Five Wrong Moves Page 8

  “Bo killed Angel,” I sobbed. “And Miguel.”

  A click came from the other side of Laylo. “Let her go. NOW!”

  Still staring into my eyes, Laylo smiled before releasing my head and standing to face the man who stood behind him.

  I wiped the tears from my eyes and took him in. With a gun drawn in front of him, Bo looked downright lethal as he glared at Laylo. His eyes flicked quickly down to me, and the minute he saw my mouth muttered, “Fuck no!” He raised his gun higher.

  “Oh, good. It’s about time you got here, cousin,” Laylo said.

  I stopped crying and stared at Bo.

  Cousin? Bo was the Cernuto’s cousin?

  “So, where is Tony?” Laylo asked, his eyes shifting sideways.

  At his question, a series of thumps sounded down the stairs before a body rolled into the room and landed at Laylo’s feet. Tony Cernuto clutched at the large knife wound across the middle of his stomach.

  “Tony, no!” Laylo yelled, looking down at his brother’s body. He gave another wail and pulled at his hair, making it stand on ends. “Oh cousin,” he spat toward Bo. “You are going to pay for every single one of my brothers you have taken from me.”

  “You killed Tony too?” I asked Bo, staring up at him.

  Bo looked at me quickly before returning his gaze to Laylo, who muttered words I couldn’t hear.

  “Nope. I killed Tony,” another man said, walking into the room.

  It was the same young guy who had been with Bo’s group that night at the hanger. The one who looked to be my age.

  “Ruben,” Laylo spit out, moving for him. Bo waved his gun at Laylo, reminding him of who called the shots.

  “Cousin,” Ruben responded with a grin.

  “You fucking killed Tony?”

  Ruben looked around before his eyes landed on me. Raising one eyebrow at Laylo, he walked right beside him and squatted down in front of me.

  “You okay, Adeleigh?” he asked, gripping my chin to get a better look at my mouth.

  “Ruben, get her out of here,” Bo told him before addressing Laylo. “Laylo and I have some unfinished business to take care of.”

  Laylo hissed in frustration. “What Bo? Don’t want your little slut knowing the real truth about who you really are? Why keep any more secrets? It’s all in the open now.”

  Ruben took my hands and helped me stand.

  Once I was on my feet, I turned to look at Laylo. “I know who he is.”

  “No, you don’t.” Laylo laughed sarcastically.

  “Yes, I do. He is the next in line to lead his Mafia family. The heir to the throne.”

  Laylo squinted his eyes while Ruben laughed.

  “She doesn’t know?” Laylo turned to Bo. “You didn’t explain any of it, did you? Did you even tell the brother?”

  Bo frowned.

  Laylo clucked his tongue again. “Oh Bo, what a tangled web of lies you lead. Tell her.”

  Bo said nothing but kept his aim on Laylo.

  “Tell her, Bo! Tell her the truth. Tell her Andy is the true leader of the family.”

  “Andy?” Confused, I stepped closer to Laylo. “I don’t understand.”

  Ruben grabbed my arm and pulled me back against his chest.

  I looked at Bo. “Bo, what is Laylo talking about? How is Andy the leader? We aren’t related to any of you. I thought you were the leader.”

  Bo’s eyes narrowed.

  “Yes, Bo, tell your pretty little Mafia princess how the old man left it to Andy?” Laylo sarcastically begged before looking toward me.

  “Fine, I’ll explain. See, this all started with Kristof, our beloved grandfather. When we were kids, we were one big loving Mafia family. My dad, Bo’s dad, brother’s in blood but not much else. While my dad loved the family and was loyal to them, Bo’s dad, my uncle Franco, bitched and whined about us all the time. Ironically, he was his father’s favorite while my dad was given remedial tasks, no matter how hard he worked to take care of the family.

  “And then Jason Cernuto was born. Uncle Franco panicked, and once again, went crying to his daddy. He was worried about the safety of his newborn son. He asked to be relieved of his duties, so he could take his family elsewhere to live a new life. However, grandfather Kristof refused. He did agree to hide away Uncle Franco’s wife and baby, where no one would find them, on the condition that he was able to still visit to see his grandson.

