Bella (A Sagatori Family Saga a Mafia Romance Book 4) (5 page)

“No, of course not. I’m saying I want to take my husband’s place while he’s recuperating. I want to take my place as head of the Sagatori family.”

Falcone choked on the cognac he’d just taken a drink of. “What the fuck? Lady, you’re crazy.” His hands pressed flat on the table.

“I’m so much crazier than you could possibly imagine.”

“Hormones and all that shit.”

“What?”

“Women have too many fucking hormones.” I nearly lost my lunch thinking he knew I was pregnant.

“Yeah, well,” I said gulping down the anxious tone in my voice.

“Why are you here?” His tone was that of an impatient man.

“Mr. Falcone, I need the men in my family to know that you endorse me as the boss.

He took another long drink of the cognac and slammed his glass on the table. “You want me to endorse a woman as head of the Sagatori family?” His stare was harsh.

I nodded. “Yes, I need them to see it’s in their best interest to agree.”              

“You’re fucking crazier than I thought. Why the hell would it be in their best interest?” He sat back in his chair with narrowed eyes that pinned me. “You taking your husband’s position as the boss is not only not gonna happen but it’s an insult to his name. You’ll dishonor everything that he’s worked to accomplish since he’s been the boss. Is that what you want? You want to make your husband a pussy? ‘Cause if you wanna ensure a death ticket, you’re doing a bang up fucking job. Get out of my office.” He stood shoving his hands into his pockets swiftly.

If Falcone didn’t endorse me then this would be over. The men in the famiglia would fight me all the way, and then they’d take over leaving Jax with nothing. I stood while my legs vibrated from the cold metal chair. “Sit down, Mr. Falcone.” My voice was firm and demanding.  I wasn’t leaving until he heard me out completely.

“Princess, who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” His large body rounded the table. “Your first mistake-” his hand gripped the back of my neck as he stood only a foot away from me, “-was coming into my office-“ his face curled into a rage as he continued to erupt, “-your second was barking orders at me.” He sucked in a deep breath as he finally released my neck. “Get the fuck out of my office.”

I wouldn’t apologize to him for demanding his obedience but now I was without his help. Help I knew he wouldn’t give me anyway. I rounded the chair watching him. His eyes narrowed and his top lip curled upward. I shook my head.

“Women scare you men. The power that we have over you is actually amusing. You run and cowardice when you suspect a woman could do what you do. That’s what you are; you’re a coward. Every fucking one of you.” He watched me but didn’t speak further. I swung open the door hearing it slam against the wall inside the room. Without another word or look, I left the same way I’d entered with rage in every step I took. These men
were
scared of women in every way.

Tony held the door as we stepped out into the bright Tuesday afternoon. “I’m guessing that shit didn’t go as planned?”

I didn’t respond.

Once we were inside the limo I took a deep breath. I’d been holding onto my fear since the plane had landed and it was time to let it go.

“Not go as planned?” Sal asked. I was surprised because Sal was the quiet one, he barely spoke and when he did it was because he had something to say.

“Not even close.” I watched out the window.

“Honestly, this whole plan was a waste of time,” Sal said. He’d not said one thing about this at all until now.

I turned facing him and questioned, “Why?” I wrinkled my brow curious to hear what he had to say.

He shook his head. “You don’t need anyone’s permission, Bella; you have to
take
what you want.”

“You’re saying I need to go in and just take it, just like that?” I snapped my fingers.

“Yeah, just like that. That’s what the others will do.” He laughed, “Men tell women they aren’t good enough because they’re intimidated by them, simple as that. Make them beg for their lives. Do what we would do, only do it better.”

I nodded, “Yes.” I agreed with Sal, he was a smart guy and I’d be wise to listen to every word he said.

“Did you see how fucking big Falcone was? Holy shit, I couldn’t believe how big he was. I’m not gonna lie, Bella, you
were
a boss in there,” Tony laughed. “Humpty and Dumpty, I almost pissed my pants when I saw their faces.”

Everyone laughed.

Eventually, the laughter was replaced by deafening silence. I slept most of the flight home. I was pregnant and tired so it was easy to forget that I once again was inside of a death trap. Tomorrow I’d do what needed to be done.

Jax

My eyes were blurry and made focusing very difficult. My mouth was very dry, and my arms wouldn’t move the way I wanted them to.

“Isabella,” my voice was barely a cracked whisper.

“Jax.” Alessandra came into view as my eyes began to focus.

“Where’s Bella?”

“She’s on her way. She’ll be here soon.”

I blinked rapidly adjusting my position against the thick pillows. “What happened?”

“You were hurt very badly; Isabella has been taking wonderful care of you.”

“Why isn’t she here?”
Had something happened to her? Was Alessandra lying to me?

“She had some business to tend to. But she’ll be here soon.”

