Mafia Temptation Book 3
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Belle Dowson
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122: Prologue: Life Goes On
Book 3
HAYLEY
“For in the darkest nights, she still looks for the moon.”
Hayley had been thrown into the darkness, cast into the abyss of sadness. She knew he had a dark side; she knew what kind of man Luca Marcello was.
That danger, that fire in him, and that passionate love he had only made her fall harder for him.
Hayley was used to the darkness, the heartbroken mess that came with it. What she wasn’t used to was the feeling of love that Luca still had wrapped around her and her shattered heart.
He was a monster; he had warned her. But like a fool, she fell for him, craved him, and let him fix the pieces that were broken.
How could she love a murderer, a man who killed for a living, a man like Luca Marcello?
Easily, she would think to herself. It was easy to love Luca Marcello, her moon. The man who had called her his moon, the man whom she would have followed to the moon and all the way back again.
Hayley wanted to turn her back on him, her family, and everyone who had hurt her.
But in her darkest nights, she would always look for him. She would always search for her moon.
She hated the man she loved; she wanted the man whom she shouldn’t even let in her heart, and she was going to have to fight harder—either for Luca Marcello or against him.
The question was, was Hayley ready for what was heading her way?
She would have to say goodbye, have to tell her secrets, and fight her enemies one last time…
ONE WEEK LATER
It was cold, and the wind was fierce. The crowd had gathered around the open hole: the mass of men in suits, an odd woman, but mainly men. They were all solemn, all strong, and none cried.
Hayley was trying to be like the wind, fierce and cold, but it was too hard. The priest was saying something in Russian, but she wasn’t paying attention.
All she could do was watch as Ivan, Andy, and other loyal men lowered the coffin into the ground. Her heart was too broken to break, her eyes too dry to cry, and her soul too weak to mourn.
Her dad had been murdered less than a week ago. Luca was presumably long gone, and she had never felt so alone.
Ivan stood beside her once he was finished helping to lower his boss—his friend—into the ground.
But she still felt alone.
Everything in her mind was a blur: the police, the mourning of the “family,” everything.
Ivan took her hand as he led her through the army of men in the graveyard; they were keeping a lookout, protecting the area.
Luca, she knew, hadn’t been caught by her family. She didn’t know how to feel about that.
The house was filled with flowers and men—masses of “family” men. Some she recognized from her childhood; some she had never met.
Ivan never left her side. He introduced her to “important” people. They all said the same thing: “Sorry for your loss” or “Let’s hope justice is served.” That last always made her stomach churn.
She tried to mingle; she tried to pretend she was coping with all this. But she wasn’t.
Hayley couldn’t get the night she left Luca out of her mind. She couldn’t forget the pain of losing her dad, and the anger and hurt toward Luca.
She would never forget the heartbreak of knowing she was still capable of loving Luca Marcello. She hated that part.
The wake was over. A few men were still in the house but, like Luca’s home, it seemed to be the norm. Hayley was walking from the kitchen to her new bedroom when she heard Andy’s dominant voice.
“We will go to New York,” he announced.
Hayley stood outside the door that was slightly open.
“Luca Marcello is our number one enemy. He needs to go.”
Hayley gasped silently as she listened; this wasn’t right.
“I would like the pleasure of Nic Marcello.”
She heard Ivan’s gruff voice speak up.
“The bastard shot me. I will relish appearing before him to put a bullet between his eyes.”
Ivan chuckled.
Hayley thought of Nic; she thought of her friend Ava. She doesn’t deserve any of this!
Hayley pushed open the door to find a room of about ten men. Her eyes found Andy, who was standing to address the room. Ivan stood as she entered.
“Allie!” Ivan spoke up first, but her eyes found Andy—the boy who she danced with and trusted.
“Andy, please don’t do this.” Hayley could feel the tears her body had repressed all day brimming in her eyes. “I can’t take this much more.”
Hayley was hurting; her pain was too raw, too powerful. Her dad was gone—a dad who had lied to her for years, but a dad she still loved. The man she loved was gone; he had killed her dad. Yet, a man she still loved.
“Hayley, this is none—” Andy began, but Hayley cut him off.
“Don’t you dare say it’s none of my business. He was my dad, and Luca is…” Hayley didn’t know how to finish that sentence. What was Luca?
“Luca is your father’s murderer. He killed him,” Andy hissed.
“I fucking know what he did! I know, but you are insane if you think spilling more blood will somehow even the scales, make the world turn a little better. You are no better, no worse than him.” Hayley was angry.
