Boss: A Mafia Romance Read online

  Boss

  Made Man #3

  by

  Liliana Rhodes

  Sign up for Liliana's Newsletter for sales, new releases, contests and free content!

  ***

  Liliana's Amazon Author Page

  His Every Whim Series

  Curvy Girl Billionaire Romance

  His Every Whim, Part 1 (FREE!)

  His One Desire, Part 2

  His Simple Wish, Part 3

  His True Fortune, Part 4

  The Billionaire's Whim - Boxed Set, parts 1-4

  Canyon Cove

  Curvy Girl Billionaire Romance Standalone Novels

  No Regrets

  Second Chance (Fall 2014)

  Made Man Trilogy

  Mafia Romance

  Soldier

  Capo

  Boss

  The Crane Curse Trilogy

  Shape Shifter Romance

  Charming the Alpha

  Resisting the Alpha

  Needing the Alpha

  The Crane Curse Trilogy Boxed Set

  About Boss, Made Man #3

  I stepped closer, ready to pull the trigger. I didn't care what his excuse was. I wanted him dead for hurting the woman I loved.

  Gia

  I met him as Dante Gambino, Soldier. I was engaged to Dante Gambino, Capo. And now I'm going to marry Dante Gambino, Boss. But to me, he's just the man I love.

  Dante

  My father was killed and now Gia's been taken. I've killed before and I'll do it again. I'll do anything to get her back.

  Boss, Made Man #3

  Copyright © 2014 by Jaded Speck Publishing

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Dante

  "Where is she?" I demanded.

  My voice boomed in the empty reception hall. I knew taking Gia out of the house was a bad idea, but I couldn't lock her away forever. She wanted to see La Terrazza and I let my guard down. Now she was gone.

  Earlier That Day

  In the backyard of our house in the Hamptons, I converted a guest house into an office. Today I had been sitting in my office for hours. This office was a way for me to have meetings without Gia knowing exactly who was coming and going. I didn't have anything to hide from her, this was strictly for her own protection. The less she knew, the better.

  There was a lot of business that needed to be taken care of before the wedding, but my heart wasn't in it. I wanted to marry Gia more than anything in the world. That was the only reason I made my decisions as Boss, but I knew those choices would haunt me.

  It was midday but the room was dim and shadowy since the sun shifted to the other side of the guest house. Gia insisted on repainting my office a sunny pale yellow she called cheerful. I didn't mind the color, but it contrasted my general mood so much that I only put the lights on when it was absolutely necessary for me to see.

  Leaning back in my chair, I stared out the window and sighed. The window faced the pool and the rear of our house which was mostly glass. I was close enough to see people moving around inside, but I couldn't make out who they were. It didn't matter, I had a list of exactly who could come and go and I trusted Jayden to make sure everything was alright.

  The private line rang a quick two rings, then a break, then two rings again. I had each of my associates programed to have a custom ring. The double ring was Sonny's.

  "Yes?" I said answering the phone.

  "You know I don't like complaining..." Sonny said.

  "But you're going to."

  "How much longer am I going to be stuck out here? Carlo is in a quiet suburb. I'm running out of ideas for blending in without drawing attention. This isn't the city."

  "Then get creative. Nothing is happening until the wedding. After that you can pull out of Connecticut and never go back."

  He sighed quietly, a sound I knew was something he didn't mean for me to hear.

  "It's a girl, isn't it?" I asked.

  "I must be crazy," he said. "I just need to get away from here. I know better."

  "One more month, Sonny. Be patient, you've been through worse."

  Hanging up, I looked out the window again towards the house. I didn't want to wait a month, but Gia had an idea in her head of what the wedding should be like. I couldn't rob her of the chance to have whatever she dreamed of, but I only had so much patience. The month was a compromise.

  At this moment Gia was surrounded by event planners, chefs, dress designers, and my sister. Since we got engaged I found myself being forced to share her more and more. I didn't like sharing.

  My final words to Sonny repeated in my head. They were words I needed to listen to as well. In one month I'd have Gia all to myself again.

  The private line rang once, paused, then rang two quick times. Mitcham.

  "Yes?" I said.

  "I have the report of all people who had access to the house on the weeks leading up to and on the days your father was shot and later killed," he said.

  "Good. Cross reference that with the family. I want everyone's name who isn't a Gambino on a separate list."

  "If you don't mind my saying, just because they're a Gambino doesn't mean they weren't involved. Your father was killed in the middle of the night."

  "I know when he was killed," I barked at the phone. "Trust me, I'm being more cautious with the family than I am of anyone else. I know there's a rat among us and he's closer than we think."

  "And the Palumbos?" he asked.

  "I know whoever it is is working for them. It was a bad idea for Palumbo to threaten Gia, even if he said someone else was after her. I'll make sure he never thinks about her again."