What business could she have? The trucking company?

The room began coming into focus. I was in my own bedroom and in my own bed. My head felt like a baseball bat had smashed into it. An I.V. penetrated the flesh of my elbow pumping a clear liquid into my body.

“Where’s my phone? I’ll give her a call.” I fumbled with the tube coming from my arm cursing at it and finally pulling it out.

“No, no, no! You must leave that in Jax. That’s important.”

I took a deep breath and winced from the pain it caused in my chest.

“You lay still and I’ll call her.”

I nodded and pressed my hand to my chest. “Okay,” I agreed.

I laid there stiff and in agonizing pain. But I couldn’t show that misery in my eyes. What the hell had been going on, and where was everyone? Twenty minutes turned into thirty minutes and then eventually an hour. Alessandra hadn’t come back upstairs.

I swung my plaid-clad legs from under the blankets and pressed my feet into the soft rug beneath me. While holding my chest I wobbled through the room holding onto anything I passed getting myself to the next point. I was weak but it would pass. Eventually, I reached the door and exited into the silence of the hallway. I hated that fucking silence.

I stumbled from wall to wall until reaching the elevator. I knew better than to attempt the stairs in my pathetic condition; whatever my condition was exactly.

Once out of the elevator I walked slowly through the hallway passing my office. I wanted to touch my wife, feel her in my arms. Make sure that she was safe.

My office was only one door down. I hadn’t been inside my office since… Well, I wasn’t sure how long it had been actually. I turned the doorknob and entered. Rich silence clung to the walls, only interrupted by my own breathing. My chair felt good underneath me, and my reflection echoed back through the shiny mahogany of my desk. A drawer that was left open just a hair caught my eye.

“Bella’s journal?”

It sat just inside the drawer to my right covered in black leather.
She’d been in here while I was unconscious?

I traced the leather with my fingers feeling the indentations of its years of use under my fingertips. I wanted to open it, to see what she wrote about while I was hurt, but I couldn’t, could I?

I knew I was opening it when my fingers flipped through the pages. I tried to stop myself but I couldn’t. I had to know what she’d been thinking.

***

June 4th

Today was the worst day of them all. Jax’s brother wanted me to pull the plug as so he called it. What was the plug anyway? I told him to get screwed. He didn’t like that, but I’d never do that to Jax. Gotta go; it’s five till ten and Mamma Moretti will be here soon to stare at me. Insert sarcasm.

They’d wanted her to let me die? But she didn’t listen to them. I turned the page.

June 6th

Sorry I haven’t been around much. It’s been crazy. The kinds of crazy that I can’t even write about. How does someone get this crap out of their head if they can’t write about it?

I’ve been doing more than my usual share of praying lately. There’s a chapel in the hospital, but I don’t want to leave Jax. He could wake any moment and then he’d be alone.

I continued reading page after page of what Bella went through, but in every journal entry she said the same thing.
“I can’t talk about it.”
I was angry wondering what the fuck she couldn’t talk about until I came to the last page.

The first good news I’ve had in a while came from the doctor today! The baby is healthy; I wonder if it’s a little boy or maybe a girl. Will he look like his father or me? I just wish I could share this with him.

The journal fell from my palm landing on the floor under my feet. Bella was pregnant.

“Alessandra?” I gradually slid the chair away. I had to see Bella now!

I slowly wandered through the penthouse searching for Alessandra when I eventually found her in the kitchen cooking.

“Oh, Jax, I got busy making your food. Are you alright?” she asked anxiously.

I leaned on the kitchen island in only a pair of pants. Sitting wasn’t as easy as it should have been, my entire body felt like shit. “Where is Bella?” I was growing impatient with this.

Her eyes moved to the left. “She’ll be home soon. You’ve been through a lot you should lay down before something horrible happens.” she said with intense worry etched around her eyes.

“Why are you being so evasive?”

She took a deep breath and rested her hands on the island. “If I tell you where she’s gone you’ll leave, and you’re not well enough to do that.

“Alessandra.” I clamped my teeth shut. “I mean this with the utmost respect. If you don’t tell me where my pregnant wife is, you’ll have more than my health to worry about.”

“How did you know?” she gasped.

“I read her journal. Tell me where she is!” I was becoming very angry with Alessandra and her misplaced loyalties.

“Jax, you’d better sit.”

I gripped the edge of the island and braced myself for what was to come.

“She’s taken her guards and left to find the men that hurt you.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?”

She nodded stating, “I’m afraid not.”

“Where’s my phone?”

Reaching inside of the pocket of her apron, she handed over my silver phone.

I dialed Bella’s phone, but it went to voicemail after only one ring. “Bella, call me now!” I yelled. I dialed her phone over and over with voicemail answering every time. I finally dialed Tony with an answer after the fourth ring.

“Boss?” he whispered.

