Bella (A Sagatori Family Saga a Mafia Romance Book 4)

This book is work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental

Copyright © 2016 Kimberly Blalock

Bella vol.4

A Sagatori family saga by Kimberly Blalock

All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without permission of the publisher or author constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from this book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at

[email protected]

Thank you for your support of the author’s rights

Piracy is not a victimless crime

FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, in investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Cover art created by Edge Author Services

Copy and Line Editing: Silla Webb at Alpha Queens Book Obsession

Interior Design/formatting: Silla Webb

More Books by Kimberly

A Sagatori family saga

Bella Vol.1

Bella Vol.2

Bella Vol.3

Chase Releasing May

Bella Vol.5 Releasing May

The Angel Trilogy

His Angel Book 1

My Demons Book 2

Our Sins Book 3

Limits A standalone Angel Novel Releasing October

Dirty- A Standalone Novel Releasing September

This book is dedicated to my beautiful children.

Bella

The window fogged over from the rain as the water streamed the glass.

“Bella, do you hear what I’m saying to you?” I could hear Chase asking me questions, talking at me and not to me. I wanted to rip his freaking throat out.

My fists clenched then I snapped my head into his direction. “I’m not taking him off of life support... now or ever. My fingers laced with Jax’s. My grip tightened and my jaw clenched.

Jax had been lying in the hospital bed for one week. He hadn’t woken up or fluttered his eyes no matter how many times I’d begged or prayed for him to do so. The bruises on his face and body were turning into a dulled black. The bullet wounds were mostly healing, the doctors said, but they were still horrible to look at.

I hadn’t left Jax’s side since he’d been here, and I hadn’t planned to leave as long as he was here. He’d get better; he had to. My family depended on him coming back from this. So I’d wait right next to him, holding his hand and praying every minute of every day until his eyes opened.

I knew that Chase was trying to do the right thing, but that was only the right thing for him. For me, the right thing was protecting Jax and our baby until he was able to do it himself.

Chase and his mother argued in the hallway. She, of course, didn’t want me to take Jax off of life support, but Chase said he’d never want to be seen like this. He said that Jax had made him swear a blood oath that he would do what needed to be done if something like this ever happened. I hadn’t shared with anyone that I, in fact, was pregnant. Jax and I would tell them together.
Soon
. I was hopeful because hope was all that I had.

I stood, released my hand from Jax’s, and stepped toward the door. Mrs. Moretti and Chase’s eyes pinned me. I drew in a deep breath. “Jax doesn’t need to hear that you’ve given up on him, Chase.” I stood tall while my hand clutched the door for support. “Do not mention this again in our presence. Jax needs everyone to be strong for him now more than ever, and if you can’t do that.” Mr. Moretti, Sal, Tony, and Emily also stood just outside the door with their eyes on me. I drew in another deep breath, this time for courage because I wasn’t sure I actually believed the words that came from my own lips. “Then I want you to leave and never come back. That goes for each and every one of you.”

“Of course, Bella, of course. My Jax is strong, very strong and he will heal soon.” Jax’s mother had stepped forward. She was a very nice woman, but we hadn’t gotten close. Her boys were mammoni. She was a dedicated wife and mother I’d thought. She seemed to lack the power to overrule the men in her life. I’d never let that happen to myself. I’d always stand up to anyone for the things I believed in.

“Bella, you can’t let him lay there like this. He wouldn’t want that.”

I crossed my arms. “
I
am his wife, Chase, and I’ll do as I see fit and you’d be wise to remember that.” I turned, trying to hide nausea that had been building and the vomit that lurked in the back of my throat.

“He’s my brother, Bella! I’m blood, and I know what he’d want.”

I didn’t know if I was nervous when my heart pounded in my chest or if I was angry, but either way, I was not going to let him continue to belittle my status as Jax’s wife. I’d put an end to that behavior.

I held the doorframe as I turned back into his direction holding the vomit back. I swallowed and spoke, “I am Jax’s wife. I’ll be respected as such.” I held my ground, knowing as a woman in this life it meant that speaking my mind would certainly get me into some sort of trouble, but I had never let that stop me in the past and the future was no different. I held my ground meeting his glower.

“Chase,” Mrs. Moretti held her arm out as Chase stepped closer to me. Anger flashed in his eyes.
Was he going to hit me?
“Time to go. Isabella, you call with any changes.” She walked forward and lifted her arms to hug me. “Your so brave, Bella, so much braver than I ever was,” she whispered. I had to admit, I didn’t feel brave, but hearing that from her did give me the courage I needed to keep moving forward even when I wanted to curl up with Jax and die with him.

