Family that Binds: Cosa Nostra Series: Book Two Read online

  Family that Binds

  Cosa Nostra Series

  A.J. Wyatt

  Contents

  Untitled

  Untitled

  Prologue

  Amelia

  1. Neal

  2. Amelia

  3. Neal

  4. Amelia

  5. Neal

  6. Amelia

  7. Neal

  8. Amelia

  9. Neal

  10. Amelia

  11. Neal

  12. Amelia

  13. Neal

  14. Amelia

  15. Neal

  16. Amelia

  17. Neal

  18. Amelia

  19. Neal

  20. Amelia

  21. Neal

  22. Neal

  23. Amelia

  24. Neal

  25. Amelia

  Turn the page for a little sneak peek of Love that Binds

  Prologue

  Amelia

  Join A.J. Wyatt’s Mafia World

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright © 2021 AJ Wyatt

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

  [email protected]

  Cover by Pretty Little Design Co.

  Photograph purchased from Deposit Photos.

  Created with Vellum

  To the little piece of darkness I sometimes leave unchecked.

  Prologue

  Neal

  The elevator door closes smoothly behind me as I march toward my bar in the living area. The housekeeper keeps the bar fully stocked, and the bottles rattle as I reach and grab the first one I lay my hands on. I don’t even have the patience to pour myself a glass. I take a big gulp directly from the bottle, the amber liquid burning down my throat.

  And then another.

  And another.

  Until I feel the numbing effect moving through my body.

  Resting one hand against the window, I look out over the lights of New York City, so bright they illuminate the inside of the dark penthouse. I have always felt like a King towering over his domain from up here, but not tonight. Tonight, I’ll happily burn it all down.

  I take another swig from the bottle when I hear the ping from the elevators.

  Not now.

  I don’t have the patience to deal with anyone who might have my keycode. I left Hunter and Killian at the estate, although it’s been a few hours. So, it’s between my uncle and Salvatore. And God knows, if it’s Salvatore, I’ll fucking kill him on the spot. My patience with that man is wearing thin.

  I spin around, fully prepared to murder the person who dares invade my privacy, when my eyes land on her. Dark hair flows over her shoulders as her stormy eyes, usually filled with fire, look at me with uncertainty.

  “Why are you here?” I keep my tone clipped, not wholly trusting myself in her presence. She has the ability to make me forget who I really am, and that’s something I can’t afford to do right now. “Did you kill him?”

  She lifts her chin and answers with determination. “No.”

  Her simple answer speaks to the anger lurking inside of me. I stalk towards her, wrapping my free hand around her throat and pressing her against the wall. “Why the fuck not?”

  Having her so close to me, my body pressed against hers caging her in, is causing all thoughts of murder to leave my mind. All I can think about is how good her skin feels, how she smells of vanilla and roses. Her pulse is fluttering beneath my fingers, and I can’t help but relish in the fact that her heart beats faster at my touch. I lean in closer, whispering in her ear, “Why did you choose to disobey me, Amelia?”

  Her breath hitches at my closeness. “You know I’m not a killer, Neal.”

  I know that.

  I shouldn’t have asked her to kill Flynn. But a part of me wonders how far she’ll go to prove her loyalty to me. I want her to do everything I say, to follow me, just as much as I want her to break free from this life and run like hell in the opposite direction. Because if she does not, I fear I will never let her go.

  I loosen my grip slightly, unwilling to drop my hand and afraid to stop feeling her heartbeat react to my presence. “I know that. You’d never kill anybody.”

  She doesn’t say anything to that. I pull my head back, searching her eyes for a reaction to my comment. Because, as I said it, I wondered if it were true myself. She stiffens slightly beneath my grip as a flash of ambiguity crosses her blue-green eyes, which causes me to grin slightly.

  “Or would you?”

  I can see the war in her eyes, not knowing if she would. Her full lips part as if wanting to answer me before thinking better of it, and she clasps them shut once more. Which is an answer in and of itself.

  “Flynn’s gone,” she says to evade answering the question. “He escaped.”

  My hand slips from her throat, my body suddenly feeling cold as I step away. Bringing the bottle to my mouth, I take a few gulps before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Where’s the other two idiots?”

  “They’re downstairs. I wanted to be the one to tell you. Since I had an order to kill him, and I didn’t.” She steps closer to me, standing tall. “So, if you want to blame anyone, blame me.”

  A tortured laugh escapes me. “Oh, I do blame you, Amelia.”

  I run my hand through my hair, not believing the mess I’m in. “I blame you for distracting me. I blame you for coming into my life at the wrong fucking moment. I blame you for making me even consider throwing away my duty, my vows to my Family.”

