Code of Silence: A Mafia Romance (The Dark Kingdom Book 1)

I SIT ON the couch in our hotel suite. Jasmine sits to my right. And we both stare up at the TV. Luca is walking out of Kingdom. He is dressed to empress with a charcoal gray three-piece suit on. His hair is slicked back, and his hands are in the pockets of his slacks. He walked out of our suite this morning, telling me he had to go to Glass. I know it was a lie. He needed to be seen. It’s been three days since he put my drunk ass to sleep and we’ve been hiding out. I thought the news crew parked outside would give up and go away, but he knew better. The longer they waited, the sweeter this would be for him. The fire is on every news channel and the radio. It’s all I hear people talking about when I walk through the casino. Not to mention social media. I’ve stayed off it, but Jasmine keeps sending me all these links.

News crews surround him. “What do you have to say about the burning of the cathedral?” one female reporter asks.

“Do you believe it’s a sign from God to not marry?” another chimes in.

“You ever realize how stupid these damn questions are that the reporters ask?” Jasmine asks, shoving popcorn into her mouth.

“Yep,” I answer.

Luca comes to a stop, slowly pushes his black shades to the top of his head. All chatter stops but the flashes from their cameras continue. He looks at the camera in his face and speaks. “What happened at St. Mary’s Cathedral was a terrible loss. That’s why I’m going to have it rebuilt.” The people who surround him ahh and gasp at his generosity.

“Oh, he’s good.” Jasmine chuckles.

“Yeah, he is.” I sigh.

The reporters start yelling, but he raises his hand to stop them. They silence at once. “And my wedding to the lovely Haven Knowles is still on. A fire isn’t going to stop me from making her my wife.”

I turn off the TV.

“Hey, I was watching that,” Jasmine protests.

I stand from the couch and begin to pace. “He’s making a point.”

“To Rossi,” she adds.

“That he’s changed the location.” The fire was ruled an accident.

The cathedral was old and needed updates. I guess they had had an inspection six months ago and were told that things needed to be replaced.

Such bullshit!

I know it. Luca knows it, and the Kings know it. Nothing would have caused an explosion that big at that time of night. I could see them saying a candle lit set drapes on fire. Blah. Blah. Blah. But an explosion that brought down such a large portion of that big of a building in such a short time?

They paid off someone. That’s the only situation that makes sense. I haven’t brought it up and neither has he. He’s been MIA for the most part. If he’s not at Glass, he’s here meeting with the Kings. I’m getting restless. It’s supposed to be our wedding day. Well, our fake one.

Nite is here with me, but Luca said he wouldn’t be back until later tonight and not to wait up for him. No one has filled me in with their new plan or location for the ceremony. No surprise there.

I do know that they plan on shipping my mother away. For protection, she had said. Just in case shit goes sideways, they wanted her protected.

I didn’t argue. At this point, I just want us all to survive.

I overheard Luca telling Nite that the jet was fueled and waiting for us in case things don’t go how he plans. I guess he’s going to ship me off to Italy with Mia if Rossi wins.

I’ve prayed nonstop that he doesn’t. But I highly doubt God is listening to me after my husband burned down a cathedral. We can hope.

“It’s going to be okay,” Jasmine speaks, getting through the fog.

I come to a stop and stare down at her. Tears filling my eyes. “And if it’s not?” I can’t help but ask.

She stands and walks over to me. “Then we’ll leave together.” She gives me a soft smile. “We’re ride or die bitches. You go, and I go.”

I open my mouth to argue with her, but my cell begins to ring on the coffee table. I pick it up, and my heart picks up.

“Who is that?” she asks as I just stand staring down at it.

“Blocked number.” I swallow.

“Answer it,” she insists.

I shake my head. “I can’t …”

“Haven.” She takes it from my hand. “If it’s who we think it is, you need to talk to him. What if he suspects this happened on purpose, and he just watched Luca on TV? We need him to tell you his plan. To protect Luca, Nite, your mother, and the Kings. All involved.”

“You’re right.” I nod. He’s not only my father but also a very powerful man. I need to be ahead of the game. For others’ sake. I quickly look around the massive suite. “Where is Nite?” I don’t want him to hear this.

