Bella (A Sagatori Family Saga a Mafia Romance Book 3) (2 page)

I pecked at my food suddenly unable to eat while visions of a young woman with blood dripping from her throat sickened me.

   I tucked the white cotton dress shirt into my slacks and reached for the drawer where I’d kept the several pairs of cufflinks then swiped the pair of black diamonds into my palm. I folded the cuffs one at a time and inserted the small links. The mirror held on the wall behind me. After I was fully clothed I unbound the royal blue tie, turned, and faced the mirror.

I stood alone in the large closet, it being more of a room that housed my clothing. I was tall and needed to back away from the floor-length mirror to take in the dress I’d chosen. It was my typical dark suit, flashy, vibrant color chosen for tie and handkerchief. I finished the trinity knot, slid the dark hand stitched jacket on, and exited the bedroom expecting to see Bella. The room was quiet, the table a mess with breakfast dishes, but no Bella.

I approached the table seeing she’d not eaten the eggs and bacon that Alessandra had prepared. I slipped the large gold watch around my wrist and left the room closing the door shut behind me. Her door was closed, sound absent, signs that she existed muted. I’d tasted her flesh, touched her innocence, and regretted it from the second I’d chosen that path.

Bella is defiant, disrespectful, impossible, and insolent. But she’s also beautiful, kind, and gentle. I consider knocking on her door but decide against it and walk towards the stairs.

“Jax,” her voice echoed behind me.

I stilled my steps when I heard Mickie speak. “Bella.” Her presence shadowed mine. “My brothers are here.”

I slip my hand to the small of her back encouraging her to descend the staircase. Three men wearing suits stood in the entrance. Mickie, Adam, and Chase. “There he is,” Chase spoke.

“Who do we have here?” Adam said as he leered at Bella. “Hello.” He took her hand into his own. “It’s been a long time, Bella.” His lips reached her skin, and I instantly wanted to throw him against a wall. Adam wouldn’t consider for one moment that Bella was off limits because she was my wife.

“Adam,” Bella greeted as she pulled away. His eyes narrowed at her but she didn’t notice as her eyes slid to Chase. “Hello, I’m Bella,” she introduced herself politely while she ignored Adam.

“It’s a pleasure, Bella.” Chase stood his full six foot one inch height just an inch shorter than myself. He remained a respectful distance.

Chase is the ladies’ man for sure. They swoon at his feet and always have. But he’s kind to women. Never married, no children at twenty-six to my twenty-eight. Adam has a child, knocked up an Irish girl a few years back. Our very Catholic mother nearly fell over. He refused to make an honest woman out of her because he didn’t love her and convenience wasn’t in his vocabulary not even for our mother which nearly got him banned from our family. But Adam, of course, wormed his way back into our mother’s good graces.

“Would you like something to drink?” Bella asked.

“I’ll take some of Jax’s special stash.” Adam winked.

“And for you?” She turned toward Chase.

“A scotch would be great, Bella.” His eyes caught mine seeing something I couldn’t hide well. She removed herself from the entry way to retrieve the drinks. “Oh, Jax and Mickie, would you care for something?”

“I’ll also take something from my special stash as well.” I wanted to smile but refrained. I needed to keep this—whatever this was— simple or whatever people did with one another after the best sex they’ve ever had without ensuing a relationship.

Bella’s bottom, round and firm, bounced from side to side while she walked away. I knew my eyes were caught at her curves, and I knew my brothers watched me come undone for her, but fuck it if I cared.

“I thought this was… you know.”

“What?”

“You wanting Boss and her getting you there…”

My fists tightened to my sides just before I slammed Adam against the wall. My eyes hard on his. “I will fuckin’ end you. Never come into my home spitting that shit,” I spit between my teeth. “You need me to teach you your role in this family, and how quickly that shit can be taken away?”

“Hey,” Chase whispered.

“Did I miss something?” Bella approached from behind me.