  Hanging up, I forced myself to calm down and not let my dark thoughts take over. I had to remember my position now. A Boss doesn't get his hands dirty. I needed to be strategic and figure out the best time to strike. Once I made my move, the members of the five families would learn to never fuck with the Gambinos again.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Gia

  "No! I'm done with this, Dante," I said, throwing my hands up, the wide sleeves of my top fluttered adding emphasis. "It's impossible for anyone to plan a wedding like this. I can't go out, I can't visit places, how am I supposed to even find a location? It's bad enough everything is so rushed."

  A darkness passed over Dante's face, clouding his eyes before he slammed his fist down on the marble top of the kitchen counter. He turned and looked at the chef making hors d'oeuvres for us to sample, his sister Toni, and a florist who clutched her portfolio nervously to her chest. No one dared to meet his gaze, except for me.

  Folding my arms over my chest, I waited as he paced the kitchen. Dante expected me to plan the entire wedding from our house. I knew why, he was trying to keep me safe. But I was tired of living my life in fear and in hiding.

  His pale blue eyes shot over to the chef, then past everyone else before they settled on me.

  "Come," he said. "I don't like an audience."

  He placed his large hand on the small of my back and guided me out of the room. We walked down the hall and into his study where he closed the french doors behind us. Looking into my eyes, he cupped my face and tilted it up to his.

  "I do
n't know how to do this," he said. "How do I give you what you want and make sure you're protected at the same time?"

  Sighing, he turned away and sat on one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. He leaned forward and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips, then shook his head.

  "Maybe we can just run away," I said. "Let's go to some tropical island where no one knows us and get married on the beach."

  He laughed and patted his knee. I sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. He thought I was joking about running away, but I wasn't. I didn't care about having a big wedding, I just wanted to marry the man of my dreams.

  "This is about Luigi's, isn't it?" he asked.

  "No, well maybe part of it is. I just have all these ideas for our wedding. I want it to be perfect and Luigi's isn't. Even your mom thinks that's not the right place for a wedding. If we're having it somewhere it should be special."

  "Let me guess, my mother told you about a place didn't she?"

  "Well as a matter of fact, she did," I said laughing.

  "You think it's sweet now, but just you wait. Eventually you'll see who really runs the family."

  "I already know. She's giving me pointers."

  "Great, I'm in big trouble," he said with a laugh. "Where did she suggest?"

  "La Terrazza. She said she knows the owners and they'd be more than willing to do whatever we wanted. She even said they had Saturday the sixteenth available."

  He groaned. "That place gets booked years in advanced. It sounds like she pulled some strings."

  "Well whatever she did we should take a look at it. I've never been there and I want to see it before making any kind of commitment."

  Dante sighed, sounding frustrated, then reached over and turned the phone on his desk towards him. He dialed a number, pressed the speaker button, and after a moment the number he called started ringing.

  "Thank you for calling La Terrazza. How can I help you?"

  "It's Dante Gambino–"

  "Oh good morning, Mr. Gambino. It's Betsy Rizzo. Are you confirming your tour for this afternoon?"

  "Tour?"

  "Yes, Mrs. Gambino made the appointment. She said you would be calling to confirm."

  "Mrs. Gambino?" he asked raising his eyebrow at me.

  "Yes, the mother of the groom," Betsy said.

  "I should have known," he said. "What time?"

  "We'll be expecting you at 2pm."

  "Thank you," he said before hanging up. "I need to make some arrangements before we go."

  Understanding that he needed to call his associates and arrange for guards, I stood to leave. Dante's warm hand closed around my wrist and he pulled me back into his arms.

  "When this is over, I'm never letting you leave the house again," he said joking, as his mouth covered mine.

  His kiss made my heart pound and my blood rush through my body. He slid his hand up my leg, underneath the long skirt I was wearing, but I forced myself to stop him.

  "You know I want to wait until we're married," I said. "I know it doesn't make any sense, but it would mean a lot to me."

  He nodded his head as I stood and I blew him a kiss. I couldn't help being old fashioned, even if we were living together and sharing a bed every night. I wanted to wait so our wedding night was even more special.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Dante

  I had been to La Terrazza so many times in the past that I normally didn't notice anything. But today was different. Every detail of the place jumped out at me. The place had been secured by Jayden and some of his associates before we arrived, but as he drove the Town Car into the venue's underground garage, I was on edge.

  La Terrazza was a three story building made to resemble an Italian style villa. It was so large that it was the only building on the entire block. The first level was for parking, something that was necessary in this section of Long Island. On the second floor were the reception halls.

  The place was called La Terrazza because of the terraces and balconies off the second floor. They were only accessible from certain rooms and had sliding glass doors that disappeared into the wall. The height and location of the building gave it’s guests a view of the river which added to the venue’s popularity.

  We arrived at La Terrazza in a line of cars. Gia and I rode ahead of the group, Toni and our mother rode in another, and in the last car were several trusted associates. It wasn't like me to have an entourage, but with such short notice I wanted as many men around to protect my family.