  “We never once saw or knew our baby cousin. To make it even more difficult for us to find them, they even gave Jason Cernuto a new name. Bo Jason Donavan. The last name taken from Bo’s great, great grandmother. If that weren’t enough, Kristof handed over his most favorite bodyguard, who had worked for him for years, Jack Alan Moreson. He was assigned with the task of keeping baby Bo safe.”

  “Dad,” I said softly, looking at Bo. “Dad was your bodyguard? He worked for your grandfather?”

  Bo nodded once but didn’t look away from Laylo.

  “Go on,” I told Laylo.

  “Uncle Franco and Jack did their best to protect Bo. Our dad was looking for them.” Laylo twisted his head to the right, popping his neck. “Kristof decided early on that if something happened to Uncle Franco, he would leave his business to Bo—not our dad. When Dad discovered this tidbit of information, he was even more determined to eliminate the competition. Bo grew older, and when he turned four, they enrolled him in preschool with Andy, so Jack could watch over them both.”

  Laylo paused for a second, as if he was trying to remember something before continuing. “My father, being the smart man he was, figured out what school Bo was attending. One day, he followed Jack and found the boys. When he moved in to grab Bo, Jack intercepted and killed my father, but not before my father injured Jack beyond recovery. My father died, Jack died, and Uncle Franco finally quit the family business against his father’s wishes. He moved his only son and wife to another state where no one was able to find them.

  My grandfather was heartbroken and never got over losing his favorite son and grandson. Because he was grateful to the bodyguard who had saved Bo, he vowed to take care of Maria Moreson and her two children for the rest of their lives. He even left Jack’s only son the throne, knowing Jack would have raised him well and that Maria’s Italian family would install morals the rest of us heathens lacked. So surprise, Andy is the rightful heir. The rest of us are just cast-offs. And you, Bo Jason Donavan, are a disgrace to the Mafia bloodline. Making deals with FBI agents for help. At least my brother’s and I had the balls to end the old man’s life.”

  Bo hissed while I exclaimed, “You killed your own grandfather?”

  “We did.” Laylo smiled. “I did. Trust me, it was time for him to go. With both his sons gone, he was running the business into the ground, and he refused to take any advice from the rest of us. We needed control.”

  Laylo was certifiably insane.

  Ruben gripped my arm and tucked me behind his back. “Except you never expected Bo to return, did you?”

  Bo finally spoke, “Ruben, stand down.”

  “Bo, he killed grandfather!” Ruben exclaimed.

  “Oh, please, you are only a step-grandson, not even blood. If our mother hadn’t remarried your loser father, it would have never tainted the lines. I’m not sure what grandfather even saw in you…” Laylo trailed off, shaking his head as if disgusted.

  “You’re the Cernutos stepbrother?” I asked Ruben.

  He glanced over his shoulder at me and nodded.

  “So, tell me something, Laylo,” Bo said, his eyes looking around the room. “What exactly was your plan by taking Adeleigh?”

  Laylo smiled. “To use her to lure you here so we could kill you, then her. I actually have hope that Andy still may not make it. Tony and I would’ve have assumed control. Although I will admit this, I was actually thinking about fucking her before killing her and sending you the pics.”

  “Wrong answer, fucker.”

  And a gunshot echoed through the room.

&n
bsp; 19

  Adeleigh

  “On behalf of mine and Eric’s family, loved ones and friends, I thank you all for attending and sharing touching moments about his life. He was a good friend and an even greater man.” Andy wiped his eyes before turning to look at the picture of Eric to his left. “Eric, thank you. For your friendship, to both myself and Adeleigh, and for loving Ma like your own mother. I am going to miss you, buddy.”

  Bo stood from his seat between Ma and me and walked to the front to help Andy back to the pew. He was still healing and doing much better. However, he had issues walking without assistance, but he was improving with each day.

  Because his recovery had taken a bit longer, Eric’s family decided to have their son buried a week after he was killed. They informed Andy they would have a celebration of his life when Andy was well enough to attend.

  As Bo sat back down next to me, I glanced toward where Eric’s mom and dad were seated. They didn’t know the complete truth. Actually, other than Andy, Bo, Ruben, Ma, and I, no one did. It was best that way in order to keep everyone safe.

  I sniffed and used the tissue in my hand to wipe my eyes.

  An arm closed around my shoulder and pulled me into a warm chest. “You okay?” Bo whispered into my ear as everyone stood and began to exit the room.

