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

Pulling to a slow stop outside Sienna’s apartment, I kill the engine, letting the darkness envelop us. 57th Street is dead this time of night.

That doesn’t stop me from noticing a hooded figure leaning against the building next door. Since I turned onto her street, he hasn’t moved. Wearing all black, thinking he fits into the shadows. I am the monster that hides in the shadows at night, so I can sure as hell spot him a mile off.

He could be waiting for someone. Unlikely- not just anyone hides in the shadows of New York this time of night. That is when the monsters come out to play.

His frame is tall and lean. I can’t make out any other features. I draw my attention away from the figure, not wanting to freak out Sienna. She is already on edge after Jamie’s performance. She’s too busy twiddling her rings on her thumb to even notice, anyway. She’s nervous, I can tell. Her leg is bouncing. Her main tell is the way her hands fidget without her even realizing it. Clasping my large hand over both of hers, she lets out a deep sigh as I do.

“Did you, did you want to come up?” she asks, not bringing her gaze to me.

I cup her chin and make her look at me. Her expression is passive. Does she really think I’m just going to reject her? Have I not made it clear enough that I’m borderline obsessed with her?

“Baby, I have work to do tonight. I have to meet Luca.” I sigh as she attempts to turn her face away from me. Tightening my grip on her chin, I bring her back to me.

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to. Fuck, I want that more than anything. Spending the night wrapped up in you sounds like fucking heaven. I meant what I said earlier.” This, I gesture between us, “is not over. I can’t even picture the day we can give this up. So get used to me, Sweetheart.”

Relief flashes across her face as she gives me a smile from ear to ear.

“Now let me watch you get into your apartment. And get some rest. Before I spread you across the car again.” I give her a wicked grin, I bring my lips to hers and show her how much I mean what I say.

“Good night, my Goddess,” I whisper, my forehead resting on hers as I steal a quick peck.

“Night, my Champ,” she says as she opens the passenger door. The icy air fills the car, reflecting the coldness I feel when she leaves. Giving me a small wave as she enters her building, I spy the hooded man watching her walk past. He doesn’t move, but he’s positioned to look straight at my car.

Something inside is screaming at me. I’m now nearly certain it’s Jamie watching her. I didn’t think that phone call would be the last of this. If I don’t scare him, there must be something seriously wrong with him. He doesn’t strike me as powerful or as a fighter, which means it’s worse than I thought. Worse, because that means he’s desperate.

Like with any fight, you need to know everything about your opponent. The fuck am I letting him anywhere near Sienna. I need to know all that I can to protect her and make this asshole go away.

I itch to grab my gun from the glove box and slam it into Jamie’s head. But I can’t risk it, not this close to my fight. Irritation burns through me. Instead, I touch the dial for Luca’s contact. If anyone can find out Jamie’s deal, it’s him. The mafia boss himself.

He answers on the first ring.

“Oh hello Brother, are you on your way to the meet yet?”

His voice echoes through the car. I can hear him blowing out smoke as he speaks. I turn the volume down. The street doesn’t need to hear any of this conversation.

“Yeah, I’m just leaving Sienna’s apartment now. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

“The woman from the club, I knew it. She’s special.”

Letting out a sigh, because there’s no point hiding it now, I nod. And seeing as I need his help, I agree with him. ‘Yes, Brother.” I sigh again. “But I can’t have her to keep. I can’t bring her into this world. I don’t deserve someone so pure.”

“Brother, you need to extinguish this ball of anger inside you. You’re not that kid on the streets fighting to prove himself anymore. You’ve made it. You deserve love. You deserve her.”

Dismissing his comments, I get to the point. “Look, I need a favor from you. Her ex, Jamie, attacked her last week. I found them in an alleyway outside the club. Turns out he’s been basically stalking her since their break-up. I’m pretty sure he’s hooded up outside her apartment now. From what I gather, this is out of character for him. He’s acting desperate. I have a suspicion there’s more to his behavior than wanting her back. He’s a lawyer, for fuck’s sake, hardly a mobster.”