“No, everything is cool,” Adam hurried.

I released him with a shove of my fist harder into the wall. “I was just reminding our guest of his manners.” I leaned back smoothing over my suit jacket.

“Your drinks.”

“Don’t you have a maid or somethin’?” Adam spoke again.

An annoyed breath left Bella’s lips. “I do see why he needs reminding. In my home everyone will be respected do you understand? I don’t give a shit if you’re made or not, I will kill you myself.” She walked away tossing that ass from side to side. She was a fearless woman— I had no doubt— but she may have made an enemy of someone not even I could control.

“Damn, you get to hit that shit
every night
? Fuck, big brother, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.” Or not.

“Are you kidding me? Do you never shut the fuck up?” Chase’s eyes meet mine. “Let’s talk.” He nods toward my office.

Mickie opens the door and I enter followed by Chase then Adam. I sit at my desk opening the drawer to get a look at the black leather box and slide it closed again.

“Third high, low deep, and middle strong.” All code words. My apartment isn’t bugged, but Chase takes no chances.

“You’re fucking kidding me!” I slam my fist on my desk.

Adam raises his hands in the air; he doesn’t want the ass beating that I’m about to give him. “I told my crew to deal…”

“But what? They had an epiphany? They don’t take orders from you anymore?”

“No, it means that the Russians are fuckin’ smarter than my guys.” He shrugged into the chair that sat in front of my desk. “This guy…” he said as he looked towards Chase to come in closer, “…this guy has location. He said he knows where Orlov is.” Orlov is the Boss of the Bratva. A dirty son-of-a bitch that pisses on morals of any kind. He’ll kill women and children without a thought. And now he’s set his eyes on my territories, and he has to go.

I sat back in my chair and crossed my fingers together. “Okay,” I said, thinking out loud to myself. If we know where he is, and that’s gonna make my life a little easier. “Where?” I doubt Adam’s idiots know shit, but I’ll let him run on the hamster wheel a minute.

He slid me a piece of paper with all sorts of shit written on it. “What is this?”

“A code, I can’t remember everything. The address is down the middle. You give the go and it’s set.” Adam shrugged into his jacket as if he’d just solved all of our problems. Adam and Chase are capos. They aren’t supposed to have sit downs with me, but because they’re family they think they can cross that line. And because they’re family I allow it.

I slid the paper across the desk toward Mickie and from there he’ll handle it.

Adam’s eyes watched between mine and Mickie’s. “I got this.” He’s offended once he realized I don’t trust him with this. Orlov is evasive, never in the same place for long, paranoia has been thrown around. Crazy is my thought. So I only trust Mickie to handle this. He’s diligent and the only one I trust.

My eyes hardened. “I’m not taking any chances, it’s decided.” I stood. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” I buttoned my jacket.

Chase and Adam stood as they realized I’d made my decision and decided not to bother me further.

I ran from Jax’s office door heel’s in hand as I heard him dismiss his guests. Huh, guests. They’re his own flesh and blood, but you’d never be able to tell because he treats them as if he is higher than them. Well I mean yea he is. He’s the boss, but how can you just dismiss family like that. He looked as if he was ready to kill Adam earlier, and honestly I couldn’t care less about that. That guy is a douche. He’s creepy for sure. Even back when I dated him a few times, I couldn’t stand him. I was just trying to piss my father off, rebellious and all that.

I heard the door open just as I rounded the corner into the guest bathroom. I hugged the door tightly as I gently closed the door behind me. My phone rang just as my palms pressed against the cold counter top.

“Hello?” I whispered.

“That asshole blocked my phone number!” Emily screeched from the other end of the phone.

I clung to my phone. I hadn’t heard her high-pitched voice for so long. “Emily, what are you talking about?”

She exhaled roughly then spoke, “Nothing… How are you?”

I leaned against the counter staring at the cream heels I’d sat next to me. “I’m okay, lonely but okay. How are you?”

