Vincenzo (Mafia Heat Book 1) Read online

  Mafia Heat: Vincenzo

  By Ella Jade

  Copyright © 2018, Ella Jade

  Editor: Lacey Wolfe

  Cover Artist: Rebecca Hamilton

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  www.authorellajade.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  Back Cover Copy

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Available Now

  Chapter One (Gianni)

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  I’M A VERY FORTUNATE author to have such a fantastic team behind me. This series wouldn’t be possible without Tamaria Soana, Amanda Adkins, Shelly Small, Liz Castillo, Misty Roule, and Jewelz Gemz. Their hard work is appreciated.

  Most of you who read my books know I wouldn’t get far without Lacey Wolfe. There isn’t much I can say that I haven’t already said in the acknowledgements of all of my other books. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  To my readers... you’re going to LOVE this series! Cuddle between the sheets and get lost in Vincenzo. He’s only the beginning...

  Back Cover Copy

  DECEPTION NEVER LOOKED So Good

  NADIA

  I needed answers,

  The truth to the past,

  But what I find changes everything.

  A dead body,

  A murderer,

  And I'm the living, breathing eye witness,

  Of a crime they'll do anything to hide.

  Now, I'm on the run,

  And slamming into the hard, rugged body of Vincenzo Marchelli,

  Should send me racing for the hills,

  But something calms me,

  Gives me sanctuary.

  I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,

  But it just may be the saving grace I needed all along.

  VINCENZO

  Liars, crime, coverups, and corruption,

  As an attorney, I can spot it all a mile away.

  As the son of a mob boss, it follows me everywhere.

  But when Nadia literally lands in my arms,

  With an unbelievable story,

  I know one thing:

  Her fear is real,

  And my desire is ignited.

  Come Hell or high-water,

  I will protect her,

  Save her,

  Even if it means going against her biggest enemy,

  My Family.

  Book One in the Mafia Heat Series

  All books stand alone

  Contains Mature Content

  Chapter One

  NADIA

  Wrong Place

  When you’re young, you build people up in your head. Your dreams are bigger than they have any right to be. I never knew my father, but that didn’t stop me from wishing and hoping. Believing he was this amazing person. A doctor, a lawyer, a senator. The time for childhood fantasies had passed. The adult I’d become needed answers. Now that I knew who he was, did I really want to know who that made me?

  Anxiety rose in my core as I trekked along the dark, humid docks. The stench of stale water and raw heat assaulted my senses. It was late. Later than any woman should be out in this part of town alone. I’d gotten a tip that this was where I’d find him, so instead of thinking things through, I acted on impulse. I hadn’t even changed out of my dress and heels. I’d come straight from work on the other side of Manhattan. No one knew where I went. It didn’t matter. Once I explained who I was, everything would fall into place. I hope.

  Glancing at the GPS on my phone, the directions said I was at my destination. I thought I’d find an office or a business entrance, but all I saw were boats and slips, and abandoned buildings. There was a set of large, double wooden doors a few feet from me. The address matched where my investigator told me I’d find him. An unsettled sensation coursed through me as I crept toward the doors. The closer I got, the more I realized I’d headed into this unprepared. My brain screamed for me to turn around as my heart rate thumped between my ears. I’d come this far despite my mother’s pleadings to drop it. Now that I had a name, I understood why she didn’t want me to pursue this. As I approached the wooden structure, I fisted my hand and knocked but the doors weren’t secure. One of them inched open, creaking as it gave me access to a large, stuffy, dark warehouse. Stepping inside, the temperature shifted ten degrees hotter. Breathing became difficult in such a stifling environment. I shut the door behind me, gripping my phone in my hand, using it as a flashlight as I took in the empty space. The room was dim and dingy, smelling of tobacco. Someone had been here recently.

  “Hello,” I called. “Is anyone–”

  The sound of yelling in the distance halted my inquiry. Men argued on the second floor. The voices became louder as the conversation grew more heated.

  “Did you think you were going to get away with it?” a gruff voice asked. “We have people everywhere.”

  “No, of course not. I didn’t betray your family,” someone defended. “It’s not what you think.”

  “My father doesn’t see it that way.”

  “Please, let me explain.”

  “There’s nothing to explain. You were warned not to screw this up. You can’t be trusted.”

  “I can. I swear I know where–”

  “Shut up!” The voices seemed to get closer, and then there was some sort of scuffle. Heavy feet moving above me. “Grab him.”

