it's okay," I told her. "I'm sorry. There's just a lot going on, and I'm just tired." Then I decided to tell her the rest. "There's more to this than Ciro being my brother, Robbie. That's why...it's complicated."

"It's not enough that you're Ciro Mancini's sister?" she asked, incredulously. "I mean, even without the Church rumors, you're Ciro freakin' Mancini's sister. That's...something."

Thinking back to how casually Phoenix said I was still Luca's best friend, I went with that. "I'm also Luca Benetti's best friend, Robbie."

"Oh, Christ on The Cross," she breathed. "You're...you're Luca Benetti's best friend? Are you freakin' serious right now?"

"We have been since we were children," I confessed. "But...there's more."

"More? There's more?"

"I used to be Phoenix Fiore's girlfriend."

"Oh, fuck me running," she cried. "So...so you're telling me that, not only are you Ciro Mancini's only sister, but you are Luca freakin' Benetti's best friend, and you're dating Phoenix Fiore?"

"I used to date Phoenix," I clarified, not ready to own up to last night and what it might mean going forward. "I'm not sure what's exactly going on now."

"No wonder people call you Church," she replied. "Frankie, do you have any idea who the fuck you are? Do you?"

"I'm Frankie Mancini," I told her. "Plain and simple."

"There's nothing plain or simply about you, girl," she huffed. "Jesus Christ."

"How do you even know anything about any of this?" I blurted out. "Cedar Creek isn't exactly running rampant with...the unsavory." I didn't want to say the words Mafia or Mob over the phone because...well, because I've apparently watched too many Mafia movies.

Robbie snorted. "Puhlease," she drawled. "There is plenty of unsavory shit going on in Cedar Creek. And even if there wasn't, the entire state has heard of the Benettis, Frankie."

She had a good point.

"Look, I have to go, but I promise I'll call you later," I told her. "We're still friends, Robbie."

She let out a soft sigh. "Yes," she replied. "Yes, we are." I didn't realize how much her words meant to me until she had spoken them. "Call me if you need anything, Frankie."

"Same for you," I said. "I gotta go."

"Okay. Talk to you later."

We hung up and I knew we'd have to talk some more before things settled between us. Or maybe that was just my guilt talking. And then my conscience reared its ugly head and told me that if I expected Robbie to forgive me for leaving her in the dark, I probably owed Luca, Ciro, and Phoenix the same courtesy.

Guilt fucking sucked.
Chapter 13

_Phoenix~_

I heard her before I saw her.

I was sitting in the living room, going over some financial documents, when I heard her bare feet walk onto the carpet from the hardwood floors that led from the bedroom into the hallway into the living room. I stood up and turned around, and while I was dressed for work, Frankie was dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants.

I had to will my dick to go down once I saw the next day's damage. Her neck looked like she'd been attacked by a monster. I also had to remind my dick that he was nine inches of swollen, sore muscle. Women weren't the only ones who could get sore after too much sex. I fucked her last night until the motherfucker had nothing left to defile her with.

"I see you found your overnight bag," I said, greeting her.

"I did. Thank you."

"Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?"

"It's almost noon," she pointed out.

I shrugged a shoulder. "I know breakfast is your favorite," I replied. "I can make you whatever you want."

Frankie lifted a brow. "In that suit?" she asked. "You look like you're going off to work."

"I am," I told her. "Or, I will be soon, after you get settled."

"Murder isn't just a nighttime activity," she sneered, and I had to hold back from grabbing her and spanking her ass like a spoiled child.

"Watch yourself, Francesca," I warned. "Don't act like you detest this lifestyle. You wouldn't be as close to Luca as you are if you did."

"I'm not close to Luca," she threw back. "Not anymore."

"That's where you're wrong," I argued. "But that's between you and him."

She walked father into the living room, and it literally took everything I had in me not to snatch her up and hold her close. The sooner she married me, the sooner I could get my sanity back.

Frankie glanced at the documents on the table then looked back at me. "So, what exactly is it that you do?"

"Legally, I'm an accountant," I answered honestly. "I got a degree claiming so."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you do."

"I keep the business books, Frankie. I don't have a legitimate degree, but I'm good with numbers and I keep Luca's finances when I'm not...taking care of other obligations."

"And Ciro?"

"He owns and manages a few of clubs and bars throughout the city when he's not otherwise occupied."

She finally got to the point, and thank God, because I had shit to do. "What is all this, Phoenix?"

"It's simple." I knew she was going to fight me-us on all of this, but it didn't matter. She'd see that soon enough. "You're going to go back to school, get your business degree, and work for Luca in the same capacity as I do."

Her amber orbs widened in shock. "I am not going to go around killing people!" she cried, completely astonished at the notion.

"Of course, you're not," I snapped. Jesus Christ, this girl. "I mean the accounting part, Frankie."

She visibly calmed down and I realized how bizarre this conversation was. "And?" she asked because she wasn't stupid.

"I'll maintain the accounting of the businesses off the books while you'll oversee the legitimate businesses, including Ciro's business ventures."

"And?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"And you'll take your place when the time comes," I answered.

"What's that mean?"

"It means you're a part of all this just as much as I am. Just as much as Ciro and Luca are." She was about to argue, but I stopped her. "It's been decided, Frankie. You don't get a say."

Frankie threw her arms out to the side. "So, you guys just decided what my life is going to be from now on and I'm expected to just accept it?" She let out a dark laugh. "You guys are out of your mind if you think I'm going to come to heel like a good little puppy."

"Grow up," I bit out. "We let you have your fit for six years, Frankie. It's time to grow the fuck up and take your rightful place."

"And where's that, Phoenix? As the Mafia's newest accountant? Their newest money girl?"

"As my wife!" I yelled, fed the fuck up with her self-righteousness. I stalked towards her, ignoring her shock. "As my fucking wife."

She started shaking her head. "You...what...are you insane?" she cried in a strangled voice. "We can't just...what do you mean, your wife?"

"Don't fucking play with me, Frankie," I growled. "If you hadn't run off like a child throwing a tantrum, we'd be married by now with at least two kids. So, yeah, my fucking wife."

"I wasn't throwing a tantrum," she denied. "You guys betrayed me!"

"No, we didn't!" I argued. "We just didn't include you in the dark parts of what we were doing!"

"Oh, but now it's okay to include me?" she threw back. "What's the fucking difference?"

I grabbed her by her arm and ignored her wince. I knew she was battered all to hell, but if I was really hurting her, she'd let me know. Frankie wasn't a scared rabbit around anyone. "You better watch how you talk to me, woman," I warned her. "If you want to rant and rave, by all means, go ahead. But don't think you can cuss me out and not suffer the repercussions, Francesca."

Outrage was beautiful on this woman. "So, let me get this straight," she seethed. "Not only do I have to dump my life in Cedar Creek, I have to go back to school and get my degree, so I can work for the Mob, marry you, and watch my tongue, lest I offend your tender masculinity?"

I was going to kill her.

Straight up wrap my hands around her neck and strangle the life out of her.

"Yes!" I roared.

"And when is all this supposed to take place?" she asked, sarcasm and rebellion in each goddamn syllable.

"Your shit is already being shipped here from your apartment," I reminded her. "We'll be married by the end of the week, and you can start college this upcoming semester."

Frankie yanked her arm free from my grasp and took a step back. She looked up at me with wild eyes. "What in the hell do you mean, we'll be married by the end of the week?!"

"We're getting married as soon as the marriage license is available," I informed her. "Before Massimo dies. We'll be getting married by a priest in his hospital room, Frankie." She wrapped her arms around her stomach and doubled over, taking the emotional blow.

Massimo was my ace in the hole, and we both knew it.

When she looked up at me, her eyes were glassy and looked like liquid gold. They always looked like that when she cried. "You're a bastard," she whispered, knowing she lost.

I just gave her a tight nod because she wasn't wrong. I was a bastard. But I wouldn't apologize for it. I'd do anything to have Frankie and that included manipulating the situation to favor what I wanted.

Frankie thought this was all about us, but it wasn't. It was about her, too. My parents were long gone in matching drug overdoses. Her parents were gone in an unfortunate car accident. Luca's mother was weak, and Luca's father was a sadistic monster. Luca had two brothers, but there were relations more than they were family to him. So, our family was us; me, Frankie, Luca, and Ciro. We were all each other had, and she needed to understand her place in this family.

"I want to talk to Luca," she said, straightening her back and wiping her face.

"I'll walk you up," I told her. "Until you get your hand scanned, you can only get into our apartments if one of us lets you in." I decided to break the news to her since we were already on a shitastic start to the day. "So, until then, you will be holed up in one of our apartments or with one of us at all times."

"When am I scheduled to get my hand scanned?" she snarled.

I couldn't help my smirk. "Once you're done speaking with Luca and realize there's no escape."

"This isn't over yet, Phoenix," she claimed.

"Yes, it is," I responded. "Luca won't help you. Neither will Ciro."

"Why marriage?" she asked. "I can take my rightful place with you guys without marrying you." Frankie was pissed. Her voice held a note of contempt in it that I'd never heard before from her.

My back straightened and I regarded her as someone who wasn't aware of how close I was to killing her. She was lucky I loved her as much as I did. "Because no other man will ever have you, Frankie," I answered. "And no matter how mad you are at the disruption of your life, I know you still love me. I know it like I know my own name." Her lip curled and I knew she was about to get vile. "You can tell yourself last night was just sex all you want, but you and I both know better."

"And you're so sure," she scoffed.

"I am," I told her. "But even if I wasn't, you still don't have a choice. I love you, and I'll kill every swinging dick in this fucking city before I ever see you with another man." She ignored my claim and turned to walk away. "Where are you going?"

She didn't bother to look back as she answered, "I'm going to take a shower and get dressed, so I can go see Luca."

"There's also a secret staircase that leads to Luca's penthouse and a secret passage that leads to Ciro's apartment," I informed her, figuring I might as well let her know everything. "I'll show you the access to each passageway later."

Crickets.

I waited until I heard the bedroom door slam before I ran my hands through my hair and let out a deep breath. I wanted to tear the place apart, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. Only Frankie could turn me into a raving lunatic. Even the fuckers I killed didn't ignite this kind of rage. Of course, I wasn't invested in anyone the way I was with Francesca, but still.

The fucking girl was going to drive me crazy.

But if I was going to go insane, I was taking her with me.
Chapter 14

_Francesca~_

Luca's penthouse was even more magnificent than Phoenix's apartment. Phoenix had escorted me into the elevator and one floor up to Luca's place, and when the elevator opened, it led into an open space where two guards stood on either side of the receiving room. Phoenix had given them each a nod in acknowledgment before placing his palm on the scanner that opened Luca's front door.

What had surprised me was, the second I was led into the foyer of Luca's penthouse, Phoenix had placed a kiss on the side of my head and left the same way we came in. I hadn't known what to do, so I had sat down on the settee that sat along the right side of the room. Not two minutes later, I looked up as Leonardo and Salvatore Benetti came walking towards me. I immediately stood up in a poor show of strength. I had nothing against the two Benetti brothers, but I didn't trust them either.

Where Luca was the spitting image of Giovanni Benetti, Leo and Sal looked like both their father and their mother, Carlita Benetti. They had the Benetti black hair, but they had green eyes like their mother and a set of dimples designed to fool people into thinking they were kind men. And unless things had changed, I also knew Leo was the kinder of all three Benetti brothers, where Sal was evil. Luca was hard and unfeeling, but Sal was sadistic like their father.

They both looked surprise to see me, but neither of them stopped to say hello. It was then I noticed Luca walking behind them. Leo smiled as he past, but Sal smirked, and it wasn't lined in humor. However, I wasn't about to question it. I've been gone too long to make assumptions about what these men were capable these days. I knew Luca wouldn't let them harass me, but I wasn't going to borrow trouble either.

And then I remembered the marks.

Since I had only been coming up to see Luca, I hadn't bothered with covering my neck, dressed in only a black t-shirt and jeans. Leo was a gentleman enough to ignore the violent marks, where Sal was probably getting off on them. And while there wasn't anything I could do about them now, I knew I'd have to wear a scarf for the foreseeable future outside this building.

Luca waited until Leo and Sal exited the front door before addressing me. "Francesca," he greeted. "Phoenix said you wanted to talk."

I stared into his striking face and saw the boy who used to crawl through my bedroom window and sleep in my arms. No matter how broken he was, no matter how battered and bruised he was, he always let me gather him close and sleep in my arms. Giovanni Benetti used to beat his son so severe, I often wondered if Luca would live to see adulthood. Since the age of seven, and he was nine, I been the only person to see him fresh from a round with his father. I held onto his secrets and vulnerability fiercely, but I've never known why Luca had chosen me instead of Ciro or Phoenix to share that weakness with.

My chest filled with the bone crushing weight at how I left, without a word, leaving him to face his demons alone. I knew by the time we were in our twenties, Gio had stopped beating on Luca, but there were still times when Luca would come over, take me by the hand, and lead me out to the backyard where we'd sit in silence as I'd circle my arms around him. Ciro and Phoenix never questioned it, but even if they had, I would have never told.

My leaving had broken Phoenix's heart, disappointed Ciro, and abandoned Luca.

"Yeah, if you have some free time," I replied, realizing how stupid I sounded. If he didn't have time for me, he wouldn't have told Phoenix to send me up. I was nervous though.

"Come with me," he instructed, and I followed him through his penthouse until we got to a door that led to his office. I had hurried to keep up with him, so I hadn't had a chance to get a good look at his home, but what little I did see, it was breathtaking.

Once we entered his office, Luca guided me towards one of the brown plush leather armchairs positioned in front of his huge oak desk. He didn't walk around to sit at his desk and that surprised me. Instead, he leaned up against the edge, looked down at me, and waited.

I took a deep breath and then repeated everything Phoenix's told me since yesterday. When I was done, I asked, "Is it all true?"

Luca didn't bother bullshitting me, and he didn't ease into breaking the bad news to me either. "Yes. It's all true," he confirmed. No compassion. No softness. No sympathy. His tone was as exciting as an automated telemarketing call.

"Luca-"

"It's been decided, Frankie," he said, repeating Phoenix's vile words. This was Phoenix's confirmation that Luca wasn't going to help me.

"Luca, he wants to get married immediately," I stressed. "You guys have upended my life all in a matter of twenty-four hours and, if that's not enough, now you want to bind me to him for life?"

Luca's chin went up and the power radiating from him was overwhelming. Gone was the boy who taught me how to climb trees. Gone was the boy who let me hold him. Gone was the young man who never smiled, but still found some joy in life.

The man standing before me was-to quote Robbie-Luca freakin' Benetti.

"You were always bound to Phoenix for life, Francesca," he retorted, a little heat in that smooth, sinister voice of his. "Six years hasn't changed that."

I stood up because I felt like sitting before him weakened my position. I knew, intellectually, whether I stood or sat didn't make a difference, but I still felt better standing. His smirk told me he knew exactly why I stood up.

"Are you telling me you can't appreciate just how...overwhelming this all is?" I pleaded. "You show up, out of the blue, to tell me Massimo is dying, then I'm reunited with my brother, only to have Phoenix take me home and announce this entirely new life you guys have carved out for me. Marriage, Luca?"

"If you came here to ask me to get you out of marrying Phoenix, you're wasting your time, Francesca," he replied. "You guys are to be married on Friday in Massimo's hospital room. Ciro is giving you away, and Massimo will be Phoenix's Best Man."

"And what are you supposed to be?" I snapped.

"Your Maid-of-Honor," he deadpanned.

"I'm serious, Luca!" I did not find this funny. I hated that they were treating me like a mindless puppet. I hated that they were taking away all my choices.

"So am I!" he roared, losing his patience and composure. He straightened to his full height, and he was every bit the Mob Underboss that I've heard about.

"Luca-"

"I don't want to hear it, Francesca," he bit out. "You dare to come here with branding all over your neck and tell me you don't want to marry Phoenix?" I felt myself shrink even though I tried not to. "Don't tell me you no longer love him because we'll both know you're lying."

"I never said I didn't love him anymore," I replied, revealing more than I was ready to. "I...I just...it's just so much too fast, Luca."

