Duty, p.1
Duty, page 1
Duty
Elizabeth Knox
Duty
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.
© 2021 Elizabeth Knox. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
Published by Knox Publishing, LLC
Cover Design: Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing
Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing
Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Published in the United States of America
Created with Vellum
Contents
Warning
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Author’s Note
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Trigger Warning
This content is intended for mature audiences only. It contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, murder, rape, and extreme violence.
Proceed with caution. This book does entail several scenes that may very well be a trigger to some.
Chapter One
Angelo
The rain falls down harshly as storms from the South take over New York City. It’s been unrelenting for the last three days, and I’m sure the flooding will only get worse. In a way, it reminds me of Hurricane Sandy, but at least Sandy stopped after a while. Normally I wouldn’t be leaving the house at a time like this, though I’d do almost anything for my mother.
I should preface this with the fact I’m not a momma’s boy. I simply know when it’s time to lay down my weapons and when it’s time for battle. My mother has been nagging me for the last few months to find a good woman, settle down, get her to pop out some babies, and whatnot. I’m the eldest son of the Bellini famiglia, so saying no is simply something that cannot be done. Why, you might ask? Well, allow me to break it down for you.
I’m about to hit my thirty-fifth birthday, and I’ve never even had a long-term girlfriend. My family should be able to blatantly see why, but instead, they choose to ignore it. We’re Italian and worse than that, we’re traditional. More them than me, but my point is obvious.
I haven’t ever come out of the closet, so to speak, and I doubt I ever will. If I do, I’ll end up dead, and if that happens, my famiglia’s entire empire will burn to the ground. As much as I’d love to be open about who I am, it isn’t anyone’s business. At the end of the day, no one needs to know who anyone is fucking.
Still, if it means being the one in power one day, I’ll gladly pay the price. Even if my price is being in a loveless marriage. My hope is one day, I’ll come to love the woman I marry, but I will never be in love with her.
No one knows how I feel on the inside, but I yearn for change. I crave acceptance for not only me but others like me, and one day I hope to lead the charge.
I’m sitting in the back of the town car as my right-hand man, Dominic, drives me to the restaurant. My mother told me about a woman who’s been engaged twice, and for some reason, the weddings didn’t work out. She wouldn’t admit this to anyone else, but my dear mother was gossiping. Yet while she gossiped about a prestigious Italian daughter, it piqued my curiosity. I wanted to at least meet the woman and see what went wrong.
I’ll be the future Don of all the New York City families, and everyone knows it. My father tells me every day about how more fathers have reached out to see if they could get a meeting with me, but I’ve told him I’m not interested in going yet. He knows about the date I have with Aria Pagano, who’s the woman my mother spoke about.
Dominic pulls up to the hotel, where we’re having dinner, and exits first. He hands his keys off to the valet and comes around to open the door for me. I step out of the car, thankful there’s an overhang, and I’m not getting soaked right now. Before I head in, I button my suit jacket and tilt my watch to have a gander at the time. Perfect, I’m five minutes early.
I walk in alongside Dominic, and he escorts me to the restaurant. A blonde woman dressed in all black smiles brightly at me. “Welcome to Renaldo’s. Do you have a reservation tonight?”
I raise both of my brows and look at her. She’s either being ballsy, or she’s just stupid. I start to speak, but a brunette woman comes up. “Mr. Bellini, please come this way. Your private table is all ready for you.”
I follow the brunette woman, and Dominic is only a few paces behind me. Once we’re at the table, I take a seat, and Dominic stands outside the door. Meanwhile, the woman starts to head toward the doorway, but I stop her.
“The next time I come here, I’ll expect that she knows me by name,” I state ever so clearly.
I watch the woman as she sucks in a deep breath. Her entire posture changes before she turns to look back at me. Her body language shows me she’s terrified, and she has every right to be, but her eyes are filled with bravery. “Of course, sir. I’ll make sure it never happens again.”
“Good,” I tell her as she disappears from my sight.
Dominic shuts the door, and I suck in a deep breath, mentally preparing for whatever else will transpire tonight. Everyone knows me here at Renaldo’s not only because of who I am and what I control but because I come here once a week. I bring fuckboys here under the guise of business meetings and fuck them until they beg me to stop.
The door opens, and my eyes immediately fall on Dominic. He opens it wider, and I’m looking right at Aria Pagano. If I were a straight man, she’d be the woman I nail. That’s for damn sure. She’s got curves for days, medium brown hair, and her eyes are a crisp hazel, but more so brown. Her makeup is flawlessly done, and gold jewelry accentuates her skin. She’s in one of those flowy blouse-like tops, but I can almost guarantee it’s a bodysuit underneath her white pencil skirt. She tops off the entire look with a pair of gold strappy heels and a matching purse.