  Gia looked out the window taking it all in. I sometimes forgot how sheltered she was. She seemed so worldly and knowledgeable yet underneath it she was like a child seeing things for the first time. I had to remember that and not become overprotective, but I was afraid of losing her.

  As the car came to a stop I noticed the underground oasis near the stairs. La Terrazza rode the line between fancy and tacky, as many of these reception venues did. With it's marble columns, water fountains, and the view it was a popular locale for weddings and sweet sixteens.

  Jayden parked near a pillar towards the entrance. For the first time I realized the sweeping double staircase and elevator were blocked from view by the large water fountain and statues. I knew the place had been secured but something was gnawing at my gut. I had a bad feeling.

  I opened the car door, took Gia's hand, and helped her out of the car. She gave me a look which I knew meant I can get out of a car myself, but I only smiled in response. What she didn't know was that the simple touch of her hand was enough to put me at peace. And even though I was still worried about touring La Terrazza, her warmth set me at ease.

  Darting my eyes, I noticed several of Sonny's associates standing watch over the garage. I was glad that even with him away in Connecticut, I could rely on him to instruct his men as needed.

  As we stepped towards the fountain, Gia was quickly swarmed by Toni and my mother. They continued their chatter from earlier and I tuned out to save my sanity. I let go of Gia's hand and toyed with the idea of placing a guard to run block so I could get some time alone with Gia, but I knew I needed to be patient.

  By the elevators were a few of my personal associates. I nodded at them as they opened the elevator doors. When we arrived on the second floor another of my men was waiting for us and others lined the wide marble hallway.

  The clicking of high heeled shoes approached and I turned to see Betsy Rizzo in a pale blue dress carrying a clipboard. Betsy was the oldest daughter of the family who owned La Terrazza and my mother's goddaughter. My mother grew up with Alfredo Rizzo, the owner. Alfredo gave his wide eyes and sharp nose to his daughter, who tried to hide them with her long straight black hair.

  "So good to see you, Dante," Betsy said to me before turning and saying hello to my mother and Toni.

  "Good to see you too, Betsy," I said. "I'd like to introduce you to Gianna Carlisi, my fiancée. She's never been to La Terrazza before and wanted to look around."

  "Of course," she said as she put her hand out to Gia. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm sure you'll love it here. We'll make sure to cater to your every whim as a bride."

  Gia smiled and laughed as she shook Betsy's hand. I could tell she felt uncomfortable and I wondered if she was having second thoughts about having a big wedding. I knew she didn't care to be the center of attention.

  "Come this way," Betsy said. "I don't know what your plans are so far, but I'd love to show you the chapel. A lot of our brides prefer this option over getting married in a church."

  Betsy led us to a set of open stained glass doors. Inside were rows of wooden pews with an aisle in between them, leading towards a small altar. The ivory marble floor matched the altar so perfectly they were almost seamless.

  "We can make it more romantic by adding flowers," Betsy said.

  "Yes, you should have seen Betsy's wedding, Gia," my mother said. "She had beautiful orchids draped everywhere."

  "Maybe we could have roses," Gia said softly then looked down at the ground.<
br />
  Gia's face softened and looked as vulnerable as the day I first saw her. I knew she was wishing her mother was there with her. She cleared her throat quietly and then looked at me with tear filled eyes before looking at Betsy.

  "I'm sorry," Gia said. "I need a minute. Where's the ladies' room?"

  "Take however long you need. I know how overwhelming this can be. Follow the hall past the bend and you'll see it on the right," Betsy said.

  I wanted to comfort her and tell her how much I loved her. I wanted to take her home and lock out anything in the world that caused her sadness. But I couldn't. Reaching out to her, I caressed her cheek and pulled her close to me, but she gently pushed me away.

  "I just need a minute," she whispered. "I don't want to cry in front of all these people."

  "Take Toni with you."

  "No. I can go by myself. You know it's safe."

  I wanted to fight with her and force her to take my sister, but I knew better. This was one of those times where my being overprotective wasn't appreciated. She wasn't going far and everything and everyone had been checked. What could happen to her?

  Convincing myself to let her go, I nodded. Gia's hands had disappeared into the sleeves of her sweater, something I knew she did when she was upset.

  I watched her leave the chapel and noted the time. 3:15. If she wasn't back in a few minutes I would send Toni to check on her.

  I couldn't shake the bad feeling I had, but I reminded myself the place had been thoroughly checked and I had plenty of men on the premises. Someone would have to be crazy to try to do something here. Or desperate, which was worse.

  I checked my watch again, but time was dragging. Pacing the room didn't help the time go any faster. I rubbed my cheek, feeling the roughness of my beard coming through the skin. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted my mother looking at me.

  She knew me better than anyone, except Gia. Her blue eyes were filled with concern and made her look more her age, something she tried to hide with her light brown hair. She had been with my father through every step of his move up and I knew she was watching me closely because of that. She was a strong woman, but her face always gave away everything.