"Not by our accounts, Francesca," he threw back "We've been waiting six years for you to get over your fucking temper tantrum. Six fucking years. You walked out and left us hanging for six fucking years. You left Ciro without love. You left me without a compassion. And you left Phoenix without a soul. Don't fucking tell me it's too much too fast!"

"You guys-"

"I know we fucked up," he barked. "I know we did. And, yes, we deserved your wrath. But we did not deserve for you to abandon us forever!"

"So, this is my punishment?" I asked, bewildered, and confused. "Is this some kind of payback?"

Luca deflated in front of me and ran his fingers through his hair. When he looked at me, he looked weary, and I knew this was the Luca no one got to see, but me. "Christ, no, Francesca," he replied. "This is not a punishment or some kind of payback. This is us finally caving. This is us begging for fucking mercy."

My heart broke with that statement.

"Luca..."

He walked towards me, grabbed my arm, and led me to the couch on the left side of the room. We sat down, and he angled our bodies so that we could look at each other, our knees touching. His face was soft, and this was the boy who used to climb through my window. "Francesca, you have no idea what your leaving did to us. Nothing filled the gaping hole that you left behind and, believe me, we tried everything." My mind automatically went to drugs, alcohol, and women. "Me, Ciro, and Phoenix climb the ladder in record time because we spent every waking moment doing whatever we needed to keep from missing you. But nothing worked." He let out dark laugh. "We reached the top and our lives were still empty."

"You guys hurt me," I whispered lamely.

"Not half as badly as you hurt us," he responded quietly.

"Do you hate me?" I didn't think he did, but I couldn't take it for granted that he didn't.

"No, Francesca. I don't hate you." He reached over and squeezed me knee. "You're my best friend. You've always been that person to me. But I cannot allow you to wander anymore. I need you back home where you belong. And Phoenix won't settle for anything other than his name attached to yours. Even if you didn't love him anymore, which I know you still do, I'd still force you to marry him."

"Why?"

"Because that man doesn't know how to not love you, Francesca. And I promised him and Ciro that, when I took over, they would want for nothing," he told me. "And the only thing Phoenix wants in this world is you."

I didn't have a response to that. Probably because it was true. I didn't doubt Phoenix's love for me. I've just held onto my anger for so many years, I wasn't sure how not to feel it anymore. Both Luca and Phoenix referred to my leaving as the biggest temper tantrum of all time, and I had to wonder if they were partially right.

My phone rang, and as I pulled it out of my pocket, I saw that it was my brother. "It's Ciro."

Luca nodded. "Answer it."

I swiped the answer icon. "Hey," I greeted.

"Hey, Frankie," he greeted back. "Are you still at Luca's?"

"How-" I stopped. Of course, he would know where I was at. Phoenix had made it clear that I'd be monitored until I came to terms with my new life. "Yes, I'm still with Luca."

"I'm home," he said. "Stop by on your way back to Phoenix's and I'll set you up with your scan registration."

"Okay," I said, surrendering. I hung up and looked at Luca. "Ciro wants me to stop by."

Luca nodded. "He's going to get you scanned," he said, and I rolled me eyes in defeat.

I stood up to leave, but before I turned around, I asked him the one question I couldn't bring myself to ask Phoenix. "How many women have there been, Luca?"

His answer was quick and true. "None."

None.

After Luca escorted me to Ciro's apartment, which was just as lavish as Phoenix's, if not a bit more warm, he had my hand scanned and programmed and proceeded to tell me the same thing Phoenix and Luca told me, and how I ought to just give in gracefully.

Seems like everyone was on Phoenix's side.
Chapter 15

_Phoenix~_

Both Luca and Ciro had called me to tell me they made their peace with Frankie and that now it was up to me to convince her to accept her place with us. Which translated into getting her to marry me willingly. I knew they wouldn't interfere if I had to force her, but it was better for everyone if she married me of her own free will. I didn't want to have to pay off a priest, after all.

I walked into my apartment and I immediately saw several boxes lined up against the wall.

Frankie's stuff.

I had already removed my jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch when Frankie walked out of the hallway. She mis-stepped when she saw me, but quickly recovered. I started taking my tie off as I nodded towards the boxes. "Your stuff?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"How did things go with your brother and Luca," I asked, even though I already knew.

She cocked her head. "Like you don't already know," she retorted.

"I was hoping we could eat dinner before we started round two, but if you want to go now, let go," I replied, suddenly feeling exhausted as fuck. In my earlier years, I spent hours torturing people or lying in wait, but nothing exhausted me like the woman standing before me.

Nothing.

"What would happen if I left?" she asked. "What would happen if I snuck off and...and just disappeared? Because that's still an option, you know."

I laughed.

I couldn't help it.

I laughed because she must really be ignorant to what we were capable of if she really thought that was an option.

"Try it and find out," I dared her. "As a matter of fact, I look forward to chasing you, Frankie." I stepped to her and grabbed her by both her arms. "I dare you to run out the front door, Francesca. Let's see how far you get, shall we?"

Her face was all anger and humiliation. She's lost the war and she knows it. She was just trying to salvage some pride and wanted to pretend she still had choices. Frankie wanted this to be her choice, but it wasn't. And she needed to get used to the idea that there were going to be a shitload of choices taken from her, moving forward. Everything we did, and will do, will be to ensure her safety, and as independent as Frankie was, I knew it was going to be a huge adjustment for her.

"Go to hell, Phoenix," she spat scathingly.

"Baby, I'm already there," I flung back. "What do you think the past six years have been?"

"You turning into a king," she retorted. "You, Luca, and Ciro turning into royalty."

"Luca's the king," I corrected. "And, yes, that makes me and Ciro royalty, but do you want to take a guess at what that makes you?"

Her eyes narrowed and there was all the hate in the world bottled up in those gorgeous irises. "I hate that I still love you," she hissed.

"I know you do." Because I did. The only thing that helped was that I wasn't alone in that category. Of course, she'd always love Ciro, he was her brother, but I knew she hated that she still loved Luca. Her love for us kept her prisoner, just like our love for her made us weak.

My hand slid around to the back of her neck until my fingers dug into her flesh. "I know that you hate that you love me," I told her. "I also know you hate the fact that your body craves mine. But you'll either get over it or you won't. Either way, it doesn't change anything. You and I will be married by the end of the week, Frankie. We're going to be married and you are joining the Benettis." I leaned down and used my teeth to tug on her lower lip. "You're also going to spread those creamy thighs for me every fucking night, baby." My teeth nipped at her jaw. "I don't care what you do with your day, but every night you will be in our bed with your thighs spread wide, waiting for me." She moaned and I almost sank to my knees. "Whether I've just come home from the office or just walked in after blowing someone's brains out, you will be on that bed, your sweet, tight pussy presented to me for the taking, Francesca. Am I clear?"

I was about to slide my other hand up her shirt when she pushed me away. She no longer looked angry, but she didn't look quite overrun with passion either. Her eyes searched mine as she said, "There can only ever be me, Phoenix." Shock rendered me still. "I...I know it's customary for...some men to take mistresses, and that's acceptable among The Family, but...but that won't work for me."

Was she fucking serious?

"That's my only concession," she went on. "If...if I have to give in, then I need to do it on my terms, as well."

I stared down at the stunning beauty in my arms and wondered at what point in time had she lost her goddamn mind. "Are you fucking serious, right now?" I asked, mad as fuck.

"Phoen-"

And just like that, I went from kissing her to shaking the shit out of her. "I haven't touched a woman in six fucking years, Frankie," I said, in-fucking-furitated. "You were, and still are, the only female I have ever touched, much less fucked." Frankie's eyes glossed over as I ranted at her. "Do you honestly think that, now that I have you back, I'd seek out some random pussy on the side? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"Phoenix, I-"

I stepped away from her, grabbed the first thing that was handy, and threw the lamp across the room with enough force, it shattered against the wall in a waterfall of glass and ceramic. "What don't you fucking understand, Francesca?!" I was beyond livid. "It's you! Everything is fucking you! In all these years, I never even tried to fill the void you left by fucking another woman. I can't stomach the idea, Frankie. So, instead, I tried to fill the void by murdering as many motherfuckers as I could. I tried to fill the void by devoting my every waking breath to whatever I had to do to benefit the Benettis. I will never, ever touch another woman, Frankie. Never." Before she could respond, I stormed over and snatched her by her arms again. "And, I swear to God, if you ever think to go to another man, for anything, I will fucking kill him and unleash a hell on you so brutal that you'll wish you were dead."

The fire in her eyes was back. "If I haven't gone to another man in these past six years, I'm not about to start now, Phoenix," she threw back. "Unfortunately for me, my love for you outweighed just how far I would let myself go in life."

I crashed my lips down on hers and I didn't care how sore she was or if my dick was still raw. I was going to prove to Frankie what she meant to me. I was going to honor the fact that there's been no one else for either of us in six years. That meant something. No one in their right mind goes without sex for six years unless they are insane or so helplessly in love with someone else, it just can't be done. Frankie and I fell into the latter category, and that meant something.

She also wasn't fighting me. No. Her lips and hands were just as desperate as mine. I ripped her t-shirt over her head and her hands immediately went to my belt as she fumbled with freeing my dick from my slacks.

I was tearing off my dress shirt when her soft, delicate hand wrapped around my hard dick and I had to stop, close my eyes, and just savor her touch. Last night had been me taking everything I needed from her, but Frankie wrapping her hand around my dick was her giving herself over to me, and I wanted to shout to the fucking Heavens. It didn't matter that my dick was, indeed, tender either. I just didn't fucking care.

My knees almost buckled when I look down and Frankie was already on her knees before me. She didn't give me a chance to even appreciate the sight before her lips were wrapped around my cock, and she was taking it down to the back of her throat. "Holy fuck," I hissed, tangling my hands in her hair.

We looked like a couple who couldn't wait to attack each other as I stood there in my pants only and Frankie was before me in her jeans and pink bra. The scene looked desperate, but then, I suppose that's what we were.

We were desperate for each other.

"Fuck, yeah, baby," I groaned. "Suck my cock deep." Frankie immediately slapped her palms on my thighs and opened wide, so I could fuck that pretty little face of hers.

And I did.

I tightened my hold in her hair and started fucking her mouth with no mercy. Her gagging sounds were like music to my fucking ears and it was better than everything I had done to her last night. It was better because she was initiating this. She was giving herself to me.

It was sad to say, it hadn't taken me long before I started to feel that tingling in the base of my balls. Watching her take my dick down her throat was too much of a turn on. "Jesus fucking Christ, you look hot as fuck when you take dick, baby," I praised. "So hot, I'm about to cum down your throat."

Frankie moaned and the vibrations were enough to make me shoot off. I pushed my dick as far as it could go and roared as I spilled my seed down her throat. I was briefly conscience of the fact that she might not able to breath, so I pulled out, my cum still shooting out on her chin, neck and the swell of her tits.

She looked down and I barked, "Don't!" She looked up at me, eyes tearful and lips swollen. "Leave it there," I told her. "I want to fuck you covered in my cum, Francesca."

Her eyes flared and my deflating dick twitched.

I hauled her up by her arms and shoved her over the back of the couch. I heard her hiss out her approval, and my mind was on the verge of fucking exploding as I took in all the damage I had done to her last night. Frankie was bruised and battered everywhere, and I couldn't wait to do it all over again. She was marked everywhere, and the insecure bastard in me wanted to howl with the knowledge.

I unbuttoned her jeans and yanked them down, panties and all. When I had her face down over the couch in nothing but her bra, I dropped to my knees, spread her ass wide and licked that sweet tasting pussy of hers from clit to hole.

"Oh, God," she whimpered. "Phoenix..."

"Take off your bra," I instructed between swipes. "I want you completely naked when I fuck the shit out of you." I didn't bother to check if she would comply; I knew she would.

I ate her pussy until my dick started to come back to life which, to make up for the earlier eruption, was rather quickly. I stood behind her and, grabbing her hips, I slammed my cock into her tight sheathe, and even though there was some slight discomfort on both our parts, I still knew I'd fuck this girl until my dick fell off if I could.

I reached up, grabbed Frankie by her hair, and pulled her up until her body was bowed and my lips were next to her right ear. "This is what I want every fucking day, Frankie," I demanded between thrusts. "I want my dick buried in your tight cunt at least once a fucking day."

"Yeah?" Her hands white-knuckled on the back of the couch. "What's in it for me?" she taunted.

"You want to know what's in it for you?" I asked as my hand pulled at her hair painfully. I leaned back and held still as I aimed a perfect drop of spit onto that puckered hole of hers. As soon as it landed, I took my left hand off her hip and worked a finger inside her ass. She moaned like a whore and I double penetrated her two tight cockholes. "That's what's in it for you," I growled as I pulled her hair tighter. "Spread your legs for me and I'll fuck you every day like a dirty slut, baby."

Frankie started pushing back, really begging for it. "Phoenix, please..."

"Marry me, Frankie," I commanded. "Marry me willingly." I slammed into her so hard, I had to remove my fingers from her ass and my hand from her hair. I grabbed onto her hips and forced my dick into her hot heat as far as I could go. I bottom out in her womb and I didn't give not one fuck how painful it was for either of us. "Marry me, Frankie," I chanted. "Fucking marry me."

Frankie screamed towards the ceiling as her entire body shook in ecstasy. "Yes!" She came all over my dick, but I refused to show her mercy. If Frankie refused to believe my words of love, I was going to show her with my body. I slammed into her body until she was screaming my name in pain instead of pleasure.

"Tell me you love me," I demanded. "Tell me, Francesca."

"Stop, Phoenix," she begged. "Oh, God..."

I felt the tightening of her pussy as she trailed off. She was going to cum again, but not before I got what I wanted. "Tell me," I grunted.

"I love you!" Frankie screamed it so loud, I wasn't completely sure her brother or Luca wouldn't come running to see if we were killing each other. She finally started convulsing and, only then, did I allow myself to empty inside her womb.

The living room was silent except for Francesca's sobs. I leaned down and pressed my lips against her dewy skin. She cried while I repeated those three little words over, and over again against her back.

She cried, but she didn't push me away.
Chapter 16

Francesca~

Francesca Elena Mancini Fiore.

That was my new name.

I was married and the ceremony had been just as Luca said it would be. We had a priest in good standing with the church perform the ceremony, with Ciro giving me away, Massimo standing in as Phoenix's Best Man-hospital gown and all-and Luca standing as my-hand to God-my Maid-of-Honor.

The entire thing lasted but a few minutes as Phoenix insisted that we exchange traditional vows, including the part where I vowed to obey the jackass, yet his vows were void of that particular instruction.

But what had really surprised the hell out of me was how there were only rings for me, but not Phoenix. When he explained that no Made Men wore rings for safety reasons, I almost threw my set of diamonds at him. I knew the reasoning was logical, but I couldn't help but feel offended that he wouldn't be wearing a wedding ring. I had been about to give him the what for when he showed me his palm and, freshly tattooed inside his ring finger, was a picture of a miniature church. However, the steeple didn't have a traditional cross on the top. No. If you looked closely, it was the letter 'F'. And as Phoenix stuck his palm in my face, all I could think about were those stupid rumors Robbie had told me about.

These fools really did refer to me as their church.

Good God.

And if that wasn't weird enough, Luca and Ciro had taken off like the Hounds of Hell had been nipping at their feet, to which Phoenix explained that the three of them are never in the same place for very long. It'd be too easy to take them all out if they were out in public together a lot.

Once the priest had taken his leave, Phoenix and I had spent some time with Massimo until exhaustion took over, and we left him to get some rest. We had made our way home where Phoenix had spent most of the evening making love to me. Not fucking me, but actually taking his sweet time about everything.

It had been both magical and frustrating.

Then the bastard had climbed out of bed and told me he had some business to handle. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I knew better than to get in between Phoenix and Benetti business. Maybe once Luca took over, I'd feel braver, but as long as Giovanni Benetti still ruled, I wasn't about to do anything that might get Phoenix killed. So, I let him leave our bed on our wedding night and accepted this was my life now. I had to get used to Phoenix disappearing from time to time and I had to make sure not to turn into a raving shrew about it.

It wasn't until about an hour later that my phone dinged with an incoming message.

