Mafia Obsession

Rick

I feel the glass slip through my fingers as I throw it against my office wall. The crystal tumbler shatters into pieces, and the whiskey stains the newly papered walls.

This isn’t the first time I’ve lost my cool in here. The wallpaper gets changed more often than I’d like to admit. Although it’s not always whiskey staining these walls.

Blood pulses through my veins as I take in a deep breath, keeping my back turned to Austin, our mob’s spy. He has bought me the worst fucking news possible, and I hate bad news.

Eight years since my father died, and we’ve had peace. Sure, I’m not naive enough to believe it would always be plain sailing, but I can’t understand why the fuck the peace is being broken now.

Nick Juliano is a moron.

His mob isn’t anywhere near the size of ours, and he is making a play for our territory. Austin says he has evidence he has been making gun sales in counties we control.

No one makes a play for our fucking territory and lives. My muscle tense thinking about it. Out of all the idiots I expected to break the peace, it was not him. He has a reputation for being careful and calculated. What he is doing makes no sense.

I try to even my erratic breathing, still staring at the wall, and the dark whiskey stain smeared across it.

“Sir, what course of action would you like me to take?” Austin asks, breaking the long silence that has stretched between us.

Austin has been my spy for the full eight years since my father’s death. He was the spy to my father before me, so my fits of rage are tame compared to what he dealt with when my father was alive.

“Give me the options,” I grit out, turning to face him.

He clears his throat. “We have two viable options, but neither ideal.” He pauses a moment, drawing it out. “The worst of the two is a full-on mafia war.” I watch as he runs a hand through his hair. “Or, blackmail.”

I narrow my eyes at him over the last option. Blackmail is the best of the two by a mile if we can get some leverage on Juliano. A mafia war would cause too much loss of life, even if we are the more powerful mob. Mafia wars can get out of control fast. They are bloody and rarely worth the hassle.

I’ve never witnessed one, but I’ve heard about them. The last one to break out was thirty years ago when I was a kid, only twelve years old. My dad sent my brothers and me out of the country during it.

“Blackmail is the best option.” I pace the floor of my office. “But, do we have any leverage to hold over him?”

Austin smirks. “His daughter, Alicia.”

My gut twists with anxiety at his answer, even though I keep my outward appearance undeterred by his suggestion. Ending disagreements is never easy, but when someone you love is snatched, it makes things more personal.

Juliano isn’t stupid. He will want to get his daughter back in one piece, but I wonder what long-term strain this might cause between us.

I’m not sure what choice we have. A mob war is the worst scenario.

“You are proposing we snatch Alicia, is that correct?” I glance at my spy.

He nods. “Yes.”

“Juliano would be worried about her if we did?” I walk toward my dresser, grabbing a new glass and pouring myself whiskey.

“It is common knowledge that he dotes on his daughter. Apparently, he calls her princess and spoils her.” He tilts his head. “The rumor is, she’s a bit of a brat.”

Great. Just what I need right now. A brat running around our mansion, while we try to get Juliano to back the fuck off of our territory.

The tension is building in my shoulders. I crack my neck and then take a long sip of my scotch, letting the fiery liquid cool my nerves.

“How soon can you get it done?” I ask, keeping my back to Austin as I stare out of the window onto our extensive grounds.

“A team of ex-special forces is stationed an hour away from her as we speak.”

I nod my head and turn to him. “Perfect, get it done.”

“Sir.” Austin nods. “I will get them to break in tonight and snatch her. They should be on their way back with her by the early hours of the morning.”

“Perfect,” I reply, turning back to gaze out of the window. “Is there anything else to discuss?”

“No, that is all. I’ll ensure I give you an update once the team has got Alicia.” Austin turns to leave, and I watch him.

I rest against the side of my desk and let out a deep breath. I was stupid not to foresee something like this happening eventually, but I’ve got complacent with our dominance. Our crime family has had the upper hand for years, and no one has dared move against us-until now.

It is early morning, but drinking when I’m stressed has become a habit of late. I down the rest of my glass, allowing the fiery liquid to help calm my nerves.

I can’t just sit here in my office, doing nothing. Instead, I open my door and walk toward the kitchen. I haven’t even had a coffee yet this morning.

The kitchen is empty, but Kane’s already been in. I know because he’s left half a pot of coffee on the warmer for me.

I grab the pot and pour myself a mug, before sitting down at the kitchen table. Austin’s guys will snatch Alicia Juliano within twenty-four hours.