“What do you expect us to do, Allie? Let the Marcello scum take our leader, your father, and do nothing?” Andy looked dumbfounded; so did his men.
“You are no better than him—you kill just like him; you destroy people just like him.” She spat as she turned and left the room.
“Oh no you don’t.”
Hayley felt herself being pulled back and slammed against the wall outside the room filled with Mafia men.
“You don’t walk away.”
Andy had pushed her firmly against the wall. She could see his anger and the fire in his eyes. Ivan was quick at their side, easing Andy from Hayley.
“You bastard,” she hissed as she clutched her lower back where she had hit the wall.
“You are a fool, Hayley,” Andy hissed. “This is our world. We are the children of our fathers. This world is what raised you.”
“You’re wrong. This isn’t my world.” Hayley shook her head.
“Suck it up, buttercup, because like it or not, you are here. This is the world you are living in.”
Ivan hated that everything he and Dima had worked toward was ruined.
Hayley let a tear slip down her face.
“Doesn’t mean I accept it. Kill him”—her voice croaked as she said it—“kill the entire city of New York, but it will just escalate. It will just burn your own house down, Andy,” Hayley warned, but Andy shook his head.
“I am ready for that. Your father taught me that—he taught me to seek revenge.” Andy was proud of his mentor and would devote his life to making him proud.
“He taught you well then,” Hayley said before she walked down the hallway toward her room.
She was done running; she was done hiding from her life and her Mafia men. She could never go back to Luca—Andy and Ivan would tear apart New York one Marcello man and woman at a time until they found her.
Did she want to go back to him? He killed her dad, but Ivan killed Stefano. An eye for an eye was just leaving women heartbroken and a whole load of blind dead men.
She had made her bed. She left Luca, so now she had to stay safe in the “family.”
“Allie?” Ivan crept silently into the room where he found Hayley looking longingly at the night outside her window.
“I won’t apologize to Andy. He may be a Mafia boss now, but he’s a dick,” Hayley said stubbornly.
“I wouldn’t dream of making you do something you don’t want to do. I’ve learned that lesson.” Ivan sighed as Hayley turned to look at him. “You’re right, this isn’t your world. We have forced your hand too much. Hurt you too much.”
Hayley walked toward Ivan, and the pair sat on the end of her bed.
“Your dad only wanted the best for you. He would have killed Luca to ensure that, and trust me, princess, he tried.”
Hayley hated that. Luca said he shot first, but it still didn’t make it easier.
“Andy wants you here, safe. I want you to find yourself, find the girl your mother raised,” Ivan said with warmth in his eyes as he pulled out a piece of paper with a man’s name and address on it. “This man will help you. You can walk away from this, princess.”
“I am not running again. I hate it.” Hayley shook her head, but Ivan gently cupped her face.
“You are only running if no one knows you are going. We are your family, Allie. If you want to come home and be the Mafia princess, then we will always welcome you back.
“But you are hurt, lost, and need to get away. This man will help.” Ivan only wanted her happy.
“I can’t promise”—Ivan stood up, adjusting his jacket—“we won’t go after Luca, his family, and his associates. In fact, we will be.”
Hayley wasn’t cut out for this; she was strong but not as strong as her family needed her to be.
“Your dad loved you. We all do. Find yourself again, keep safe, and remember we will be here if you need us.” Ivan left the room.
He was letting her go—letting her walk away from the life that had killed her parents, that had forced her man to kill, and had caused her so much pain. It was painful for him, but it had to be done. She deserved better.
Hayley was shaking as she held the note with her father’s handwriting. She knew she had to go, move on. For life goes on, even for the lost and lonely.
ONE MONTH LATER
LUCA
“Fuck it, Nic, she has to be somewhere,” Luca roared as he sat in his messy casino office.
“We have searched the entirety of Russia, and we have men deployed in England,” Nic replied.
“Well, she can’t have just slipped off the face of the earth!” Luca snapped harshly.
That was his greatest fear—losing her forever. She had completely vanished. Was she okay? Was she hurt? Had she really slipped out of this world? Had someone… No, he wouldn’t think like that.
“Boss, we are doing all we can to find her,” Frankie had to try and reassure his boss, his friend.
Luca hadn’t been the same, not since he watched Hayley leave on that bike. But Frankie didn’t blame her. How could she forgive the man who killed her father?
“I want her found. I want her back,” Luca demanded.
Nic and Frankie nodded and knew that was their cue to leave Luca alone.