  “Neal.” Her voice cracks as she takes a small step to close the distance I created between us.

  “No!” My voice resonates through the penthouse as I throw the bottle across the room. It hits the shelves behind the bar, causing the rest to collapse and shatter into a million pieces.

  Still, she moves closer, resting her hand on my chest, which is rising and falling desperately, gasping for breath. “You should leave, Amelia.”

  Her hand moves up over my face, forcing me to look at her. “I will never leave.”

  “You should.” I look into her eyes, willing her to understand. “I don’t want you to see the monster inside of me.”

  Her eyes search my face, unsure what to say. “I’ve seen you covered in blood before, Neal. And I understand that you killed someone when you were fifteen, when you were Made.”

  I can’t help but chuckle at her statement. At the innocence in her voice, knowing the bare minimum of my crimes, of my life. “That’s nothing.”

  Grabbing her shoulders, my fingers digging into her flesh, I try to make her understand. “That’s fucking child’s play compared to what I’ve done—who I have to become—to win this.”

  Slight confusion crosses her face. “To win what, Neal?”

  “To win the city.” Gripping her tighter, I look down at her innocent face. “I will be the Don, Amelia. And after I take over the Family, I will take over the Commission.”

  “You were always going to be the Don, Neal. Why do you have to become a monster to run the Family?”

  Chuckling, I push her away. “That was before.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before everything!
” I spread my arms, willing her to see all that’s happened, to see every part of me. “Before I found out I was being used as a pawn in someone else’s master plan.” I laugh at the thought. Romero should never have underestimated me. “But not anymore. I will not stop until I’m Capo di tutti Capi, The boss of all bosses. I will rule this city.”

  When she doesn’t say anything, I know she’s starting to understand, to finally see who I truly am. “And I will kill anyone who dares stand in my way.”

  Amelia

  I thought the worst part of the evening would be me telling Neal that Flynn had escaped. That he would be disappointed in me, question my loyalty, and send me away.

  I couldn’t have been more wrong.

  Neal is convinced he has to give up his humanity to win this war with his uncle. A part of me understands that. I hate every part of it, but I understand it. This is their world, their way. But the man I’ve come to care for so deeply is standing in front of me with his arms spread out, all but declaring himself a demon. If he could just see that the darkness inside of him will never drown out the light.

  “Neal.” I move toward him, closing the gap he insists on creating between us. “You need to understand you’re not alone in this.”

  A rough chuckle escapes his throat. “Who do I have left? My two most trusted Capos, my brothers, make decisions behind my back while you can’t seem to follow the simple orders I give you. And my uncle!” He laughs at the cruel joke. “He’s been playing me from the very fucking beginning. I’d be a fool not to consider him the killer of my parents. And what does that say about my upbringing? My entire life has been a lie.”

  No matter how much I want to, there’s nothing I can say to take away the pain that monster has caused him—that is something that will have to heal with time.

  “Tell me, Amelia, please tell me, who do I have left?” There’s a certain vulnerability in his eyes, which quickly turns to anger instead. “I’ll tell you. No one.”

  Fuck this.

  From the very beginning, I have realized I couldn’t stay away from Neal. That I would follow this man into hell itself. And it’s clear I might have to do just that in order to save him from himself and from his monster of an uncle. I’ll do everything in my power to remind Neal of the fact that he’s not alone in this.

  I walk over to him, throw my arms around his neck, and pull him down towards me, kissing him with all my might. Breathing my determination into him, taking away his pain and torture in return.

  My body fits perfectly into his arms as he folds them around me, pulling me into his chest. I know that Neal was made for me, and that I have found the place where I belong. No one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

  “I will never leave you, Neal,” I whisper in his ear as he kisses my throat. The pulse of my heart beats against his lips, before he crushes his mouth to mine, silencing my promises of devotion.

  He walks me back against the wall, my back hitting it with enough force for me to gasp slightly, causing our kiss to break. “You shouldn’t be devoted to me. You should leave while you can.”

  He pulls back slightly, and I look up into his eyes, seeing proof of the emotions that contradicts everything he says, the emotions he doesn’t want to voice. “Never.”

  His gaze drops. “I still have to marry Arica.”

  It doesn’t matter that I know he doesn’t care for her, or that he’s only doing it out of a sense of duty. It still hurts to know that the man I love can never be mine. That he still plans on marrying someone else, even though I know he would choose me if he could. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes and my heart breaking for him, for us.

  “It’s a binding contract. One that will cost me my Family if broken from my end. I am a man of my word. I always have been, and I always will be.”

  At least I can admire that about him. “I understand.”

