Distance: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beneath The Mask Series Book 1)

The somber look etched across Luca’s face quickly morphs to pure rage and he smashes his phone against the steel walls of the aircraft. Shattering glass bouncing off the walls.

“FUUUUUCK!” He shouts frantically, running his hands through his hair.

He can’t look me in the eye. Dread pools in the pit of my stomach. Luca is level-headed and able to control his emotions. This outburst means something is completely fucked.

“Tell me, Brother”

Finally, his eyes meet mine but the words don’t form. He just stares at me, pain evident on his features.

“For fuck’s sake Luca, whatever it is, we deal with it, together. Now open your mouth and use your fucking words before I lose all the patience I have left.”

“They have her, Keller. I’m so fucking sorry.”

For a second I don’t think I hear right. Then it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room.

Those four words slice me like a knife to the throat.

They can’t. They can’t fucking have her. This can’t be happening. My mind is spinning.

Acidic bile rises up my throat. Aware we are in front of the rest of the mob, I feel their eyes on me. Watching, waiting for me to explode. Every part of my being wants to raise hell, burn the whole City of New York to the ground.

In this moment, everything I have ever loved is slipping to everything I’ve ever lost. My life is completely worthless without her.

“What happened to your deal?” I spit out, trying to retain the quivering in my voice.

“I don’t fucking know, okay? Fuck! We’ll get her back Brother. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I will bring the light back to you” he replies, running his hands through his hair.

Unbuckling the belt I jump up from my seat. “Tell the pilot to open the fucking doors, now,” I rage, adrenaline pumping through my body as I march over to the exit. Grayson hurls his body in front of the aircraft door, blocking my path, and grabbing my sweater with both fists.

He’s brave.

“Keller, sit the fuck down. Luca has men. They will get her back. You have to stay on this fucking plane. Everything you’ve worked for boils down to this fight. Don’t lose your head. If you throw this fight, that’s it. You’re trapped. You want to be a better man, a man worthy of Sienna. Well, this is that opportunity.”

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Snatching his wrists, I push them off me. He doesn’t budge out of my path.

“Move Grayson. Fuck the fight. My life is worthless without her. So I suggest you either fucking come with me and help me dismember every one of those fuckers holding her, or shut the fuck up and sit down. Choice is yours.”

I get it. He’s never been in love. He’s never cared about someone enough to lay his life down for theirs. I feel a hand grab my shoulder as I spin around coming face to face with Luca. He gives me a slow nod and strides past me, gripping the exit door lever and pulling. “Get some fucking steps here now, you dumb fucks.” He shouts to the men below, pure anger radiating off him. I assume that gets the message across, as the next thing, the metal steps are being connected to the exit latch and we’re making our way back onto the tarmac where the pouring rain lashing against my face. Through the haze of the downpour, a black Mercedes pulls up, and the driver opens the doors for us to jump in.

A message chimes through my phone as we make our way to my penthouse. Luca’s men are either searching for her across the city or on their way to meet me. Every single man under Luca is on the hunt. Luca glances at my phone as I tap on the new notification from the unknown number.

An image fills the screen.

Sienna.

Wearing only her black bra and panties, her arms snaked around the chair, probably bound, and her ankles tied together. Tears stain her blood-shot eyes, deep red blood drips from her forehead down past her left eyebrow. I can feel her pleading with me through her eyes. Marks slashed across her stomach make me want to empty the contents of my own. Her piercing blue eyes which always give her emotions away are now filled with pure fear. I recognize the look. It’s the same one I used to thrive on.

The only thing that keeps me from throwing my breakfast up is the fact she is alive.

“Send that over to Nico now. See what he can pull from that photo.”

I nod and quickly forward it over. Another notification pops up. I quickly open it.

UNKNOWN

I told you I’d take her. That’s what happens when you underestimate your opponent, Champ. I’m going to enjoy every second with her.

Jamie.

Fucking Jamie.

“It’s her ex. He has her.”

“FUCK!” I scream, smashing my fists into the headrest in front of me.

“We will get her back, Brother. If it’s the last thing we do, we will bring her back to you. You have my word. The Falcone’s are too uncoordinated compared to us. They’re using a crackhead to do their dirty work for fucks sake.”

I know we will because I won’t stop until she’s back with me. I will unleash hell on this city until she’s home.

No one on this planet could stop me.

Another text pulls me from my murderous thoughts.

NICO

She’s at Jamie’s apartment. I’ve blocked the security feed and alerted our men to get there. Clean-up crew on standby.

He immediately sends through an address on West Street and I bark out to the driver and he puts his foot to the floor.

“We armed?” I ask Luca.