“He’s in the shower.”

“Answer it,” I tell her.

She slides her finger across the screen before it stops ringing and puts it on speakerphone.

I clear my throat and try to sound like I’m not a scared little bitch. “Hello?”

“Hello, daughter.”

I cringe at the word. “Rossi.”

“I just saw Bianchi on the news. Terrible thing that happened to the cathedral.”

I rub my sweaty hands down my thighs. “Yeah.”

“You must be happy.”

I frown, confused by what he means. “Happy?”

“Why, yes. Your wedding is postponed.”

“Oh, yes. Very much so.” I forgot that he thinks I hate Luca. That I don’t want this wedding any more than he does.

“I’m sending a car.”

What? My wide eyes go to Jasmine. “No, I—”

“I will see you in one hour,” he interrupts me. “My driver will be outside of Kingdom for you. Don’t make him wait.”

“Rossi, I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Your mother’s life depends on it.” Click.

She throws the phone onto the couch.

“Fuck!” I hiss. “My mother? What does that mean?” I grab my phone and call her cell. It goes straight to voicemail. “Shit. Shit.”

“When was the last time you spoke to her?” Jasmine asks, looking around the room aimlessly as if she will appear.

“I don’t know. This morning. She was going down to the casino …” I trail off. I never thought about her not returning. I thought maybe she stopped and was playing a machine. Or went to the spa. I don’t keep track of her 24/7. “Oh, my God.” I breathe. “He’s taken her.”

“We need Nite …” She goes to leave the living room, but I grab her arm and stop her.

“No. Don’t get him involved.”

“Haven. This is serious. You’re going to need help,” she snaps, pushing her red hair behind her ear.

I run my hands through mine. “If he knows I got help, he may kill her. I can’t take that chance.”

She places both hands on my shoulders. “There’s a chance she’s already dead. You can’t take that chance.”

I pull away and shake my head, unable to believe that scenario. “He wants me. Luca. He won’t hurt her.”

“You don’t know that!” she shouts. “You’re in this position because she went to Luca. What if he knows that?”

“Keep your voice down.” I look around quickly to make sure Nite is still in the bathroom.

Her eyes narrow on me. “He’s going to use you as bait. Make Luca go to him.”

I know. Fucking bastard.

“All three of you will be dead,” she snaps.

“Either you help me, or I do this on my own. Either way, I’m doing as he says.”

She lets out a long breath. “Fine. But for the record, I’m against this.”

“Noted.”

_______________

An hour later, I’m walking out of Kingdom with one of Luca’s baseball caps and a hoodie on. I look like an idiot, considering it’s summer in Nevada, but I don’t want my face being recognized on one of the cameras just in case. I know the Kings are on Luca’s side and that Titan does a damn good job with security. The casino is covered in them—interior and exterior—so I gotta cover all my bases.

Walking down the steps, stretched limos and cabs come and go through the circular valet drive. I shove my hands in the pocket of the hoodie and grip my phone. I have it on silent in case I get a phone call, so they won’t hear it go off. I need to keep it on me at all times.

A hand grips my right upper arm. “Excuse me …?”

“He’s waiting around the corner for you,” the male explains.

My stomach drops. Does he mean the driver or Rossi? I didn’t think he would come himself. I go to look up at the man, but he snaps at me. “Keep your head down.”

I drop it and take in a shaky breath. All I can do is pray that Jasmine has already called Luca, and he’s got Titan checking the surveillance now and they’re tracking the app I installed on my phone for her. I tried to think of every possibility for them to find me before I end up dead.

We walk down the sidewalk and sweat drips down my back from the heat of the sun and nervousness. Rounding the corner, I see a black stretch limo looking out of place at the back of an alley. My sweaty hand grips my phone tighter. I wonder if Luca’s calling me right now. I put it on silent for a reason. I didn’t want to have the urge to answer it once he finds out what I’ve done. He’s going to be so pissed at me. If Rossi doesn’t kill me, he probably will.

We come up to the limo, and the guy opens the back door. I just stand there. “Get in,” he orders.

“I want to see my mother first,” I demand.

He lets out a frustrated growl and shoves me inside.