  What more is there to say?

  Pick me? Choose me?

  I know Neal is a Cosa Nostra man, and that means he will always choose his Family before love. That he will always choose his Family before me.

  “And I will not do you the dishonor of asking you to stay by my side while I am married. I have too much respect for you, Amelia.” He pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear, searing my skin as he goes. “I have to let you go.”

  “I am stronger than you think, Neal.” It’s a lie. Especially when it comes to him. I don’t know how I’ll be able to live, knowing he is bound to her forever. “So, deciding when I’ve had enough should be up to me.”

  “I don’t want this life for you,” he tries again, but I won’t let him.

  This life chose me as much as I chose it.

  “Too bad. I am still your Associate and still have something to offer you.” I will my eyes to show any sign of strength, any last drop of determination. “And I will do everything in my power to help you avenge the death of your parents.”

  Because, God knows, I will never let this man travel to hell and back alone.

  He bends his head, murmuring, “I don’t deserve you.”

  “No, you don’t.” My hand moves over his jaw, his stubble grazing my palm as I lift his face. “You deserve more.”

  1

  Neal

  “It’s good to see you, Guido,” I say, smiling at my future father-in-law.

  He’s dressed in a new tailored suit, his grey hair combed back, and his face is freshly shaved for the occasion. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be his son-in-law in less than three months. It’s a wedding I’ve been fighting since the moment I heard about it, trying to circumvent the reasons behind the match. And now, the terms of the contract seem moot. My uncle has always hidden behind this idea of war with the Irish, lining up soldiers and weapons to eradicate them from the city. But now, I know this contract with the Bastones has always been part of his bigger plan to take over the Families of Cosa Nostra. Even if it were true that he needs men to take over the Irish territory, me bringing him Seamus’s head would never have resulted in this contract being voided. I was a fool to think it would. Because it’s not Seamus’s head he wants, it’s not their territory that he wants.

  It’s the city.

  And I’d rather die than see it in his hands.

  “I hope you are being treated well.” I gesture to his almost empty glass and raise my hand to one of the nearest servers to bring him a refill. He is already giddy, although I have a feeling it’s not because of the alcohol flowing through his system, but rather the fact that we’ll be cementing our deal by tonight’s public proposal.

  “Yes, yes, of course I am, Neal.” Guido pats me on the shoulder, his signet ring glinting on his finger. If all goes according to plan—my plan—I’ll take it from him soon. “Your aunt has gone all out for this engagement party.”

  I follow his gaze as he takes in the room around him. The ballroom at my aunt and uncle’s Hampton Estate is filled with elegant décor, white linens, and golden accents. Lit candles and white roses create a romantic atmosphere as servers move around with trays filled with Dom Perignon. The doors have been thrown open so the guests could venture out into the garden beyond. The flames from the fire pits that have been erected, to warm the guests who decided to catch some fresh ocean air, cast dancing shadows over the dancefloor.

  “She is excited about the upcoming wedding,” I tell him, thinking she’s outdone herself.

  Katherine and Romero do not have any children of their own. They accepted me as a son after the murder of my parents, and in her mind, this will be the only chance she’ll get to marry off one of her ‘children’. My aunt is the last person in this world I’d want to hurt, so I go along with it all. She has always cared for me, and I have to believe she has nothing to do with Romero’s plans for me.

  “All of us are. The Families of New York are coming together, and from here, you’ll only build on your power and strength.” I nod in agreement with Guido’s statement. I don’t know if he’s oblivious to the status q
uo between the Five Families or if he believes I am. We’ve been forced to work together for the last forty years, to keep the attention off the workings of La Cosa Nostra.

  But unrest has been brewing. And now, more than ever, I’m aware of it. You can only have predators working together for so long before they start ripping each other’s throats out.

  The entire room is filled with members of the Families. All five Dons are in attendance; their Underbosses and heirs are lurking around and their soldati are stationed in the gardens and grounds around the estate. Everywhere you look, you’ll see smile-filled faces and champagne-filled glasses. But if you look closer, you’ll see the truth.

  Not all is well in the Underworld.

  Guido’s wife, Carlotta, is tied to her daughter, scared to death of the power that fills the room. I’m starting to think Guido took this arranged marriage deal with my uncle, not for the drug business he’ll gain from it, but for the appearance of strength. His son is too busy whoring around to pay any real attention to the business while his wife is cowering behind closed doors, and Guido is oblivious to the tensions around him. The Bastone Family is certainly not the picture of strength. It's no wonder my uncle wants to tie me to them. It’ll be an easy takeover.

  He just doesn’t realize there’ll be no take over for him.