“Of course, we are. A full selection in the trunk. I fucking told you they wouldn’t be able to pull this off properly.”

“She isn’t safe just yet, Luca.”

But she will be. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I will make sure she is safe.

A blood-curdling scream echoes down the hallway. It’s her I know, without a doubt. Without a second thought, I sprint towards the apartment door. I can just imagine Luca and Grayson wanting to shout at me to stop, but I don’t fucking care. Her screams are getting louder and louder. It’s all I can focus on. At least she is still alive, I tell myself.

“Keller, fucking stop!” Grayson hisses, grabbing my arm and trying to hold me back. “You don’t know what you’re walking into, you’re no use to her fucking dead!”

It’s no use. My strength is too much for him. Added to the pure rage burning inside me, they have zero chance of holding me back from her. Nothing in this world will stop me from getting her.

I don’t give a shit. I can’t take another second of the sound of her screams piercing my heart. Aiming my gun towards the door, I kick it open only to be met with silence. I immediately spot Sienna’s limp body curled up on the wooden floor, crimson pooling next to her. The guns pointing at my head don’t even register as I launch through the room to get to her.

“What the fuck have you done!” I roar.

Grayson and Luca scream at me to stop. Bullets fly past my head, and the gunfire blasts in my ears. My vision is blurry as I collapse onto my knees in front of her, pull the knife from my boot and cut her ties. Slow shallow breaths escape her lips. My shaking hands, now covered in blood, pull her body into mine. Her unconscious form is unmoving.

“Sienna Baby, can you hear me?” I’m failing to keep the rising panic out of my voice. My whole life feels like it’s slipping through my fingers and I can barely keep a grasp on it. This can’t be fucking happening. I can’t lose her.

“Baby, please. You promised you wouldn’t leave me. You promised Sienna.” A sob escapes as I stroke her sticky blood-soaked hair.

The world around me fades out for a minute. All I can focus on is my perfect firecracker, motionless, bloodied, and bruised beneath me. Bringing my head down to hers, I nuzzle into her hair, warm tears running down my face.

Gunshots ring through my ears again, followed by thudding. Using my body as a shield, I lay on top of her and squint my eyes. Anything. I would do anything to protect her. She can live without me, but I could never live without her.

“Get her fucking out of here, Keller!” registers in my ears, and I look up.

Blood is splattered over white walls, lifeless bodies lay in heaps. Fuck, there must have been at least 10 Falcone men in here. Scanning the area, I set my sights on Jamie. That little fuck is mine. Then a barely audible cough from beneath me grabs my attention.

“Keller?”

Her voice is faint as she struggles to breathe. Kissing her forehead, relief washes over me. “It’s me, Baby. You are safe now. I need you to grab onto my neck. Do you think you can manage that for me?” I need to get her out of here. She isn’t ever leaving my side again. That is one thing I am fucking sure of.

She gives me a slow nod and I help her maneuver her arms around my neck as I bundle the rest of her body up, holding her tight against my upper body.

“Just hold on for five more minutes, okay Baby?” Sobs rack through her body, vibrating against me.

“Shhh Baby, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay, I promise you. No one will ever hurt you again,” I stroke her head, buried in my neck, with the outside of my hand so the gun in my grip doesn’t touch her. I’m doing my best to offer her comfort when on the inside, all I want to do is kill every fucker still standing in this room. Nothing would give me greater joy than watching life fade away from each and every one of them. I have the one thing in my arms that stops my desire to do that, the one thing that gives my life purpose.

The gunshot makes her jump in my arms, reminding me she doesn’t belong in this world and I squeeze her even tighter into me.

“It’s okay Baby. It’s Luca’s men,” I whisper as I look over and see Grayson, void of expression, point-blank shoot one of Falcone’s men between the eyes. He doesn’t flinch as his body slams to the floor in front of his feet. The tell of a true psychopath: taking someone’s life doesn’t faze us. He steps over the body as if it’s a piece of trash on the sidewalk, immediately setting his sights on the next. Over in the kitchen, Luca has another man bent over the counter as he swipes a long kitchen knife across his throat in one swift movement. The whole apartment is a bloody war zone. Swiftly making my way out of the apartment, I head for the stairwell exit. Luca’s car is parked right outside with a driver waiting.

“Just a couple more minutes Baby, and we’ll get you to a hospital. Just stay with me until then.” As I reach the last set of stairs, a figure catches my attention. I instinctively turn my body sideways to keep Sienna out of the line of fire. As I get closer, Jamie’s psychotic grin stops me in my tracks.

“Move the fuck out of my way before you end up with a bullet wedged in your brain.”

“You’d really give up everything for her. You really are the pussy they think you are,” he snarls with disgust, pointing at Sienna.