  A door from the landing swung open as I backed away. When I tried to leave, a blaring noise, almost like a firecracker, went off, lighting up the space on the stairs. I took cover in the corner, crouching down by the door as the second shot rang out. There was a horrible thud, followed by several more shots. Whoever started at the top of the stairs was now lying at the bottom, twisted, contorted, and bleeding from his head and mouth. Only a few feet from me, he lay still, motionless... dead.

  “Oh, God!” I whispered as two men hurried down the stairs. Acting on instinct, I backed out of the corner and flung open the door, running out as fast as I could.

  “Who the hell was that?” one of them shouted.

  “Get her!” the other screamed as they came barreling after me.

  I took the first turn out of the warehouse and darted down the pier but
I had no idea which way to go. Sprinting hard, I took a left, moving away from the water. My heart pounded and a jarring pain overtook my side but the adrenaline kept me going. Keep running! Keep running, Nadia! Why hadn’t I listened to my mother?

  “There she is!” They were close behind me. “You go that way.”

  Shit! They would know these docks. They would corner me. I kept going. Did I have a choice? If they caught me, my life would be over. What was I thinking coming here? I knew who Antonio Collandra was. What he was capable of. I’d seen his name in the papers and on TV. He was one of New York’s biggest crime bosses and I could be his illegitimate daughter.

  The throbbing in my feet slowed me down but I spied a busy street a block ahead. All I had to do was get out in the open. If I could get into public, I’d have a better chance of slipping away. One street and I’d make it. I wouldn’t give up. I narrowly made it across the busy traffic, causing a car to swerve and slam on the brakes. The man chasing me jumped out of the way of the vehicle, momentarily distracted. Everything moved at a fast clip.

  “What the fuck!” He pounded his fists on the hood while I disappeared into the hectic street. “Watch where you’re going!”

  I continued to escape but I was certain he was still behind me. I couldn’t stop to find out but I didn’t have anything left. I couldn’t keep running. As I swiveled around the corner, I slammed into the hard chest of a man coming out of a cafe. He caught me in his strong arms as the two men crossed the street and came toward us.

  “Are you okay?” His dark brown eyes held concern. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you coming.”

  “Please help me.” I panted. “I need your help.”

  He glanced over my shoulder, his jaw tensed when he saw the two men heading in our direction.

  “Please.” I trembled as I tried to catch my breath. I didn’t want to put this innocent man in harm’s way but what choice did I have? I saw no other way out of this.

  “What’s your name?” He wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me to his side.

  “Nadia,” I whispered.

  “I’ll handle this.” He was so confident but he had no idea what I’d witnessed. If he had, there was no way he would help me. “Franco,” the stranger, who I leaned against, said to one of the murderers.

  Franco? He knows him?

  “Vincenzo.” Franco stared at me as he spoke to the only person who could protect me now. “This doesn’t concern you.”

  Crap! Did they work together? Was he going to hand me over to them? A wave of nausea rushed my system as my head began to spin. I latched onto the attractive stranger in the well-fitted dress shirt and matching blue tie. He held me tighter, offering me silent comfort.

  “What can I do for you, Franco?” he asked.

  “I need a word with her.” The killer pointed at me.

  “Why?” Vincenzo asked. “Do you know one another?”

  “Not exactly but I’m certain my father will be interested in her whereabouts this evening.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tried to settle down, lying wasn’t one of my strongest qualities. “I’ve been with Vincenzo all night.” No one would believe that.

  “Is that right?” Franco laughed. “Because you look like you just ran a marathon.”

  “You heard the lady,” Vincenzo said. “She’s been with me all night.”

  “What are you doing?” Franco snapped at him. “You know we don’t interfere in each other’s business.”

  “Escorting my date home, so if you’ll excuse me, we’re leaving.” Vincenzo took my hand and guided me to the curb. His shiny, silver watch glistened under the street lights. “My driver is just up here.”

  “Vincenzo,” Franco called after us. “You’re making a mistake.”

  “Don’t threaten me because then my father won’t be pleased and we don’t want that.”

  His father?

  “We’ll see about that.” Franco mumbled something to the man who was with him, and then he nodded as they walked away.

  A man got out of the driver’s seat and opened the back passenger door.

  “Get in,” Vincenzo said.

  Is he serious? “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I wiggled out of his hold and backed away.

  I’d had enough for one night.

