Roman
“What a fucking mess,” Roman mumbled as he punched the bag again, hard.
He’d been tied up for hours at the police station answering stupid questions about where he had been when the car had blown up. Since they didn’t have any leads, they were targeting him, looking at the wrong man. Unfortunately, Roman couldn’t tell them the real guy behind it all because when that bastard went missing, they could tie it back to him. Nothing would stop him from bringing this fucker down. No one messed with his town and his woman. No one!
He hugged the bag to his chest. In a short time, the small town had grown on him. He wanted to keep it the way it was as much as Madison did. If that meant he had to kill anyone who wanted to destroy it, he would. The thug was trying to buy up all the businesses by threatening people and then he would turn around and sell them to the highest bidders. It was also in his plan to open a strip joint and other cover businesses to move drugs in and out. It would flip the town and run the good people out. This asshole had to go, and tonight, he would.
Arlo strolled into the gym.
“Everything is set for tonight and Dom’s already got everything in place.”
Roman gave the bag one more revenge-filled hit.
“I’m going to shower and then we’ll go.”
Leaving his fitness room, Roman grabbed his cell phone. He knew that Madison was at home. The guy assigned to watch her said she’d left the shop early, gone home, and hadn’t left. The only activity had been her mother visiting briefly and hurrying away with tires burning rubber. It wouldn’t surprise Roman if they were arguing.
His finger hovered over the call button. He was good at what he did, but there was always a chance he wouldn’t come back alive, and he needed to hear her again.
The call connected.
“Hello.” Just the sound of her voice caused his pulse to race.
“Madison.”
“Yes.” Her reply came out like a cry filled squeak.
“I wanted…” This was harder than all the bad shit he’d ever done in his whole life. To hear her voice did something to his insides. It made an ugly monster with a sympathetic heart well up from his stomach and claw at his throat.
“Wanted what?”
“To make sure you were okay.” There was so much to say and he struggled to find any words.
“I’m okay.”
A sob echoed on the line and the monster winced.
“I’m glad you are all right.”
Again there was silence.
“I have to go.” He choked as he remembered the words she spoke to him when she broke things off. “I love you, Madison.”
“Roman, I…” She sniffled and it was agony to his ears.
“You know I don’t take no well.”
“I…”
“I called because I love you.” The line went dead.
He knew the break-up was bullshit. She did love him. He would get her back, but first he had to deal with his enemy.
***
The Genoa infiltrator had the nerve to buy an estate only four houses down. It wasn’t as big as Roman’s but it was still huge. Valentina had sent over floor plans along with the name on the deed. It was under a corporation, but the signature was of someone he and the family had been in bed with for years. No more.
It was dark and he was dressed in all black. Instead of taking the sidewalk along the lake, he had kept to the shadows and had gone around the back. The house would have cameras, but he had taken a page from the enemy’s book and had his hackers delay the footage at the right time so he wouldn’t be seen stepping on the grounds. Luckily, the guy didn’t have dogs either.
Dominic had done his part and his gift had been delivered earlier. Hopefully, Roman would be there at the right time to see him unwrap it. Gazing at his watch, it was time. He slid through the side fence right where his men had left an opening. He patted the gun under his coat once—a habit.
There would be few men on site tonight and the guys who’d be coming in the front would take care of them. A light came on in the large four-car garage. The gift had arrived and the guy in the garage was his to kill.
The camera feeds were paused to cover his entrance. He kept away from the lights and sneaked closer to the garage. Stopping briefly to let his eyes adjust to the bright light, he zeroed in on his target in front of a large wooden hull boat.
“Fenetti.” Roman stalked toward the guy who’d betrayed his family. “Looks like you are really settling into the area. I didn’t know we were neighbors and here you have a custom boat already.” Roman seethed.
The man tried to appear calm, but his fingers were shaking. “Just keeping up with the Joneses, as they say, or in this case, the Caponellis. I heard you had a boat on order too. I might have to find a local girl to keep me warm at night, as well.”
“My boat’s not done yet.”
“Yes, I wasn’t expecting this so soon, but it came in.” The guy walked around it, obviously trying to keep the vessel between them.
Roman rested a palm on the hull with the ease of someone who held the winning hand.
“What are you waiting for? Climb up and take a look,” Roman urged.
Fenetti pulled at the lapels of his suit jacket and tucked at his shirt collar.
“Don’t mind if I do.” He snatched the nearby step ladder and set it by the boat. He steadied it with an air of resolve and took a few steps up. Fenetti’s face went white, his breathing labored. Triumph pumped through Roman.
Fenetti stumbled down the ladder, fear on his face. The vein at his throat pulsated so vividly Roman could see it from where he stood.
“Something wrong?” Roman shoved aside the ladder offhandedly, never taking his eyes off his enemy. Fenetti was shaking from his shiny slicked back hair all the way to his ugly crocodile boots.
Dominic never failed to disappoint him. Roman knew what lay on the deck of the boat. The only thing left of the man who’d terrorized Madison—his tattooed hands. The severed limbs lay on the surface of the fresh wood, marring it with oozed blood that had probably dried to brown by now.
“Looks to me like you have all hands on deck,” Roman joked. He voice rang with a sinister edge.
“What do you want, Caponelli?” Fenetti hissed like a stray cat backed into a corner.
“Why did you have to get greedy? We treated you well.”
“I wanted more and I wasn’t born into royalty like you were,” Fenetti barked.
“You think I haven’t done my share of the fuckin’ dirty work?”
At that, Fenetti at least had the decency to turn away. Roman had worked his way up from the bottom. His father taught Roman how to be what he’d become. A complex businessman who wasn’t afraid of doing whatever needed to be done. Evidence of that was lying on the deck of the boat beside him. His father made sure he knew what it was like to work the streets and move up by earning. The only difference was that Roman could now pay for the dirty work to be done. His empire had grown to the point where even this piddly shit didn’t need to be done by him, but Roman never liked to take a backseat. So many empires had crumbled from the emperor hiding behind the castle walls.
“I didn’t say that,” Fenetti mumbled nervously. “But you’re on my turf now.” The guy rushed over to the door of the house. Roman followed calmly. Fenetti pushed a panic button.
“There’s no use,” Roman said on a bored sigh. “No one’s going to save you.”
Fenetti struggled with the doorknob, but it was locked. “My men will be here in a minute and you’ll be dead. Then this whole town will be mine and so will the girl you’ve been banging.” Roman’s nostrils flared as Fenetti rambled on his bullshit. Scared, he retreated to the corner. His eyes searched for help that wasn’t going to come. “Hell, maybe I’ll bang her, then take her out myself.”
Fenetti crossed the line by threatening Madison, his one true love. Roman’s eyes turned murderous as he lunged. His large, strong hands wrapped around Fenetti’s throat. The man wrestled, but Roman was too strong. He thrashed and sucked in a sharp gasp that fueled Roman’s bloodlust. His feet kicked out and connected with a metal trash can.
This was it.
There was no going back.
Roman squeezed as Fenetti’s knees gave out and he completely collapsed. Fenetti’s face had turned bright purple, but Roman didn’t care at all. This was Roman, the mobster. Fenetti had threatened his family, his empire, and his woman.
Roman dragged a slowly dying Fenetti into the cover of darkness, down to the dock, never loosening his hold around his neck. A tiny wave rolled in and the boat beside them clipped the side of the dock. Fenetti’s thrashing slackened as unconsciousness claimed him, but Roman didn’t let go until he felt his body become completely limp and the life left his eyes.
Dominic was there, waiting. Roman tossed his former friend’s body down in front of him and walked away into the darkness of night.