I didn’t waste my breath or energy with any further look at Chase or the rest of the people that had given up on Jax. I didn’t want anything to do with anyone that didn’t believe in him the way that I did.

***

The next few days were cold. That’s the way I’ll always remember them cold. I suppose it was the hospital, but the color is what stuck out to me the most. A pale gray. Rain had been constant over the time we’d been in Chicago Memorial. Cold, gray, and wet; it just felt cold. The beginning of summer had arrived, and yet no matter how many flowers bloomed all I could feel was cold. All I could see was the color gray.

I had been getting sick nearly every morning except for today. Today I had been sick
all day
. I’d paced the hospital room waiting for Tony to call with news he’d caught that bastard, Orlov. I knew Tony didn’t want me having anything to do with this, but it wasn’t his call. If he didn’t deliver that bastard to me, he would soon find out what crossing me would lead to. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Tony as if he was blood, but I wasn’t playing around. I wanted revenge. I wanted to drink it like a tall glass of warm blood. I wanted to feel its slippery consistency drip from my fingertips.

I’d been sleeping in a recliner when I hadn’t been laying my head on Jax’s pillow at night. It was uncomfortable, but I don’t think I noticed really. My eyes watched Jax’s waiting for him to wake up. When I was alone, I’d sneak into the bathroom and turn on the water in the sink, and I would cry and then cry some more. I’d decided long ago I’d never let my weakness show, and I damn sure hadn’t been ready to start.

Only a hand full of people knew Jax had been in the hospital for the last week. Most thought we were on our honeymoon somewhere exotic thanks to some gossip that had been spread by my dear friend Emily. Holy hell she could get the word out fast, but now I’d have to figure out what to do for the long haul. If anyone knew that Jax was in the hospital, the Underboss would take over. When Sal and Tony had been around, I’d asked them what would happen in the future. They looked at each other and said they really didn’t know since nothing like this had ever happened. I knew right then and there that no one could find out.

I made a decision that day; a decision that my family wouldn’t be happy with. Hell, they’d fight me all the way, but I’d win.

Bella

Two weeks later…

My neck was stiff and my body felt like it had been twisted into a million tiny knots. I’d been sleeping in the chair next to Jax’s hospital bed. He’d been having difficult nights caused from his gunshot wounds. His lungs weren’t working the way they were supposed to be. The machines were beeping from his low oxygen; the nurse kept calling them alarms or something. Anyway, I hadn’t slept well in a while but that didn’t matter when it came right down to it. I was blessed I had my life and my baby was growing inside my belly. Jax on the other hand—well, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

Mrs. Moretti arrived every day at ten sharp. She’d walk in wearing all black carrying her large bag. She’d set it down and stare at me. Ugh… it drove me insane. I wanted to tell her that her son was going to be okay. I did every chance I got, but I knew she didn’t believe me. The look in her eyes was doubtful at best.

“Have you eaten?” she asked.

I shrugged into the chair my body sat numbly inside of. I leaned toward Jax and swept his hand into mine. “I’ll eat something in a while.”

Mrs. Moretti took tiny steps towards me. Short dark hair with curls clung to her ears as she leaned over me. “Bella, the baby needs food. You must take care of yourself.”

My eyes pinned to Jax. I was upset that someone knew my secret and knew before Jax was able to find out. I think that hurt more than anything. My heart beat fast in my chest waiting to see what else she would say. When she didn’t speak, I turned towards her. She held her hands in front of her stomach as she waited for me to speak.

“Bella, I’ve watched you sit here every day. You never leave this room, and I know that you haven’t eaten very much in the last few weeks.”

“Emily and Alessandra bring food for me to eat every day.” I felt myself fading from exhaustion and hunger. I knew she was right. “Will you call me if something happens?”

“Of course,” she smiled.

I nodded then stood. “I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

“Take your time, Bella. I’ll take good care of him.” Her eyes fell to her son. She watched him with such devotion, and for a moment, I felt that leaving him with his mother would be alright. She’d been right; I knew it, she knew it. I just didn’t want to leave the only family that I had left in this whole world, alone.

I opened the hospital room door seeing Tony sitting in the chair across the hall. His eyes lifted to mine. His facial expression was one of surprise. Maybe it was because I hadn’t left this room the entire time Jax had been here. His hospital room was equipped with everything that I’d needed, a chair for sleeping, a bathroom for showering, and my husband.

