Asimina
Opening my eyes, I wake from my slumber. My back starts to ache, and I whimper softly from the pain. The hard floor of the truck trailer is dreadful to sleep on. I'm physically and mentally exhausted and looking forward to the moment this all ends. I'm under no illusion that this will be the final threat, but the Agosti's, Di Vitto, and from whispers, I've heard one other mob family take podiums directly under the Morelli's.
With their elimination, the other petty gangs are not a match, and hopeful we will get some peace and security after all this. It will take years for other families to compare to the Morelli structure. Sitting up, I look behind me as Tommy lets out a snore. How is he comfortable? My back and now neck are sore. I pull out an energy drink from the cooler since coffee isn't an option. Tommy and I sat side by side, talking for a couple of hours before falling asleep.
Furious at the situation doesn't begin to explain how he feels. He's impatiently waiting for the moment he can make an example out of the two assassins. As for Roberto, each one of the Morelli's wants a piece of him. I haven't been able to stabilize any of my emotions. God, I'm angry with everything. Even the events between Raffaele and Angela still have me fuming.
I'm still undecided about how I will end that slut. She thought she could kill me, take Raffaele, and eventually end my son's life. All this for a fantasy, to bring a child into this world with Raffaele and inheriting the Morelli and Di Vitto empires.
What a delusional bitch! She will be riding something, but it won't be my Stallion!
Taking another sip of my energy drink, I rest the can between my thighs and attempt to self-massage my neck. I finally had insight into what it was like for everyone through that year and a half. Tommy was honest and open. He didn't hold back on any of the details.
Lia fell into depression, and that pains me to no end. Just like our mother, Lia has always been soft, loving, and compassionate. She would cease each day with a smile and not a frown. To know how broken she was is heart-wrenching. I regret the words I threw at her the night of Nat's wedding. However, I didn't know any better, and they broke me.
Matteo stayed by her side, pushed through the hate she threw his way. Mia also spent a lot of time with her, using Evie to help distract Lia. She has always loved kids. With photography her hobby, Lia spent hours torturing the poor baby into different outfits and taking bundles of pictures.
Nat kept to herself mostly, and along with Antonio, she worked with her forensic contacts to identify the man who wrote the note. She wanted to take part in ending him and gaining control of the situation. Her goal was to bring me home.
According to Tommy, it was the first time they saw Petro so broken, other than the day he watched the live stream. My cousin never cries, his eyes might redden, but he won't allow tears to fall. I have only ever seen him tear at his father's funeral, and on the day, Nathan was revealed. Even with my rape and loss, he kept a strong front. Apparently, the whole drive to my house, tears were streaming. He regretted it instantly. He struggled that year and a half.
The same night I unleashed on Lia, my words to him were knives to his chest as I spat them venomously. I remember his words to me just before I delivered that slap to his face in that Malibu kitchen. "I have always done what is best for you. It is no different this time."
Now knowing the time apart was difficult for them, in a way comforted me greatly, but then I felt shame. My family's pain shouldn't bring me comfort. However, I suffered too; it was a dark time for me. The loss of Raffaele killed me. I felt as if I was buried alive and slowly dying. Every time I looked at my son, I would shatter. I couldn't understand it, spending hours every day trying to figure out what I did, what went wrong.
I think back to my childhood memories. My mother was so caring and loving; she always knew how to make us feel better. We all needed her the most when we were ill, and my father, in those moments, wasn't a thought. She had this calming aurora about her, she never expressed anger towards us, and I especially pushed her buttons. There are no words that will fully explain what she meant to us. "Follow your heart, even if it makes you cry. Trust it. In the end, it will thunder with happiness. Don't let the past stop you from a future that is yours to embrace."
My father played an equal and vital role in our lives. He was our superhero, strong and fearless. Above all, he showed us how a man should treat a woman. What we should look for in a husband and nothing less. The way he treated my mother was that of a queen. They did argue, of course, but it was never in front of us, and he never spoke badly or degraded her. He showed her the respect she deserved and never silenced her voice in any manner.
He taught us to be tough, take it on the chin. Stand on our feet, and fight through the battles people will throw at us. "Allow no one to define you. Allow no one to limit you. Take the feelings that weaken you and make them your strength!" I hung off every one of his words. He was dad, my hero.
So, with those memories vibrant in my mind, my son was missing a key role model. His father! That would dishearten and crumble me, adding to my torment and breaking my heart repeatedly.
Tommy finished the story with the state Raffaele was in. The entire time consisted of three things. Lifting weights, continually drinking, and killing Agosti men. If they had shown me that letter, we wouldn't have been apart.
