The Don: Sebastiano (Stud Mafia #1) (3 page)

“Paulie, you’re my kid brother. Dad’s gone and Mum is sick, so you are in my care. I love you and I would do anything for you. Come on…you know that, don’t you, buddy?”

“Do you honestly think Sebastiano Morassi is going to listen to you?” Paulie tried to reason with me. “He will eat you up. Fuck, Sierra, you’re so naïve. He treats women like shit. Just stay out of it, Sis, please.”

I just couldn’t sit back and watch my brother suffer. I had to do something. I was a very efficient personal assistant in an office, even though I worked for the worst slime-ball in history.
Maybe I can ask if I can work off my brother’s debt. Surely, Sebastiano Morassi can’t be that bad, can he?

I quickly searched through Paulie’s belongings, tipping the entire contents of his duffel bag on the ground until I located his phone. I nervously scrolled through his contact lists and found what I was looking for: Sebastiano Morassi’s number to his main office in Sydney. I certainly didn’t want to contact Morassi personally, so I dialled the office number with shaking fingers.

CHAPTER THREE

SEBASTIANO

I was sitting in my office, tapping a pen against the American Oak desk I’d just had imported from Italy, wondering how the fuck I could have let Paulie Winters steal from me. Where in the hell were my men? I needed information on this situation and I wanted it immediately.

Just as I reached to pick up my cell phone, there was a knock on my door and Riccardo strolled in without even waiting for me to say ‘enter’ or ‘come in’.
Fucker.
Too bad if I was fucking someone; not that he hadn’t seen it all before.

“Hey, Boss,
il lavoro è fatto
. Sorry the job took so long, but the little shit wouldn’t talk,” announced Riccardo.

Riccardo was my right-hand man. He was my best friend, my
padrino
. My father had been Riccardo’s godfather. Having grown up in the Morassi family, he knew all the underworld connections. He knew everything. I trusted him with my life. He’d give his life for me and I’d give mine for him. He knew what needed to be done. He protected my family. It was only me and my beautiful twenty-three-year-old daughter, Lorena. She was my
principessa
. Riccardo made sure Lorena was always safe and well taken care of.

Riccardo was in control of all the Mafioso
dirty work
. If I wanted someone to suffer, to bleed to death, to die in their own fucking shit and vomit, then he was my man.

“Didn’t put up a fight, hey? Good, maybe the
bastardo
will learn not to mess with what belongs to me. How bad is it? I told you to rough him up a bit, not to kill him. You better not have fucking killed him, Riccardo. I need that kid. He’s a goddamn whiz. If he wants to be part of all this,” I gestured, spreading my arms out wide around my affluent surroundings, “then he’s going to have to earn it.”

It was true, I needed Paulie Winters. He was an absolute genius with my surveillance and security department. In fact, for a twenty-one-year-old, he could run the whole damn security division on his own. That was exactly what I wanted, but he had to prove himself and I needed to know the reason why he stole from me. The kid wouldn’t have stolen for no goddamn reason. The fact he did fucked me off big time. It wasn’t a secret that I had a very bad temper; it must be the Sicilian in me. Just when the little shit had started to earn my respect, he went and fucked it all up.

“So, what have you got?” I asked Riccardo, knowing there had to be a legitimate reason behind the theft. “Why the fuck did he do it? Is he doing drugs? Did he need it to pay a whore? Come on, give it to me.”

Riccardo looked worried, and I didn’t like it one bit.

“Err…not exactly, Boss,” Riccardo stammered.

“Fuck, don’t you fucking tell me you got nothing. I’m gonna fucking lose my shit, Riccardo, you hear me! I told you to get the information I need, and you come back here with
nothing
. What a fuck-up! You never fuck up, Riccardo. What the hell went down?” I was shouting so loud my head was about to explode. Spit was flying everywhere, splattering on my desk and arms of the leather chair. My temper was venomous but Riccardo didn’t even flinch.

“Boss, calm down; it’s all good. Paulie didn’t say much but I did get some information out of him, so relax. That Paulie Winters is one tough nut, Sebastiano. He didn’t even talk when we threatened to cut his finger off. I mean, I could have cut his dick off and he wouldn’t have talked. Honestly, that would have been my next move, Sebastiano, but I remembered you said you wanted him alive so I restrained,” Riccardo explained.

