25. Pledge To Me
25
PLEDGE TO ME
TYLER
Ian’s scowl deepened as I informed him of my plans to meet with the Mussolini’s. I had a strategy in place, one that required secrecy and caution. Normally, I wouldn’t keep important information from him, but it was crucial for our safety and future.
After giving Giovanna one last kiss and sending her back to the safety of Ian and Jenna’s house with an escort, I gathered Ian and Sean to discuss my plan to invite the Mussolini’s to the bar. It was a bold move, asserting our dominance on our own turf, but I also wanted to avoid our warehouses for now. Though they weren’t thrilled about it, they agreed.
My former assistant provided me with the current acting boss’s contact number, and I sent him a text.
I’m waiting at The Green Knight with my two families. You and your men have an hour to get here before I leave. I won’t agree to another meeting.
While we waited for their arrival, I paced around the spacious bar area, my mind racing with thoughts. What did they want? Was I setting my family up for an ambush, and would I fail before I’d even been boss for a full twenty-four hours?
I did my best to push those intrusive thoughts out of my mind, focusing instead on checking my watch and noting the time. Ian and Luke lurked in a corner, flanked by Nico and Ice Man, who were glaring at me with lethal eyes. Across the room, Giovanna’s three brothers slouched at a table, their body language exuding boredom and indifference.
Luca spun a flashy cigarette lighter absently on the surface while Enzo took in the bar’s décor. Carmine’s jaw clenched tightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. Angelo and Frankie stood nearby, watching my every move, while the capos remained posted by the doors and windows in case of a set up.
Thirty-seven minutes later, Bruno’s heavy footsteps echoed through the bar as he pulled open the door with a loud creak. The dimly lit area was suddenly filled with the presence of three sharply dressed men, their tailored suits and polished shoes catching the light. Bruno quickly shut and locked the door behind them, while several other men in the bar approached to pat them down.
“We’re not armed,” the one I knew as Gino Jr., said.
He was the estranged son of the man my father had killed during surgery. Up until recently, I hadn’t even known of his existence. His curly black hair and dark eyes gave him an intimidating appearance, despite being slightly shorter than me. As he stood before me, I could see that his eyes were actually a deep brown, reflecting the dull lighting of the bar. He wasn’t particularly muscular, but there was a sense of danger in the way he carried himself.
The two men flanking him were shorter and stockier, their lighter hair adding contrast to their dark suits. My two families tensed up, ready for any sign of trouble. Once the pat-down was complete, the three men came to a stop in front of me. I brought my hands out of my pockets and crossed my arms over my chest as I glared at them.
With a raised eyebrow, I noted, “You arrived earlier than expected.”
Gino’s voice carried the faintest hint of humor as he replied, “We were in the neighborhood.”
I remained stoic, my expression giving nothing away. Ian came to stand by my side, mirroring my stance and demeanor. “Who are your friends?” I asked.
Glancing over his shoulder, Gino gestured with his thumb. “This is Tommy.” Then he pointed over his other shoulder. “And this is his fraternal twin, Tony.” He let his arms fall to his sides, a slight twitch in his eye belying any composure he may have been trying to maintain. “We had someone reach out to you since you used to assist my family with legal matters. You’re the only one we knew we could trust.”
“Get to the point,” Ian growled impatiently.
Gino took a deep breath and continued, “Well, you’ve taken out almost my entire bloodline, and not many of us remain, to be honest. And now we don’t know who’s in charge of the Aggio Crime Family anymore.” He glanced behind me nervously, asking, “Angelo? Frankie? Who’s taken over the family?” Then, he brought his gaze back to mine.
“I have,” I replied stoically, keeping my emotions and intentions hidden from Gino’s curious eyes.
All three of them turned their heads sharply toward me, their piercing gazes locking onto mine. Gino’s eyes widened in surprise as he took in my words.
“Well, this is just perfect then,” he said with a hint of sarcasm. “You’re directly involved in our generational war.”
“Like my brother-in-law said,” I cut him off abruptly, not wanting to waste any time on pleasantries. “Get to the point.”