I need to prepare myself for what I have to do to her. Making an innocent woman suffer for her father’s mistakes is wrong, but that’s the way of this world.

Leo walks into the kitchen, and I barely look at him.

“Morning, Rick, what has your panties in a twist?” Leo asks, making my jaw clench. He’s always the clown.

I glance up at him before looking back down at the table. “Morning.” The last thing I need right now is Leo being an asshole when I’m trying to process what this terrible news means for us. The act of snatching Nick Juliano’s daughter could still lead to war.

“Seriously, what the hell is up with you?” He pulls a chair out and sits down opposite me at the table.

“Nick Juliano has crossed us,” I mutter, taking a sip from my coffee mug.

“Are you serious? What did he do?”

I shrug. “Austin found out his mob has been undercutting us on gun sales here in our own fucking territory.” I keep my eyes down on the table, not wishing to discuss it anymore. Leo is my youngest brother, and I love him, but he can be a pain in my ass.

“Shit, what are we going to do?” Leo asks.

“I’ve already put the plan in place with Austin, but I don’t like it.” He narrows his eyes. “What is the plan?”

“Blackmail.” I shake my head, still hating the fact that it’s our only option. “It was that or an all-out mafia war.”

A short pause of silence falls between us. From the expression on Leo’s face, he knows how serious this is.

“What are you going to blackmail him with?” I clench my jaw. “His own daughter.”

“Fuck,” he says. “When are they taking her?” Leo drums his fingers on the kitchen table.

“Austin has a team of mercenaries ready to kidnap her, they’re waiting until nightfall to take her. I hate snatching relatives, but it’s our best option.”

Leo stares at the table, rendered speechless. A long drawn out silence falls between us as we both sit together saying nothing. It’s odd for Leo to shut up for more than a second.

“I will be gone for a few days,” he says, breaking the silence. “Where are you going?” I ask.

Leo shrugs. “A potential lead on Ellie up north.”

At last.

Leo has been a nightmare ever since they took her. Every search came to a dead end. He has traveled more fucking miles in the past two months than he has in years. Every time he returned empty-handed his mood got worse.

“You should take some guys with you,” I say.

“I thought I might ask Kane if he could come along.”

I glance up. “Perhaps, I should come too?” Having something to keep my mind off of everything is a tempting prospect.

“That’s not a good idea considering, is it? You need to be here when the guys return with Juliano’s daughter.” Leo stands up and walks over to the kitchen counter. “Do you want any?” He holds up a box of Lucky Charms.

I roll my eyes at him. “No, thanks. I already ate, and I’m not ten years old.”

“You don’t have to be ten years old to enjoy food that tastes good, Rick.”

I stand from the table and run a hand through my hair. “I will make preparations for our guest.” My muscles tense at the word, and I wince, knowing she will not be a guest. She will be a prisoner. A prisoner I must intimidate and scare into begging her father to save her. “Be careful when you go up north and make sure you get Kane to go with you.”

Leo doesn’t look up at me. “I will.”

He’s acting a little off, but he’s been like that ever since Ellie was taken. The woman who somehow stopped my brother’s constant philandering ways.

He has changed for the better. I hope he gets Ellie back, and I get to meet her. She must be something special to tame my little brother.

I let out a deep sigh, marching out of the kitchen toward the guest suite I intend to hold Juliano’s daughter in. We’ve got loads of rooms here, but the one we save for prisoners is perfect. It’s central to the house and too high for her to escape out of the window. The last thing I want is for her to break out of here.

After the stunt Jasmine almost pulled two months ago, I wouldn’t chalk it down to impossible. Austin insists she’s a bit of a spoiled brat, so I don’t expect her to have the guts or determination Jasmine had to attempt that climb.

I stop outside and twist the knob, swinging the door open. First, I check the locks on the door, making sure they’re adequate.

Then I step into the bedroom, scanning it. There’s nothing that Alicia could use to break out-my men have made sure this room is always prepared for holding people we don’t want to escape.

It is of a generous size and nicely furnished. No one could accuse us of keeping the daughter of Nick Juliano in substandard living quarters-at least not if she cooperates.

I may be the mob boss of the most powerful crime family in North America, but there’s a code I always abide by to avoid war.

This conflict was out of my hands. I hope for all of our sakes we can resolve this with little trouble. Austin is sure snatching Nick’s daughter will be enough to force him to see reason.

Only time will tell.