Ruthless Mafia Daddy (Alpha Mafia Daddies)

I let Lila avoid me for today. The shock of finding out I bought the company will wear off, and then we can have an adult conversation.

But for right now, I will keep a close eye on her through the camera in her office.

When she starts packing up her things, I shoot a text to Jerry, my man who was at the club where we first met. I want tabs on Lila at all times, not just for her own protection, but for mine too.

He’s stationed outside the office building in case she goes anywhere.

I wasn’t surprised when she chose to sit behind her desk working until the clock struck five.

She’s strong-willed, I’ll give her that.

I refuse to face the drive back to Westchester in rush hour, so I message Marco and Rosa to let them know I’m staying in our penthouse.

When I stroll out of the elevator a few hours later, I find my brother sitting on the couch with a scotch in one hand and a cigar in the other.

“Put that shit out. Go to the roof if you want to smoke.”

Marco grins, taking a long drag of his cigar. “The roof is where we go to kill people, Andre, not kick back with a cigar.”

“You’re the one who started bringing business back here, not me. You only have yourself to blame.” I sigh, shrugging out of my suit jacket and tossing it over the back of the couch. “Pour me one of those, would you?”

Marco balances his cigar between his lips as he carries his own half empty glass to the bar.

I sink down onto the plush leather couch. “I’m surprised you’re in the city.”

“Rosa is having a bunch of her friends over to celebrate the end of finals.”

“Ah.” I grin. “I’m glad she’s having fun.”

“Me too.” Marco hands me my drink before taking a seat on the couch opposite.

I grind my teeth as he kicks back and puts his shoes on the glass coffee table.

“I had a meeting with Sergio today.”

“How the fuck did you manage that?” I down my drink in one gulp, hissing as the alcohol burns my throat.

“It doesn’t take much when you threaten a guy’s wife and kids.” Marco shrugs.

“Fuck’s sake, Marco.” I rub my brow with my thumb and forefinger. “What did you learn?”

Marco drops his feet back onto the floor and leans forward, resting his forearms on his thighs.

“Lorenzo is planning on sending you a message.”

“How?” Marco takes a deep breath, and I instantly sit up straight. “How?”

“Through Rosa.”

“Fuck!” I get to my feet and throw my empty glass against the wall where it shatters into a thousand crystal pieces. “You knew this, and you left her alone at the fucking house? I’m going to fucking kill you once this is handled, Marco.” I storm around the couch, grabbing my jacket and heading for the elevator.

“She’s not alone.”

“No, she’s got however many of her friends with her who are now all in danger because of us.”

“Xander is there.”

Xander is one of our personal bodyguards, and the only one I trust to look after Rosa when we’re in the city.

“Get him to bring her here, now. Pull her from school immediately. I don’t want her out of my fucking sight, you hear me?”

“Andre, listen.” Marco gets to his feet.

The urge to grab my brother by his collar and slam him into the wall for being so fucking reckless about our sister’s safety is making my hands shake.

Marco keeps his distance, probably feeling the rage emanating from me.

“If we pull Rosa from school, Lorenzo will know someone went behind his back and leaked the information to us. We can’t afford for Sergio to get killed, not when we’re this close.”

“I’m not risking Rosa. It’s not worth it. We’ll find some other way⁠—”

“No, we won’t.” Marco shakes his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes.

“Fuck,” I exhale, running my hands through my hair. “What do you suggest?”

“We double Rosa’s security for the time being. She barely has a month left at school, and after she’s done, we’ll keep her under close observation at the country house.”

“She’s not going to like it.”

“Of course, she’s not. She’s fifteen.” Marco chuckles. “She wants to spend all day going to the mall or wherever the fuck it is teenage girls do.”

“We need to act now, Marco. We only have one shot with Lorenzo, so the sooner he’s dealt with, the better.”

“I agree. But it’ll take meticulous planning if we want to ensure we’re successful.”

“Oh, we will be, little brother. Once I set my mind on something, I don’t stop until the job is done. Whatever the cost.”

Next morning, we drive back to Westchester.

I need to have this conversation with Rosa in person.

She’s not going to like the extra security, but I don’t fucking care.

When we arrive at the house, Rosa’s in the kitchen with Xander, who’s sipping an espresso as Rosa chats his ear off. It’s a comical scene to witness, a shaved-headed, tattooed giant of a man listening to my teenage sister talk about Taylor Swift.

At the sound of our footsteps, Xander gets to his feet, relief on his face.

“Hey, Xander. Mind giving us some privacy?” I go to the coffee machine and pour a cup.

Xander nods and leaves the kitchen.

“Don’t talk his ear off, Rosa. He’s working.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

She scoffs, pouring herself some juice.

“It’s weird when they just stand in the corner of the room watching me eat.”

“It’s what they’re paid to do.”

“Well, I enjoy chatting with them.”

“Not sure Xander would say the same,” Marco mutters, appearing at my side.

I hand the coffee pot to him and turn to face my sister.

The smile on her face drops as she looks at me.

“What is it now? I swear, the girls and I tidied up the media room after we watched the movie.”