Robbie: I need help

My stomach dropped. Robbie texting me at night couldn't be good. This was not a text asking me to help her pick out a dress or to loan her money. When we spoke yesterday, I had given her an update, and she knew I was marrying Phoenix today. She wouldn't be disturbing my wedding night unless she was in real trouble.

Me: Where r u? R u okay?

Robbie: No. Can u come get me?

My stomach flipflopped at her response. Roberta Regal wasn't a delicate wallflower. She was tough and independent. And, yeah, her taste in men sucked, but she wasn't a sissy-la-la by any means. If she was reaching out to me for help, she had to be in a real bind.

Me: Where r u?

Robbie: Home. And come alone. I don't want 2 borrow trouble.

I knew she was talking about bringing Phoenix along. Just because she accepted the fact that I was married to Phoenix, it didn't necessarily mean she wanted the Mob taking tea in her living room.

Me: On my way.

Robbie: Hurry. Pls!

I jumped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed. I threw on some jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie, and my socks and shoes. I knew Luca or Phoenix or whoever got this ball rolling had brought my car when they had delivered the stuff from my apartment. One of the guards who had been assigned to move my stuff had dropped off my keys when they had brought in my boxes. Granted, I hadn't driven it anywhere since I've been back, but that was mostly due to being escorted everywhere I went, which admittedly, was only to see Massimo.

Since I had no idea where Phoenix had gone off to, I shot him a quick text telling him I went to see Robbie. I made sure to downplay the urgency and texted simply that she just needed help with something. It wasn't exactly a lie, but I knew Phoenix wouldn't see it that way. Suddenly, I was on the other side of that fateful night six years ago in that warehouse.

Funny how a person can justify hypocrisy when they needed to.

I grabbed my purse, searched for my keys, and then tossed my phone inside. The second I opened the front door, I was surprised to see no guards on duty outside the door. I thanked God for that little concession and made my way to the elevator. The ride was only seven floors down, but anxiety made it feel like I was descending a twenty-floor building.

The moment the doors slid open, I realized why there were no guards at Phoenix's door. They were stationed by the elevators. When I saw the guards posted in front of Luca's front door, I had assumed they were there for him. But, thinking back, they hadn't been there when he had walked down to Ciro's apartment. That means they must have been there for Leo and Sal's visit.

Luca wasn't much of a trusting soul.

I wasn't invisible, but I pretended to be as I started walking casually towards my car. Luckily, it had been parked in the space close to the elevators. It also looked out of place among the luxury cars surrounding it.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Fiore," one of the guards spoke. "We're not permitted to let you leave the building."

I loved how he worded the command. He was basically telling me I wasn't allowed to leave without Phoenix's permission.

Ah, and so it starts.

I looked up at the man. "Excuse me," I said, doing my best to contain my irritation. Flies, honey, vinegar, and all that. "What's your name?"

He had dark black hair and whiskey colored eyes. He was a good-looking man, by all accounts, however, his eyes were dead. Not completely empty, but devoid of emotion. Well, at least, they were right now. "Martin," he answered, and his voice was just as impassive as his eyes.

"Well, Martin," I started, a smile on my face, "Phoenix isn't available right now, and I have a bit of an emergency."

"We're not permitted to let you leave the building, Mrs. Fiore," he repeated. Never mind the tingle I kept getting down my spine whenever he called me Mrs. Fiore.

Christ, I was such a girl.

It's amazing how my wedding rings suddenly felt heavy as hell. And it wasn't because the five-carat diamond rock with the band of equally brilliant diamonds surrounding it was excessive as it was. It was because it resembled the chain of bondage that it was. The set was extraordinary, for sure, but Phoenix wouldn't hear any objections on its extravagance. Plus, his name was engraved inside the diamond band.

"Am I not allowed to leave at all?" I asked. "Or am I not allowed to leave without an escort?"

"My understanding is you cannot-" He caught himself, no doubt aware of my resistance to being told what to do. "It's my understanding we are not permitted to let you leave the building under any conditions."

I only had one card to play here. I hated that I had to play it, but Robbie was in trouble, and I was wasting time trying to secure my freedom here. "How exactly do you plan on stopping me, should I be determined to visit my friend? I already told her I was on my way." I wanted it to sound as if I wasn't in any danger, and I was just going out to meet a friend." His face went from stoic to mildly confused. "I'm just curious about your direction on this. Did my husband say you could put your hands on me if need be?"

I watched his Adam's Apple work up and down and I knew using the word husband was a good move. "Mrs. Fiore, we're-"

"I honestly don't mean to put you in an awkward position, but I guarantee my husband will be more...upset at another man putting his hands on me than he would be at me simply visiting a friend." This is where my lie came in. "I've already sent him a text letting him know where I'm off to." Christ, I sounded like an uppity socialite. I almost cringed at the haughtiness in my voice. I pulled out my phone and shoved it in the poor man's face. "Of course, he's busy and hasn't had a chance to text me back, but I assure you, if he was against the visit to my friend, he would have texted back immediately, forbidding me to go."

"Mrs. Fiore-"

"Now, kindly get out of my way before you have no choice but to have to physically restrain me, and I end up calling my husband, brother, and best friend." I did it. I played the do-you-know-who-I-am card, and I hated it. But Robbie needed me, and I had to keep that in mind.

Martin paled a bit, but he knew he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, he was smart enough to know that letting me leave without permission might incur a reprimand but putting his hands on me would sign his dead warrant.

He gave me a tight nod before asking, "Would you like an escort?" And that's what was going to lead to poor Martin's death. He gave me a choice. I felt bad about it, but Robbie's cry for help pushed that guilt down. Besides, she asked that I come alone.

"Thank you so much, Martin, for the offer, but I'm not going far." Another lie, but I'll deal with that the next time I'm in church.

Martin looked uncomfortable, but he finally stepped aside, and his command vibrated in everyone's earpiece that I was allowed to leave the building. I smiled, got into my car, and drove out of one of the most secured buildings in the city.

The drive to Cedar Creek felt longer than an hour, but when I finally got to Robbie's, I barely put the car in park and grabbed my purse, before I was out of the driver's side, and jogging up to her rickety porch. Robbie's house wasn't quite in the poorest of neighborhoods, but it was close.

I knocked on the door. "Robbie!"

The door opened, but it wasn't Robbie standing on the other side. And before I could absorb the magnitude of what I've just done, everything went black.
Chapter 17

_Phoenix~_

Luca was pissed.

Luca was pissed, and that wasn't good for anyone.

"It was a bullshit meeting," he said, voicing what we already knew.

"Maybe he just wanted to fuck with us because he knows we don't like being here," Ciro interjected. Giovanni knew we hated being at his house.

Luca eyed me. "He called Phoenix from his wedding night to prove that he could," Luca deduced. "He knows about Francesca."

The coldness in Ciro's voice was a contrast to his volatile personality. "What's my sister got to do with this?"

Luca looked over at him. "Giovanni is a lot of things, but stupid or blind isn't one of them," he replied. "He knows who and what she is to us."

"She's a threat," I surmised.

Luca nodded. "As long as Francesca was out of the picture, he knew we'd forever be distracted by her absence. Now that she's back..."

"We're unstoppable," Ciro finished.

"He called this meeting as a reminder of who's in charge," Luca continued. "Gio wanted to downplay Francesca's importance by calling Phoenix away on, by rights, what is a couple's most important night together."

"I don't give a fuck if he is your father, Luca," I told him. "If he comes after-"

Luca's eyes flashed before he cut me off. "Don't ever suggest that I would let someone-anyone-hurt Francesca, Phoenix," he growled. "That girl is my fucking life. I'd kill my father myself before I'd let him touch one hair on her head."

Growing up, Luca and Frankie had a bond that would make most men insecure, but I never fell into that category. I recognized their bond around the same age that I realized she meant something more to me than anyone else in my life. At the time, I hadn't known it was love, I just knew she mattered in a way that no one else had. Whatever Frankie and Luca had between them, it wasn't a bond I needed to be jealous of. Frankie somehow kept Luca human, a fact both Ciro and I were fully aware of.

"She's my wife, Luca," I replied, needlessly. "She might be Ciro's heart and your soul, but she's my fucking everything. If Gio sees her as a threat to his crown, that's a concern."

I could see Luca's shoulders relax. He knew I wasn't challenging him, and I knew he wasn't challenging me. We were just doing what we always did when it came to Frankie; we were protecting her.

Ciro stood up from the couch. "Does he see her as a threat?"

Before Luca could answer, his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and his eyes shot my way before his brows furrowed. "It's Francesca," he told us.

Ciro chuckled. "She must be pissed at Nix for being gone so long. She's trying to salvage her pride by calling you to see where the fuck he's at."

Luca rolled his eyes, and it always threw me when he did that. It made him look young and Luca's never been young, even when he was. He swiped his finger and held the phone up to his ear. "Francesca." Not even a second later, his entire body stilled, and my heart dropped to my feet.

Luca has never reacted to Francesca's voice like that.

I watched, the blood in my veins frozen, as Luca placed the phone on the desk and hit the speaker function. The voice that filled the room didn't belong to Frankie.

"Did you hear me?"

Luca's jaw ticked, but his voice sounded smooth as bourbon. "I do believe I missed that," he replied. "I'll need you to repeat yourself."

The man's voice was full of contempt. "Of course, you missed it," the man sneered. "Because people like you don't have to listen to anyone, do they?"

"I assure you, I listen to people all the time," Luca countered smoothly. "It's what makes me good at what I do."

"Well, then listen well," the man snapped. "If you want your precious Frankie back in one piece, you'll give me what I want."

For the first time in years, I felt rage unlike anything I've ever experienced.

I also felt fear.

Luca's eyes stayed on mine. I knew he was silently willing me to keep my shit together. "Are you sure you have the right number, first of all?"

"I really don't care which one of you assholes I'm talking to," he replied. "But Frankie's contact list has one P, two C, and three L. I might not be the head of the great Benetti Family, but it's not hard to deduce that P is for Phoenix, C is for Ciro, and L is for Luca. The only thing I don't know is who put those diamonds on her finger. But I do know I'm talking to Luca Benetti."

The motherfucker really had Frankie.

I placed those goddamn rings on her finger just this morning. No one outside the Benettis could possibly know about them unless they knew who Frankie was, and they'd seen her since this morning. I wanted to believe she was in our bed where I left her, but I also wasn't one to live in denial.

Luca didn't offer up any confirming information. He simply asked, "What is it you want?"

"I want ten million dollars," he answered. "Ten million with no bullshit, and you get her back unharmed."

Ten million wasn't shit. I had accumulated more than ten million in the past six years with all the high-profile hits I've done. And I knew Ciro had just about as much money as I had. I didn't even pretend to know what Luca was worth, but ten million between the three of us wasn't shit.

But this wasn't about money.

Someone dared to touch Frankie, and he wasn't going to live long enough to spend a penny of the ten million he was demanding.

"Ten million," Luca repeated. "And you think she's worth ten million dollars to me? To us?"

The man's voice suddenly sounded doubtful. His confidence wavering. "Be...because she's...she's Ciro Mancini's sister," he stuttered. "She's...she's Church."

"And where would I take this ten million dollars?" Luca asked. "Are we going to PayPal it?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid!" he yelled.

I felt Ciro come stand next to me, but I couldn't look at him. I knew if I did, I'd lose my shit in spectacular fashion. Because Frankie meant different things to the each of us, what we were feeling at this moment differed from one another, but those feelings were equally strong.

"Then quit playing games and tell me what you want," Luca retorted, his voice still relaxed. "If you're calling me to demand a ransom, I assume you already have a plan in place. Quit wasting time."

"I want ten million in cash brought to Cedar Creek," he said. "Call me when you are on your way with the money. Once you reach Cedar Creek, call me for further direction." This had all the makings of a bad action movie. This man was either high, stupid, or desperate. It didn't really matter which because he was going to die for daring to go near Frankie.

"I'll have the money in an hour," Luca told him. "It'll take another hour to reach Cedar Creek."

"I look forward to hearing from you in an hour," was his reply. "I also know I don't have to tell you to come alone, Mr. Benetti. Come alone or Frankie doesn't make it home unscathed." Luca's lip curled, and I knew he was close to losing shit.

We all were.

The second the phone went dead, I grabbed the glass tumbler Luca had been drinking from earlier and threw it across the room. "Motherfucker!" I roared.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Ciro chanted, his voice low and deadly.

"He gave us an hour," Luca said. "We can make it to Cedar Creek in about forty minutes." He jerked his chin towards me. "Pull up the tracer, Phoenix."

I pulled out my phone and pulled up my tracker app. Because I knew she'd never take them off, I had Frankie's wedding rings specially made and personalize. The platinum on both the engagement ring and the wedding band was thicker than normal because, not only did I have my name engraved on the inside of the wedding band, but I had a microscopic tracker inserted on the ring. Frankie thought the 'diamond' in the middle of the P was an actual stone, but it wasn't. It was a tracking device. I just never imagined I'd have to use it on our first day of marriage.

The room was shrouded in complete silence as I pulled up the app and tracked her. After pinpointing her location, I looked over at both Luca and Ciro. They both looked like they were out for blood.

I knew the feeling.

"She's in Cedar Creek," I confirmed.

"Let's go," Ciro said. "Do we need to stop by Kratos?" Luca had named the penthouse building Kratos after the Greek goddess of strength and power. And Ciro was asking if we needed to stop by for more firepower.

"No." Luca was already walking to the back of the office, pushing the false hardback of The Tales of Two Cities that was wired to separate the shelves on the bookcases that lined the back wall. As soon as the shelves slid aside, rows upon rows of weapons shined in the light.

As we reached for what we needed, I glanced at Ciro. "That sonofabitch is mine," I told him. Told both of them.

"Of course," Luca replied, while Ciro remained silent.

I stopped grabbing weapons and turned. "Ciro?"

He finished inspecting the SIG-P226 he'd chosen and looked over at me. "She's my sister," he said, and I felt those words in the marrow of my bones. We all loved her differently, but she was the only family Ciro had left. Luca had said Frankie was his entire world, but she meant the same thing to me and Ciro. "She's my fucking sister," he repeated. "I didn't just get her back to have some stupid motherfucker take her from me." His voice was controlled, and that's when Ciro was at his deadliest.

"She's my wife," I countered before realizing we were actually arguing about who had the most right to avenge her.

Luca jumped in, ending the conversation. "If she's unharmed, I'll take the lead since it's my money the motherfucker demanded." Ciro and I turned to look at him as he holstered a Glock-17. "If her hair is out of place, Ciro can lead." Then he stopped what he was doing and looked me in the eye. "Anything worse than that, he's yours."

"I'm not going to stand back and let you guys avenge my fucking wife, Luca," I snapped.

"I know you're not," he remarked, his lip curled up in what could be considered a smile for Luca. "That's why we're all three going in there, and we're all three going to fuck him up. Don't forget, he might not be alone."

"Let's get going," Ciro said. "We can argue on the way." With that, Luca closed the armory, and we headed out. "And don't forget to call Basco." Basco was our...family doctor.

We made it to Cedar Creek in under forty-five minutes.
Chapter 18

_Francesca~_

My head hurt like a bitch. But that wasn't my main concern at the moment.

No.

It was the fact that I was tied to a goddamn chair and, even if I could free myself, Robbie was tied to a chair across the room, unconscious. Even though her head was limp and her eyes were closed, I could make out the bruising on her face and here was blood splatter on her clothes, her skin, and in her brown hair, matting it against her skull. There's no way in hell I'd leave her behind even if I could free myself.

When that man had opened Robbie's front door, at first, I hadn't realized I was in trouble. It wasn't until he smiled that I was hit the mistake I made. But it was my fault, and I could acknowledge that. I should have called Robbie and spoken with her on the phone when the text came through that she was in trouble. I made the mistake of assuming it was her on the other end. And, hell, maybe it really was. After all, she was tied to a chair, broken and bleeding.

I glanced around and saw that we were in a basement of some sort. It looked to be used more for storage and laundry than anything else. There was a washer and dryer on the far right side of the room, but everything else looked to be discarded boxes and junk. Wherever we were, we weren't at Robbie's house. She didn't have a basement.