I can't change what happened. So, there's no use dwelling. We need to keep moving forward without repeating those same mistakes. My mother and father's words are my inspiration. I'm following orders, and I will remain hidden until Raffaele is ready to bring me home. I hope it's sooner rather than later because this isn't easy.
Tommy's vibrating phone brings me back to the present. Reaching out, I pick up the device. A message from Katerina, "I don't need a babysitter, Tommy. I'm sick of repeating myself. Tell your men to leave."
I barely finish reading the first message before another comes through. "Find yourself another charity project. You don't get to tell me what to do."
Sliding the phone back over, I glance down at Tommy. Surely this can't just be because of Nora's request. The vibe I'm getting from those messages is he must show up to her place daily. Sleeping beauty cares for her. Groaning in pain, he rubs his lower back.
"Uncomfortable, huh?" I tease.
Opening his right eye, he looks at me, mumbling, "Are we there yet?"
"I have no idea where we are," I give the man a soft smile.
Stretching out, he pushes himself off the floor and sits up next to me. Stealing my energy drink, he takes a sip. Cringing, he blurts, "This tastes like shit. I need a fucking espressos."
"I hear you! Although I prefer a cappuccino,"
I rest my head back on the pillow and glance sideways as he picks up his phone. Rubbing his eyes, he focuses on his screen. An exasperated breath escapes him as he responds to the text.
My curiosity piques, "Something wrong?"
Tossing his phone to the side, he shakes his head. "Nah, just new idiot recruits," he feels the need to lie.
"Idiots, how?" I probe. I'm bored as it is. I might as well pick on Tommy; he's the only one around. Meeting my eyes, he glares at me quizzically. I raise a questionable brow while waiting for his response.
"Morelli guards need to be slick and unseen at times. Like the assassins, really. An amateur has figured them out."
"Who are they guarding?" A smile surfaces on my lips, and he catches on.
Rolling his eyes, he delays responding, groaning in frustration, "you know who. Cut the shit!"
Running his hand irritably through his hair, jaw clenching, he grits through his teeth, "She's infuriating."
"Yeah," I dive my hand into the bag and pull out a couple of chocolate bars, tossing him one. "So, she's getting under your skin, then?"
"Shut up," he retorts, ripping the wrapper driving the bar into his mouth; he devours it. "All you women are a head fuck," he mumbles between chewing.
"And you men are assholes," I laugh.
Raising the can of energy drink, I go to bring it to my lips. When a sudden loud, ear-piercing grinding sound has me startled and halting my movements, the truck abruptly hits the brakes, and all I can think about is, they know I'm alive as the force throws me aggressively onto Tommy.
"What the fuck?" He bellows. Quickly grabbing a strap with one hand, he tightly grips me with the other, prevented us from getting tossed around.
"Hold on, Mina!" He yells. My eyes widen as the pallets of drugs start to slide across the trailer. Wrapping my arms around him, he lets go of me and holds on to the strap with both hands.
"Don't let go!" He grits. "Fuck!"
My bodyweight is making it difficult for him to hold. His face reddens, the veins in his neck pulsate while his hands turn white from the tight hold. The tires' screeching sound has my heart racing, and Tommy's words put me in a panic, "It's going to jackknife."
With the truck losing control of the trailer, abruptly and dangerously, it angles, swinging out to the left. "Oh fuck," I cry. My hands start to weaken. The crates filled with guns crack open as they are tossed around.
"Don't fucking let go!" He snaps. I wrap my legs around him, desperately clinging onto him as we are swayed forward and aggressively slammed back onto the inner wall. The potent smell of burning rubber floods the inside of the trailer.
My eyes widen in horror, watching four of the crates flying our way, "Tommy," I manage to find my voice and scream.
Letting go of the strap, he wraps his arms around me and rolls us in the opposite direction. We were seconds away from getting crushed. My breaths are quick and unsteady as my heart pounds erratically. We slide across, landing on the pallets in front of us with a loud thud.
The truck trailer jolts left and right before bouncing and coming to a stop. "Are you okay?" He spins his body around quickly. Cupping on my face, he waits for my response. Having lost my voice, I nod my head vigorously.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I stuttered, "You're bleeding," a trickle of blood flows down his left temple.
"I'll live," he gives me a forced and cheesy smile.
Just as my body starts to gain back some feeling and the numbness subsides, heavy gunfire is heard, and the beating of my heart eradicates, thundering in my ears. "What's going on, Tommy?" My panicked voice has my throat drying.
Tommy heatedly gawks back at me, silently threatening me not to do anything stupid. Kicking broken crates around, he picks up a couple of guns and quickly shifts over to the bullet crates.