Luca took a deep breath as soon as he was alone. Letting her go was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he couldn’t keep her; he had hurt her too much. No, she needed to leave. But he was finding it too hard to live without her.
He still wished he could have turned back time. The month had gone too slowly. He missed her. He hadn’t been to his home in a month.
He knew this was his fault—his and his world. But life had to go on. He worked but never stopped looking for her.
He slowly opened his drawer and pulled out the jewelry box. His heart churned as he opened the box to see the stunning, sparkling pear-shaped diamond in the rose gold setting.
This was her ring, a ring he wished he had given to her—a ring he was determined to see on her finger.
Life goes on even for the men filled with regrets.
HAYLEY
Hayley admired the sunset as she walked along the sandy beach. She never strayed too far from the yacht, and she never stayed anywhere for too long.
The sky above the calm sea was a multitude of colors: pinks, reds, and oranges. She thought of Luca; it was hard for her mind not to.
She missed him. She missed everything about him. She missed his touch, his devilish smile, and the way he could make her feel so safe and loved.
A tear slipped down her cheek as she saw a young couple pass her as they walked hand in hand, their feet getting wet from walking along the water’s edge. They were in love, and Hayley was so damn jealous.
That man had been her salvation. He was a lawyer. Her dad had a plan: he had left millions in a hidden account, ready for her. It wasn’t traceable, and it meant she could do what she wanted.
So she bought a yacht, hired staff, and traveled, seeing the places she dreamed of.
She could have stayed in Russia, with the wealth and the fame. But how could she stay within a mob family? Andy took over, with Ivan close by his side.
Hayley was offered protection, security, and everything that went with being a Mafia princess.
However, it was too soon—too soon to stay. Too soon to be involved in a lifestyle that killed her dad and mum, destroyed Siobhan, and tore her heart by making Luca the enemy.
Hayley had no plans, no idea of what she was going to do from there on out. Luca was her future, but that had all changed.
So, for now, she was wandering aimlessly, for life goes on. Even for the brokenhearted.
ANOTHER MONTH WASTED
LUCA
“Ivan Kudin is alive.” Dimitri spoke before sipping his whiskey as he sat in one of the VIP booths of the Venetian, the place buzzing with dancers, waitresses, and music.
“What?” Nic shook his head as he sat next to his mob boss cousin, who remained calm.
“Impossible! I shot him three fucking times,” Nic shouted, as he thought of how he should have shot that bastard between the eyes. Then he couldn’t have survived.
“He is, and he and his son, Andrei—or Andy as they call him—are the ones orchestrating these attacks against you,” Dimitri explained.
Luca had paid Dimitri to go to Russia and find out what had happened to his girl, and he had hoped he would come back with some information about her.
“Ivan and Andy have had no contact from Hayley. They presume she has returned to you. They want her back, and they want their revenge for Dima. Andy is the Volkova successor, and he is as loyal as a son to Dima and Hayley.”
Dimitri had never had much time for Luca Marcello. He thought of him only as a Mafia playboy prince. However, Hayley had changed him, and it was obvious he worshipped the Volkova princess.
“It would seem she doesn’t want to be found by either family.” Dimitri sighed, looking at Luca and his two right-hand men.
“She must be getting help. We need to narrow it down. Hayley can’t just disappear. She needs help—an associate,” Frankie scoffed.
“Then I want you to find that associate,” Luca commanded to Frankie as Nic stood up to take a call. “I have to find her.”
“What are you expecting to find?” Dimitri asked.
What was he expecting? Hayley to run into his arms, love him?
“Her, all I want is her.” Luca nodded.
“Hello, Mr. Marcello,” Arianna’s voice purred. She was pleased to see the gorgeous Mafia boss back in his old stomping ground.
“Ah, Arianna.”
She beamed at the mob boss. It was the first time he had properly addressed her.
“Please keep my friend Dimitri entertained. He has had a busy few months and deserves some downtime.”
Arianna’s mouth hit the floor. She couldn’t believe what he had said, yet she had to remain professional.
“Of course, Mr. Marcello,” she whispered, before smiling at Dimitri.
Luca stood up as Arianna slipped into the booth, sitting on the other side of Dimitri.
“Boss, we need to talk—urgently.”
Nic’s voice made Luca look around to see his cousin, along with Frankie and his loyal Phoenix men.
Luca led the men into the meeting room, and they all took seats around the long conference table.
“What’s going on?” he asked, looking around at all the men. He was glad Ric had recovered and was back working alongside them.
Dom spoke first. “Genovese is the problem.”
“Genovese? How?” Luca shook his head. This was the last thing he needed.