“Ugh- girl, I have so much gossip to tell you, but… I don’t want to waste a second hearing your voice. So, tell me have you slept with big dick yet?”

“How do you know he has a big dick?” I whispered into the phone.

She screamed, “Holy shit, you did!”

“Just last night, and it was purely a lapse in judgement.”

“Yeah, your vagina’s judgement. It needed to get laid.” I smiled. “Oh, Bella, are we going to get to see you again? I feel like you’re a figment of my imagination. I feel like I should walk around wearing black and light candles all day or something,”

“Yeah, just give it time. There’s a lot going on right now, but you’re in my heart, all of you are. How is Tony and Sal?”

“Meh, I haven’t seen Sal much, but Tony is good.”

“Oh?”

“He misses you.”

“I’m sure he just misses yelling at me,” I laugh.

“Oh he’s making up for it.” I could hear the silent eye roll.

“I miss you.” I hugged my chest. Emily was a good friend, and I missed our talks.

“I miss you, too. Are you comfortable there? Falling in love yet?” She was getting down to it.

“Yes, and no.”

“Damn it, I was hoping you were at least getting the fairy tale.”

“Yeah, no fear of that I’m afraid.” It wasn’t so bad here, and there were times that I was really happy. But few of those moments had included Jax.

I heard shoes cross the hall, and I knew that Jax’s brothers were leaving. “I need to go, but I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

“Bella, save this number under something Jax won’t recognize okay?”

“Okay?”

“Just do it.”

“Got it.”

We said our goodbyes then disconnected. I saved her number under some random name then slipped into my heels and exited the bathroom. The hallway was empty. My eyes slid to Jax’s office door and saw that it was closed, so I continued down the hall.

“Did you enjoy your visit?” he asked from behind me.

My steps stilled quickly. “What?” I turned. He rubbed his jaw as he approached.

“Adam, seeing him after all this time.” My heart beat again.

“Oh, yeah—” I shook my head to clear it, “—he’s still a pig.” That was obvious by that ridiculous kiss on my hand, completely for show, no doubt. I gathered he didn’t like his big brother very much if at all. I knew Adam as a guy that wanted to be the popular one, and that was a huge turn off for me.

Jax smirked. “That’s never gonna change.”

“Chase seemed nice.”

He walked past me. “Yeah, he’s a good kid.”

“Good? Are you saying he doesn’t kill people for a living?”

He narrowed his hard eyes on mine. “You should consider getting your nose out of the clouds.”

“What, because I don’t consider murderers good people?”

Jax crossed the three feet that separated us, his jaw clenched. His fists caged me on either side of my head. “Did you consider your father a good man, Bella?” My face heated. A smirk raised on his lips. “Because he was our boss. He told us what to do and…” he leaned into my ear, “…who to kill, so be very careful who you judge. You were born into the same life I was.”

My face was hot. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to slap Jax. I wanted to raise my knee and get him where it counted for bringing a dead man into this conversation. A man that wasn’t here any longer and unable to defend himself. But I didn’t, I couldn’t. My emotions folded inside of me bending every rational thought I
should
have. I should have done all of those things I’d wanted to do. But I couldn’t.

A growl, low and deep resonated from his throat. “I’m sorry.” His eyes narrowed then closed. He shoved off of the wall and walked away leaving me alone.

All alone.

Tuesday: Meet at the Plaza Hotel for a walkthrough.

I stared at my schedule. My mind had been in auto-mode. My days were filled with monotony, nothing random, nothing intriguing, nothing worth getting excited over. But this… this was the one thing that I had to hope for. Unfortunately, I hadn’t heard from Megan for weeks and really had no idea if I was going to see her today or not.

Jax had been absent the last two days, so I decided I’d go and hope for the best. Megan or no Megan, I’d go and do what I had promised I would.

