Ruthless Prince by Piper Stone

Chapter 13

Alexandra

I felt more alive than I had in years, and it was for a simple reason. I was in Stefano’s arms in his bed, now the exquisite room ours. Together. As a couple.

Unbelievable.

What was happening to me? Was I really falling for a man I promised to kill? Nothing made any sense, but the ache in my heart refused to allow me to lie.

As I nuzzled against his chest, the sound of his rapidly beating heart indicated he remained awake. The scent of sex remained, the afterglow of our carnal exchange all around us. He’d said very little afterwards, leaving only once to bring the half bottle of wine and two fresh glasses. What had surprised me more than anything was that he’d stayed, keeping one arm wrapped around me protectively.

Something was on his mind, but even with the small opening into his world that he’d given me, I doubted there would be many more. Stefano was a private man, his powerful aura in his quietness and calm demeanor. But I knew there was a demon inside, lurking in the bowels of his being. Would I be able to tame the wild beast? That was debatable.

“Tell me about your father,” I said as quietly as possible, refusing to break the mood.

He exhaled, squeezing me even tighter. “He was a well-respected man although brutal when necessary. He was also an excellent businessman, parlaying the estate and all our holdings into multiple millions by the time he was twenty-five. He had an uncanny ability of knowing whether whatever product we were providing would sell and which market was best.”

I lifted my head, placing my fingers across his lips. “That’s all business. Tell me about the man you called your father.”

His body tensed and I thought for certain he was going to walk away, as if I’d breached a subject that he would never discuss. “He was cold and distant a good portion of the time, never accepting any excuses his sons gave him for bad grades or disobeying the rules. His punishments were harsh, but his rewards were generous.”

“Did you love him?”

“I respected him.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

He chuckled. “No, I guess you’re right. I did love him, but I honestly wasn’t certain he felt the same about me. Maybe that’s why I tried to prove myself to him time and time again.”

“And the reason you couldn’t live on the estate.”

“You are perhaps too smart for your own good.”

I playfully punched him in the stomach before placing my head on his chest once again. “I understand how you feel. After my mother’s death, my father never showed any emotion and that included love. Even on my birthday or holidays, he never changed. Maybe that’s why I never liked holidays very much.”

“That’s sad. At least my father enjoyed Christmas, one of the few times of the year I knew he’d be in a good mood. I think my brothers and I took advantage of that.”

“As all naughty boys do.”

He slipped his arm from under me, turning and rising onto his elbow. “Naughty, huh? I thought you had other words for me.”

“Oh, I still do.”

The glimmer in his eyes was unusual. He was letting go with me more than I would have expected.

When he flipped me over onto my stomach, I moaned loudly. “What are you doing?”

“I wasn’t finished with you yet.” He slipped on top of me, his cock throbbing as much as it had done before. When he thrust it inside my aching pussy, I fisted my hands.

“You are so… bad.” Shivering, I squeezed my eyes shut, the sensations tingling every inch of my body. I’d never had so many orgasms in my life. I was still exhausted, yet around him the hunger was always there just under the surface.

The force as he fucked me shoved the headboard against the wall. I almost burst into a fit of giggles over the realization. He was all male, full of testosterone, his glorious masculine scent covering my skin.

“Now, I fuck you in your tight little asshole.”

A smile crossed my face at the thought, and it was no longer a surprise that I was excited, my heart racing. He kept my legs together and as he slid his cockhead up and down the crack of my ass. When he pushed it to my dark entrance, I stiffened, trying to keep from whimpering.

He whispered words in Italian, and they almost immediately relaxed me. As he pushed the tip inside, I held my breath.

“Breathe for me, beautiful one. Just breathe.” He slowly pushed the remainder of his shaft deep inside and when he was fully seated, he issued several guttural sounds.

He had no idea how sultry his voice was, the deep bass sending a chill down my spine. The pain was just as biting as before, yet within seconds, the round of bliss was incredible. My mind was spinning, the continuous jolts of electricity keeping the fire roaring between us. There was no denying our chemistry or the dark desires that fueled us both. I no longer knew who I was, the dark and brutal man awakening the real girl inside.

Sharing details about my mother’s death had shocked me. I’d never talked about it with anyone. Not friends. Not with my father. No one. But I did trust him on some bizarre level.

As he pumped in and out, I allowed myself to float away into another wave of ecstasy. He pounded me long and hard, and I never wanted it to stop.

But I sensed he was close to coming, his breathing more ragged than before. When he erupted deep inside, he released a primal roar and all I could do was smile.

I’d never wanted to fall in love, terrified that if I did, I would lose the person in some horrible way. What I couldn’t have understood until now is that you don’t choose love. It chooses you.

I was falling for the man. Even though my feelings made no rational sense, I could feel my heart exploding.

But more than anything, it scared me to death.