The sound of wood creaking had me turning to my left. I stared at the wooden stairs that led up to the house. I didn't utter a sound as I watched a pair of black shoes and dark blue jeans make their way downward. They were followed by another pair of shoes, these white and green, and another pair of dark jeans.

When their height finally cleared the ceiling, I saw the guy who met me at Robbie's door followed by the one man I never expected to see.

Randy.

Randolph Masterson, Robbie's boyfriend.

I couldn't help the despair that threatened to take over. If he could do what he did to Robbie, a girl who's been nothing but good to him, then I didn't stand a chance.

"Ah," he said, smiling, "you're finally awake."

I couldn't keep the loathing from my voice. I hadn't liked him when Robbie started dating him, and I sure as hell didn't like him now. "What is this, Randy?" I asked, cutting to the chase.

Footsteps momentarily distracted me as I turned my head to watch another pair of feet descend the stairs. The third man made his way over the second one, and I immediately dismissed them. I didn't recognize either one of them, so I didn't bother with them. Randy was running this show. It was him I needed to concentrate on.

He dropped onto his haunches, so we could be face-to-face. I hated that he wasn't a bad-looking guy. His looks should match his soul. But they didn't. He was a decent-looking guy with light brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"A little birdie told me that you are the infamous Francesca Mancini," he answered casually. "The Church to the unholy Holy Trinity."

My heart dropped as I realized I never bothered to tell Robbie not to say anything about Phoenix, Ciro, or Luca. I never told her to keep the newfound information to herself. I hadn't thought of it at the time to ask her to not say anything and, of course, why wouldn't she say something to her boyfriend? Significant others often tell one another other people's secrets without realizing it.

I wasn't going to bother denying it. I knew the guys didn't want the news that I was back spreading, but they couldn't keep me a secret forever. They wanted me to take my 'rightful place', but that couldn't be done from the shadows. I was going to have to be strong enough to walk among them, so I might as well start now.

"So?"

His brows shot up as he stood. He folded his arms over his check, trying to distract from his obvious surprise at my reply. "So?"

"So, I'm Ciro Mancini's sister, Luca Benetti's best friend, and Phoenix Fiore's wife," I retorted, not caring about the information I was giving up. These three would be dead before the morning sun rose tomorrow. It wouldn't matter what they knew. "What does that do for you?"

He smirked, but it was in disgust. He hated that I was standing up to him regardless of being strapped to a chair, seemingly helpless. "It brings me ten million dollars," he spat.

My brows shot up, and my voice rang of pity. "Is that all?"

I didn't see the attack coming.

My head snapped sideways, and pain rang in my ears as he yelled, "No, that's not all!"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, I had to push the pain aside. Blood trickled down the side of my mouth, but I didn't care. I had to keep him talking, and even if he were beating me while he was doing it, at least I wouldn't be dead.

"Then what else?"

His dark brown eyes took on a wild look and, for the first time, I considered he might be high. It was no secret he partook in drugs, even though gambling was his demon of choice. "What else?! What else?!" he yelled. "I get to do what no one else has ever been able to do. I'm bringing those three fucks to their knees."

A moan from across the room stole our attentions. Robbie was coming to and when she finally lifted her face, the damage was worse than I had suspected.

"Oh, Robbie..." I whispered.

Randy strolled her way saying, "She caught me texting you from her phone." He grabbed her by her hair and yanked her head back, causing her to cry out and gain full consciousness. "She took exception to my plan, and so I had to force her cooperation."

"Fuck you," Robbie rasped out, her voice raw and cracked. Randy brought his fist down and slammed her in the jaw as if she was a grown man.

I'd never been so repulsed by another human being before. "What a tough man," I sneered. "Beating a defenseless woman. Afraid she'll kick your ass if she has half a chance?"

Randy jerked his head towards the man who answered Robbie's door, and he immediately came over, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and yanked my head back. "I'd shut the fuck up, if I were you," he said.

I scoffed. "Birds of a feather, huh?"

Next thing I knew, Randy was in my face, my jaw squeezed in between his fingers. "You think we won't hurt you?" he snapped. "You think you're untouchable?"

I was probably signing my own death warrant, but rage was making me reckless. "I think you men are a bunch of pussies," I shot back. "I think you guys are scared of two women and, if we weren't tied up, you'd be running scared like a bunch of little bitches!"

"You fucking cunt!"

"Leave her alone!" Robbie's voice was still weak, but we all heard her just the same. "What is wrong with you?!"

Randy ignored Robbie's outburst. "Tony, untie the bitch," he commanded, and the guy pulling on my scalp, released me and went to untying my binds.

By now, Randy was pacing and enraged that I dared to call out his manhood. The third guy had still yet to do or say anything, but, again, my focus was Randy. I had no doubt the guys were going to do everything in their power to save me, but I also knew I couldn't sit back like a damsel in distress. I had to do something to save myself.

The second my binding gave way, I stood up and faced Randy. "Let Robbie go?" I demanded. "She...she needs a doctor."

Randy stopped pacing and let out a snort. "Do you think I give a fuck if she needs a doctor or not?"

"She's your girlfriend!" Or, at least, she was. "Don't you care for her at all?"

"Not more than I care about ten million dollars," he answered honestly.

I shook my head. "Do you honestly think you're going to get away with this?" No one was that stupid, right? "They're going to kill you."

By now, the men had fanned out and with Randy in the middle, Tony to the left of him, and the third guy to his right. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was being dared to fight all three of them since calling out their manhood. Of course, I didn't know better. I didn't know these men. That might very well be what they were planning since I insulted them.

Randy's grin was pure evil. "Not if they want to get you back alive, Frankie," he taunted. "They have no idea where you are. And when they call, they'll do everything I say."

"You're underestimating your opponents, Randy," I replied. "Or you're overestimating yourself."

"I think if anyone is doing any underestimating, it's you."

"Release her!' I demanded again.

"Make me," he taunted before rushing straight for me. I was about to get my ass kicked by some grown men, but I wouldn't go down without a fight. I wasn't going to win, but Phoenix, Ciro, and Luca had taught me well.

Randy swung, and I ducked low enough to get a jab in across his ribs. I knew I wasn't strong enough to make a startling impact, but I was small and quick. I just needed to do what the guys had taught me, and that was to get a hand on his family jewels and show no mercy. Even if I had to rip his dick and balls clean off his body, that was the objective.

"You bitch!" he screamed as he wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me across the room. I landed with a breathtaking thud, but I was able to scramble up before he charged at me again.

"Frankie!" Robbie was screaming my name and I could vaguely hear the chair bouncing around as she tried to free herself. I ignored her cries and focused on Randy.

"Is that all you've got?" I goaded. I let out a rough laugh. "You really are a pussy."

The words were barely out of my mouth before he pretended to swing on me again. I ducked but he was ready. His fist came flying into my stomach and I could feel bile threatening to rise. My elbow came up and I jabbed his face with all my strength, causing a bloody nose.

I glance around and saw an old baseball bat leaning inside one of the boxes, I raced towards it, proving that to be a mistake. Tony intercepted me before I could get my hands on the bat. "Nuh uh, you stupid bitch," he sing-songed before sending a fist to my midsection. The same place Randy had landed his first blow. I doubled over, and let my body fall to the floor. I needed a second and making them come after me on the floor provided that. Or, at least, it had before the third guy yanked me up by my hair. He leaned down and slammed his lips down on mine. I bit his lip until I tasted blood. He screamed and then backhanded me until I flew a few feet towards Randy.

I jumped up, and when Luca's ringtone filled the room, Randy yelled, "Hold her down!"

Tony held my arms behind my back while the third guy wrapped his hand in my hair and covered my mouth with his hand. They held me prisoner between them, so I couldn't even kick if I tried to. The only small satisfaction I had was seeing the third guy with a bloody lip and the blood starting to cake all over Randy's nose.

"Do you have my money?" Randy barked into the phone, breathless and irate. None of us could hear the other end of the conversation, but it wasn't hard to fill in the missing pieces when Randy said, "You have one hour to get to Cedar Creek, and not a second more." He hung up on Luca and the promise of ten million dollars wasn't enough to cool his rage.

"Randy, don't do this!" Robbie begged, her voice hoarse and cracked from all her screaming and crying.

I watched helplessly as he stormed over to her and backhanded her across the face, yelling, "If you don't shut the fuck up, I'm going to let Tony and Eddie do whatever the fuck they want to you, Robbie!" Then he turned my way. "As for you..."

Tony and Eddie released me and left me to face Randy head-on. "As for me?" There was no way I was going to allow Randy to perpetuate Robbie's rape. He'd have to kill me first. "As for me, what?"

He glanced at his goons. "Tie her up again."

I fought, but I wasn't strong enough against two men who, weren't in shape, but weren't slobs either. Once I was secured back into the chair, it was clear the lengths Randy was willing to go to in order to salvage his pride. My body stilled as he pulled a switchblade from his back pocket and flicked it open. I forced my mind and body to calm down, doing my best to convince myself that he couldn't kill me just yet. He needed that ten million dollars in his hands first before he disposed of me. They guys would sure ask for proof of life before handing over the cash.

"And now you need a weapon?" I spat, trying to control my nervousness. "You're a real class act."

He didn't say anything as he took the knife and started slicing my hoodie to shreds. I didn't dare breathe for fear he'd accidentally cut me, but there was still another kind of fear. There was only one reason Randy would be cutting my clothing off.

"Maybe you're good for more than ten million dollars," he taunted. "Let's see, huh?"

Robbie started screaming again, but everyone continued to ignore her. She wasn't a threat with as injured as she was. She was just unfortunate to have me as a friend.

I held still as his knife finally sliced up the middle of my t-shirt. It fell open and the guys could clearly see my breasts encased in a light blue lace bra. It was humiliating, but I knew it was going to get much, much worse.

Randy leaned over, and with a grin as wide as Texas, he said, "You're entirely too pretty for your own good."

I finally screamed as the tip of his knife made its way down my face.
Chapter 19

_Phoenix~_

The house looked like an old, abandoned farmhouse. It was on the outskirts of Cedar Creek with desolate land limiting the intrusion of neighbors. The only thing that hinted at any kind of inhabitants were the trash cans overflowing with garbage and recyclables.

The second we hit the city limits of Cedar Creek, Luca had made the call that we had the money, and we were on our way. The stupid bastard had no idea we were already here. Frankie's wedding rings had led us to this farmhouse, and I knew in my heart, she was in that place.

"I'll take the back, while you guys take the sides," I instructed. The farmhouse was only one story, so that helped. They simply nodded, and we all got out of the car and made our way around the house.

We separated, and as I made my way towards the back, I heard faint screams. My heart dropped and I knew there was no time to case the place. Ciro was at my side, asking, "Did you hear that?" I nodded, unable to speak.

"There has to be a basement," Luca said as he joined us in backyard. "Those screams are too faint to be coming from the main floor of the house." He was right. If the screams were weak from where I stood, Luca stood on the right side of the house, and from where Ciro had stood on the left side of the house, there had to be a common central place where the screams were coming from. Since the house was a single story, there was no upstairs, so there could only be a basement.

"What are we waiting for?" Ciro demanded.

Luca's voice was frozen in rage as he answered, "Another scream." Rage was flooding my veins. "It'll drown out our entry."

Ignoring them both, I tried the backdoor and, to my surprise, it was unlocked. That's how confident this asshole was. He hadn't even bothered to lock the fucking door.

We entered the house with me taking the lead, and we broke off in search of the basement door. Ciro found it behind the kitchen pantry and was ready to go in, but Luca stopped him.

He stopped him because of me.

I was shaking with uncontrolled rage.

I knew it.

I could feel it, and they could see it.

However, we had no idea what was down there. We could be walking down into a room full of twenty men with guns pointing our way, or we could be walking down into a room with just one man, but a man who had a gun to Frankie's head.

Luca turned those black eyes on me. "Get. It. Together. Phoenix," he hissed.

I gave him a tight nod to let him know I heard him. I understood him.

He cracked open the door, and we could hear a man speaking. "You're lucky I want that ten million dollars more than I want to kill you. Although, I have to say, you're going to wish you were dead by the time we're done with you."

We're.

So, that meant there was more than one man down there.

I heard Frankie's laugh, and it nearly brought me to my knees. "You can kill me," we heard her say. "You can even slice my face up some more..." Luca's hand grabbed my arm in a punishing grip as her words registered around us. "...You three can even try to kick my ass again. But you'll still be sad, pathetic, pieces of shit who aren't man enough to make your own way." She let out another hollow laugh. "Do your worse, you fucking pussy."

We were enraged, but proud of her in this moment. She also gave us some important information when she referred to the three of them.

"You're a bastard!" came another female voice. "I hope they kill you slow."

"Shut the fuck up, Robbie!" the man screamed. "If you don't, I swear I'll let Tony and Eddie shut you the fuck up!"

Luca lifted his hand and silently started counting down from three. We were going to rush in, the element of surprise on our side. We were all expert marksman. The second we got our prey in our sights, it'd be over. I wasn't worried we'd accidentally shoot Frankie or the other woman. I was more worried that one of us would accidentally kill the guy who took Frankie, and I didn't want that just yet.

No.

I wanted to spend some quality time with the sonofabitch. Ciro and Luca, too.

Luca's hand counted down to a fist and nothing could be heard over the thundering of our feet running down the basement steps.

"What the-"

Guns drawn, I came flying down the stairs first, my bullet hitting a tall, lanky guy in dark jeans and a black t-shirt. He went down screaming in agony as his kneecap blew apart. I heard two other shots but ignored them both as I spotted Frankie tied to a chair, her shirt shredded to pieces, blood dripping down her face, and the rest of her battered and bruised.

I rushed forward, ignoring everything around me, because I knew Ciro and Luca had taken care of the other two motherfuckers in the room.

"Baby..." I whispered as I dropped my forehead on hers. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest, and I'd never felt so weakened by anything before in my life. Even when Frankie had left me all those years ago.

She was functioning on pure adrenaline when she said, "Took you guys long enough." I knew she was in pain. And I knew once the fear and adrenaline wore off that pain was going to intensify tenfold, but she was alive.

She was alive.

"What..."

"If I were you, I'd shut the fuck up," Ciro snarled.

I turned to look behind me, and I could see the guns in each of Ciro's hands as he held two of the men at gunpoint. Luca had his gun trained on the third man. Satisfied that they had everything under control, I turned back to face Frankie and immediately went to work on untying her from the chair. As soon as she stood up, I took my jacket off and placed it around her shoulders to cover her up.

I watched as she adjusted the jacket to suit her. I looked into her golden eyes and asked the one question I didn't want to. "Did they...your shirt was..."

Frankie shook her head. "No," she replied. "They just...put hands on me."

Put hands on her.

What a fucking way to describe it.

Then her eyes widened. "Oh, God. Robbie."

She rushed towards the other woman who was also tied to a chair and I noticed she was just as beaten as Frankie was. I went over to help her with the woman. "It's okay, Robbie," Frankie cooed. "It'll be okay."

"I'm so sorry, Fran-"

"Shh now," Frankie rushed out. "This is not your fault."

There were moans and whimpering playing throughout the room, but Luca's voice rang through the room. "Get them upstairs. Call Basco in."

Frankie's head whipped around. Her eyes were flashing. "I'm not going anywhere," she insisted. "I want to see this-"

I took her face in my hands, and it was as close to begging as I would ever get in front of witnesses. "Francesca," I used her full name, so she would know I was serious, "I need you to take your friend upstairs and let Basco see to your injuries." My eyes held hers and I prayed she'd have mercy on me and fucking just listen for once. "Your friend needs your help." She knew I was manipulating her, but she relented. "Do you need help upstairs?" I knew it was killing her, but she gave me another small nod.

As soon as Frankie untied her friend, she slumped forward and I caught her, lifting her up in my arms. I heard Ciro call out to Luca. "Grab my sister. I've got these three fucks."

Luca put his gun away and lifted Frankie up in his arms. "I can walk, Luca," she said wryly. "I'm okay."

"Humor me," he snapped.