Tony stood as I closed the door behind me. “Where are you going? Is something wrong?” He hurried toward me.

I shook my head. “No, I’m being sent for food.” I lifted my brows.

“You can’t go by yourself, Bella. Wait twenty minutes for Sal to get here, and I’ll go with you.”

I nodded again. “No, I’ll be fine. I’ll be there and back before twenty minutes’ pass. Besides, I’m only going downstairs to the cafeteria.” I held my arm to my chest checking the time.

“You sure?”

“Yes, you can’t leave Jax. I’ll be fine.” I waved, looking over my shoulder as I walked away. Honestly, I was safer than anyone had known. Alessandra had gone through Jax and my closet to retrieve a weapon I’d requested she bring me. A specific weapon: my father’s Colt 45. I’d planned to use this very gun that sat safely tucked inside my bag to get revenge.

My eyes wandered along the walls of the long hallway, it was a cool shade of blue. I would surely never like the color blue again. I approached the elevator bank and lifted my finger to the down arrow. The doors opened a few seconds later with a tall man dressed in a T-shirt and jeans finished with a brown leather jacket. He stood against the back wall. I smiled a half smile, entered, and slid to the outer wall of the elevator, pressing the button of the floor that I’d needed.

“Nice day,” his deep, Russian accent didn’t go unnoticed.

A chill ran down my spine. I was scared for a moment. I’d heard this accent before. I lifted my eyes to the tall man. “It’s a shitty rainy day.”

“Indeed.” His large forehead squeezed at the wrinkles above his brow, and his eyes set into a glower.

I wasn’t here for pleasantries. If he was with the Russians I was looking for, he wouldn’t see the meek girl that once resided inside this body. He’d see the fierce woman I’d become. He’d see Bella Moretti, the woman he’d better fear.

The elevator doors opened to reveal the ground floor. I stepped out without another word. My pulse raced and my nerves went crazy with anxiety. I had to admit that I’d wanted to kill that man just because of his accent alone. What sort of person did that make me? I’d do it too. Shoot him, watch as the blood pooled around his casually dressed body.

I drew in a deep breath and shook my head attempting to escape the sickened thoughts. I attempted to change those thoughts. But questions swung in leaving me nowhere to run.
What would the next month hold? Would it always be this way?

I gripped my bag tight against my chest as I drew in a deep breath. I didn’t feel scared, not really. Knowing that I had a gun in my bag made me feel safer than it should have.

Footsteps squished against the white tile floor from behind me. The sounds became louder and louder as my own footsteps quickened. Paranoia perhaps. I had many great reasons to be paranoid if I had anything to say about it. I did, I had a ton to say about it.

“Bella,” a breathless voice spoke. A hand pressed atop my shoulder. Prickles poked in cold sheets across my flesh. My hair stood on end at the nape of my neck, my long hair hiding any evidence of the chill that I’d gotten. I’d stilled my steps and slipped my hand inside of my bag. My fingers gripped the cold black metal stock, and I closed my eyes. “Bella?”

My body shifted recognizing the voice as Emily’s. My heart took another crashing bang against my chest. “Shit!” I nearly collapsed from the rush of adrenaline, but I didn’t. Instead, I pulled a smile to my cold, tightened, pale cheeks and drew in a calculated breath. Smooth and deep air rushed into my lungs and filled me with calm. Calm hadn’t been something I’d felt for a while. Even before the attempted murder of my husband, I hadn’t known calm. Not really. Not since the night Sam had taken me from the bar all those months ago.

“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” Emily gasped, her smile folding downward.

A shuffled rustle sounded in the hallway. A giggle then footsteps followed. Several children rushed by without excusing themselves as they passed. I froze watching the little children with bouncy hair and rosy strawberry cheeks laugh and chase each other.

“I’m so sorry,” a woman said from behind Emily. Her stomach was visible before she’d been. It was large and rounded from pregnancy. She wobbled past as she chased her anxious playful children.

“No problem.” Emily pushed me gently along the wall of the narrow hallway. “You okay?” She shook my shoulders lightly.

I nodded when I recognized the worry on her face. My brows furrowed as I camouflaged the undeniable frozen state I’d found myself in. My hand still gripped the stock of the gun. “I’m fine,” I muttered. My fingertips released from the cold metal and slipped from my bag. “You startled me, I’m fine.” Another camouflaged smile painted over my face.