He waved his hand lazily. “Anyway, we’re kind of done with it all. We don’t understand the past or care. We just want peace as much as you guys do for all of our children. We all inherited this war, and up until recently, I wasn’t even sure why my family was fighting it. I’ve been living overseas in Japan with my wife and our kids.”
“Are they still over there?” I asked.
He nodded once. “They are, and they plan to come here as soon as we end this feud.”
My eyes flicked to Ian beside me and back to Gino. I could practically feel the anger radiating off Ian in waves. My plan was falling into place even more perfectly than I had anticipated. They were practically handing us the solution without me having to lift a finger.
“If you are indeed the true boss of the family now, it must mean that you’ve married in, and I’m guessing you married Giovanna.”
“Our relationship is no concern of yours,” I replied harshly, “but if you are determined to stop this war, then you’re gonna have to pledge your entire family to me. That means that what I say goes. There’s no longer a leader in the Mussolini family. Your family no longer exists, and I’m your only leader.”
“What’s the catch?” he asked.
“There’s no catch. But understand that if I find any of you slipping or any Mussolini family coming out of the woodwork, getting near either of my families, I’ll personally take out every single one of you including your wife and children. Am I clear?” I’d never harm women and children, but he didn’t need to know that.
Nodding, he swallowed hard. “Whatever it takes to end this.”
I glimpsed Ian, who wasn’t buying any of it. “Excuse us for a minute,” I said, turning to him. “Can I speak to you in private for just a second?”
Without a word, he led us to the back of the bar, taking a right into the men’s bathroom. He backed me against the wall, jabbing a finger into my chest. “What the fuck are you doing out there?”
“I need you to trust me and I don’t need you to ask questions. I promise, I know what I’m doing.”
Gnawing the inside of his cheek, he shook his head with his hands on his hips before bringing his gaze back to mine, wagging a finger at me. “I hope you do know what you’re doing because if you fuck up, you just signed a death wish.”
“I don’t believe for a second these guys want to be on our side,” I admitted, “but I’m going to make sure I can keep an eye on them.”
“Fine,” he replied reluctantly, “but if you think for one second, I’m okay with this?—”
“Bro,” I exhaled, “I’m not okay with it either, but I have a plan.”
With a single nod, he snatched the door open, allowing me out first. Together, we marched back over to the three Mussolini men. I slid my hands into my pockets. “How many guys are left in your family?”
“Twenty-two and the three of us,” Gino replied, “I just welcomed in seven more, but I’ve made it clear, we’re done with you guys and I’m working on a treaty with you. None of these people want to fight you guys anyway. That was all my uncles and cousins.”
“You’re Roman’s brother,” I stated when the relationship finally clicked. I’d been so distracted, I forgot all about Roman until now.
He nodded. “But he and I never got along.”
I clenched my fists and dug my nails into my palms, the memory of Roman’s brutal attack on my sister still fresh in my mind all over again. The raw anger that had consumed me from that day forward bubbled up once again, threatening to break through the surface. But I forced it down, hiding it behind a facade of nonchalance as I withdrew my hands from my pockets.
My jaw tightened as I fought back the urge to lash out, reminding myself that I was only ever trying to protect her when I hurt her badly too. Even though she understood after everything came to light, I still sometimes blamed myself for her pain during that time. With a deep breath, I forced a menacing grin onto my face and extended an open hand toward Gino, hoping he couldn’t see the turmoil raging within me.
With a look of relief, he reached out, shaking my hand. “Whatever you need from us, we got your back.”
“You better,” I muttered. Taking out my phone, I pulled out the calendar. “We have a fight to attend this weekend, and I’d love it if you attend, at my side.” Ian became rigid beside me, but I continued, “The Russians will be there too, and it’s my understanding they framed your family for what happened to my brother-in-law back there?” I lifted my chin at Luca. “Do you have proof?”
“Yeah,” he replied, “can I reach for my phone?”
I dipped my head.