We carried the women upstairs, called Basco in, and waited for him to come inside and set up. We placed them on the couch, and Luca immediately headed back downstairs. It wasn't that Ciro couldn't hold down the fort, it was because he couldn't stand to look at Frankie any more than I could. Her face was busted up, and he's seen her clothes shredded, just like I had.

The woman I carried upstairs mumbled her thanks as I set her down then walked over to Frankie. I leaned down and kiss her on the top of her head. I looked into her battered face. "What do I need to know?" She sighed, and that wasn't a good sign. "Francesca?"

"The light brown hair with the grey shirt, that's Randy," she answered sadly. "He's...he was Robbie's boyfriend. He's the one who planned this for the money. The other two are just his goons." I absorbed the information as Basco walked in .

I turned to look at, who I surmised, was Robbie. "What do you know?"

She started sobbing, but it wasn't in hysterics. It was in genuine remorse. "I caught him texting Frankie, pretending to be me. When I called him out, he..." her tortured brown eyes looked down, and I decided to grant her mercy. Besides, I'd find out all I needed to know downstairs.

I gave Frankie another kiss on her head and without looking back, I said, "It's your life if anything happens to her, Basco."

"I understand," came his faint reply as I was already shutting the door to the basement behind me. When I reached the bottom of the steps, Luca had his guns pointed to the assholes, same as Ciro. I noticed that Randy had two guns on him, so I figured one of them must have been talking while I was upstairs.

"So, what do we know?"

"This one's the ringleader of this circus," Ciro answered, tipping his gun towards Randy.

"Yeah. Frankie told me as much," I remarked.

All three men were grimacing on the floor, one with a shattered kneecap, one with a gut shot, and Randy with a shot in his right thigh. Our aims were enough to encumber, but not enough to kill. No. This wasn't going to be quick.

"The first one who talks gets to go quickly," I announced.

"It was all Randy's idea!" the guy Ciro had his gun on yelled through his agony. He was the same one with a bullet in his kneecap. "It was all his stupid fucking idea."

"Shut the fuck up, Tony!"

"Fuck that!" he screeched. "I'm not going to be tortured to death because of your greed."

"My greed?!" Randy yelled. "You were eager to be in this just as much as I was!"

"Enough!" Luca roared.

"Yeah. You're both pretty, girls," Ciro deadpanned.

I dropped on my haunches in front of Randy. "Who cut my wife's shirt off?" I cared about Frankie's injuries, but I cared about her humiliation more. Frankie will heal from whatever physical injuries these sorry fucks inflicted on her, but her modesty? I couldn't even begin to understand what a woman goes through when she feels she's been violated. But, while I couldn't understand it, I sure as fuck could avenge it.

The canary started singing again. "Randy did it," he cried out. "This is all his fucking fault!"

"Like you didn't put your hands on her too!" Randy yelled.

I pulled my gun out from the back of my waistband, pointed, and shot the canary in his head. I turned back to Randy. "I'll get the entire story out of you, one way or another," I told him. "And you'll be begging for death way before I'll grant it."

The third guy let out a resigned laugh. "We should have known better than to listen to you," he said, referring to Randy. "But you said you had an in and it was foolproof."

I looked over at the third guy. "Which one of you was the prick who hurt Robbie?" None of their answers were going to save them, I just wanted to know. The guy's blue eyes fell empty. That's when I knew the answer. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"At least, I didn't rape her," he pleaded. "He gave me permission to, but I didn't!"

I stood up. "At least, you didn't-" I was too astonished to continue.

"Fuck this shit," Luca growled before discharging his gun and firing a bullet in the side of the piece of shit's head.

"So, I get to kill this fuck, since you guys got yours?" Ciro asked, thrilled with the possibility.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm the one who gets to end this fucker's life. After all, it was my wife he put his hands on." I told him, staring into Randy's frightened eyes. "But you'll have plenty of time to play with him first, seeing as how she's your sister, and all."

"I just needed money!" Randy shrieked. "I'm sorry!"

"You're not," Luca told him. "But you're going to be."

The guns had silencers, but I didn't want to take any chances. Every minute we were here was a risk. "We'll put those assholes in the doc's car and take them back to Morgan City, where they'll be cleaned up." I kicked Randy on his bullet wound. He howled but, fuck him. "We'll take him back with us."

"Torch the house?" Ciro asked.

Luca nodded. "It's old and run down. Manipulate the wiring and no one will be the wiser."

I cocked my head and grinned at Randy. "Did you know that Ciro, here, can keep a man alive up to two weeks before the poor asshole's body finally gives up?"

Randy paled and pissed his pants.
Chapter 20

_Francesca~_

Basco had done his best to fix my face, but he said that, while the cut wasn't deep enough to warrant stitches, he still believed it would leave a scar. I had a trail of seven butterfly stitches down my face, and he said a bottle of Motrin would help with the rest unless I wanted something stronger. Right now, I felt fine, however, I knew tomorrow my body would be hurting like a sonofabitch. I opted for the Motrin with a stronger backup for tomorrow, if needed.

He tended to me first, and I had protested since Robbie had gotten the worst of it, but Basco made it clear that I was his first priority and the sooner I settled down and let him tend to me, the sooner he could see to Robbie's needs. Needless to say, I ended up cooperating.

Once Basco was done fixing me up, I had moved from the couch to the armchair closest to Robbie. I wanted to be close by, in case she needed me, but I didn't want to be in Basco's way either. I was still kind of shocked that Basco still worked for the Benettis. His shock of white hair and his aged skin should have him years into retirement by now, but I suppose that was just fanciful thinking. Everyone knew you never truly retired from the Mafia.

Robbie's eyes looked haunted as she stared at me, letting Basco look her over. "I'm so sorry, Frankie," she whimpered. "I'm so, so-"

"Stop it," I demanded. "This is not your fault."

"Of course, it-ow! Shit. Sorry," she mumbled to Basco. Her eyes flew up to look my way again. "Frankie, I'm the one who told Randy who you were. This is completely my fault."

"She's got a couple of cracked ribs," Basco announced. "Nothing to be done about those except to bind them properly." He eyed her skeptically. "Can you sit up, child?" Robbie tried to sit up and immediately winced against the pain. Basco and I gathered her in our arms and helped her sit.

"Is that okay?" I asked, scared for her. Scared that she might have more than just physical damage.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"I need you to stand," Basco instructed. "I need to bind your ribs and it'll be easier that way."

Robbie gave him a tight nod and I helped her stand even at the protesting of my own body. I hurt, but not like she was.

Basco didn't bullshit her and I think she appreciated that. "This is going to hurt like a sonofabitch," he told her. "Scream if you must." When Basco lifted her shirt, I almost started weeping. Robbie was black and blue all over. You could see an actual outline of a footprint where someone stomped on her so hard. Basco began his ministrations, and she didn't scream, but she bit down on her lip so hard, fresh blood started oozing down her chin.

I needed to distract her from the pain. "This is my fault for failing to tell you not to tell anyone who I was," I said, bringing us back to the topic at hand. "I should have told you to keep it a secret."

Robbie shook her head in a grimace. "It doesn't matter, Frankie," she argued. "I knew Randy was a loser. I knew he was a loser and I still dated him. I knew he was a loser and I still shared with him...things that were none of his business." Her eyes glossed over in wretched despair. "I wanted so badly for him to be a good boyfriend, I pretended he was and treated him like I thought he should be treated."

"All done." Basco announced.

"I need to sit," she blurted.

Basco just nodded. "Intense pain can bring on waves of dizziness," he explained.

Robbie sat down and the movement broke my heart. She endured this beating to protect me and I felt helpless in her time of need.

Basco took her left hand and let out a deep sigh. "Child, you have two broken fingers that I'll need to set," he told her. "This too will-"

"Hurt like hell," she finished, trying to laugh off the pain, but was unsuccessful when she winced.

"Yes, it's going to hurt, but it must be done. They appear to be clean breaks and should heal nicely." Robbie didn't comment. She just gave him another small nod to get on with it, and this time she couldn't contain her moan of agony.

"You're doing great," I said lamely. I didn't know what else to do.

"Frankie, get the green bottle out of my bag and get her some water," Basco instructed. "She's in too much pain for me to wait until after everything to give her a narcotic." I ran to do his bidding and, once she swallowed the pills, he said, "This is to take the edge off. I will administer a stronger sedative via a syringe once you're all patched up."

"Won't that be too much?" I asked.

Basco glanced at me and I had a feeling he wanted to roll his eyes at me. "Frankie, I've been doing this for more years than you've been alive," he chastised. "I know what I'm doing."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"The cut above your eye should have been stitched, but I think you're too swollen to poke at now. I'm going to use some surgery glue, and that should do the trick. It won't be pretty, but you'll live."

"Just do what you have to," Robbie replied. "I just...I want to go home."

"Glad you said that, because your nose is broken too, child," Basco grimaced, clearly upset by the damage done to her. "I'm going to pop it back in place, but it's-"

"It's going to hurt like hell," we chorused.

"Hold her hands, Francesca," he said, and the second I grabbed her hands in mine, he shifted the cartilage back into place.

Rivers of tears were cascading down Robbie's face, and she suddenly looked exhausted on top of looking beaten, as Basco administered the mild sedative.

Basco wiped down her face the best he could all the while telling her, "It's going to get worse before it gets better. The next couple of days you are going to be in excruciating pain, child. But more importantly, you'll have to look for infection." Basco glanced at me. "She really shouldn't be left alone, Frankie."

"I have to work," Robbie blurted out. "I...I can't miss work. I have bills to pay...and-"

Basco's eyes rounded. "Young lady, you aren't going to even be able to sit down to use the restroom without screaming in agony," he informed her, cutting off her tirade. "I don't know what you do for a living, but you will not be able to do it. Not to mention, you can barely see out of one eye to go about doing anything. You'll need at least a full week to even begin to recover."

"I need to work-"

"Robbie, he's right," I said, siding with Basco. "You need to concentrate on healing. I can take care of your bills while you recuperate."

"I am not taking your money, Frankie," she snapped. "Your family is downstairs cleaning up a mess I created. There's no way I'm taking money from you when I've already...when you've been hurt..."

Basco ignored our bickering and asked the one question that, in a perfect world, should never be asked. "Child, I know you're in a lot of pain, but...well, I've only one more place to examine..."

Robbie shook her head. "No," she said. "They...they didn't...I'm okay."

Basco nodded. "Okay. Well, let me administer the sedative before I leave." He kissed her on the side of her head, and said, "If you need me-"

"I'll be fine," Robbie blurted out, shocked by his show of affection. "You need to be there for Frankie."

Basco snorted as he turned and began gathering his stuff. "Frankie has plenty of people who are going to be there for her," he huffed. "She's in good hands, that one."

Before I could comment, footsteps alerted us to our company. I stood up and watched as Luca and Ciro walked into the living room. Behind them, Phoenix was dragging a passed-out Randy behind him.

Ciro walked up to me and wrapped me in his arms. It hurt, but I wasn't going to deny him this. "You scared the shit out of me, Frankie," he bit out, his arms tightening.

"I know," I whispered as my arms circled his angry form. "I'm sorry."

The second he let go of me, Luca walked over, planted a kiss on my forehead, but didn't say a word. But that was our way. We didn't need words between us.

Phoenix on the other hand...

"The second you're all better, I'm going to fucking kill you," he threatened from across the room. I guess we've gone from worried and concerned to pissed the hell off.

"Phoen-"

"Don't, Francesca," he snapped. "Just don't."

"It's all my fault," Robbie jumped in. "If...if I hadn't told Randy who she was, he never would have concocted this...plan." Her voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

The guys ignored her as Luca gave directions. "Basco, you know the drill," he said. "You'll have two packages to deal with. It's business as usual

"Very good," he replied, all his supplies packed and ready to go. He turned towards me and Robbie. "The next couple of days are critical. Take the antibiotics I've left for you, but also the pain medication for you'll need it to sleep, if nothing else."

"Thank you, Basco," I told him. "I really appr-"

"Nonsense, Frankie," he said, waving away my thanks. "It's my job." Then he pointed at Robbie. "But you," he stressed the 'you', "no working or anything for the next week." Robbie nodded, but I knew she had no intention of complying.

Basco walked out of the living room and I looked at Phoenix. "What next?" He glanced over at Robbie, but kept his mouth shut. "Are you serious?" I asked, livid. "You can trust her."

"Trust her?!" Ciro shouted. "Are you fucking kidding me right now, Frankie? She nearly got you killed and you're telling us to trust her? You're out of your goddamn mind!"

My body whirled around. "You don't know the whole story!"

"What's there to know?" he argued. "She just admitted to telling that piece of shit on the ground who you were."

I turned back to Phoenix. "It wasn't like that," I pleaded. "Phoenix?"

"You're not in the position to demand anything right now, Francesca," he said coolly.

"It's okay, Frankie," Robbie whispered sadly. "I don't blame them."

I turned to look at my friend. "This is wrong," I implored her. "I never told you it was a secret. You weren't wrong for trusting your boyfriend, damnit!"

"Frankie-"

"No!" I yelled. "This is wrong." I turned and looked to Luca for help. "Luca?"

"Your husband has spoken, Francesca," he remarked, letting me know that I was officially in Phoenix's hands now. Luca wouldn't step in between a husband and wife as a friend or an Underboss.

I looked between all three men, my heart breaking.

"So, what then?"

Luca walked over to Robbie, grabbed her uninjured hand, and placed a set of keys in her palm. "Those are the keys to your boyfriend's truck," he told her. "I suggest you get going."

"She can't, Luca," I cried out, hurt, angry, and fucking scared. "Basco gave her a sedative. She can't drive!"

"Then I suggest she hurries back home then," Ciro stated.

"Ciro!"

"Don't, Frankie!" he thundered. "We've got shit to handle, and she's the least of our concerns!"

"It's okay, Frankie," Robbie said, reaching out to hug me. "It'll be fine."

"Robbie-"

She gave me a small, sad smile. "I'll be okay."

I watched helplessly as she turned around to leave out the backdoor. Her steps stumbled as Luca called out, "If anyone comes knocking on our door over this, we will come after you." The only indication that Robbie heard him was the straightening of her back.

The second the door shut, I lost it. "I can't believe you guys," I seethed.

Now that we were alone, Phoenix didn't hold back. He stormed towards me, and I knew he wanted to shake me, and my injuries were the only thing keeping him from putting his hands on me. "We have Basco taking two bastards to the cleaning crew. We have to hold up the asshole who took you. We have to torch this fucking house to get rid of any evidence that could link this fucking mess to us. We have a girl on the loose, who we have no idea if she's running to the cops right now. And you have the nerve to stand there and say you can't believe us?!" he roared down at me. "What the fuck were you thinking, Frankie?!"

"You guys can hash this shit out later," Ciro interjected. "We need to get going."

Phoenix looked livid, and his voice was pure rage as he said, "Where the fuck is your car?"

"It's at Robbie's," I spat.

"And your purse? Your keys? We know this fuck has your phone."

The truth was like gargling glass. "I...I don't know..."

"Motherfucker!" he roared.

"Phoenix-"

He ignored Luca and snarled down at me. "Go to the black SUV out back. And, so help me God, you better stay there."

I stormed out of the house without comment. I was livid and all I could think about was Robbie. For the guys to treat her with such contempt was unacceptable. I was to blame just as much as she was, if not more. I never told her not to say anything.

I got into the back of the SUV and I didn't utter a word as the guys place Randy in the trunk or when I saw flames dancing around the inside of the house.
Chapter 21

_Phoenix~_

It's been over 24 hours since the three of us have slept, and I haven't even had a chance to take a run at Frankie.

And, oh, how I wanted to.

It wasn't even that there was a serious risk of us getting caught. It was the impact of her thoughtless actions that had me enraged. She set off a chain of events that have cost lives and could have possibly cost hers. Not to mention the cleanup.

The Benettis weren't just a bunch of thugs. There were a smart organization with money.

Giovanni Benetti was as brilliant as he was ruthless, and his sons had been raised to be the same way. However, Luca was the only one who excelled at the lessons he was given in life. Luca's leadership was carved out of evil and nothing frightened him. Well, nothing except Frankie.