"Tommy,"
Snapping his head around, his jaw clenches. Ignoring me, he loads multiple handguns before focusing on the riffle. My thoughts have my nerves running wild, and fear tightens the invisible noose around my neck. Shaking my head, I swallow in an attempt to gain enough strength to fight my way through this. I seal my eyes shut and, for a moment focusing on my breathing.
"Give me a gun. They know I'm alive. I have to get to Nathan." I demand. I force myself to gain balance as I stand, my shaky legs refuse to comply, and my knees buckle, dropping me to the floor again.
"Listen," he storms over, placing a gun in my hands, "Stay fucking here. This isn't negotiable!"
My brows pull together as fear for my son's safety engulfs me. My frantic state has me shaking my head, repeating no. Tommy's anger escalates, his eyes twitching with rage, and a vein pops on his forehead.
"I don't have time for this. Raffaele will fucking kill me." He seethes. Placing a firm grip on my face, he orders, "Stay here. Anyone other than a Morelli comes through those trailer doors shoot them." Handing me a loaded gun, he stands to his feet and doesn't wait for me to respond. He quickly takes position, aiming his weapon as the trailer doors open.
"Let's move," Mark glances at Tommy.
"How many?" Tucking the handgun in the back of his pants, Tommy jumps out of the trailer questioning.
"Approximately fifteen, they have spread out Tommy," Mark responds, veering his eyes he meets my determined ones. Pointing his finger at me, he makes it clear, "Stay here, hide behind the pallets, and don't move. Raf's orders."
Raffaele
We have approximately another three hours of travel in front of us before we arrive at the warehouse in California. The drive has been smooth but tiring. It's been emotionally draining trying to contain my anger. The Demon is beyond murderous, screaming at me a thousand different ways to torture Roberto.
Seeing Asimina alive and breathing has me more protective. I know what it will feel like to lose her, and I can't live like that. The pain in my chest has finally dissolved. I can breathe. That woman has become my necessity. She has no idea the power she holds over me. I need Asimina at the safe house urgently to deal with Roberto tactically and cripple the Di Vitto mob permanently. I've done nothing but plan their inevitable end along this drive. I want to take Asimina's anguish away and bring her home. I keep telling myself a week is all I need.
Thoughts of Petro and Paul come to mind. I'm fuming they lied to me. I understand Petro's actions. He was placed in a difficult position, and he acted the only way he could. Watching Asimina getting shot wouldn't have been easy. It would have killed him to stand aside and know what was coming. At the thoughts of Paul, my jealousy spikes once again. Asimina sees him as nothing more than a friend, but he is in love with her. I don't blame him, she unique, and it's easy to fall in love with her passion.
The question remains, what do I do about Paul? I can't kill him for having a past with Asimina. He saved her life, but I can't ignore the feelings he has for her. I guess I just need to watch him for now and remind myself she sleeps in my bed.
My thoughts are broken by the excessive breaking coming from the truck. My heart plummets the moment I see three black SUVs stopped across the lanes ahead. I hit the brakes and squeeze my hold on the steering wheel, watching in terror as the trailer carrying Asimina and my brother sway's to the left, jack-knifing. I find myself praying it doesn't roll.
The two other Morelli cars catch up quickly. Leon and Alex bring it to a stop horizontally in front of the Mustang. Both men frantically jumping out as the cunts in front open fire. Mark and Sal stop directly next to Mustang. Scrambling, they head for the trunk, pulling out M16A2 rifles. I sit here frozen, still gripping the steering, watching the trailer bounce but remain on its wheels.
The Mustang door opens, and Mark squats down as the other three Capos open fire, covering us, "We need Tommy,"
Pulling my shit together, I slide out of the car, allowing the surge of rage rushing through my veins to consumes me. "Cover Mark, he's getting Tommy," I bark. The boys continue firing off shots.
"Tell Asimina to stay there, hide, and not fucking move."
Nodding, Mark stays lowered and heads quickly toward the trailer. Pulling out an AR15 rifle, I search for my victim through the snipper scope, firing three quick shots. I drop the men with a signal shot on each. Focusing my gun towards the trailer. I glance through the scope. Tommy jumps out with a handgun tucked into the back of his pants. Gripping one of our new imports, M82 sniper rifles, he crawls under the trailer. It takes him less than a minute to position and unleashes rounds.
Seeing a cunt sneak up on Mark from the right, I take a shot, embedding a bullet into his head.
"We have eight down," Leon confirms.
Tommy's rapid-fire has me looking through the scope in his direction. I smirk. He's good. I'll give him that. Hearing a shot to my left, I spin my gun around, watching Sal tug on his trigger and end the last man's life.