As he eased down beside me, once again pulling me against his chest, I allowed myself to feel content.

Until he whispered words reminding me of who he was.

“I have a trip out of the country tomorrow. It won’t take long. You should finalize wedding plans. I want to make that happen as soon as I return.”

There was no sense in asking him where he was going, and I certainly didn’t want to learn what he was doing. I knew.

Someone was going to die.

* * *

Stefano

The plane ride was bumpy, the storm in New York City horrific, and by the time Cassis and I reached our destination, it was close to dark. I was pissed off, furious with the weather, and in a nasty mood. That wouldn’t fare well for the asshole senator, but why should I care about his feelings. Cassis’ early morning call the day before had solidified my decision to make the trip.

He’d found enough of the gory details regarding Victoria Chenault Starling’s gruesome murder to convince me that my instinct had been right. There was even old footage that should have won the senator an Academy Award.

Douglas Starling had been responsible for his wife’s death. The man would never get his hands dirty or allow the possibility of having his reputation sullied. But I was positive he’d hired a hitman to handle the job.

He deserved the wrath of God brought down on him but short of that, I was happy to provide a heightened level of punishment.

I’d learned that he’d retreated to his house in the Hamptons, likely given some bad press he’d received after the wedding announcement. Either that or he was keeping a distance from O’Sullivan.

Given his Barbie doll wife had yet to join him, there should be no complications. The house itself was impressive, but I hadn’t come for a scenic tour of the expensive location. As another bolt of lightning flashed in the distance, I rang the doorbell, Cassis remaining in the shadows.

The mixture of emotions as Douglas opened the door was fascinating. Annoyance. Frustration. Anger. Fear. All in a few seconds.

“Hello, Douglas. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d pay you a visit.”

“What the fuck do you want?” He peered over me, his face turning ghostly white.

“To have a long chat with you.” I slammed my fist against the door, heading inside.

He stumbled backwards, looking from right to left.

“I know you’re all alone, Douglas. That’s the way I’d prefer to have it when serious conversations are involved. Where would you prefer doing that?” As Cassis closed and locked the door, Douglas started to shake, glancing down at the weapon plainly visible in my Capo’s shoulder holster.

Swallowing, he tried to regain some self-control, turning abruptly and heading deeper into the house. I followed without another word.

He headed for a posh office, immediately retrieving the drink he’d already been indulging in. I noticed he didn’t bother to offer any refreshments. Remaining behind his desk, he had difficulty looking in my direction.

“Now, what the hell do you want from me? You already took enough. Do you know the bullshit I’m going through because of that fucking announcement?”

“Do you think I give a shit? I am curious though. How has your good buddy Michael’s reaction been?”

Snorting, another flash of anger rushed into his face. Beads of sweat rolled down both cheeks and in the dim lighting of the office lamp, I was able to tell how sallow his complexion had gotten. There was also a faded bruise surrounding his right eye. “He’s a pig.”

“But you continue to do business with him.”

“I have no other choice.”

“There are always choices, Douglas. Even if you were squeezed, you certainly could have made some better decisions. Then again, you’ve made poor ones for decades. Haven’t you?”

He took a long gulp, eyeing me carefully. When he wiped his mouth with his arm, I was repulsed. He was the pig.

“What the hell are you getting at?”

I took my time, walking around his office, studying his personal effects. “Do you know what I find interesting? You don’t have a picture of the woman you told reporters that you would find it difficult living without.” The blank look on his face infuriated me even more. “Victoria? As a matter of fact, you also don’t have a picture of your beautiful daughter. Why is that?”

“It’s none of your goddamn business!” Douglas huffed.

All I had to do was shoot a look to Cassis. He pulled out his weapon, merely holding it in both hands in front of him.

Douglas visibly shuddered. “Victoria had nothing to do with this place. She died before I purchased it.”

“You mean she was murdered. Right? From what I’ve read, the horrible assassin was never found.” I walked closer, moving around the side of the desk and crowding his space. “I honestly cannot imagine the terror your child must have gone through. Did Alexandra have nightmares, begging for her mommy? Did you have to comfort her, holding her tightly and telling her that you would protect her and that everything was going to be all right?”

I had to give him credit to a point. He didn’t try to run away, but he also didn’t have a decent answer. Perhaps he knew I’d catch him in the lie.

“No, of course you didn’t because you didn’t give a shit. Did you?” I was now within only a few inches of him. The stench of stale whiskey and cigars was overpowering.

“You asshole.”

“Yes, Douglas, I am that and so much more, but I’m not the kind of man to forsake a single member of my family, especially after I’d just had my wife murdered.” I shocked the hell out of him, even more so when I placed the barrel of my weapon under his chin.

“I didn’t do that,” he insisted, the sound more like a whine.

