The Mafia Contract Series

It feels so wrong being here. Sleeping in an unfamiliar house while dodging my uncle’s calls and hoping for answers that satisfy my own agenda. Most of all, I hate the possibility that Massimo Delauren is my father, and I may as well end my life now if that turns out to be true.

I hate him with such a passion it surprises me. The fact he took Winter and made her his wife from under our noses still rattles me now. It’s become the most important thing in all our lives to bring her back to us. Angelo’s sister, his twin, and my friend.

We failed in protecting her and now she lives with the biggest monster inside an impenetrable fortress. She appears happy in public, but there’s a dead expression in her eyes that has no business being there. It’s become so important to set her free I will stop at nothing to make it happen. Even if it means killing the man who is possibly my father. I would do it in a heartbeat for Winter, for Angelo and for Alessandro because that man is in torment, and I can’t bear to comprehend what demons he lives with every day.

I know they were close. Something must have happened between them, or he wouldn’t have been affected so hard. No, I need to play my part in this and do what I can to end this monster’s reign, so I stare at his brother in the hope he tells me something I can use to bring him down.

“Vivian told me you mentioned Iris Young, and I’m curious about that.”

I sit up and take note because I’m still none the wiser of who she is and her involvement in my life, so I shrug and say firmly, “I was told to find Vivian Clark and Iris Young. Apparently, they would set me free, whatever that means.”

Dimitri looks thoughtful and Louisa is concentrating hard and just the fact she’s chewing on her lip with a nervous habit makes me long to see what they taste like for myself. I am now officially heading to hell.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Iris Young was our governess when we were growing up.” Dimitri says with no emotion in his voice.

I wasn’t expecting that and can tell Louisa didn’t either. “She was a formidable woman and Massimo in particular was scared to death of her.” He chuckles as if that amuses him, and I can’t believe for one second the great Massimo Delauren was afraid of an old woman.

Dimitri looks lost in the past as he revisits old wounds. “She was a tyrant. It was hard to be around her, but Massimo idolized her. It was evident in his eyes, and he did everything possible to make her proud of him. She never was. She was a vile woman who got off on tormenting us and when I headed off to school, I was just glad to be shot of them both.”

He shakes his head. “Massimo is a year younger than me and had to tolerate her undivided attention. I’m not sure what happened to her when he was shipped off to school but I believe she found work with another family and that’s the last I heard of her until you came calling, Flynn, so if you are looking for answers, I would advise you to start searching for her.”

“Can we help?” Louisa speaks up and smiles sweetly across the table at me. “I mean, can we help Flynn find her? It may be easier for us.”

Dimitri nods. “I’ll look into it. Leave it with me.”

He stares at me sharply. “Louisa told me you had doubts about what your uncle told Vivian.”

“I do.”

He leans back in his seat and sighs.

“I’m not going to lie; I thought the same. Vivian never questioned it, but it doesn’t sound like Massimo. For all his faults, he’s not a rapist. Well, women, anyway.”

Louisa looks up in shock and Dimitri checks himself as he realizes she’s still here.

“Like I said, darling.” He smiles sadly. “There’s a reason I distanced myself from my brother, and his psychotic tendencies were just one of them.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I’m late. Please forgive me.”

Vivian heads into the room and my heart lifts. Quickly, I jump up and am surprised when she pulls me in for a hug and whispers, ‘I’m so glad you’re here, Flynn. We have so much to catch up on.”

Like a breath of fresh air, she blasts through the room and expels the desolation our conversation has created. Dimitri smiles at her fondly and Louisa’s face lights up. I am starting to realize my mother is a special woman, which makes what happened to her even harder to bear. She must have been destroyed, and the anger claws at my heart as I plot the cruelest of passings for whoever did that to her.

Another voice joins the conversation when Sienna enters the room.

“Oh, am I last? Sorry, I couldn’t decide what to wear.”

Louisa rolls her eyes because Sienna is wearing a pale pink dress that leaves nothing to the imagination and her perfectly made-up face pouts in my direction.

“Hey Flynn, you should tag along with me this afternoon. Chloe Barton is having a pool party, and you would be most welcome.”

I almost laugh out loud at the image of me at some posh kids’ pool party and Louisa rolls her eyes.

“I don’t think…” Sienna snaps, “What do you know, Louisa? You’re a fun sponge, anyway. I mean, when was the last time you went to a pool party, huh? Actually, you should come too. Ashton Michaels will be there, and you should try to get him interested again.”

My senses are prickling because whoever this guy is, I want to kill him with my bare hands and Louisa sighs with annoyance. “I told you, I’m not interested. He’s so boring and has no conversation.”

“Boring, that’s rich, coming from the queen of boredom.”

“That’s enough, Sienna, apologize to your sister.”

Dimitri growls and Sienna shrugs, not looking the least bit sorry as she snaps, “Soz, babe.

Anyway, Flynn, do say you’ll come. I was telling the gang about you last night and they are desperate for a glimpse. You’ll make me the envy of everyone if you come.”

I watch Louisa’s face fall and hate the effect her sister has on her and I shake my head. “I’m sorry.

Thanks for the invitation, but I have business to attend to.”

“You do?” Vivian looks surprised, and I nod. “I need to clear my mind of a few things and could use the time to carry out some research.”

Sienna yawns loudly. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where I am.”

As she helps herself to a pastry, it’s as if I’ve dodged a bullet. The thought of mixing with her friends leaves me cold, but her sister is another pleasure entirely.

Dimitri sighs heavily and looks at Louisa. “We should go. The meeting is at nine and I have some work to do beforehand.”

I look up in surprise and note the smart dress Louisa is wearing that hugs her curves in all the right places. She has tied her hair back and her eyes shine with excitement as she stands.

Vivian looks surprised. “Oh, I forgot about your meeting. Will it take all day?”

Dimitri smiles and bends down, kissing his wife’s cheek. “Only part of the morning. Come and meet me for lunch if you like.”

“I’ll let you know.” Vivian looks in my direction and I say quickly, “It’s fine. I really do have things to do.”

As the family head off to their daily lives, it only reinforces how different my own is. There are no family breakfasts where we discuss our days. No messing around and no concern over how we’re feeling. It’s just business. Painful business that strips a man’s soul and renders him a monster.

Just imagining the expression of horror on their faces if they see what I’m capable of fills me with sadness and as I glance up, I see Louisa staring at me with concern. She smiles briefly and for some reason it lifts my spirits because out of nowhere, this girl has managed to crawl inside my heart and let a little light in. With her I’m not on my own and I wonder about that. Could I have found someone to share my life with and will it be as a family rather than the lovers I would prefer?

If Massimo isn’t my father, there is nothing stopping me from pursuing my original plan, which is why it’s suddenly the most important thing in the world to find out once and for all who the fuck my father is.