5. Consumed with Revenge
CHAPTER 5
CONSUMED WITH REVENGE
A ntonio
“ Cazzo, merda, porca puttana !” Every hissed curse only intensifies the burning rage as I stumble around in the darkness. The pounding bass thrumming through the woods worsens the oncoming headache, but I have no choice except to move toward the sound. I came all the way to fucking Milano, trailing after my traitorous brother and his little mafia princess in hopes of catching them off guard.
But damned Raffa, he never leaves Isabella’s side.
Not to mention the army of security he’s amassed around her. Attempting to infiltrate his defenses would be like trying to penetrate the damned Vatican in Rome.
Merda , I should have sent one of my men instead of coming myself. My trip to the city last week had proven fruitless, trailing Serena Valentino to gather intel. The only thing I’d determined was that Isabella and her cousins would be here this weekend. That and the blonde heiress was still as beautiful as I’d remembered. When she caught me following her at the rooftop bar by the Duomo, I’d been so tempted to snatch her on the spot. But that was not the plan…
If I had any hopes of this working, I had to play it smart, but it was nearly impossible to keep the emotions out and focus on the logical. No, not when this was so personal. I must have revenge at my own hands. It’s the only way to extinguish the burning hatred devouring my soul.
My vision begins to darken, and the acrid scent of smoke fills my nostrils. Squeezing my eyes closed in a vain attempt to drive back the grisly memories, I stagger forward and stumble into a tree. Leaning against the rough bark, I’m pulled into the past despite my best efforts.
Flames roar around me, a beast uncaged, devouring everything in its path. I push through the smoke, my breath ragged, my eyes stinging. The heat sears my skin, but I can't stop; not yet. I'm looking for him—my father, the man who built this empire from the ground up. The villa, our family home, is collapsing around me, timber and memories falling to ashes.
I find him in his study, the place where he made his most ruthless decisions. The flames haven't reached him yet, but it's too late. He's slumped over his desk, laying in a pool of his own blood, a still figure in the chaos. My heart clenches—relief, pain, a twisted grief that has no name. He's gone, truly gone. I reach for him, my skin blistering as I pull him into my arms, trying to feel the pulse of a heartbeat I know I won't find.
Papà is—was not a good man. Even I am not blind enough not to see it, but he was still my father. And he did not deserve this… A dark voices leeches through my muddled thoughts. Didn’t he though? After everything he did ? I grit my teeth, ignoring the traitorous musings. What he did to Raf was to teach him a lesson, much like he’s done for me. He taught me everything, how to not only survive but also thrive in this cruel world.
The fire licks at my back, greedy and unrelenting. I'm burned, my skin a map of pain, but I can't feel it—not really. It's the weight of Papà ’s stillness that crushes me. We need to get out, both of us, or be lost to the flames. I stagger toward the exit, his weight in my arms a heavy reminder of everything we've been through. The heat is unbearable, a hellfire that consumes all it touches.
I carry him out of the study, the flames engulfing the hallway. Thick smoke curls in every corner, devouring our home. My lungs are so tight I can barely breath, but I continue on, my feet moving on autopilot. I cannot see an inch beyond my nose the smoke is so dense and suffocating.
Somehow, I make it out. The cool night air hits my charred skin, a harsh contrast to the inferno behind me. I collapse, the ground hard and unforgiving, my father's body beside me. I've escaped, but at what cost? The villa is nothing but a fiery skeleton, a tomb for my father's sins and sacrifices.
And I, the son of a fallen capo, am left with the ashes of an empire, burned but not yet broken.
I blink quickly, chasing away the dark memories, the pungent odor of smoke still infiltrating my senses. Pushing myself off the trunk of the old oak, I weave through the thick copse of trees with renewed purpose. “I will have my vengeance, Papà , I swear it.”
Ahead, the strobe lights of the dance party pulse in a hypnotic rhythm. There must be hundreds of people at this damned event. I pat the gun at my hip, my finger itching to wrap around the trigger. First, I’ll kill Isabella so I can enjoy watching Raffaele break as he stands by unable to save his beloved principessa . Then I’ll put him out of his misery.