“I believe you did. And why? Because your wife was going to divorce you. She was sick and tired of your affairs. If she’d succeeded, you would have been cut off from all that money she had. So you took matters into your own hands. Didn’t you, Douglas? You hired an assassin, paid him good money for the kill and to disappear. My guess is that he’s living on some tropical island, basking in the sun. I will give you credit that you were very careful in how you handled the money transfers realizing that the cops would investigate all the dark secrets you might have had. Bravo.”

He was shaking almost violently at this point, his eyes glassy. “I didn’t do that. Never.”

“Did you specifically tell him to handle the job in front of your own daughter? Did you care that little for her? My God. They say I’m a monster. I’m a freaking saint in comparison to you, a horrible poor excuse for human flesh. You will rot in hell.”

“Then I guess I’ll be beside you.”

Laughing, I jammed the barrel harder into his neck. I wanted the man to feel the kind of pain Alexandra had. “Maybe so.”

“If you’re going to kill me, then go ahead.”

I thought about the option. While I’d enjoy almost more than anything seeing his blood splattered on the wall, I decided to give him a single opportunity to do the right thing. “I’m not going to kill you, Douglas. What good would that do? You should be made to suffer just like Alexandra. While I hope the guilt is killing you, I doubt a man with no honor could care less that his own daughter is scarred for life. I’m glad I took her away from your influence. You don’t deserve her.”

Hissing, I backed away, trying to keep from pulling the trigger. If I did, that would only push O’Sullivan into doing something he would come to regret, but not before many innocent lives were lost.

I moved around to the other side of his desk, slowly returning my Beretta to my jacket pocket. “I’m going to give you an opportunity to find a way to rectify the situation. You don’t deserve the position you have or the one you’re considering in the future. You’re going to step down as senator as well as withdraw your bid to run for president. Whatever else you feel necessary in order to prove to Alexandra that you do care about her, I encourage you to do. As part of your penance, you will never be able to see Alexandra again. Never. Do you understand me?”

“She’s my daughter,” he whined.

“The day you had her mother murdered, she ceased being your daughter. If you don’t follow through with my requirements, I assure you that I will be back. Next time, I won’t be as generous.”

“You don’t understand what Victoria threatened me with. I had no other choice. I begged her and she laughed at me. I couldn’t lose everything.”

His admittance didn’t give me any satisfaction, but at least I knew the truth.

He was a true monster.

I kept my stare for a full minute before turning away, taking long strides out of his office. As I headed for the door, I realized that he didn’t have the courage to go through with my requirements.

The man was a coward after all.

Cassis closed the door behind us, chuckling under his breath as we returned to the vehicle. “I think the asshole pissed in his pants.”

I shook my head. Personal messages definitely held more meaning.

As I opened the door to the rental, the single sound was something I hadn’t anticipated.

A gunshot.

Maybe the fucker wasn’t such a coward after all.

* * *

The call had been unexpected.

“I don’t like this at all, boss. How the hell did he know we were here?” Cassis asked as he peered out the windshield at the even more unusual meeting place.

A diner in the Bronx.

I rapped my fingers on the passenger door, also wondering whether we were going into a massacre. While there were people of all walks of life coming and going, when dealing with someone like O’Sullivan, you could never know exactly what action he’d take.

“He has eyes everywhere, Cassis. I would be concerned if he hadn’t learned of our arrival.”

“Do you think he’s heard about the senator’s suicide?”

“I guess we’re about to find out.” I’d left a message for Matteo, but O’Sullivan had asked to speak to me specifically. As I walked into the diner, I was surprised how large the place was. It was also bustling with activity.

As the hostess approached, a man pushed her away, beckoning us with a tilt of his head. I shot Cassis a look before following, realizing O’Sullivan had placed soldiers throughout the restaurant. He was just as concerned as I was.

As the soldier rounded the corner, I was surprised to see that the Irish kingpin was eating. He lifted his head, giving me a nod of respect then pointed to the other side of the booth. Cassis remained nearby, a snarl curling on his upper lip.

O’Sullivan continued to sop up egg yolks with a piece of toast, forcing me to watch him eat for a full minute. After wiping his mouth, he lifted his gaze. “You responsible for the senator?”

I laughed, glancing out the window. “Is that why you asked me here?”

He snorted and took a sip of coffee, the sound exaggerated. “You knew I didn’t give a shit about that man, just his connections. Now that I have them, good fucking riddance.”

I found his words interesting more than anything. If he was lying, he was a damn good actor. Whatever plan they might have developed together meant nothing to the man. He wanted full power over everything.

“Agreed, but that doesn’t answer the question. What do you want?”

Pushing his plate away, Michael stared at me for a few seconds before answering. He took his time wiping his mouth, tossing his napkin into the corner. “We’re businessmen. Both of us. We have our separate territories to rule, hell, in different countries. I’m curious as to why you continue this vendetta against me.”

Huffing, I cocked my head. “You mean other than the fact you had my father killed?”