“I want answers, Riccardo. NOW. What information have you got?” I needed this problem resolved and quickly, so why the fuck was he beating around the bush?

Riccardo blew out a long breath. He looked exhausted. I knew he liked Paulie, so it was a lot to ask for him to do a
job
on someone he respected.

“Look, Boss, it isn’t much, but when we were carving him up, he kept stuttering and mumbling something about a sister and a mother and to leave them alone. He was delirious; otherwise, he never would have given that information out, not consciously, anyway. He’s protecting someone, so I’m assuming he needed the money for his family. He was incoherent at the time; he didn’t even realise what he was saying.” Riccardo glided his hands down over his shaved head and rested them on his neck as he spoke, showing signs of stress.

“You know what I mean, Riccardo,
il rispetto è tutto
. Respect is very big in my family, you know that. Our little Paulie needs reminding about respect
per la mia famiglia
and my position as The Don.”

I stood and walked around my desk to stand in front of Riccardo. “Now, listen and listen good, Riccardo. We need to take something he loves. He needs to learn and prove he’s worthy of being part of this family. Start digging and see what his prized possession is. If it’s the sister, the mother, or both, then I want them.”

I knew Paulie Winters had a sister and mother. I wouldn’t be The Don if I didn’t do a check on all my employees. I looked into everything. No stone unturned. Last time we had him checked out, there was no father; he was dead. His mother was in some rehab facility. Now, those places could be expensive. It seemed Paulie Winters needed money. If it was money he needed, then I had it. He’d just need to give me something in return.

Damn it. I needed more information.

“Riccardo,” I growled his name, “get me Paulie’s file with the information on his sister again. I want it now – like yesterday, man. That
bastardo
has kept her hidden all these months, thinking we know nothing about her.  He’s never spoken of her, never even made a reference to her. I think it’s about time I meet her. I need to be in control here. Ya hear me?” I was pacing my office, completely agitated. I needed my rosary beads. They helped me calm down. I searched for them in my pocket as my office door burst open.

“What the fuck?” I yelled. “Do people think this place is Grand Central Station or something?”

In a whirlwind, my daughter, Lorena, stormed in, wearing a scantily-clad yellow bikini just barely covering her slim, petite frame. Lorena was a real looker, just like her mother had been in her
better
days. She was a blonde bombshell with sultry dark, brown eyes and the perfect Italian complexion. And I wanted to know what the hell she was doing in my office in a fucking bikini.

“Hi, Daddy,” she said, smiling as she walked up to me to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. My daughter wanted something because she
never
called me
Daddy
unless she wanted something.

“What’s with all the shouting? The whole building can hear you,” Lorena asked.

Her eyes glanced toward Riccardo.

“You not doing your job properly, Riccardo; is that why Daddy is freaking out?” She batted her long, black mascara-enhanced eyelashes at him and poked him in the chest. I noticed she lingered way too long on his chest, trying to smooth her hands over his well-defined muscles underneath his crisp, linen shirt.

Riccardo grabbed her hand to stop her from touching him.

“Hello, Lorena,” Riccardo said in a slow voice and challenged her back with, “What, no kiss for your
padrino
?”

These two were always giving each other shit. I was pretty sure Lorena has a big time crush on her
padrino
. Riccardo was way too old for her, by at least twelve years. Lorena took every opportunity to flirt with Riccardo every time she saw him, yet he always remained impassive. I’d fucking kill him with my own bare hands if he so much as laid a finger on her. Riccardo would never betray me like that –
never
.

“Lorena,” I interrupted, to ease the tension. “I’ve told you a thousand times not to barge into my office unannounced. I could have had an important meeting going on, and look at the way you’re dressed? Or should I say underdressed? For crying out loud, Lorena, did you not bring anything to cover yourself up in?”

Lorena pouted but still was way too close to Riccardo for my liking. She spun herself away from Riccardo to face me but somehow managed to rub her arse into his crotch. Poor Riccardo, I actually felt sorry for the prick. His face was strained and anyone would think he was in pain. Maybe he was. My daughter was a little minx.