Leo was strong, loyal, and cunning, but he couldn't stomach the dark stuff. That weakness made him the money man. I was in charge of Luca and Ciro's finances, along with the majority of income that came through the Benetti name, but Leo saw to Giovanni's money and a few other ventures that still remained under Gio's control.

Sal wasn't quite ready to sit at the Devil's table, but he was a sadistic sonofabitch, and he lived for drawing blood. He was quite comfortable around dead or mutilated bodies. He had no conscience that I could see, but his disassociation from human life made him the perfect fixer. Sal was in charge of the cleanup crew, and he was good at it.

The cleanup crew didn't just dig holes and dump bodies, though. No. They had sophisticated technology that could take someone's fingerprint and pull up everything you needed to know about the person, much like law enforcement data bases. They would then figure out the best way to make the body disappear without calling the attention of family, friends, or the cops. They also had several cops on the payroll that would help with staging a car accident, or suicide if need be.

Basco had taken the two dead bodies to Sal after leaving Cedar Creek, with the confidence that Sal and his crew would know the best way to dispose of them. Ciro, having the wicked smart mind that he did, had manipulated the wires at the farmhouse to short and start the fire. The house was old and falling apart, so it wouldn't be too farfetched to believe the wiring had been neglected and faulty, as well.

From there, Ciro had been dropped off a mile away from Robbie's house, where he made his way through the darkness and was able to get Frankie's purse, keys, and car. I'm not sure what had transpired between him and Robbie, but when he had called to confirm he had Frankie's things, he had sounded cold and empty.

Bad sign.

Martin was also gone. When I had found out how easily Frankie had manipulated him into letting her leave unattended, I acted on an impulse I rarely gave into.

I had beat the man to death.

And, now, we were standing inside Ciro's favorite hangout, tired as fuck, where Randolph Masterson hung limp from the chains suspended from the ceiling.

"How are you hanging in there?" Luca asked, his voice quiet. He was probably wondering how close I was to killing Frankie.

"If I could bleach my eyes to rid me of the image of her battered and beaten, half undressed, tied to that fucking chair, I'd do it," I answered.

"She fucking scared ten years off my life," Ciro mumbled.

"And what do you think of the girl?" Luca questioned. We both knew handing her the keys to the truck and giving her the freedom that he did was a test. He wanted to see what she was going to do. Even if she went to the police, the evidence and plans were already in motion to blame her for Randy's death should she choose that route.

"I honestly don't know," I told him. "I was too worried about Frankie."

"Ciro?"

"She got my sister kidnapped," he spat. "She obviously doesn't have any of the good sense God gave her. How in the hell do you just advertise that kind of information about your best friend?"

Luca cock his head. "You've never pillow-talked?"

"He'd have to fuck them in a bed in order for a pillow to be available, Luca," I snorted. "Ciro's more of an against-the-dirty-wall-behind-a-nightclub kind of guy."

Ciro flipped me off.

Then he looked at Luca. "Have you?"

It was known to both of us that Luca had a steady piece of ass. They weren't in a relationship, by any means, but she was the only one he slept with. He might get his dick sucked randomly from time to time, but he only stuck his dick in Beverly. He met her around the time Frankie had taken off, and he always met up with her when he needed to take the edge off.

She was about ten years older than he was, and she was very fit and beautiful. The best thing about her though, was the fact that she couldn't have kids. Luca never fell prey to a pretty face or hot body. He was too controlled and disciplined for that. He also knew the wretched things most women would resort to in order to become a Benetti, so he stayed away from the masses.

There was no way some woman was going to trap Luca Benetti.

Beverly was a professor at Morgan City Community, and she taught chemistry. She lived a quiet, unassuming life and knew exactly who Luca Benetti was. Knowing one wrong move could end her life, she kept her mouth shut and her leg opened for Luca, and she never pushed for anything more.

"I don't do much talking when I'm in bed, Ciro," he joked. The rare side to Luca only Ciro, Frankie, and I got to see.

Ciro rolled his eyes and got back to the topic at hand. "I don't trust her."

"Me either," Luca replied. "I have Estevan on her, and we'll see what she does."

"Frankie's going to insist on helping her," Ciro pointed out.

"Frankie's got bigger problems," I countered.

All talk ceased when we heard a moan vibrate through the room.

"Ah, look who's waking up," Ciro declared, cheerfully, "our good buddy Randolph." Luca let out a soft chuckle as I just shook my head. Ciro was always full of theatrics.

We stood back, Luca leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets, Ciro smiling like a loon next to the tools of his trade, and me standing off to the side of Randy's dangling body. I wasn't going to deny Ciro or Luca their payback, but Randy's last breaths belonged to me.

We waited patiently as Randy's eyes fluttered open. It'd be a few seconds before he was fully coherent. I knocked him out pretty hard to begin with, but Luca had given him another thump to the head before I carried him from the SUV to Ciro's most favorite place in the world. We had chained him up while we had waited for Ciro to drop off Frankie's car and stuff to her. Randy's been out for about half hour or so.

The second the haze cleared, his eyes bulged, and he started screaming behind the rag stuffed in his mouth.

Ciro grinned. "Glad you could join us."

"Randolph Masterson," Luca began. "Son to Rachel and Darren Masterson, no siblings." The panic on Randy's face was real, but then he was in the presence of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost. He knew he was fucked. "Graduated high school-barely. No real job to speak of, mostly odd jobs here and there. Used to live at 185 Marion Lane in Cedar Creek until you started mooching off your latest girlfriend, letting yourself get evicted and crashing at her place." Randy was either agreeing or disagreeing, but his words were muffled, so I couldn't be sure. "You have a few worthless friends...well, two short now with Tony and Eddie gone." He looked over at me. "Am I missing anything else?" he asked, reciting the information Sal got for us on good, old Randolph.

"You left out the best thing about Randolph," I added. "His parents are both deceased. Drugs, I do believe." I turned to face Randy. "Am I right? Drugs, correct?"

"And that means no one will miss you," Ciro finished.

Randy was screaming again, but that was easy to ignore. We were used to the background noise of begging and pleading. It no longer fazed us.

"So, here's what's going to happen, Randy," I informed him. "We're going to spend time with you in order of importance. Since Luca is Frankie's best friend, he'll get to go first. And, then, Ciro being Frankie's brother, he gets to go second, and that'll be a real treat. Luca knows he has to leave enough of you for us to get our chance, but Ciro, here...well, he tends to get overexcited sometimes." Randy started thrashing around, but the great thing about our suspension chains? They were surrounded by insulation. The rattling was great for instilling fear in our victims, but they got to be annoying as fuck after a while. So, Randy was welcome to thrash about all he wanted.

"I'll do my best to leave you something to work with, Ghost," Ciro chimed in and I smiled. Ciro's enthusiasm really was contagious. It was probably why women loved him so much. If he fucked like he tortured and killed, no doubt his women were satisfied.

I turned back towards Randy. "And, then, I get you, Randolph," I continued. "I get you last because you dared to put your hands on my wife. Francesca Mancini Fiore is mine. She is mine and you fucked up when you presumed to put hands on the only thing that matters to me." I walked forward and jammed my finger inside the bullet hole in thigh. His screams almost escaped the rag stuffed in his mouth but cutting his tongue out would fix that if it came down to it. "We're going to avenge her, Randy," I told him as I dug my finger deeper into his flesh. "We're going to avenge her, and then we're going to use you as an example of what happens when a person dares to go after Francesca Fiore. You are going to be a warning to everyone, and what's left of you will be fed to the pigs, Randy."

I smiled up at him as I heard Luca clap his hands once and start rubbing them in anticipation. "I admit, it's been a while since I've had to torture a motherfucker, but I'm sure it'll be just like riding a bike," Luca chuckled darkly. "What's the worst that can happen, anyway?"

I pulled my bloody finger from Randy's wound and stepped back. "I'll be seeing you in a couple of days, Randolph," I promised.
Chapter 22

_Francesca~_

Everything hurt.

Everything hurt and I immediately thought of Robbie. I reached over and grabbed my phone off the nightstand. I saw that it was already past noon, but I wasn't surprised. We hadn't gotten home until after two in the morning, and once the adrenaline dispersed, I had crashed hard.

I called her and after a few rings, it went to voicemail. I tried again, but when I got her voicemail again, I shot off a text asking her to call me when she woke up. I hated that she was at home, suffering alone, but I couldn't do anything about it until I got through to Phoenix.

If I even could.

I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. Even though I had rinsed off before going to bed last night, I still needed a proper shower. I felt dirty and sore and hot water could only ease the pain, right?

The shower was painful, but I managed. I washed my hair and scrubbed my entire body except for my face. I used a washcloth to tenderly do what I could around the cut down my face. After I was done showering, I dried off, and grimaced through the pain as I brushed my hair out and threw it up in a wet bun on top of my head. I applied some of the antibiotic salve Basco had left me for my face and popped a Motrin. I decided to save the hard stuff for when I needed to go to sleep tonight. The pain was horrible, and I knew I was going to need the help tonight.

Wrapping my body in my old, but comfortable robe, I went in search of Phoenix. After he had dropped me off last night, he hadn't said a word as he walked me up to his apartment. He also hadn't spared me a second glace as he turned around and left once I was locked safely inside. I had tried calling Robbie after he left, but she hadn't answered and I almost panicked until I remembered that Basco had given her a mild sedative. After that I had rinsed off and had gone to the kitchen for a glass of water when Ciro had stormed in and dropped my purse, phone, and keys on the kitchen counter. And I knew I was in trouble when he walked out without saying a word as well.

I was on my way to the living room when I heard voices coming from Phoenix's office. His apartment had an open kitchen and living room floor plan, but the other rooms in the apartment were closed off and private. It had three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a study, and laundry room. The hallway was the corridor to all these rooms with the master bedroom at the end, two guest rooms on the left side of the hall, and the study on the right. The laundry room was behind the kitchen and you passed it on the way to the balcony that was off the kitchen. You could eat outside if you wanted.

So, upon hearing voices coming from Phoenix's office, I pushed the door open and walked inside. Phoenix was on the phone, pacing the length of the room. I cleared my throat and he immediately looked my way. He still looked angry and it was confirmed when he snarled into the phone, "She just walked in, Luca. I'll call you later." He hung up without waiting for Luca's reply.

I walked father into the room and the tension almost swallowed me whole. "Phoen-"

He threw his hand up, palm out, stopping me. "Why, Frankie?" he asked, and his voice tight and cold.

"Phoenix, she texted me asking for help," I answered. "She's one of my best friends. How could I not go help her? Would you leave Ciro or Luca hanging if they asked you for help?"

He stood staring at me and, just when I wasn't sure if he was going to answer, he grabbed the desk light and threw it across the room. I flinched even though he hadn't aimed it my way. I flinched because Phoenix was losing his shit and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to rein him in.

"That's not what I'm asking!" he thundered.

Frustrated, I shouted, "Then, what are you asking?!"

"Why didn't you tell me your friend was in trouble?!" he asked, still shouting. "Why didn't you ask for my help? Hell, not even mine. Why didn't you ask for Ciro's or Luca's?!"

I tightened the robe around my waist. "The text said to go alone," I pathetically explained. "She mentioned being intimidated by everything that was going on with discovering who I was to you guys, I thought she was just being...she said she didn't want to borrow trouble."

Phoenix let out a harsh laugh. "Jesus fucking Christ, Francesca." I knew I was partly at fault here, so I remained quiet. "Do you have any idea who we are? Who you are?" he snapped. "You are best friends with the most powerful man in Morgan City. Hell, in this entire fucking state. Your brother is one of the wealthiest and deadliest men walking the planet. And you're married to the most prolific hit man in goddamn Mafia history. Do you get that? Do you understand that?"

"Of course, I do," I spat. "I'm not fucking stupid."

"Then quit acting as if you are!" he roared, and, this time, the house phone flew across the room.

"She needed help, Phoenix," I repeated. "I wasn't not going to help her!"

"I don't give a fuck that you wanted to help your friend," he tossed back. "I give a fuck that I almost lost you! I give a fuck that you are so cavalier about your status as my wife that you put yourself in danger! That's what I give a fuck about!" Phoenix rushed me and, without any regard to my injuries, his large hand clamped down on my arm. "And you better believe I give a fuck that you put someone else before what is best for our marriage," he hissed.

I could feel my eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"Believing that Robbie was uncomfortable being around us, you chose to submit to her conditions rather than tell your fucking husband that your friend was in trouble, possibly placing you in trouble as well," he clarified. "You ever chose someone else over me and our marriage again, and it'll be the last thing you ever do."

"Meaning?" I asked, boiling with anger that he would treat me as if I didn't have my own mind.

"Meaning that I will handcuff you to the goddamn bed and never let you see the light of fucking day ever again if you ever think of stepping outside this building again without me, Ciro, Luca, or a guard."

I yanked my arm from his grasp, and I knew I was successful because he allowed me to disengage from his person. "I am not some mindless, simpering female who is going to let you dictate her life!" I yelled, wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into. This man yelling at me wasn't the Phoenix I grew up with. This man was clearly The Ghost.

"I'm not trying to dictate your life, Frankie," he argued. "I'm trying to keep you alive. And for that to happen, you have to take this shit seriously. You are in danger every minute of the fucking day. And just as Luca, Ciro, and I have to, you have to constantly be on guard. You have to be smart, Francesca."

"What if I decide this is too hard and I don't want this life?"

Phoenix advanced on me until my back hit the wall. His hazel eyes were flames of lethal rage as he growled, "You think I was talking with my dick the first night I fucked you?" My body started shaking because I knew where he was going with this, and a small part of me believed him. "While I'd admit, it's hard to think straight when your pussy is strangling my cock, I meant what I said, Francesca." He leaned in closer and I could feel the rage coming off him in waves. "I will fucking see you dead before I ever let you leave me again. It doesn't matter if Ciro and Luca come after me either because my life wouldn't be worth living without you, anyway."

"Phoen-"

He slapped his palms on the wood behind me, one hand on either side of my head, causing me to jump. "I give you my word, if you ever think of divorcing me or leaving me again, it'll be over both our dead bodies," he threatened.

I knew he meant every word he said, and maybe it made me stupid that I wasn't repulsed by his offensive threats, because any normal woman would be. These were not sweet words of love and devotion. They were serious death threats should I ever try to leave Phoenix.

I looked him in the eye despite the shivers that ran down my spine. "I will not cower, Phoenix," I told him. "I'm not going to be some scared, sniveling shadow of a woman who has to live by a barrage of rules that you set forth for me."

He shook his head. "You still don't get it, Frankie," he bit out. "I don't want you to be some weak, simpering female. That's not what or who you are. What I want is for you to own your role. Be the woman strong enough to be in this life. You need to become one of us."

I raised a brow. "Really?" I drawled. "Because if one of you got a message like the one Robbie sent me, you would have done exactly what I did. You would have taken control of the situation."

Phoenix straightened to his full height. "That's where you're wrong," he replied. "None of us would have taken off into a situation like that without letting the other two know what was going on. And you didn't take control of the situation, did you? You became the situation, Francesca. A situation we had to come in and handle." He grabbed my chin and held it between his fingers, careful not to pull at the skin that was stitched up. "We are a family, Frankie. There are no lone wolfs here. The sooner you understand that, the better."

He was right, and I knew he was. Deep down, I had known I was being careless, but no one ever thinks they're going to get kidnapped for fucking ransom. That shit only happened in the movies. Besides, I'd only been back home for not even a week. And it's not like Phoenix and I had taken out an ad in the paper announcing our wedding. How the hell was I supposed to suspect I was up for kidnapping so soon?

Ignoring his lecture, and refusing to give him credit for the points made, I asked, "What about Robbie?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "What about her?"

"She's my friend, Phoenix," I stated. "I can't have you hating her."

"Frank-"

"No, Phoenix," I snapped. "I never told her not to say anything. I never told her she couldn't talk about it or not to say anything to her boyfriend." He didn't look moved. "She was shocked when I told her who Luca was. Then she was doubly shocked when I told her who I was. Who I really was. It's not...a crime or even unexpected that she would share the news with her boyfriend. Especially since I knew him too, and you know this."

His arms flew out to the side. "Frankie, you were beaten and almost sexually assaulted. Possibly killed," he reiterated. "And you want me to just forgive her lack of judgement?"