"Fucking cunt shot me!" Alex fumes, taking heated breaths.
"It's just your arm. Grow a fucking pair. Mina has bigger balls than you," Sal laughs.
Throwing my gun into the Mustang, I run towards the trailer door. My heart races. I need to see that she's okay. Abruptly hauling the doors open, I tilt my head to the side while looking down at a gun barrel.
"That's the second time, sweetheart, you have held a gun to my head!" My lips curl into a smile. That's my woman!
"This time, it's unintentionally," her eyes playful and full of amusement.
"Come on," I offer her a hand as she jumps out of the trailer.
Tommy slides out from under the trailer holding a severed head by the hair. "Our old friend Silvio Venturi. Agosti Underboss"
Asimina cringes at the sight of the decomposing head, "Get rid of it," she blurts in horror, dry heaving.
"Fuck, it stinks," Mark pulls his t-shirt over his nose.
"Paolo Zanetti is sending a message," Tommy tosses it to the side, noticing Asimina struggle to keep the bile down.
"Who's Paolo Zanetti?" She questions quizzically while hiking a brow.
"The new Agosti Capo Dei Capi. He took over from John." Sal answers her question as they walk towards us.
"Raf killed the Agosti underboss and sent his head to Paolo with a warning," Leon fills her in.
"The fucking Agosti men threw it towards me, and I kicked it to Tommy." Mark laughs, winking at my brother.
Rubbing my eyes, I shake my head at the two idiots. Spinning around, I inspect the state of the truck and trailer. Pulling everyone out of their immature conversation, I order. "Call for a backup truck, with a forklift,"
"Get some of our boys here. We need to repack the guns," Tommy instructs, opening the truck doors. He shows me the state of our product.
"Mark, Leon, you two make the calls," The boys quickly settle their laughter and glue their phones onto their ears, following orders.
"Now what?" Asimina questions. Her brows pull together in worry as she lowers her head. It's been a long trip. She's exhausted physically and mentally.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her into my chest. I take a moment to enjoy this closeness. Fisting her hair, tugging her back, I inhale every time she exhales. Grazing her lips, I talk into them, "Now, Sweetheart, you're going to get into the trunk of a car, and Tommy is going to drive you to the safe house."
Nodding, she agrees and eagerly connects our lips. She has me melting with her gentle yet passionate lip lock. God, I love this woman. Breaking away, she licks her lips, saying, "I will miss you."
"Me too." I place a kiss on her forehead and assure her, "Just a week, baby." Gripping her face, I whisper, "One more week."
"I'm holding you to that. Not a day more," she orders and attempts a firm approach.
Smiling at her efforts, I agree, "Not a day more!"
Turning to the boys, I wait for Mark and Leon to join the group before barking tonight's last orders. "Sal, you get Alex to Petro. Then get Maria organized to fly out tomorrow."
Diverting my focuses to Mark and Leon, I point to both, "You two, once our men arrive, head to the safe house for tonight. Sal and Alex will take over the night duties as of tomorrow."
With no further discussion, the boys agree. Walking Mina over to the undamaged Morelli car, I help her into the trunk and pass her one of the pillows to get comfortable. Leaning in, I steal one last kiss, "Less than three hours of travel is left."
"Yeah! I'll see you soon." She mumbles.
"You sure will," I agree and close the trunk. Letting out a disheartened breath, I turn and glance at Tommy. No words need to be said; he knows what she means to me.
"I've got this!" He puts my worries at ease.
Throwing a couple of guns in the front passenger seat, he requests, "Arrange some clothes for Mina and me." Sliding into the car, Tommy roars the engine to life and waves us off as he pushes the gear in and accelerates.
I stand, watching the car drive off. Time to fuck up the Agosti Capo Dei Capi and slaughter the Di Vitto's.
Before I start with questions. Just a quick note. I have started a page on Instagram for the series @morellimafiaseries. Please show it some love ❤️ it's looking a little depressing. I will be posting sneak peeks on there. You can also follow me on Goodreads Vaya Vaitsis for those of you who already do. A huge thank you for all the love shown to me!
Also, for those of you who don't follow me on Wattpad, please do so. If I'm delayed in posting a chapter, I always post an announcement. I also recommend other books on occasion.
Thanking you all. 😘😘😘
Yay or Nah?
We finally had a little more background on Asimina's parents. What are your thoughts?
Thoughts on what it was like for the sisters and Raffaele throughout the year and a half?
The Agosti ambush?
Thoughts on Raffaele and the situation with Paul?
Asimina?
Tommy?
Capos?
Other theories?
See you all in three days for the next chapter! 😘