I finished my coffee while Alessandria prepared fresh bread. I rinsed my cup, hugged Alessandra, and reached for my bag that clung to the back of the chair I’d sat in. When my head raised, Jax was there. His suit-clad body loomed over me as he watched.

“Where are you going?”

I dew in a deep breath in then out. I wouldn’t be a prisoner any longer, it was ridiculous. “I have a walkthrough at the hotel today.” I stood firm, I wasn’t ‘firm’, though. I was losing
me
a little bit every day.

“I have a surprise for you, Bella,”

“Oh?” Last time he had a surprise we ended up in a death trap flying to New York. I narrowed my gaze.

A smirk peeked from his lips. “Mickie,” he called to his trusted right-hand.

Mickie stepped into the kitchen and then another man followed.
Tony
. “Oh my gosh,” I ran and jumped into his arms. He was warm and smelled of home. My head sunk into his chest, and his arms wrapped around me instinctively. I hadn’t seen Tony in months. I hadn’t been home in months either, and now I felt at home. Mickie cleared his throat. I raised my head and looked up at Tony. “What are you doing here?”

“The boss brought me in as your protection.” My heart beat fiercely.

My eyes followed to Jax seeing him adjust his cufflinks then his jacket. “I suggest you don’t make me regret my decision.” He walked away and out of the kitchen.

“You and Dominic are going to protect me?”

He nodded. “I’m glad you’re okay, kid.”

“What about Detroit and everyone there?”

He shrugged. “They’ll be alright.”

My eyes fell to my watch seeing it was nearly time for me to leave. I tugged him in the direction of Alessandra and introduced them.

Once everyone had been properly introduced, Tony and I left the Penthouse and headed down the elevator where he held my hand like old times. I smiled, unable to contain my excitement for my friend’s presence.

Our drive was only twenty minutes when we finally arrived at the hotel. I approached the main desk unsure of where to go. “Excuse me,” I asked a short red haired man. “I am supposed to meet someone here to do a walkthrough for the cancer Gala.”

The man whose name tag read Fred picked up the phone. “Ms.?”

“Mrs. Moretti,” I answered quickly scanning across the counter.

His eyes raised in shock. “Of course, my apologies ma’am. “Jessica, Mrs. Moretti is here for a walkthrough concerning the CCG. Of course, right away.” He placed the receiver on its cradle then rounded the counter approaching Tony and I. His hand reached for mine then pulled away. “Umm, yes, this way.” The man was nice but so nervous. Did he know who I was? Surely he didn’t know. I hadn’t considered that anyone would know me by the name Moretti, but I hadn’t considered that this was Jax’s territory and who knew what kind of hell he’d created in Chicago.

I stepped alongside Fred wearing my three-inch heels and pencil skirt. I suddenly felt vulnerable in that moment. I hadn’t wished for anyone to know me here. I wanted a chance for something new, something more. I chose to hold my head high as we approached the large wooden doors that I assumed held the ballroom.

“Jessica,” Fred said nervously, “Mrs. Moretti,”

“Hello.” I smiled. I turned for a moment seeing Tony there, and I instantly felt relaxed. “I was supposed to meet someone here.”

“Yes, of course, Megan should be arriving anytime now. Shall we?”

Megan hadn’t answered my calls or text since the shooting, and I wondered why she’d been so evasive.

The room was large, open, and empty. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling every few feet. “The tables will be placed according to Megan’s specifications and a stage will be built over there.” She pointed toward the wall along the right side of the room.

“So sorry I’m late.” Megan approached from behind.

“Hi!” I turned seeing her flushed.

She drew in a deep breath while adjusting her bag. “Hello. Gosh, I’m so sorry I haven’t been in contact with you. I had an unexpected trip out of town that took my attention.” She seemed sincere.

“I hope all is well,” I offered.

“Of course, it was just time-consuming.”

Megan and I finished the walkthrough while reviewing the placement of the tables and stage. We would have an emcee and a live band on the stage as well as the items that would be up for auction.