"I was beaten because I taunted them, Phoenix," I clarified. "Had I kept my mouth shut and kept my ass planted in that chair, nothing would have happened to me. I'm the one who dared them. I'm the one who called out their manhood. I'm the one who perpetuated it."

"Frankie, I-"

"Robbie was beaten because she caught him texting me, Phoenix," I continued, refusing to let him dismiss what Robbie meant to me. "She caught him and tried to protect me. You saw her. She looked like that because she tried to protect me. And what did you guys do? You treated her no better than Randy!"

"Oh, make no mistake, Francesca," he sneered. "She got way better than what's coming to Randy."

He wasn't going to budge. I could see it. Maybe later, but not now.

I was talking to The Ghost, not Phoenix.

Suddenly, I was exhausted. I was starving, in pain, and just plain fucking exhausted.

I lifted my chin and tightened my robe again. "Will that be all, Ghost?"

Phoenix's fist was tangled in my hair before I knew what hit me. His face was a beautiful mix of fury and love if you could believe that. "Don't you ever call me by that name ever again, Francesca."

"Why not?" I whispered, so shaken, I wasn't sure if I wanted to run from him or let my robe fall on the floor. "Isn't that what everyone calls you?"

"Yes," he replied, his voice low. "But you're not everyone. You're my wife. Start behaving like it." With that, he let go of my hair and stormed out of the study, slamming the door behind him.
Chapter 23

_Phoenix~_

"You boys look refreshed," I remarked, as the door to Ciro's funhouse shut behind me. It was on an automatic lock with the same palm access as our apartments.

"I got some sleep while Luca was up to bat first," Ciro happily explained.

"Then I got some sleep once it was Ciro's turn," Luca added, an honest to goodness grin on his face. The man rarely smiled that I almost forgot he knew how.

"Let's see what you guys left for me," I said as I made my way to the middle of the room. "Christ, Ciro, this place stinks like shit."

"Well, what do you expect when someone shits themselves," he retorted. He was sitting in one of the chairs outside the wet zone, while Luca was sitting on one of the steps that led up to the ceiling beams. "I tried to Febreze the fucker, but it didn't help."

"We should probably get the ventilation system looked at," Luca casually remarked. "This building is kind of old."

I stopped in front of what was left of Randy Masterson, and it was a grisly sight. Luca and Ciro had left his eyes unharmed, but that was mostly because, if they were swollen shut, you couldn't see the life leave their eyes, and where was the fun in that?

However, the rest of him wasn't fairing so well. His mouth had been sliced open to make him look like The Joker. I knew his tongue was no more just because that was one of Luca's favorite things to do. He didn't have patience for begging. I could see every finger he had-all ten of them-were broken at odd angles, some were even dangling off to the side. He'd been stripped naked and I could see the hundreds of precision stab wounds dotted all over his body.

See, what very few people knew was that Ciro didn't spend all his time beating, killing, or screwing. Ciro Mancini was extremely intelligent, and he wasn't lazy. That level of brain power drove Ciro to have a passion for learning. In the six years since we've been doing this, Ciro had learned damn near everything there is to know about the human anatomy. It's how he knew how to inflict the greatest pain possible, yet, still keep his victims alive. He knew just how far to push before sending someone into cardiac arrest, and he knew how to cauterize and sew up motherfuckers. And it's how he knew where to stab Randy and still keep him alive.

Ciro was a goddamn artist if you asked me.

I reached up and slapped Randy awake. "Hey, Randolph? You remember me?" His eyes fluttered open, and they were glazed over in pain and helplessness. "I'm back," I announced. His head dropped, his body begging for it to be over.

I walked over to Ciro's tray of goodies and Ciro said, "We left most of him intact for you. We know how you like to flay them alive."

"I pulled the chainsaw out from the storage room," Luca added. "I figured the occasion called for it."

I put on the gloves and rain gear Ciro had laid out for me. I wouldn't need the goggles until I used the chainsaw, so for now I was set. I grabbed a scalpel and turned back towards Randy. "How long has it been?"

"About two hours," Ciro answered. There would have been no point in picking up where Ciro left off because Randy's mind would have been so consumed by pain, nothing I did to him would have fazed him. His body needed time to come down off the momentary madness and begin to ache again.

"Well, Randolph," I started with a smile in my voice, "since you felt it necessary to degrade my wife by forcing her to endure sitting before you stupid fucks in her bra, how about we go straight to the sexual connotations of your crime, shall we?" He let out a low moan, but it was lifeless. It held no real power or emotion.

I gave Luca a quick nod and watched as he stood up and hit the button on the operation panel, lowering the chains. Randolph Masterson's tied feet touch the floor, but he didn't have the strength to stand on his own. I imagine the rope around his ankles had probably cut off circulation to his feet already. They were looking a little discolored.

Ciro had a table fashioned with limb fastenings on the legs. It forced someone's body to be bent over at an unnatural angle. Ciro and Luca hung back as I removed Randy from the hooks that had imprisoned him to the chains. He was so lifeless, there was literally no struggle as I draped him over the table and fastened his wrists to the table legs and then untied the ropes around his ankles to fasten them to the opposing legs on the table.

"Remember, whatever you shove up there, if you push too far his insides will rupture," Ciro commented helpfully.

"Will it kill him?" I asked.

"Well, I mean...eventually, yeah."

"I personally think you should just cut off his balls and stuff them down his throat," Luca chimed in. "Without a tongue to get in the way, you can probably shove them down far enough to make him choke on the sonsofbitches."

"There's an idea," Ciro remarked, sounding chipper about the whole thing.

I turned back to face the two people in the world who have stood by me through thick and thin. "You know, no matter what I choose, it's not going to be enough," I told them honestly. Nothing was going to rid me of the rage at him daring to touch my wife. No matter what I did to this man, no image, no memory would be greater that the moment I walked into that basement in Cedar Creek and saw Frankie tie to that chair. That image was going to haunt me the rest of my life.

"I know," Luca agreed.

"Finish the fucker off, Ghost," Ciro encouraged. "Every breath he takes is an insult to Frankie."

I walked over to the tray of instruments and grabbed one of the flanged maces. Not sure where Ciro got his toys, but he had the strangest variety of torture accessories I've ever seen.

I grabbed the smallest flanged mace, which wasn't really that small at all, but I figured it'd do the damage I needed it to while still keeping him alive.

"Nice," Luca observed. "Simple and to the point."

Flanged mace in hand, I walked behind Randolph Masterson and rammed the weapon into his rectum all the way the leathered handle. His screams indicating that he was no longer disassociated from the pain his body could still experience.

"Goddamn it, Phoenix," Ciro growled. "He's not going to last long now." He actually sounded disappointed. "You better hurry up with the rest of whatever you have planned for the poor fucker."

"Seriously," Luca muttered. "We went easy on him to give you extra time with him, and this is what you go and do."

I smiled.

The next thirty minutes were spent making a statement. I needed the entire world to know what would happen to them should anyone ever come near my wife again. I knew her place as my wife and within the organization, would be public soon, and if I wanted her to stand tall next to us, I had to step back and let her shine. However, Randy would serve as a reminder to everyone that Frankie was never walking in this world alone.

I ended up going with Luca's suggestion, and after skinning Randy's limp dick, I sliced off his balls and shoved them in his mouth. I didn't shove them down his throat suffocating him right away. I waited until after I pulled his lover out of his rectum and dropped him on his ass. Laying on the floor, I shattered both kneecaps with a pickax before plucking out his left eye. It wasn't until his right eye reflected nothing but emptiness that I finally shoved his balls down to the middle of his throat, and we all stood back and watched him suffocate to death. Ciro snapped a few pictures on a burner phone as I removed my protective gear and headed for the showers.

Ciro's funhouse was an old industrial building a mile outside Morgan City. It used to be a testing site for farming chemicals, and it had emergency wash stations and showers that Ciro had converted for our use. There were only four other members of the Benetti family who knew of this place and had permission to use it. They were mine, Ciro, and Luca's personal guard, and the fourth person was Sal.

Each of us had our own 'locker room' where we could shower away the blood and guts and put on a fresh suit. The old suits and any protective gear were burned in an incinerator. If this place ever got raided, we'd be fucked, but the building was locked down tighter than Fort Knox. It was a block building with bars on the windows. Since it had been a chemical facility, it had been designed for safety. A feature we took advantage of the second Ciro procured the building.

I let the hot water beat down on my shoulders and wash away pieces of Randolph Masterson. He was no longer an issue, but I still had a few rounds to go with Frankie, and I wasn't looking forward to it. The woman hasn't even been back two weeks and, already, she was driving me crazy.

Was it unfair for me to expect her to acclimate overnight? Maybe. But she's known what Luca's been about her entire life. She had to have some inkling of what would be required of her. Or maybe that was our mistake. We tried so hard to shield her from the darkness that was the Benettis when we were younger, maybe she really didn't have a fucking clue.

Either way, we were going to have to have a come-to-Jesus talk, and I suspected that Luca and Ciro might have to come along for the ride because, just like me, they weren't the same guys they were when Frankie left. She needed to understand that. She needed to recognize and appreciate the world we lived in now, not the world we lived in when she left.

Then there was the issue of Roberta Regal.

On the drive back from Cedar Creek, Luca had Sal pull up everything he could find about the woman and had forwarded the details to me and Ciro. There hadn't been anything too exciting, other than she seemed to have terrible taste in men.

She had brown hair, brown eyes, was five-foot-three, and worked as a waitress. Her parents lived in Missouri and owned a hardware store. She had no siblings to speak of, not even a pet. Her address wasn't in the best of Cedar Creek neighborhoods, but it wasn't located in the slums, either. She seemed rather boring, but my concern was for the men she dated. While Robbie might be a good person as Frankie insisted, she hung around riffraff. If Frankie were going to insist on keeping Robbie in her life, it looked like Frankie wasn't going to be the only one who would need a come-to-Jesus talk.

I turned off the water and took a deep breath.

Time to face the spitfire.
Chapter 24

_Francesca~_

Phoenix came home, his hair wet from a recent shower. Now, most women would automatically think 'affair', but I knew it was most likely that he had to wash someone's blood off his body. There were so many things wrong with that thought, and, therein, laid my problem.

I had plenty of time to think about everything Phoenix said, and has been saying, and I realized I was acting like the six years had never happened. I fell back into the life we lived six years ago, not the life they were leading now.

Time changed them.

Time changed me.

If I read between the lines correctly, Luca was about to go from the Benetti Underboss to the Benetti Boss soon. People were going to revere him. People were going to fear him. People were going to be in awe of him the same way we had been of Giovanni when we were kids. Luca was going to control Morgan City, if not the entire state, and Phoenix and Ciro were going to be standing next to him as he did.

I was going to stand next to him as he did.

I got it.

I finally got it.

I had been sitting on the couch, texting Robbie, when Phoenix had walked in and announced, "Randy's dead." No greeting, or anything. Just that Randy was dead.

I shot Robbie a quick text, letting her know Phoenix was home, and we were going to talk. I wasn't stupid enough to put anything in text. Phoenix had told me I was going to get two new phones soon. One would be strictly for use between me, him, Luca, and Ciro, but the other could be used for everyday purposes. I knew I'd have to use the second phone carefully and, even then, I hadn't made a barrage of friends while I lived in Cedar Creek, so there really wasn't anyone to give my new number out to. There was Robbie, Mona, Teddy, and Lydia, all who worked at Brighton.

"I figured," I replied from where I sat on the couch. "Is this how it's going to be? Are you going to come home from work every day and just announce your kills?" He shot me a look designed to shut a person up.

It worked.

Phoenix took off his jacket, draped it over the back of the couch, and began loosening his tie. I sat silently as he took a seat next to me because I knew the man was about to put me in my place. But, honestly, he didn't need to. It's amazing how getting kidnapped can fix one's vision.

"We need to talk," he began, "but I'm thinking, maybe, I need to call your brother and Luca over for this. You-"

"Don't," I interrupted. "You don't need to call them."

Phoenix tilted his head a bit. "I don't?"

I shook my head. "No, you don't."

His lips rolled in, no doubt trying to hold his tongue. After a few seconds, he gave me a small nod, allowing me to proceed.

It grated on my nerves.

For six years, I've been my own person and lived my own life, making my own decisions. And, now, I was obligated to someone who couldn't be manipulated or controlled.

I was married to The Holy Ghost of Morgan City.

"It was unfair for you to expect me to acclimate to...this lifestyle in only a matter of days, Phoenix," I began. "Even knowing who Luca was, I still spent my childhood being a girl on the outskirts of what you three did. And, as we got older, you guys still sheltered me. Sure, I knew what Luca and his family was about, but my days were filled with being young and carefree. Even after my parents died, Ciro did his best to make sure I still graduated from high school and went to college. Massimo was a great substitute parent, but I knew it was Ciro who did his best for me day in and day out."

"Frankie, your brother doesn't resent you."

"I know that, Phoenix." And I did. I knew my brother loved me. "The thing is, I never...lived the life you guys do now. The life you guys lived then. You guys kept that part of yourselves from me. And-"

"Goddamn it, Frankie," he hissed. "How much longer are we going to have to apologize for that?"

"I'm not throwing it in your face, Phoenix!"

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to explain why I need time," I clarified. "I was a clueless girl in college, making plans to live a normal, regular life. All the while, my brother and boyfriend were making plans to join the goddamn Mafia. You guys went behind my back and kept me in the dark. And because of that, I never got a taste for what you guys had to endure, for the kind of lifestyle you guys were accustomed to. And six years later, when I barely know any of you, I'm just supposed to automatically know my role?" I shook my head. "Come on, Phoenix. Give me a break here."

Phoenix didn't comment right away. I could tell he was absorbing everything I've just said. It was one of the things that hadn't changed about him. Phoenix was a listener. He would always listen to me. Even if he didn't end up agreeing with me, he always listened. It was only when he was angry did that trait disappear until times calmed. But he was listening to me now.

Finally, he said, "That's fair."

One brow shot up. "That's it? That's fair. That's all you got?"

Phoenix smiled and my entire body went all gooey. A genuine smile from Phoenix Fiore was a dangerous thing. His dimples were deep, and he was just so damn gorgeous, it hurt to look at him sometimes. The girl in me really hated that he didn't wear a wedding ring. Sure, most women would swoon at the knowledge that he had their name tattooed across his chest or that he had a symbol tattooed on his ring finger that was forever, but other women couldn't see the church tattooed on the inside of his finger. And I was insecure enough to want every woman in the city to know Phoenix was taken.

I really was a tool.

"Look, Frankie, we're not trying to dictate every second of your day," he said. "We're really not. We just want you to be safe. We want you to understand that you're irreplaceable. Even if we weren't in the Mob, we'd still look after you the same way."

"I know," I muttered, and I did. Luca, Ciro, and Phoenix had been super protective over me from the beginning. Even when we were just small children, and had no clue what the Mafia meant, they still hovered over me like hawks and protected me like warriors. Small, scrawny, dirty warriors, but warriors all the same.

"I'll concede that perhaps we went about this the wrong way, but I won't ever apologize for the hasty marriage or bringing you back home, Francesca," he stated. "I'm also not going to take back anything I've said to you so far." I knew he was referring to the threats. "I refuse to be without you any longer. I won't go back to a life without you in it."

"Phoen-"

He threw his palm up to stop me. "I will respect you and your opinions on everything, Frankie. I will treat you as the smart, independent, courageous woman you are, whether at work or at home." He leaned in and brought a hand up to cradle my face. His thumb ran back and forth, softly, over one of my stitches. His eyes were burning with an intensity I only saw in the bedroom. "However, when it comes to our marriage, you have no say," he continued. "I'll never let you divorce me, Francesca. I will never let you leave me. And, even if you're so mad at me you want to stab me in the heart, we will sleep in our bed together every fucking night."

I could feel my nose tingle and my eyes start to fill up. "Phoenix..."

Phoenix reached for me and pulled me over until I was straddling his lap. I placed my hands on his chest and stared at him as he continued to lay down the rules. "You can voice your opinion and make demands on everything under the sun. Everything, but our marriage. Our marriage is forever, Frankie. Death is the only thing that can separate you from me."