I supposed I’d been shaken because of the man in the elevator, or maybe it was the weakness that every woman held onto. Weak was just how the men in the famiglia saw us. That’s what they told us from the day we’d been born. The men would take care of us and make us what we were. So they said. I’d need to get that backbone I always portrayed to have. Because that bullshit they spit at us about being weak was just that, bullshit. I sucked in the apprehension and exuded a shiny golden armor. My gaze roamed the hallway searching for the sign that would lead me to the cafeteria. “Come on.” I nodded my head towards the sign.

“I’m starving, but wouldn’t you rather have something else.” Emily’s face curled with disgust.

I shook my head as I lifted my foot into the direction I’d been headed previously. “No, I’m just gonna grab something and head back upstairs,” I told her. Without another look, we turned right and followed the hallway.

An open cafeteria presented itself as we entered, and a wraparound walkway showed off the different cuisines they offered.

“You doing okay?” she asked while she clung to my arm.

My eyes slid to hers, and I offered a heartfelt smile. It was a lie. A dark, dark lie. “I’m as to be expected, I suppose,” I whispered while my eyes roamed the area. I was the only one to reach for a tray. I mindlessly took a salad wrapped with cellophane and a piece of cake as my meal. A little sugar was needed.

“Yeah, I’m surprised he hasn’t woken up, though,” she said under her breath. My eyes narrowed. I had been very up front and demanded that only positivity would be tolerated. Emily was about to cross that line with me. “But I’m certain it will be any day,” she countered with a quick smirk.

I slipped the attendant my debit card to pay for my food and exited to the walkway. I had intended to pay and get back upstairs in record time, but I was already behind.

“Let’s sit, Bella,” Emily insisted with the tug of my arm.

I quickly nodded. “No, no. I promised I’d come right back.”

“Seriously? It’s alright for you to be away. He’s going to be okay without you for a few minutes. It’s you that I’m worried about.” Her brows furrowed. “With everything that’s happened, we’ve barely spoken.”

“We talk every day.” I knew she was right, but I had things on my mind. Things I didn’t want her to know. She didn’t need to know, either; that only put her in senseless danger.

“Five minutes,” she pleaded through her round caramel eyes.

My eyes sought the direction of the exit as I held a large red food tray.

“He’s fine. Five minutes to chill with your best friend isn’t gonna hurt anything.” She tugged my arm.

I contemplated leaving, but in the end, I needed a few moments with Emily. She was one person I trusted more than anything in this world and that was a welcomed reprieve at the moment. “Five minutes,” I challenged, my face masked one of seriousness.

“Deal.”

We found a small table in the corner away from those that entered for lunchtime.

“Oh, this looks good.” Emily dragged the cake-filled plate from my tray. I’d been looking forward to eating that carrot cake and had been craving it for a few days.

“Sorry, not sharing the goodies,” I laughed, shrugging when she seemed surprised. I wasn’t sorry.

“I heard Tony talking to Sal when I got to the hospital room.” She lowered her head at the table as she whispered. I watched her, waiting for the gossip to spill. “Give me a bite and I’ll tell.” her right brow lifted.

“Blackmail doesn’t suit you,” I disputed. Emily’s face drew into a smile. “Fine.” I pushed the cake forward.

She took her sweet time getting to the point before shoving a bite of white frosting between her pink-painted lips. My eyes pinned hers while she relished in the frosting. “What?”

“Get to it,”

“Geez, okay. I heard Tony talking about some guy…I didn’t catch the name but…” her brows raised and head tilted.

“What?” I asked anxiously.

“It sounded like they were planning revenge for something.” She shrugged and slipped another finger full of icing in her mouth.

“Not so loud,” I hushed her. “Do you think it had to do with Jax?”

“Not sure.” Her eyes wondered around the area. “Probably was though, right?”

What else could it have been about? “Did you hear anything else?”

“No, Alessandra came up from behind and scared the shit out of me.” Emily’s hand went for the salad.

“Really?”

“What? I’m starving.”

“Ugh!” I shoved the salad at her.

I’d have a conversation with Tony and Sal when we were alone. I’d been asking if there was anything new, and
of course,
they were lying to me. No one was taking me seriously. I was a woman; why would they take me seriously?

The standards women had to live up to if they wanted to be taken seriously was ridiculous and even then it wasn’t like it would actually happen. I felt like I’d been in a box then or maybe a locked closet. I was frustrated and angry.