“Sounds like she’s already being dragged into something. Why not be our world? At least in ours, we protect our own. No harm will ever come to her here. You know that. Text me what you know about him and I’ll do some digging. Just because they are suited, doesn’t mean they aren’t hiding something darker. You should know that.”

“I’m worse. I’m a monster, Luca. A monster who slips out in the night to hunt people down. I can shoot a man between the eyes, watching their life drain away and feel nothing. How is that man worthy of happiness?”

“You’re a fighter, Keller, inside and outside the ring. Everything you’ve done up to this point has been a necessity. It’s not who you are. Don’t let that define you. You may wear a mask, but beneath that, you’re a fucking good man.”

He pauses. I can almost hear his brain ticking, I didn’t think he’d be so passionate about this. I honestly thought he was going to talk sense into me and tell me to stop being pussy whipped and get on with my life.

“What’s the point of being a billionaire with no one to share it with? We’ve fought to build an empire. Build a family worthy of that, and never let them go, Brother.”

Fuck it, he’s got a point.

“What if she abandons me, Luca? What if I can’t control the evil inside me anymore?” I ask whilst running a hand over my face, letting out a ragged breath. He laughs.

“Then the world better plead for mercy against you, Brother. But what if she doesn’t? What if she’s the one to pull you out of the darkness and into the light? You know your true self. Ask him if he’s worthy. Ask the man beneath the mask if he’s worthy. That’s your answer.”

Who knew he was so philosophical?

I hear sadness behind his voice.

“I’ll look into this Jamie for you. I agree that threatening to kidnap your ex for leaving you is extreme. Well, for outside the mafia. We know we should never underestimate the underdog.” A deep chuckle escapes. “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Now go to the meet, shoot that fucker in the head, and go claim your girl once and for all. I can’t have my starfighter distracted, pining over some pussy.”

“Shut the fuck up, Luca.”

A full bellied laugh fills the car. Prick.

“Knew that would get ya, Brother. I’m joking. I like seeing you all soppy. Makes a change to your usual glittering personality.”

“Right, I gotta go then.” I pause. “Thank you again.”

I cut off the call and slam my head into the steering wheel over and over, as if it might knock some fucking sense into me.

I pull up outside the abandoned warehouse on 1st avenue. Graffiti covers the surrounding gray stonewalls, and the warehouse is covered in rust. The perfect late-night mafia meet spot. The area is barely lit – who’s going to pay for lighting in such a fucking dump.

I spot Luca’s Bentley and park up next to it, killing the engine. Luca is still in the driver’s seat, hands gripping the wheel. Slamming my door shut, I walk over to him. Let’s get this shit over with.

He slips out of the Bentley and straightens his black Armani suit jacket. You’ll never see Luca dressed in anything less. The man screams every inch a Mafia boss.

“Boss,” I nod in greeting.

“Ah Keller, you ready to pull on the mask and go fuck shit up in there, Brother?” He has an evil glint in his eye.

We’re meeting with Carlo and his gang, the organization we have an agreement with for our cocaine shipments. Carlo is a short Italian chef by day and a drug runner by night. The perfect disguise behind his Mario-inspired mustache. Recently, there’s been word on the street that Carlo is also now supplying the Falcones, who in turn, managed to have a whole load of their shipment stolen, leaving Carlo and us pissed. Carlo knows he needs us. He can’t afford to lose his relationship with, undoubtedly, the largest mafia organization in New York. The Falcones don’t, and won’t, ever have shit on us, no matter how hard they try.

Tonight we show him you don’t fuck with the Russos. I grab my semi-automatic from Luca’s trunk. The air is still and darkness surrounds us. Just like when I walk into the ring, I’m freakishly calm, despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Tonight I have a nagging voice in my head screaming at me, taunting me. ‘What would Sienna think if she saw the monster you are right now?’

I shake my head. I can’t afford to let whatever this may be with her distract me right now. Mine and Luca’s lives depend on the monster coming out from behind the mask, I think as I slip on my signature black balaclava.