  Chapter Two

  VINCENZO

  I Don’t Need This

  One minute I was finishing a business meeting in a well-known cafe on a very public street and the next, I was pretending to be on a date with an out of breath stranger. I’d have to admit the stranger was more than inviting. Maybe it was the whole damsel in distress angle but when I saw Franco and his goon, I had no choice but to step in. I tried my hardest to stay out of these types of situations. My father insisted on it but this wasn’t my fault. What else could I have done? Hand her over to Franco when she clearly needed my help?

  Right now, I had to get her out of here. “Get in.” Maybe she would tell me what happened once we were in the car. If she needed assistance, my father could provide it.

  The gorgeous brunette with the unique green eyes gazed into mine as she pondered my request. Her night wasn’t going well but there was a fire in her. I’d give her that. If she hadn’t been running from Franco five minutes ago, she would have bolted from me. She was too tired to run away and I wasn’t ready to let her go.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She removed her hand from mine, putting distance between us.

  Ouch. Didn’t I just help her out of a jam? “Why not?”

  “I don’t know you,” Nadia said. “I can’t get in that car with you.”

  “That didn’t stop you from taking my help a few minutes ago.” I extended my hand. “I’m Vincenzo Marchelli but most people call me Vince. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Marchelli?” Her distinctive emerald eyes widened when the realization of who I was came over her. “Like the –”

  “Lawyer,” I cut her off. “I’m a prominent attorney in the city.” That was all she needed to know but I had a feeling she already knew who I was.

  I worked hard to distance myself from my father’s illegal dealings. Early on, I tried to change my name but he expressed his displeasure, so I thought better of it. He was adamant that I could still be who I wanted with our last name. Sometimes it was a challenge but other times it worked in my favor. Like tonight. If I hadn’t been a Marchelli, Franco would have Nadia and I’d probably be in some alley fighting for my life.

  “This night can’t get any worse,” she mumbled.

  When her legs buckled and she rocked forward, I caught her before she hit the pavement. I motioned to Tommy, my driver slash bodyguard—my father insisted on that too—to get us out of here.

  “Let’s take her home.” I slid her into the backseat surprised she didn’t fight me. From the looks of her, she was too exhausted. What had Franco done to this woman? What was her connection to the Collandra family?

  She rested her head on the back of the seat and closed her eyes. I suspected whatever she had seen tonight had her freaked out. How she ended up in the middle of a catastrophe with Franco was beyond me. Did I want to be caught up in it too? My family had people for this but I didn’t think Nadia would trust anyone.

  “Where do you live?” I asked.

  “Huh?” She opened her eyes. “Oh, you can head down forty-first.”

  “Tommy.” My eyes connected with his in the rearview mirror.

  He nodded as he took the car out of park and merged into traffic.

  “Do you want to tell me what that was about with Franco?” I asked. “You were shaken up when you ran into me.”

  “It was nothing.” She took a deep breath. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. That Franco guy must have mistaken me for someone else.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “I don’t know. Mistaken identity happens all the time.” She sat up and gazed out the window, avoiding eye contact with me.
“I was out for a walk and the next thing I know he starts yelling at me and chasing me, so I ran.”

  “That was smart.” She was lying through her teeth. It was my job to figure out when people weren’t being honest.

  “Yeah.” She fidgeted with her hands. “It was unsettling to say the least.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “How do you know Franco?” She moved her hands over her hips as if she searched for something. Digging in her bag that was slung across her chest, she appeared troubled. “I must have dropped my phone when they were chasing me.”

  “That’s unfortunate.”

  “Franco.” Zipping her bag closed, she stared at me. “You know him. Are you friends?”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” I shook my head because we were far from friends. “Our families go back a long time. We have history.”

  “The Marchellis and the Collandras?”

  “How do you know Franco’s last name? I thought you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?” I always got the truth on cross examination even though I didn’t practice criminal law. Given my family’s background, I thought it was better to go into another aspect of the legal system. In college, mock trials were my favorite.

  “Oh, well, I guess I’ve seen him on TV or something. He looks familiar.”

  She piqued my interest. What wasn’t she telling me? My gut told me to leave this alone or have one of my brothers handle it. I was the legitimate end of the business. My father wanted my hands clean but this was a situation I hadn’t gone looking for.

  “Where exactly were you walking when he started chasing you?”

  “I was on the docks.”

  “Alone?”

  “I wanted to clear my head. I was having a bad day. It was really stupid and something I definitely won’t do again.”

  “It seems like an odd place to take a stroll.” Antonio Collandra’s offices were there at one time but now he mostly used the space for importing various products.

  “I can get out here.” She pointed to the corner. “I don’t live far.”

  “I’d feel better if you let us see you all the way home.”