I couldn't hold back anymore. "I love you, Phoenix," I choked out, my voice broken with emotion.

"Baby, I have loved you since I was five. I claimed you when I was seven," he recounted. "I've loved you my entire life and I will love you for the rest of it, however long that might be." His hand came up to cradle my face and thumb away my tears. "I've never known anyone but you, Frankie. I will die knowing only you. If you believe nothing else, believe that there is nothing and no one I want more than I want you."

"I hurt too much to have sex," I blurted.

His head reared back, and he looked confused as hell. "What?" his voice scratched out.

I shrugged a shoulder, embarrassed. "I don't know," I mumbled. "It just felt like this moment should be followed up with some good sex." Phoenix blinked his bright hazel eyes at me a few times in stunned fascination before he started to laugh.

The asshole.

"Quit laughing at me," I snapped, our perfect moment obliterated.

He calmed down, but his smile was still in place. "I'm not laughing at you, Frankie," he lied. "I...just wasn't expecting you to say that."

I ignored his obvious lie, because we both knew he was laughing at me, and got off his lap. He reached for me but calmed down once he realized I was just trying to get comfortable in his arms. He waited patiently as I sat on the couch and snuggled under his arm.

We sat that way for a few moments, just basking in the security of our truce before I finally asked, "What about Robbie?" Phoenix let out a deep sigh and I worried that we were going to be thrown back into another fight. I wasn't going to cave on the topic of Robbie. She was one of my dearest friends, and I was not going to walk away from her.

"Right now, I'm not sure, Frankie," he answered honestly. I wanted to jump up and kick off her defense, but the second he felt me jerk, he tightened his hold on me, keeping me in place. "You can call her and talk to her all you want, but you are forbidden from going to Cedar Creek."

"Phoenix, I-"

"Frankie, we can't have you in Cedar Creek so soon after three people have gone missing," he explained. "It doesn't matter that that all three were nothing but dirt. They were still humans. And, with that, the Cedar Creek police are obligated to investigate their disappearance, should anyone care enough about any of them to report them missing."

"So, I'm supposed to just hang out in Morgan city, safe, while Robbie's stuck in Cedar Creek handling all this alone? Is that it?"

"I honestly don't care what she's dealing with, Frankie," he remarked. "I don't know the woman. She's nothing to me."

This time, I jerked out of his hold and sat up to face him. "But she's someone to me, Phoenix."

"And that's the only reason she's still alive, Frankie," he stated bluntly. "Do you honestly believe any of us as ever left a live witness around?"

"She's a good person, Phoenix," I promised. "I swear it."

"We'll see now, won't we?" And that's when I knew.

They were testing her.

They were testing her and waiting to see how she was going to handle the situation. I should have figured it out earlier.

But that was okay.

Robbie was going to pass their test with flying colors.
Chapter 25

_Phoenix~_

"Leo gave him the numbers this morning," Luca stated. "And numbers don't lie."

Frankie was asleep in our bed downstairs in our apartment while Ciro and I were in an impromptu meeting with Luca. She had taken a hot bath and had needed to take her pain medication, so I knew she would be in a deep sleep for the rest of the night.

I had wanted nothing more than to take her to bed after our talk, but even if she hadn't mentioned her injuries, I knew she wouldn't have been able to withstand what I wanted to do to her. Besides, I had the rest of our lives to bed her.

Ciro snorted. "I bet that went over nicely."

Luca lifted the tumbler in his hand and drank. After emptying the contents, he said, "The bastard had the audacity to tell Leo he wasn't worried about it."

"What did Leo say?" I asked.

Luca glanced at me and smirked. "Leo's not stupid. He knows the direction in which the wind's blowing" he said. "He's not going to create any animosity or cause issues with unsolicited opinions."

"And Sal?" Ciro asked.

"Sal might be difficult, but like Leo, he's not stupid," Luca replied. "He's also not blind to his faults. He knows he's not fit to lead, just like Leo knows he's not. They'll fall in line when the time comes. No way they'll risk the money, power, or unlimited pussy."

We were Luca's office, Ciro behind the bar, me on the couch, and Luca leaning up against his desk. One would think we were just three guys shooting the shit, but we didn't indulge in that kind of casualness often. It was almost always business.

"Have you decided who will be your Underboss?" Ciro asked knowing that, even if Luca didn't know yet, he had a plan.

Luca always had a plan.

"Sal," he announced. "Leo's smart, but he has a conscience. It'll always prevent him from making the touch decisions."

"Sal's psychopathy doesn't worry you?" I posed that question because it was a valid concern.

Luca shrugged. "It's a concern, but I don't have any other brothers to consider, and that position can only go to a Benetti."

"Get a girl and knock her up," Ciro suggested as he made is way from around the back of the bar. "If the position has to go to a Benetti, your future son is the best bet."

"And if I only produce girls?" he posed, a smile in his question.

Ciro barked out a laugh. "Even better. They'll be little cutthroat mercenaries that no one will see coming."

I smiled at the image Ciro presented. I could totally see an army of little black-hair, black-eyed Benetti daughters wreaking havoc all over Morgan City. "Female Benettis. Can you imagine?" I laughed.

"Even if my sons were an option, I still need someone to fill the position until they come of age," Luca pointed out. "And the whole of the matter is that I'd rather have ruthlessness than compassion at the helm of this entire thing. Respect had its place, but so does fear, and that's the only thing Leo isn't good at. The kid is smart as a whip and can shoot a gun, but pleas do not fall on deaf ears around him."

"So, Leo will still be in charge of the money?" Ciro sat on the couch opposite me as he asked that question.

"Frankie will be in charge of all our legitimate business; mine, yours, and Phoenix's," he began to explain. "Nothing dirty touches her hands. She will be protected both physically and legally." I sometimes wondered what people would think if they knew how strong Luca's weakness for Frankie was. "Phoenix will handle my own person wealth, the clean and the dirty, and Leo will handle all other Benetti business."

"And the cleanup operation?" I asked.

"Sal will still be in charge of that," he went on to continue explaining. "He'll decide when he's ready to hand it over and to whom."

"Looks like things are finally looking up," Ciro commented, smiling.

"Except for one thing," Luca said, ruining Ciro's smile.

"What one thing?"

Luca's black eyes glanced my way before settling back on Ciro. "Robert Regal," he answered. "She's still a...factor."

The look on Ciro's face was pure loathing. "The fuck she is," he argued. "How do you figure?"

"She's Francesca's friend, Ciro. She's going to be on the fringes of whatever Francesca does."

Ciro's amber eyes shot my way. "You're allowing Frankie to still be friends with her?"

I understood his anger, but he wasn't married to his sister. He was guaranteed Frankie's love because he was her brother. That was an advantage I didn't have. And that was proven when Ciro was the only one she contacted while she was gone all those years. Sure, they were random texts and nothing more, but it was a hell of a lot more than Luca and I had gotten from her.

"Robbie's injuries came about because she caught Randy texting Frankie," I explained. "In Frankie's eyes, Robbie took a beating trying to protect her from Randy. Frankie insists that Robbie is loyal and would never knowingly place her in danger."

Ciro's eyes glowed, and he jumped off the couch. You could feel the flames flickering from his anger. "I don't give a fuck about knowingly putting Frankie in danger," he spat. "My concern is her carelessness. We don't need someone like that around my sister. Hell, around any of us."

"I agree." And I did. But Frankie wasn't going to budge on this one. "I'm not saying I trust her, Ciro. What I'm suggesting is that we give her a chance. She's Frankie's friend and I'm not going to fight with my wife every single time she wants to hang out with her friend."

"No," he contended. "She doesn't deserve a chance." His eyes danced back and forth between me and Luca before he exploded. "Goddamn it! She almost got Frankie fucking killed! How can you guys forgive that?"

Luca scoffed, clearly offended. "I haven't forgiven that," he snapped. "I'll never forgive that. But what do you propose, Ciro? Because I can tell you that if we forbid Francesca from being friends with Roberta, it's just going to place Frankie in more danger."

"He's right," I added. "Frankie will sneak out if she has to, in order to continue her friendship with Robbie."

"Not if you forbid her to," he dared me.

Luca let out a deep sigh. This was a touchy subject as we all had valid points. "Look, Robbie lives in Cedar Creek. Is very unlikely that Frankie will even have time to go visit her, much less hang out." Ciro was listening, but you could tell he was still on edge. "Between going to school to finish her degree, living an hour away from Cedar Creek, and beginning her job as my accountant, she's going to have very little time to offer Robbie."

"Yeah, Ciro. There's a good change the friendship might fizzle out slowly on its own," I added. "But if you, or rather, I forbid Frankie from seeing Robbie, it's going to cause problems. That'll be the only thing Frankie ends up focusing on."

"Give Robbie a chance to prove herself, Ciro," Luca suggested. "You don't have to like her, but you don't have to hate her either."

"Have you two lost your minds?" he asked. "She almost got my fucking sister killed!"

"She made a mistake," I corrected. "She made a mistake, and she paid for it, Ciro. You saw the damage they inflicted on her just as we did."

"How do we know that wasn't just part of the plan, huh?" he countered. "We don't know anything about the woman's character. Her injuries could have just been her sacrifice in their ten-million-dollar scheme."

"And that's why we're waiting, Ciro," Luca replied. "We're waiting to see what she does and how she handles everything."

"Christ, Mancini, we're not inviting her over for Thanksgiving," I added dryly.

Ciro shook his head. "I don't like it," he muttered. "I don't fucking like it."

I stood up and walked over to my brother-in-law. "I get it, Ciro," I told him. "Believe me, I do. But when my wife has conceded to everything else, I have to grant her this one concession. I don't just want her, Ciro. I want her happy."

"Robbie will be watched, Ciro," Luca mentioned. "Their friendship will be monitored. I promise, Francesca will be safe."

Ciro looked between me and Luca. After a few seconds, he finally said, "If anything else happens to my sister because of that women, I will kill her myself. Agreed?" Ciro didn't relish killing women, so we knew he was serious with that condition.

"Agreed," Luca replied.

I nodded my head. "Agreed."

"I mean it," he stressed. "Frankie gets hurt again because of her, I will fucking kill her."

It wasn't too hard to agree because I chose to believe Frankie. I chose to believe Robbie hadn't taken part in the kidnapping scheme. "Agreed," I repeated.

"She's all yours," Luca remarked. "Now let's call it a fucking day and get some sleep, boys." Luca unleashed one of his rare smiles. "We have an empire that needs our attention."

Indeed, we did.
Epilogue

Phoenix – (One Month Later)~

He lasted longer than any of us thought he would, but then, Massimo has always done the most with the odds stacked against him.

His funeral was this Saturday at St. Peter's Church, followed by his burial at the Morgan City Cemetery. Luca spared no expense, and only those who arrived early would be getting a seat in the church. Every neighborhood kid from the last forty years would be attending and those who couldn't attend would be sending flowers. The church was going to be packed.

However, right now, it was just the six of us in the private room Luca paid for; Luca, Ciro, Frankie, me, the priest, and Massimo's peaceful, pale body. All hospital staff was absent from the room and guards stood outside.

I held Frankie in my arms as she quietly sobbed into my chest, still not wanting to believe he was gone. Hell, none of us wanted to believe it. But his unresponsive body on the bed and the father's words of faith and loss were hard to argue with. Massimo was gone and hundreds of future neighborhood kids were going to suffer for it.

I stood with my arm around Frankie and remembered all the times I'd run to Massimo as a young boy and asked for his advice. Having worthless drug addicts as parents, Massimo had been my only real paternal influence and, often, the only person who fed me. Up until their deaths, I hadn't felt comfortable intruding on the Mancinis because, while Mattia Mancini had a kind heart, Vincent Mancini never would have given me permission to date or marry his daughter if he believed I wouldn't be able to take care of her. And I wouldn't have blamed the man.

When Father O'Patrick finished his sermon, we followed him in the blessing and prayer of the deceased. We all followed the sign of the cross and said farewell amens to Massimo. Father O'Patrick shook Luca's hand first, then Ciro's, and then mine. Frankie managed to let go of me long enough to give him a hug, but as soon as he let go, she was back in my arms. He walked out of the room without a guard, but priests were common sights in the hospital, so we weren't overly concerned with someone seeing him.

"I can't believe he's gone," Frankie whispered brokenly. "So many kids still need him."

"He's irreplaceable, that's for sure," Ciro added. "There'll never be another Massimo."

We all had vastly different relationships with the man, but that just made us love him more. He had taken the time to know us, to learn about us, so his help and advice was tailored for the individual. Ciro was right. There'd never be another Massimo.

"He was a good man," Luca added, standing the closest to his bedside. Luca had very few people close to him, and he just lost him one.

"Our children are never going to know him," Frankie whispered sadly. "They're going to miss out on one of the greatest men we've ever known."

Ciro looked over at us. "Children? Is there something we should know?"

I smiled, but Frankie blushed, if you could believe it. "No," she rushed out. "Seriously, Ciro?"

He shrugged. "Not to bring up old wounds or anything, but if you hadn't taken off, you and Phoenix would have two kids by now," he retorted. "So, get to it. Luca and I can't wait forever to become uncles."

Frankie turned away from my hold and regarded her brother. "I'm not getting knocked up so you and Luca can play uncle," she sassed.

"Finish school, get situated into the business, then you can give us our nieces and nephews," Luca instructed. "By then things will be...settled." The room quieted, but I noticed Frankie didn't object to Luca's timeline.

Massimo's death was the end of an era.

Frankie coming back was the beginning of a new one.

Soon, Luca was going to take over the entire Benetti enterprise and Giovanni will fade away into obscurity. He'll live in the comfort of his fortress, aging and protected, while his eldest son becomes the god everything already thinks he is.

We were saying goodbye to Massimo and, with him, everything that might have once made us innocent. We were embarking on a new reign now that the missing piece was back.

We were going to rule Morgan City, and there would be no one to stop us.

The End.
About the Author

M.E. Clayton works full-time and writes as a hobby. She is an avid reader and, with much self-doubt, but more positive feedback and encouragement from her friends and family, she took a chance at writing, and the Seven Deadly Sins Series was born. Writing is a hobby she is now very passionate about. When she's not working, writing, or reading, she is spending time with her family or friends. If you care to learn more, you can read about her by visiting the following:

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Other Books

Please visit your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by M.E. Clayton:

The Seven Deadly Sins Series (In Order)

Catching Avery (Avery & Nicholas)

Chasing Quinn (Quinn & Chase)

Claiming Isabella (Isabella & Julian)

Conquering Kam (Kamala & Kane)

Capturing Happiness

The Buchanan Brothers Series (In Order)

If You Could Only See (Mason & Shane)

If You Could Only Imagine (Aiden & Denise)

If You Could Only Feel (Gabriel & Justice)

If You Could Only Believe (Michael & Sophia)

If You Could Only Dream

The How To: Modern Day Woman's Guide Series (In Order)

How to Stay Out of Prison; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Lyrical & Nixon)

How to Keep Your Job; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Alice & Lincoln)

How to Maintain Your Sanity; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Rena & Jackson)

The Enemy Series (In Order)

Facing the Enemy (Ramsey & Emerson)

Engaging the Enemy (Roselyn & Liam)

Battling the Enemy (Deke & Delaney)

Provoking the Enemy (Ava & Ace)

Loving the Enemy

The Enemy Duet (In Order)

In Enemy Territory (Fiona & Damien)

On Enemy Ground (Victoria & William)

The Holy Trinity Series (In Order)

The Holy Ghost (Phoenix & Francesca)

The Son (Ciro & Roberta)

The Father (Luca & Remy)

The Redemption (Nico & Mia)

The Vatican (Francisco Phoenix Benetti & Luca Saveria Fiore) – Coming soon

Standalone

Unintentional

Purgatory, Inc.

My Big, Huge Mistake

An Unexpected Life

The Heavier The Chains...

Real Shadows
Contact Me

I really appreciate you reading my book and I would love to hear from you! Now, unfortunately, because I do have a full-time job, and a family I love spending time with, at this time, I'm afraid it would be very hard for me to maintain a multitude of social media sites. However, for the sites I do participate in, here are my social media coordinates:

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