Striding over towards the warehouse, I follow Luca’s lead as he kicks open the iron door that’s hanging on by its top hinge and we enter. Immediately I spot Carlo and two of his henchmen in the center of the room. Both of his men are fucking massive, around the same height as me. Probably in their late 30’s, with shaved heads. No doubt there is only a single brain cell to share between them.

I slowly aim the gun straight at Carlo’s head as we continue to stalk towards them. Carlo instantly flings both his hands up in surrender. Fear dances across his blood-shot eyes.

It’s a known fact, if Luca brings his masked right-hand man, someone’s about to die. Little do they realize Luca is on the same deranged scale as me. They just haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet.

“Luca, Luca, please. I can explain. This was a complete fuck up on our part, but it will never happen again. You have my word,” Carlo pleads.

An evil chuckle leaves Luca’s lips as he reaches Carlo, a deathly glare shooting daggers at him.

“A fuck up Carlo, really? You’re telling me, giving my shipment to a rival mob, to only have it fucking stolen, is a fuckup?” He snarls.“You’ve cost me a lot of fucking money, Carlo, and given Marco and the Falcones a reason to believe they’re taking over. You understand what this means?”

“No, no, Luca please. I’ll make it up to you. The next shipment you keep for free? Please, just let me go. I have children, a family. I can’t die tonight!” His voice is shaking as he trembles on the spot. His useless fucking henchmen staring blankly at us. They know if they so much as make a move, I’ll shoot them point blank between the eyes with not an ounce of remorse.

Carlo’s words hit me. He has children and a family. What the fuck is he doing getting involved in drug shipments for the mafia if he has that at home? How can he be that desperate, to risk that? Fucking selfish bastard.

Luca grabs him by the throat as Carlo lets out a cry which snaps my attention back. He’s lifting him up as if he weighs nothing. “The next two shipments are for free. If I hear any word of you even talking to the Falcones, that man there,” He points at me. “He’ll find you, your wife, and your children and make you watch as he slits their throats one by one. Do you understand me?” he shouts, spit landing on Carlo’s face.

Would I shoot Carlo, yes, without hesitation. Would I kill his family and make him watch? Probably not. That’s a bit extreme, even for me. But as I watch the piss seep through Carlo’s trousers while Luca dangles him in the air, I understand the threat had the desired effect.

Luca loosens his grip on Carlo’s neck, letting him collapse onto the stone ground with a thud. Without bringing his head up to look at Luca, he simply responds. “Okay, okay.”

Clearly satisfied with his answer, Luca nods at the two useless men with Carlo, then to me as he strolls past. I walk backward towards the exit, my gun still pointing at Carlo, balled up on the floor.

Luca throws open his car door, about to slide in.

“Slitting his wife and kids’ throats, Jesus Luca,” I chuckle. The man certainly has a deranged side.

“What, not to your taste?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow at me just before letting out a laugh. “Fucking pussies. Did you see how soaked his jeans were in piss? I mean, for fuck’s sake. The man deals in multimillion dollar cocaine shipments.”

“Right, I’m out of here, that’s enough fun for tonight,” I give him a nod as I go to close his door.

“You off to go get your girl now?” Luca asks with genuine interest.

“Tomorrow,” is all I give him.

I need a shower and sleep. But Carlo’s words will not stop repeating in my head. Since when did I suddenly become conscious of dragging other people into this world? Sienna is making me see my life from a whole new standpoint. I know it’s dangerous, but I can’t bring myself to let her go. Not now, not ever.

What would I do if someone threatened to slit her throat in front of me? Well, I wouldn’t piss my pants, that’s for sure. I’d kill them before they even got the chance to finish their sentence.

My car screen wakes up with a text, Sexy Sienna’s name flashing across the top. I tap to open the message.

SEXY SIENNA

As requested, I’m in bed. Naked. Night Champ x x

Visions of her perfect silky smooth body naked, spread out in bed cloud my brain. I swipe the message away and roar the car to life. Maybe if I wait until after my world championship fight, I can have her then. No mafia, no real danger. Rubbing my hand over my face, I shake my head. Shit. I don’t think I can leave her alone for another six weeks. That sounds torturous.