“Miss Pagano, I presume?” I ask her, still remaining seated in my chair.
Dominic shuts the door behind her, and we’re alone together. She walks up to the table and stops before her seat, almost as if she expects me to pull it out for her. I’m chivalrous, but I’m not a gentleman by any means.
Aria pulls her chair out herself and takes a seat across from me. As she’s scooting closer to the table, a man in a black outfit approaches us with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. Once he’s at the table, he sets the wine glasses down and pours us both a drink.
“I’ll give you a bit to think about what you’d like. Then I’ll be back,” he says.
“That won’t be necessary. We’ll get a spread if you don’t mind. Marinated chicken, filet mignon, two fresh lobster tails, and some linguini, please.”
“Of course, Mr. Bellini. I’ll put the order in right away.” He nods, and he’s on his way. Once he’s out of the room, Aria cocks a brow.
“Do you own their souls or something?”
I scoff at her question. “No, but I’m well respected here.”
“You mean feared. There’s a difference between respect and fear, Angelo.” Aria’s words are spoken without a shred of the fear I’m accustomed to. In fact, I have a feeling she’s going to be everything I least expected.
“True, there is. So tell me, why don’t you quiver the way they do?”
She raises her brows at my question and looks right at me. Without a shred of emotion on her face, she speaks very clearly. “Because men don’t terrify me. You think you’re so invincible, but the reality is you’re not. Some of you simply know how to play the game better than others.”
If my father were here, he’d tell me she speaks like a true Italian woman. Ironclad and strong. But I’d disagree. I’m getting different readings from her.
I shift in my seat and cut to the chase. “I’ve heard you’ve been engaged a couple times now, but for some reason, you manage to get the wedding called off before you commit. I’m curious, Aria. How does a beautiful woman like yourself stay on the market?”
She scoffs at me and rolls her eyes. If she were a man, I would’ve pulled out my gun and fired, or maybe I would’ve taken my blade from the pocket of my suit jacket and cut her jugular. I’ve killed men for less, but as a Bellini, I can’t be soft. I have to silently demand power, and if I don’t, I’m not doing what I need to. More importantly, if I show mercy, I’ll be put in the ground in no time.
“Cut the bullshit, Angelo. I don’t even know why you asked to see me. Especially if you’re only going to insult me. Actually, I don’t even know why I’ve come here.” Aria rises, grabs her purse from the back of her chair, and begins walking away.
Though, before she gets too far, I speak up, “You don’t have any other options, sweetheart.”
She stops dead in her tracks and turns to look back at me. “The re will be others.” She sounds so sure of herself.
“Yes, the scum and filth. Men who you’d rather have smeared across the bottom of your Louboutins.”
She doesn’t take another step toward the door, but she does turn to face me full on. “What’re you suggesting, Angelo?”
“I’m not suggesting a thing. I’m telling you we’re getting married because I’ll keep your secret, and in return, you’ll keep mine.”
Now she takes a few steps toward me. Her eyes are filled with anger, and I know she’s debating unraveling hellfire upon me. “I have no secrets.”
“We’re in the mafia, sweetheart. You’ll have to do better than that,” I inform her. Rising from my seat, I walk up to her and circle her body. She’s built beautifully, and if I was into chicks, she’d be exactly what I want.
Cocking a brow, she spits her words out at me, “What secret do you think I’m keeping?”
I make sure I’m rounding her body, staring right into her beautiful eyes as I speak. “Because you’d rather be face first in a pussy than choking on a cock.”
For the first time tonight, she’s seen me in the same way everyone else does. She realizes that with one sentence, I have the ability to bring down her entire world. Only, my hope is we can be each other’s life raft, not each other’s demise.
Chapter Two
Angelo
Aria walks closer to the table and grabs her wine. “Fuck, I need this right now.” She downs the whole glass in seconds, and I look over her body language. Her hands are shaking, and I’ve hit the nail on the head.
“I don’t mind,” I start off, but Aria whips herself around and looks right at me.
“Of course, you don’t. I bet you’re about to tell me to put on a show for your pleasure, right?”
“Wrong,” I state, watching her as she furrows her brows in confusion. “Now, if you’ll let me finish, I’ll tell you, but we need to come to an understanding first. I keep your secret and, in turn, keep you safe as the future Mrs. Bellini, while you honor to keep my secret and share it with no one. If you do, I won’t even flinch before I kill you.”
“Wow, you really know how to bargain with someone,” Aria sarcastically replies.
I snicker at her sass. If she agrees to this, I think one day we’ll be very good friends. “So, what’ll it be?”
“I can’t fathom why you’re doing this,” Aria says, searching my eyes for some sort of answer. Little does she know she won’t find anything there.”