I slide across the back bench.

“Haven.”

I straighten and turn to see Rossi sitting across from me on the other bench with his back to the partition. He has his arms stretched across the top. A large duffel bag sits at his feet. I pray he doesn’t plan on stuffing it with my body. My mother sits beside him. Her hands are wrapped in duct tape in front of her and another piece is over her mouth. She’s alive, and there’s no blood or bruises. I let out a long breath. “Let her go,” I order.

He just laughs but doesn’t open a door to let her out. My chest tightens at what he plans on doing with her.

My eyes dart around the large space. It’s just the three of us until the guy that had my arm crawls in beside me. I scoot to the far side, pressing my back into the door.

The guy goes to reach for me, but Rossi raises his hand. “Let her be.”

I let out a shaky breath I didn’t know I was holding.

He lifts his right hand and raps his knuckles on the tinted partition. “Drive.”

I swallow. “Where are we going?” If he just wanted to talk to me, we could do that right here. He wouldn’t need to take me anywhere. Maybe he plans on just going around the block.

His dark eyes look me up and down, and I feel my skin crawl. I hate how much I look like him. How my eyes are the same color and shape. I have his lips and cheekbones. I never saw it before. Of course, I never thought he would be my father. But now that I know, I couldn’t deny it even if I wanted to. He told me I looked like my mother, but he was lying. He knows we hold very little resemblance.

“Get undressed.”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

“I said get undressed,” Rossi repeats.

My mother begins mumbling something behind her tape, but he ignores her.

I stare at him. My heart beating wildly as I’m hoping I misunderstood him both times. I look at the guy next to me. He looks to be around Luca’s age, but I don’t recognize him. “I … I don’t understand.”

Rossi leans forward and unzips the duffel bag, pulling out a white dress. “Luca wants a bride. I’m going to give him one.”

My stomach sinks, and tears immediately burn my eyes. I look from my mother to him. “Please …” I cringe at the sound of my own voice. I’ve never heard someone sound so desperate.

“I know how much he loves you,” he says with disgust. “And I also know how much you love him.”

“I don’t—”

“Shut up!” he shouts. “You think I don’t know that the explosion wasn’t an accident? You went to him.”

“I didn’t!”

The guy who sits next to me backhands me across the face. I cry out, and my mother’s muffled scream follows. The force knocks me to the floor of the limo, and my phone falls out of my pocket. I scramble to get it, but Rossi is faster.

He looks down at it and frowns. “I thought you’d be smarter than this.” Reaching over, he cracks the window and throws it out.

The first tear runs down my face. That was the only lifeline I had.

“Don’t worry, Haven. He’ll know exactly where you are when I’m ready for him to know.” With that, he looks at the younger guy. “Help her get undressed.”

LUCA

I sit up in my office at Glass when my cell rings. I don’t recognize the number, but hit answer. “Hello?”

“Luca. It’s Jasmine …” she rushes out.

I jump to my feet. “Everything okay?”

“It’s Haven. She went to meet Rossi …”

“What?” I shout, grabbing my jacket and rushing out the door.

“He called her.”

“When?” I run down the stairs outside of the building.

“A little over an hour ago. He had her mom.”

Shit!

“He wanted her to meet him outside of Kingdom. He was sending a driver. I downloaded a locating app on her phone for you to track her.”

I come to a stop. “Wait. Are you saying you two planned for this to happen?” I demand. My chest almost heaving with my breathing.

“I tried to talk her out of it.”

“Jasmine …”

“She wouldn’t even listen to me,” she rushes out. I can hear her panting across the line. Her nervousness giving her away.

Fuck! He’ll kill her. After what I did and said today to the reporters, he’s on to us. He knows. And she’s going to pay for it. “Where the fuck is Nite?” He was supposed to stay with her. He had orders.

“Well …”

“What did you do, Jasmine?” I start my car and throw it in reverse.

“He’s fine. Just asleep.”

I shake my head. “Where the fuck are you?”

“Still at Kingdom. In your suite.”

“Where is he headed with her?” My car turns sideways in the street as I pull into the traffic.

“That’s the problem. It’s stopped. He must have found it and threw it out.”

I hang up on her and call Bones.