“Business is business, something your father touted over the years. I don’t like anyone who double-crosses me. Roberto Benedetti made a deal years ago. He stayed in his lane and I stayed in mine. I allowed him to have certain business connections, a few deals made. No skin off my back. But he made a conscientious effort to begin claiming a portion of my world that he had no right to.”

My patience was wearing thin. “You seem to forget that you employed our half-brother to work against the Benedetti Empire. In doing so, you breached the same deal you had with my father.”

“William Douglas betrayed both our families,” Michael insisted. “However, Roberto was prepared to take information regarding my clients to use against us. He’d already made overtures regarding your product with people I’d done business with for years. If he’d succeeded, then my percentage would have been cut dramatically. I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

I leaned over the table, the stench of fried eggs and stale coffee assaulting my senses. “Did that come from the mouth of our traitorous half-brother, Michael? If so, then you should question everyone you consider loyal as well as your observation skills.” With both William and my father dead, I had no way of knowing the intent of the conversation they’d had over the fateful lunch before they were both gunned down. What I did know for certain was that Michael was responsible for the murders.

“I have my sources, Stefano, just like you have yours. Your father was planning on attempting a coup in a country he should have stayed away from. As I said, business is business. However, I don’t believe that either you or your brothers are prepared to enter into a war on foreign soil. You’re just not… equipped.” A sly smile crossed his face.

“What are you offering?” As if I cared.

“A truce.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning you honor the original agreement your father made and so will I. There will be no more deaths either here or in Italy. I think that’s a fair deal considering your continued anger at my organization.”

Anger. The man didn’t have any understanding of the kind of rage that continued eating at me. I remained quiet, studying him intently. What I found even more interesting was the single bead of sweat trickling down his face just past his hairline. The man was nervous, which was unusual. Matteo’s plan had put the fear of God into him. He was terrified that his daughter would be taken. I took a deep breath, expelling the hot air across his face. “What else do you want for this sordid arrangement?”

He grew uncomfortable. “You leave my daughter alone. She’s not a part of this.”

I chuckled softly, glancing out the window. Why not make him sweat? “By her birth into the O’Sullivan family, Gillian became a part of your world whether you like it or not. However, I understand about the importance of family. Still, my family needs atonement for your actions.”

A snarl crossed his face, but the concern remained locked in his eyes. “What do you want?”

His words were little more than a hiss.

“What I want is what my family already had, a direct connection to sell not only our wines and other legitimate goods but also to allow our other business operation to continue in a pass-through manner. We have clients in several countries including Canada. Certain ports are a requirement for our product to arrive safely.”

The asshole didn’t need to know whether I was being truthful or not. While we indeed service several wealthy clients in Canada, we rarely used New York as a pass-through location. We had other more profitable and safer methods. I was curious to see how far he would go.

His nostrils flared and he glanced over at one of his soldiers. A full minute passed, which pissed me off. When a second one did, I started to get up from the table.

“Wait,” he barked.

“I’m not a patient man and as far as I can tell, I’ve done you a favor by convincing the senator to do the right thing. If I were you, I’d show more gratitude.”

“You are just like your father.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Fine,” he hissed under his breath.

I sat down, folding my hands together as I stared at him. “I’m waiting.”

“Your product will be allowed through our ports without issue.” He pointed a thick finger in my face. “As long as you leave my daughter alone.”

I made him wait as long as he had with me. “Fair enough.” I leaned over once again, keeping my voice at a level that only he could hear. “However, if you fuck with me or any member of my family on any level, my brothers and I will destroy you. Is that clear?”

After a few seconds, he smiled. “You can let Matteo know that while I understand he is the new Boss of the family, he should take notice of his younger brother. You are just as ruthless as you are intelligent.”

As I rose from the table, placing my hands on the surface, I leaned close to the man’s face. He would always repulse me. “I’ll take that as another compliment, Michael. Just heed what I said and your daughter will be spared. If not, I assure you that the wrath brought down on your family will be harsh and swift. And I always keep my promises.”

I didn’t wait for his reply, nodding to Cassis then walking out.

What Michael didn’t know about me was that I was a consummate liar. I had no intent of keeping any promises made to a filthy disgusting pig.

His daughter was next.

Then the Benedetti Empire would destroy his organization.

As we left, my thoughts returned to Alexandra. Telling her about her father was necessary but would be difficult. However, I would never apologize for enabling justice to be served for a woman who hadn’t deserved the ugliness of greed. The senator’s death was a rebirth. It was also a reminder that life was precious.

I would never be exactly the man she would need, but I would be the husband she deserved. And maybe the gods would favor us with a child someday. The building of a beautiful family.

Alexandra deserved the happiness. I only prayed I wouldn’t cause her more pain.

Love wasn’t something anyone expected and for a ruthless monster like me, it was the greatest gift of all.