Digging in his pocket, he took it out, scrolled and tapped on it for a minute, then handed it to me. “Feel free to play the videos and scroll through as needed.”
Ian stepped over closely, peering over while I scrolled through countless videos and photos of the Russians in the area around the time of the attack.
“The guys you see taking him are hired.” He held his hand out. “May I?”
I handed him his phone back, and he tapped and scrolled a few more times before a recording started. Incoherent Russian could be heard before Ivan spoke English.
I’ve told you the plan. I’m not telling you again after this. Call in a threat to the stadium. Get the show cancelled, and we’ll get their father to the club. We have a guy who can do the accents and get a perfect mimic.
You framing Vito?
Of course we are, Ivan replied . Giovanna is my sister’s prize, and she left us for the club in Boston so we’re taking her back one way or another and we’re starting with eliminating her father. Who exactly are the Irish at war with again?
The Mussolini family.
Right. We can frame them all and have Ian take out her father. If it all goes according to plan, they’ll never know what hit them, and they’ll start fighting each other. That’s when we come in and strike, ruining all their families at once.
Got it. I’ll send over more info in the morning.
The line went dead.
“Shit,” Ian and I murmured together. “Who’s the other guy, and how’d you get this recording?” I asked.
“We thought they might be trying to frame us when they were watching us, so I had some guys following them too. One of them bugged Ivan’s phone and car while he was getting gas. The car was a rental, so that did us no good after he returned it but while he was inside getting food, we were able to tag his phone.”
“Do you have more recordings?” I replied.
“I do and can send them over.”
“Angelo?” I called out over my shoulder, and he appeared at my side.
“Yeah, boss?”
“Do we have any kind of microchips in our possession?”
“Not currently, but I can get some.”
“Hmm,” I stroked my short beard, “put a microchip inside every one of them. I want tabs on them at all times.”
The three Italian men in front of me lifted their brows in surprise.
“Do you want to protest?” I asked, though I didn’t give a shit if they did or not.
Gino shook his head. “N-no, but it might take a m-minute to get all the men gathered.
“Angelo?” I said again.
“Yeah, boss?”
“I want them all microchipped by Thursday night, or I want them all killed.”
“On it, boss.” He slipped his phone from his pocket, typing on it as he strode back over to Frankie. “Oh, and Luca?” I called over my shoulder.
“What’s up?”
“Get those bodies sent out as soon as possible,” I said, narrowing my gaze on Gino, “we might need more room if he doesn’t comply.”
He chuckled.
Gino gasped. “I’m literally on your side, man. I came to you in hopes of a truce.”
“A truce is earned,” I retorted.
After picking up Giovanna and the kids from Ian and Jenna’s, we arrived back at my house. She helped me get Naya tucked in while the boys put themselves to bed. When she finished showing Luca to the third-floor guest room, she appeared back in my bedroom, closing the door softly behind her.
Taking her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my lips to hers. “I missed you tonight.”
“I missed you too,” she said, standing on her toes and kissing me again. “Now that we’re alone, can you spill the deets?”
I chuckled softly. “Is that allowed?”
She rolled her eyes, teasing, “I was going to be the boss, but someone stole my job.”
Backing her over to the bed, I took my gun and holster from my back, laying them on the nightstand, untied my tie, and unbuttoned my shirt. Her chest rose and fell as she watched me. The minute my shirt was opened, she pressed her nails into the ripples of my muscular abs, scratching down to my belt buckle.
She unfastened my belt and slacks, pushing them down with my boxer briefs, freeing my erect cock. I now understood when Ian and Luke said violence turned them on. It always turned me on too, but I forced those feelings away since Mila was never into it. Now, I could be myself.
With a firm grip on her hair, I pulled her head to the side and spit into her waiting mouth before pressing her face against my cock. With one hand cupping my balls, she took me all the way into her throat, eliciting a deep groan from me. Her skilled tongue worked its magic, licking underneath and driving me wild.