“The Russians are throwing their weight around New York. The Volkova family is making its presence known,” Nic explained.
“Which is bad for business,” Frankie interjected.
Luca knew this; his deals were already getting fucked up because of the Volkovas.
“Problem is,” Nic continued, “Matteo Genovese doesn’t blame the Russians. He blames you.”
“Fuck,” Luca hissed. This meant he would have the Genovese onto him.
“Genovese wants a truce, to fight against the Volkova, at a price,” Nic explained.
Of course, Luca thought. Matteo wouldn’t do this without it benefiting him.
“Problem is, you are not going to like his request,” Angelo added.
Luca doubted that he would.
“Set up a meet, Nic. Let’s find out what he wants,” Luca ordered as he picked up a cigarette and lit it. “How is Nikita?”
“The wound will heal nicely. Dr. Luciano looked her over this morning,” Ric explained, and Luca nodded.
“She was brave.” Dom laughed as he shook his head. “She literally had Lorenzo fooled for a few weeks. We found out so much, like he is still aiding Andy Kudin and the Volkova family.”
“She was reckless.” Luca shook his head. He knew sending in Nikita for a mission was a bad idea. “Where is she now?” he asked.
“The house. Lorenzo could still come for her, and the house has the best protection. We still have some of the guys your dad brought. Not all of them went back to Italy with him,” Angelo added.
“Fine, whatever.” Luca shrugged, making a note to find a new apartment for her. “Everyone, you have jobs to do, so fuck off. Nic, arrange a meet with Genovese, and Frankie, find out where the fuck Hayley has gone.”
Life goes on, he thought. Life goes on even for the desperate.
HAYLEY
Hayley was sitting on the deck of her yacht. Her tablet was resting on her legs, as she had stopped reading her favorite Wattpad book and was soaking up the Mediterranean sun.
She had traveled along all of the shores of Europe, seen the northern lights, seen sunrises in the Caribbean, and managed to cross over to Australia.
However, she was doing this alone. She wished she had someone to hold her hand and enjoy it with.
She was back where she had started, in Spain, soaking up the late September sun. The breeze was cool, but she was enjoying it—along with an icy green tea.
She would play with her moon charm and think of him. Five months had given her time, but she couldn’t forget him. She had been changed, scarred by him. Was it that terrible she still loved him?
“Hayley?” A voice from the docks called up to her.
Her heart raced as she jumped up to look over at the man. He was wearing a dark suit and sunglasses. They had found her!
It was obvious someone had found her; how else would he know her name? Which family? She felt her stomach churn.
“Who wants to know?” she asked as bravely as she could muster while grabbing the gun she always had handy.
“I’m just a messenger,” he explained. “I’ve a message from my boss, Mr. Marcello. He has told me to deliver this to you.”
Hayley watched as the man held up an envelope. It was of a soft gold color. Luca had found her.
“Oliver?” Hayley called out to a man she had hired as security, and he appeared almost instantly.
“Miss?”
She hated being called miss, but he liked it. He preferred to keep everything formal and professional.
“Could you please go down and fetch me that letter?” she asked him politely. There was no way she trusted the Mafia man on the dock.
Oliver rarely asked questions; he understood when he took this job that this woman was hiding, though she never said from whom.
However, what he did get from her was that they were dangerous. His guess was Mafia-related; he had seen her type too often.
Hayley watched as Oliver took the letter from the man. The man nodded toward her, then left, as simple as that. No goodbye; he just wandered off.
Hayley thanked Oliver before calming herself by taking a sip of her icy drink and sitting on the cushioned seating along the side of the yacht.
This was from Luca. This was the first bit of contact from her Mafia man.
She read the beautiful calligraphy on the front. It was her name. She carefully opened the envelope.
She noticed pretty lace on the border of the cream-colored card and beautiful pearls carefully placed on the lace.
She smiled, and her heart welled up as she read the card. It was an invitation to a wedding—Nic and Ava’s wedding.
She was so happy for them both; they deserved happiness. Nic would be the first Marcello man to truly get that. She wanted to see them, celebrate with them.
Her heart tore. Luca would be there. Probably best man. Could she face him? She had so much to tell him, so much to discuss.
She’d always thought she would leave everything as it was—he’d killed her dad. But drifting through the ocean had made her question everything. She could go, see him, maybe talk to him.
She was ready for answers, and Luca needed to hear her out.
“Do we have a heading?” the captain asked like he had every other day for the past five months.
“Italy.” She breathed; it was time to face her past head-on.
For life goes on…