A twinge of unease streaks through my chest as vivid images of the Valentino heiresses flit through my mind. It was the first time I’d met them in person that night outside of my nightclub in Rome, when Giuseppe and I accidentally crossed paths with Raffa and his new charge. I’ve done many questionable things in my thirty-four years on this planet, but I’ve never executed an unarmed woman. Just the idea of it doesn’t sit right…
Perhaps after all these years, a sliver of Mamma ’s heart still breathes life into my dark one. Dio , the damned cancer took her from us when she was so young, when we were too young. Was it enough time to leave a lasting impression on a vulnerable, hurt boy? Her pale, gaunt face surges to the surface, and I can almost see her look of disappointment. Did I raise you like that, Tonio ? No, she didn’t get to raise me at all because the brain tumor stole her from us on my tenth birthday. The pain of the past floods in, threatening to swallow me whole.
She never would have wanted me to turn out like this. After she died, everything changed. Papà ’s restaurant couldn’t cut it anymore, and he dove deeper into debt until he borrowed from the wrong man. From there, it was a downward spiral for all of us. He never set out to create a criminal empire, and I never intended on fulfilling my role as heir but once you start down that dark path, it sucks you into oblivion. One that’s impossible to escape.
I must have my revenge. It’s the only way to survive for now, then maybe I can finally do the impossible and leave this life behind for good.
Then I hear it, the unmistakable sound of a woman moaning in pleasure.
All the dark thoughts fade back into my subconscious, to the far corners where I keep them locked up tight. My feet propel me toward the hypnotic sound. That voice… sexy and sensual, and cazzo , it has my cock leaping up in attention for the first time in months.
“Mmm, yes.”
I follow the siren’s call, my feet moving of their own accord. All thoughts of Raffaele, of his girl, of revenge fly right out of my mind. My heart slams against my chest, my cock hardening with every step closer. The moans grow louder, and I move faster. Now, only a few yards away, I see them through the encroaching darkness. A man backs a blonde against a tree. I dart behind an ancient oak, the trunk big enough to conceal my entire body. I peer around the corner, my pulse skyrocketing.
“Mmm, yes, that feels good,” she groans, head tipped back as he fondles her breast. Her hand is curled around the back of his neck, long, delicate fingers tangling in his hair. The guy’s head is in my way, obscuring her features. I only get an occasional glance of the top of her head, her mouth, her bare breast. It’s a milky white, the peaked bud a perfect rosy pink. I imagine licking it, drawing my teeth across the sensitive tip until she cries out my name.
The woman’s bottom lip is trapped between her teeth, keeping the moans at bay as the guy fingers her, or at least I assume that’s what he’s doing. I can’t quite see where his other hand is from this distance, but judging by her moans, it’s a fair assumption. I wonder what her pussy feels like. Is she wet? Tight?
Her panties fall to the ground, and I hear the unmistakable sound of a zipper being dragged down.
“Condom?” she whispers.
Fiery heat races to my dick at the sound of that voice. There’s something oddly familiar about it, but I can’t quite place it with the haze of lust blanketing all logical thought. My breaths are coming hard and fast as I imagine my own cock freed from its tight constraints.
Dio , when was the last time I had sex?
I’ve been so consumed with rage and thoughts of revenge, I ended things with my girlfriend, Stefania, right after Papà was killed. And even before that, we weren’t having sex often. My head simply wasn’t in it. I can’t even remember the last time I jacked off or even wanted to. Now I’m so fucking hard I’m certain I’ll explode if I don’t come.
Papà . My thoughts refocus for an instant. Merda , what the hell am I doing? I’m supposed to be trailing Raf, finding his girlfriend and putting an end to this. But all I can think about is that voice, the curtain of wavy blonde hair, and that pouty lip trapped between perfect white teeth.
Dio , I've never felt such an intense, instinctual pull toward a woman, especially one I've yet to meet up close.
A groan builds in my throat, the need for release overpowering all common sense. Fuck it . My hand dives beneath the waistband of my slacks, my fingers wrapping around my cock. I close my eyes and imagine those pouty pink lips on it as I start to stroke myself.
The woman’s moans are a symphony in the background, the perfect backdrop to my fantasy. I get so worked up, my shaft slick with precum, I stagger an inch, and my shoe crushes a twig beside a delicate sprig of violets. My eyes snap open, the sound reverberating across the sudden stillness. Through the inky darkness, I meet a pair of familiar blue eyes. The blonde is glancing over the guy’s shoulder, scanning the woods, and for the first time, I catch a good glimpse of her entire face.
Wavy blonde hair, the perfect bow of pink lips, lively, darting eyes…
No…
My stomach drops, and I yank my hand out of my pants.
Cazzo , Serena Valentino.