“Oh, Daddy, really, don’t be such a sourpuss. I’m on my way home from the beach and it’s so hot outside. I didn’t think to grab my sundress on my way up here; I just needed to ask you something. Anyway, I knew it was only you and my
padrino
in here,” she said mischievously. She deliberately emphasised the word
padrino
which meant
godfather
by making air quotes.

Lorena knew exactly who would be in my office, which was why she purposely came up dressed in such attire.

Riccardo was only eleven when he baptised Lorena with his father. God, she could be a real bitch sometimes. It was going to take a real man to tame this girl. God, help me.

“I’ll be quick, I promise, Daddy.”

“What is it, Lorena? Hurry up. Riccardo and I need to discuss business. Is it money?”

“Well…now you mention it, I just need a little extra this week. I’m going to Melbourne this weekend to see a show and thought I’d squeeze in a little bit of extra shopping while I’m there and—”

“Fine,” I said, giving in too easily. I just wanted her to leave so I could get back to discussing what to do about Paulie with Riccardo.

“I’ll transfer some money into your account.” I could never say no to my angel. If she ever asked for anything, and she rarely did, I just gave in to her demands. I was wrapped around her little finger.

“Oh, Daddy, you are just the best. I so, so love you,” she declared loudly, planting a huge kiss on my scarred left cheek and hugging me for all she was worth. As she turned to leave, she walked over to Riccardo and whispered in his ear, “Bye, Riccardo, see you soon.”

“Lorena!” I yelled at her. “Leave Riccardo alone and get out of here. And for fuck’s sake, go and put on some damned clothes!”

Lorena winked as she slammed the door shut. Riccardo stared after her, his chest heaving.

“Fuck, Boss, you’ve got to try to control her. She’s doing my head in. There’s only so much a man can take,” he rasped, adjusting his tie and rubbing his shaven head again. Honestly, if he was adjusting his pants I would’ve fucking lost my shit there and then. I admired him for his control around Lorena. She knew how to push his buttons, but he knew better than to act on it. My right-hand man and my daughter?
Never. It will never happen.

“Riccardo, she’s just teasing. Now, get your mind off my daughter and go find Paulie’s sister. I need her.”

As Riccardo stood up to leave, there was a knock on the door. Finally, someone with manners, who bothered to knock.

“Come in,” I growled out. My secretary walked in looking nervous.

“Excuse me, Mr. Morassi. I am sorry to disturb you and Mr. Rossi but a Sierra Winters called; I told her you were busy, so I asked her to leave me her details. She sounded extremely stressed, almost incoherent. She said she was ringing from the hospital. Here are her details. Ms. Winters was desperate to speak to you and only you, Mr. Morassi.” She handed me the white slip of paper with the details. I read it slowly. I turned and looked at Riccardo, my expression one of pure elation.

“What is it, Boss?”

I waved the paper in front of him. “She’s even left the address of where she works. It’s ten minutes from here.” I grinned and smashed my fist into the desk, shouting, “Jackpot!”

CHAPTER FOUR

SIERRA

I hated my job.

I detested it.

There was nothing worse than having to get up every morning and go to work in a place you could not fathom. It pained me to walk through those doors every morning and have to face him. By him, I was referring to my boss, David Horsell.

All I seem to do all day was try to evade him and his slimy hands. He was middle-aged, with a bald patch and a fat, rounded potbelly. Unfortunately, he seemed to think he was some sex god no woman could resist. Honestly, did he really think I was interested in him? Gross. He made my skin crawl, the stupid pig.

Throughout the day, there were a number of excuses he used, to try and make a move on me. He was always brushing himself against me whenever he was near me, or he would accidentally touch me but he was actually trying to cop a feel. I was running out of excuses and escape manoeuvres so I could avoid his lecherous hands. If I didn’t need the job so badly, I’d report him but I couldn’t. I needed the money and the bastard paid me well.

It was only eight-thirty in the morning, and he’d already entered my office for the third time. I could see him from the corner of my eye as he began to stroll toward me. He leaned over my desk as I was signing some order forms for some stationery supplies. I felt his eyes on me and knew he was ogling my cleavage.