“Where’s my wife?” My jaw clenched. I was ready to rip someone’s head off.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at my fucking house. Where’s Isabella?”

Tony reluctantly gave up their location telling me that they had just landed. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but she had a lot of explaining to do. They all did.

I showered and dressed in record time. I was fueled by anger alone. Everyone was in on this. The men that were supposed to protect my pregnant wife let her run around chasing fucking gangsters?

I pressed my body into the wall as I descended down the stairs. My phone buzzed in my pants showing me that I’d missed several of Bella’s phone calls. I had forgotten to turn the ringer up.

I dialed her phone. “Bella?”

“Jax, oh my God you're awake? Are you okay?”

I was silent for a moment. Did she think whatever the fuck she’d been doing was alright? Had she completely lost her fucking mind?

“Where are you?” Isabella had gone against everything that she was ever taught, and my anger hadn’t even begun to rage.

“I’m almost there, only a few minutes away. I missed you so much Jax.”

“You missed me?” Seemed to me like she was having the time of her life running around like an idiot. “I’ll see you when you get here.” I disconnected the call without another word.

“Alessandra.” I walked toward my office wondering what I would say to her. “I’ll be in my office.” I closed the door behind me.

I picked the journal up from the floor and held it in my hands while I waited. Anger boiled to the point of rage. My pregnant wife was putting my child at risk.

A soft knock at the door let me know she was here. I needed to be careful of how I acted. One wrong move and I’d hurt her. “Come in.”

The door eased open revealing Bella’s long dark hair then her hand. “Jax?”

I sat back in my chair and laced my fingers together. When the door closed she approached from the side of my desk reaching her arms around my neck. “Hey, I can’t believe you’re up and dressed after being in a coma for a month.” She kissed my cheek.

“Sit down.”

Her posture became erect then she walked around my desk to sit in the armchair. “What’s going on, Jax?”

“Anything you want to tell me?”

“Is that my journal?”

I picked it up and tossed it across the desk. “Yep,”

“Jax, I’m confused, what have I done to upset you?”

“I woke up not knowing where my pregnant wife was. Then, I find out not only that you’re pregnant but that you’re seeking revenge on the people that attacked me?”

“Jax, calm down,” she whispered. “I can explain.”

“Explain?”

“Jax, I...”

“Where the fuck have you been?” I said interrupting her.

Her head fell. “I was meeting with Drake Falcone.”

“Are you kidding me, Isabella? You’re joking right?”

She shook her head. “I was.”

What the hell could she have been doing with Falcone? “He’s a dangerous man, Bella. You’re taking my unborn child to see a man that wouldn’t hesitate to kill you.”

“Yea, Jax, and I’d do it again.”

“What could you’ve possibly need from him?”

She drew in a deep unsettling breath. “You literally have no idea what I’ve gone through. How dare you talk to me as if I’m not your wife and haven’t been through absolute hell. How dare you, Jax!” Her eyes filled with tears. She never cried in front of me. I knew there were many times that she’d wanted to cry. I’d caused my share of her heartbreak throughout our short marriage.

I’d only seen her this vulnerable once before and that was when her father had passed away. I took in a deep breath waving her over to me. She reluctantly stood and approached. Her flawless face streaked with mascara. “I’m sorry.” I pressed my hands into her hips pulling her into my lap resting my forehead against hers.

“Jax, I thought you were going to die. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.” She sobbed into my hair as she clung to me.

I held her close letting her cry without interruption. I didn’t know what she’d been through.

“So many things have happened in the last month, so many bad things, Jax.” She raised her head.

I pressed my thumb to her cheek wiping away her tears. “What happened, baby,” She was broken. I’d never saw her broken. Bella was the strongest woman I’d ever met and it was very clear that she needed me to love and protect her right then. I brushed my fingers through her hair pulling her closer into my body. Her legs bent as she began twisting into a fetal position. She continued sobbing into my chest without interruption.

Her head rested underneath my chin. “Make it go away, Jax. Make all the horrible go away.” She clung to my white Versace shirt. “Make all of the sick and twisted shit of our world go away.”

I reached for her head pulling her to face to mine. “What happened, baby? What the fuck happened to you?” Her dark eyes were seated in fire; red, tear stained, and broken. “Did someone hurt you?” I’d kill them.

“I wanted to die.” Her body fell limp. “I haven’t had enough time with you yet. You laid in that hospital bed and wouldn’t wake up.”

Bella had never been this fragile with me. She’d never needed me the way she did at that moment. “Sometimes we just need something to live for. I have you to live for now, and I’m not going anywhere.” I pulled her wet face to mine kissing her full, warm lips tasting the salt from her tears. “You’ve given me something to live for every single day.” Bella’s body shook in my hands. I was ready to love my wife and give her everything and anything for the rest of our lives.