“I’m sure you did.” I sip my coffee.

“Then why does your face look like that?”

“He always looks like that sis.” Marco chuckles, and I elbow him in the ribs.

He winks at me, moving to sit beside Rosa at the table, pulling her half-eaten plate of French toast toward him and tucking in.

“We need to talk. And you’re not going to like what I’m about to say.”

Rosa sets down her juice and folds her arms over her chest. She’s wearing pink-and-white-striped pajamas, her dark hair piled high on her head. She still looks so young, but when she gives me that look, our mother’s fierceness shines in her eyes. “Hit me.”

I look at Marco, and he dips his chin.

“Xander will be accompanying you to and from school for the rest of the semester.”

Rosa blinks.

“No sleepovers at friend’s houses, or going to the mall. You will go to school in the morning and come straight home. You will stay at the house on weekends, or I will personally drive you into the city with me to stay at the penthouse where you will not leave my sight. Are we clear?”

Rosa looks to Marco. “This is a joke, right?”

Marco shakes his head.

“This is no joke, Rosa.” I set down my coffee. “This is serious.”

“Why are you putting me on house arrest?”

“That’s a need to know issue.”

“Bullshit.”

“You’ll do as I say, or I will bring you to the city. Your choice. This is not a negotiation.”

“So, I have to choose between a full-time babysitter or being locked up for the rest of my life?”

“Teenagers.” Marco scoffs.

“Fuck you,” Rosa spits at him before getting to her feet. “Fuck both of you⁠—”

“Enough!”

Rosa freezes as my tone, and this time, I take the lid off my rage.

“Sit. The fuck. Down.”

She does.

“This is serious, and you need to fucking do as you’re told for once in your fucking life. Do you think this is a joke to me? That I am doing this for shits and giggles?

“N-no, but⁠—”

“But nothing. This is what it’ll be like, so deal with it, or I’ll deal for you. Have I made myself clear?”

Rosa is silent for a moment, looking down at her lap. “Is someone after me?”

Marco glances at me, but I shake my head.

I don’t want to freak her out more than I have to.

“They’re after me. But I’m not taking any chances.”

“Trust me, sis, Andre wanted to pull you out of school entirely.”

“What?” Rosa exclaims, looking at me with daggers in her eyes.

“Like I said, your choice.”

She huffs. “I can look after myself, Andre.”

“No, you fucking can’t. You’re fifteen. You either accept this new situation, or I pull you out of school, and you can have a tutor.”

Rosa’s nostrils flare, but she doesn’t fight me, just storms out of the kitchen and slams the door behind her.

“That went well.” Marco chuckles, shaking his head. “I feel bad for Xander now.”

“Better him babysit her than us,” I mutter.

“You think you were a little too hard on her? She’s not a kid anymore.”

“Exactly. Besides, how much harder would it be if Lorenzo got his hands on her, huh?”

As I wait for Rosa to cool down, I go into my office to set up some new foundations for Mason’s International.

It’s clear Max was in over his head when it came to some of the more basic everyday runnings of the company. It’s mindless work, but one I would rather do myself.

Marco comes knocking at around eight, bringing me a plate of food and a drink. “Thought you might be hungry.”

“Thanks.” I look up from my screen. “Being a maid suits you.”

“Fuck you very much.” Marco sets the plate of what looks like orange chicken down on the coffee table by the couch and takes a seat. “You doing ok?”

I frown. “Why would you ask me that?”

“You’ve been acting…different these past few weeks. Is it just this shit with Lorenzo, or is it something else? You can tell me, you know, I’m your brother.”

“How could I forget?” I close down my laptop, getting to my feet.

My body hurts. My eyes fly to the clock on my desk.

I’ve been sitting in my office chair for the best part of ten hours, barely moving. I stretch out my arms and back before moving to the couch and tucking into my food, ravenous.

Marco sits forward. “I’m worried about you.”

I roll my eyes as I chew on the delicious sticky chicken.

“I’m fine. Just a little preoccupied with setting up this new company.”

“You know we have people who can do that for you, right? Saves you going to all this trouble.”

I shake my head. “No, I need to make sure this is set up exactly how I need it. I can’t risk there being any loose ends that could tie us back to the drug ring.”

“Shit with Tommy’s really got you looking over your shoulder.” Marco shakes his head. “I’d like to think what happened to him sent a message, reminding our men where their loyalties should lie.”

“Regardless, I don’t want to waste time fixing someone else’s mistakes later down the road. I’m doing it myself, and that’s that.”

“Fair enough.” Marco leans back against the cream couch, the picture of ease in his white shirt and jeans.

Marco watches me as I eat, but I ignore him. He’s one of the only people who can see through my mask, but this is my business. Besides, I need his focus on Lorenzo and our plan on taking him down.

That and I’m terrified talking about Lila out loud with him will make the feelings I have for her so much more real. Right now I can pretend the whole thing is in my head, like some wondrous fever dream.

But truth is, she’s sunk her nails in deep, and I can’t risk getting close to her.

Not when Lorenzo Rossi is planning on taking out everyone I care about.