Moaning, I held her head in place, refusing to let her make me cum that instant, but her talent was flawless, and everything about her turned me on. Once I gathered all my strength not to let her control the moment, I used her hair, gripping it tightly while fucking her face. She gagged, holding the base of my cock and massaging my balls again.
I jerked her head away, and she gasped for air, drool pooling beneath her mouth. Tugging her off the bed, I held her hand, leading her over to the chair in front of the fireplace. The same chair, I jerked off in, picturing her not that long ago.
Taking my phone from my pocket, I brought up my music app, pressing play on the song she performed to the night she auditioned. “Do what you do best, princess.”
She smiled, biting her bottom lip, as she immediately fell into her role as a dancer. Reaching out her hand, I took hers into mine. “Can we put a pole in here?” she asked angelically while swaying seductively to the song.
“We can do whatever you want to do. This is our room now.”
Slowly, she crossed her arms over the bottom of her shirt, slipping it over her head as she shook her rear, tossing it back over her head. Moving her hips in a figure eight, she shimmied out of her bottoms, leaving herself in the dry bikini she’d pranced around my family’s house earlier in.
Running her hands through her hair, she bent over, giving me a perfect view of her backside as she teased removing her bottoms. Instead, she stood, tugging on the string around her neck. The top fell forward, revealing her perfectly round, flawless breasts.
She ran her fingers around them, her enormous engagement ring shimmering in the dim lighting from the bedside table lamps on the other side of the room. “Do you love my tits?”
“I can’t get enough of them,” I replied as she finished untying the string around her back, letting it fall to the floor next to her.
“What about my ass?” She twisted around, bending over in front of me with her backside in my face.
Reaching out, I gripped her rear in both palms, running my fingers around her soft skin. I took her hands in mine, guiding them to the strings, and we pulled them together, freeing the fabric from her body.
It dropped between her legs, and she spun around. Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to her toned stomach, and she tensed up. Lifting my gaze to hers, I peered into her eyes as I held her against me firmly while I continued kissing her stomach and hips. I ran my fingers along the tattoo from her knee, up the side of her thigh, to her upper ribs before trailing them back down again, coming to a stop between her legs.
“Spread,” I ordered. She parted them enough for me to get my hand between them. I slipped my fingers between her pussy lips, feeling just how wet she was for me. “Don’t stop dancing.”
Moving her hips on my fingers, she held onto my shoulders, closing her eyes as she whimpered. One by one, I slid them all inside her. She moaned louder as she moved her hips, her pussy stretching wide as I finally worked my entire fist into her. Peering down at me, she panted loudly, and her walls tightened around my fist and wrist.
“Good girl,” I praised her.
She let out a loud guttural moan and sprayed my arm, digging her nails into my shoulders. I pulled my hand out of her, massaging her clit hard while fingering her. She continued to squirt before I pulled away entirely. Staring down at me, she smiled.
“Please, fuck me, Daddy,” she whined, and my eyes widened at the new nickname. “Oh God, I’m so sorry for th?—”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” I growled, unaware how much that would turn me on until now. Wrenching my tie from around my collar, I held it up. “Princess, give me your wrists.”
Peering down at me with innocent eyes, she smiled, holding her wrists out together. “Yes, sir.”
I wrapped each of them tightly enough to secure them together. Leaning over, I licked between her drenched slit. She put her bound wrists around my neck as I pulled her onto my lap.
“Ride my cock,” I ordered, holding it up under her, and she sank down on it all the way.
Grasping her hips while I pressed myself up, she slammed down on me over and over, then rocked back and forth. “You feel so fucking good, Daddy,” she cried, trying the name out again.
“Your little cunt is so tight, I’m about to cum, princess.”
“Fill me up, please,” she whined, riding me harder and faster as I guided her speed. “I want to feel your hot cum shooting inside me. I want you dripping out of me tonight as we sleep.”
Unable to hold back any longer, I pulled her to my body. Pressing my lips to her neck, I sucked hard as I spilled every drop of my cum deep inside her while she screamed in my ear, riding the waves of her own ecstasy as we exhausted ourselves together.