“If you’d simply do as I ask, you’d find out,” I gently remind her.
“Fine, I’ll keep your secret and marry you, as long as the terms are the same for me.”
I nod. “Of course they are.”
“All right then. It appears we have a deal.”
“That we do. I’m keeping your secret, Aria, because while you’d rather be getting drowned by the woman you’re pleasuring, I prefer to have a man choking on my cock.”
Aria blinks at me like she thinks I’ve lost my mind. She swallows hard and, after a few moments of silence, speaks up, “You’re serious?”
“I am.” Two simple words, and she understands everything.
The waiter opens the door, and we’re putting on our game faces. “Oh, are you two heading out? Would you like me to box some things up for you?”
I smirk and run a hand along Aria’s cheek while speaking to him. “That would be great, thank you.”
“Will do. I hate to ask you this, Mr. Bellini, but did something happen tonight? Something that would make you want to leave?”
“No, not in the slightest. I’m just realizing I’m hungry for something else.” I smirk and look right at him. He nods and gives me a wink before walking out of the room. Once the door is shut, I take my fingers away from Aria’s face, and she inhales a gust of air.
“Jesus, you’re good.”
“I’m a man, sweetheart. I know how to play the game, and I play it well.”
“I’ll say.” Aria laughs.
“I have a plan,” I start off.
“Of course you do,” Aria groans.
It may be early, but I can already tell we’re going to be fine. I think we’ll end up complementing each other very well. “We’ll have my guard, Dominic, bring out our food, and I’ll walk you through the restaurant. I spotted Francesco Ramone out on the floor earlier, so if he’s still here, I’ll make a show out of being with you. He’s a weasel who loves to talk too much when he drinks, so I assure you everyone in our circles will know we’ve been together by the end of the weekend.”
Aria glances down at the floor and grunts, obviously uncomfortable.
“What’s the matter?”
“Francesco is one of my ex-fiancés.”
At her words, my smile grows twice as big. “Well then, I’ll make sure to put on a great show. Just know it’s acting. I promise I won’t rape you later.”
“Gee, thanks.” Aria rolls her eyes.
“You are comfortable with this, correct?” Most men wouldn’t be asking this question. They’d simply do as they please and force a woman to be complacent with whatever their demands are. Though, I’m not like other men.
Aria looks right at me and gives me a curt nod. “From what I’ve learned today, it’ll keep us both safe, so yes. I do what needs to be done to keep myself alive. As do you, from the looks of it.”
I can’t help but smile at the ingenious woman. Honestly, I do see us being very good friends over time, even in light of the situation we’re in.
“Perfect, shall we put on a show then?”
“We’ll win a damn Emmy by the time we’re done,” Aria counters, causing me to smile.
I wrap an arm around her hip, and we head toward the door. I open it for her, and we walk out of the private room, through part of the dining area, and my eyes fall on Francesco. “I hope you meant what you said,” I whisper in her ear as a devious idea comes to the forefront of my mind.
Instead of walking toward the door, I keep my hand planted on her hip and usher her closer to Francesco. If he’s going to go around gossiping like a woman, we might as well give him something to talk about.
“Francesco,” I greet him, and his eyes are glued to Aria. He scans over her body and focuses on her well-endowed bosom.
“Angelo,” he grits, obviously displeased.
I move my hand slightly until I’m caressing her ass right in front of him. Aria turns her cheek slightly until she’s looking directly into my eyes. In a hushed tone, she speaks, “Angelo, not here. It’s highly inappropriate.”
“Do you think I give a damn? You’re mine now, Aria, and everyone will know it,” I tell her, carefully emphasizing my words.
Francesco’s eyes immediately shift from Aria to me. He scoffs and falls into the trap I knew he would. “Yours, huh? She’s a fish when you fuck her, acts like she has a stick up her ass the entire time you talk to her, not to mention the other shit. Angelo, you don’t want a woman like this. Plus, she needs to lay off the tiramisu. You know what I mean?”
Everything was fine until he added a comment about her body. Now I’ve lost all reason. Suddenly, I’m not acting anymore. I release Aria and grab him by the throat. Aria gasps from behind me, but I pay little attention to her shock. How dare he speak about her in this manner. How dare anyone speak about a woman like that. This is why eating disorders are so common, because of assholes like him who should be keeping their opinions to themselves.
“Say it again,” I sneer in his face, ready to end his life.
“Jesus, man. I was only stating the obvious. Didn’t realize you were so hard up on her,” Francesco comments, putting his hands up in surrender.
“This woman right here is perfect in every way. Do you hear me? She’s gorgeous, smart, and knows how to give amazing head. Did you ever take into consideration you were the problem, asshole? Fuck. Aria Pagano is who I’m going to marry, and you just insulted my future wife.”