He has no idea who I am or just how far I’d go to protect the woman I love. They say a man with nothing to lose is dangerous. They should try a man with everything to lose.

The blood visibly drains from his face as I raise my gun, the suppressor pointing right at him.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong Jamie,” I say, edging closer and closer to him. “I’m not giving anything up for her. She is my everything, and I will stop at nothing to protect her.” My gun is now pressing into his forehead. “Do you think I’m afraid of you? I kill men far bigger and scarier than you most nights. Without batting an eye, I can take a man’s life. I reap pleasure from watching men quiver in fear as I slowly torture them. So do you honestly think I won’t unleash carnage on this entire city for what you’ve done? Do you?” I shout, pure evil dripping from my tone. Sienna stiffens at my words. Fuck.

Jamie backs into the wall, the barrel of my gun still pressed firmly between his eyes. Every ounce of my being is screaming at me to end this, to pull the trigger. I hesitate as Sienna fidgets in my grip, knowing if I pull the trigger for her to witness, she’d never stay. She doesn’t want to love a monster. Who would?

My grip on the gun tightens so much, the veins of my hand could pop through the skin at any moment. Jamie stares me dead in the eyes, not flinching an inch. I underestimated this prick completely. One of the fundamental rules of boxing is to know your opponent inside and out. How the fuck did I get him so wrong? I let my guard slip and nearly lost Sienna in the process.

Maybe I am meant to be just the monster.

“Do it, please make this all stop,” Sienna whispers in my ear. I know she’s serious. Jamie’s eyes bulge, darting to her back enclosed in my arms.

“Don’t fucking listen to that thick bitch. You really want to go to prison for that piece of ass? Trust me, I’ve been there, seen it and had it. It ain’t all that.”

I see red. The deep-rooted anger that has been bubbling within me erupts. I couldn’t stop it if I tried. A bullet through the temple is an easy way out. Too quick. I let my gun clatter to the floor and relief washes over Jamie’s features, color creeps back up into his cheeks. Without a second of hesitation, I grab his neck and squeeze hard enough to stop his breath. He’s flapping against the wall, limbs flailing as he attempts to gasp for air, which only fuels me to tighten my grip around his throat. I can feel his pulse hammering in his neck. He’s hitting my arms in a feeble attempt to get me off him.

“I fucking told you before, if you so much as touched her, I would end you. I don’t make empty threats. You stupid fucking junkie.” His arms now limply hit at me as his eyes bulge almost out of their sockets. Not a single ounce of regret displays on him, which fucks me off even more. With a last squeeze of the windpipe, he finally goes limp in my grip, all the air completely cut off and his life now ended, by the hands of a monster.

I release my hold, and he collapses to the ground like a sack of shit. Any other time I’d carry on like nothing happened, yet the realization hits me. She’s witnessed what I am first hand. She just watched me take another man’s life. There is no escaping that, certainly no denying it. But she’s now safe. That’s all that matters. She can hate me for the rest of eternity. At least I know she’s safe.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I wanted to be better. Better for you. For us.” Wrapping my free arm around her tiny frail frame, I collapse my head into her neck, her sweet peachy scent wafting up my nostrils. I know this will probably be the last time I get to hold her like this. Monsters like me don’t get to keep the girl. I can take a man’s life without hesitation. But the thought of losing her literally brings me to my knees.

“It’s-it’s okay Keller,” she stammers, her eyelids fluttering. She lets out a chesty cough and tiny red specks splatter across my white shirt.

“Sienna Baby, stay with me okay? I’m getting you help. I promise.”

Beating open the door, darkness surrounds me. The street is eerily quiet. You wouldn’t know a massacre is happening a few flights up.

An engine starts and bright lights illuminate the road. I dart towards the car and yank open the back door as the middle-aged Italian man jumps out of the driver’s seat and helps me place Sienna across the back seats. I give him a nod. “Hospital. Now.”

He simply nods in response. Edging to the other side of the Mercedes, I slip in and gently lift her head onto my lap. She doesn’t even flinch when I move her. As we drive off, I spot Luca and Grayson in my peripheral, exiting the building, holstering their weapons, and stalking toward the Audi behind us. Both of their faces dripping with crimson. Grayson swipes the back of his hand across his face, only smearing it more. Two predators fresh from a hunt.

Fear consumes me as the driver hurtles toward the hospital. I sit deadly still stroking Sienna’s blood-soaked hair.

“I love you, Princess,” I whisper over and over again, praying with all I have she can hear me, that she can feel me.

The realization forms a pit in my stomach. I know what I have to do, no matter how much it will rip my heart out.