  I nodded and nestled closer to him as I watched Andy and Ma talk to Eric’s parents. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

  Fingers touched my chin and turned my head, forcing me to look at him.

  His eyes looked sad, but they were shining as they studied my face. Reaching up, I smoothed back the strands of hair that were always insistent on falling over his forehead.

  He leaned down and placed a small kiss on my lips.

  “Really, guys. Do you think you can hold back for the sake of everyone else who lacks a love life?”

  Bo rolled his eyes, and I smiled as I stood to greet Ruben. “Hello, Pixie Dust,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close.

  Once.

  He had heard Andy call me by my nickname once and decided that going forward, he would only call me Pixie Dust.

  I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed. “You know when you call me by that name, you lose some of your power, right?” I laughed.

  Ruben turned to Bo and embraced him next. “Impossible.” He grinned at me and winked.

  “I don’t know what anyone was thinking, letting you run the family business.” Bo pulled me close to him again.

  “Um, you and Andy were thinking hell yeah. That Ruben has style, grace, and can easily take anyone out without batting an eye or breaking a nail.”

  Bo snorted as he tried to stifle a laugh.

  It was my turn to raise an eyebrow and look at him. The Bo I knew laughed, but I had yet to hear him snort. “Wow, I can see the crime world is in tip-top shape with you two.”

  Bo playfully tugged my hair. “Keep your voice down. There are FBI agents everywhere.”

  Ruben and I laughed.

  Bo was right, though. There were agents everywhere, and although Ruben had taken a step from Bo and made deals with some of them under the table, the rest would be itching to take down the lead local Mafia cell.

  And I wasn’t talking about Bo nor Andy.

  Bo took my hand and led me to the door where he positioned me in between Santiago and Phillip, so he could go help Ma and Andy.

  It had been agreed upon by all that Santiago and Phillip would continue to be our family’s bodyguards until they were no longer interested in the positions. However, both Santiago and Phillip were quite content with the arrangement, claiming Ma and I were enough to handle and much more dangerous than true Mafia women.

  A couple of weeks later Andy, Bo and Ruben had a long talk. It was agreed that Ruben would take over the family business. Andy didn’t want to have anything to do with any Mafia ties. Besides, he needed to focus on getting well.

  And Bo.

  Bo Jason Donavan wanted his freedom to live his days with the love of his life- me.

  He explained to all, that like his father, he never wanted ties to the Mafia either. The only reason why he came back was because his father had asked him to avenge his grandfather’s death because he knew he wasn’t physically or mentally able to. He had promised his wife, Bo’s mother, when cancer had taken her life twelve years back, that he would never set foot in Chicago again. And he planned on keeping his word.

  When he had explained the entire story to Bo and got to the part about Andy, Ma and I, Bo knew he had to step in. He knew it was only a matter of time before his cousins attempted to take us all out while they tried to seize total control.

  That dark day when Laylo Cernuto had talked about killing me in addition to the other things he wanted to do, a bullet pierced into his head killing him on impact. I, at first, had thought it was Bo who had shot him. But when Bo lowered his gun and looked at Ruben’s finger on the trigger I realized it was Ruben. Ruben had shot and killed Laylo.

  And quite unapologetically.

  Looking pleased with himself, Ruben had lowered his gun, spit on his stepbrother’s bodies and turned to Bo with a raised palm up.

  “I don’t want to hear it. They were all a bunch of sick fuckers and needed to be eliminated.”

  Bo shook his head and walked up to me. He bent at the knees to check my eyes, then my lips.

  Nodding once, he said, “Baby, let’s get you to the emergency room, so they can check you over, okay?”

  For once, I didn’t cry.

  I just nodded my head and told Ruben, “Let’s go.”

  Which, to my surprise, Ruben had silently followed.

  So, in the end, it was Ruben who had happily stepped up.

  It was what he had always wanted.

  Money. Power. To lead.

  And the most important part. Family.

  Because in the end it was really all about the family.

  Read the Next Book In the Series:

  Six Deadly Steps

  Check out the series:

  Escaping The Mafia

  Escaping the Mafia

  ▁ ▄ ▅ ▆ EᔕᑕᗩᑭIᑎG TᕼE ᗰᗩᖴIᗩ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▁

  She’s Willing to Start a War For Love.

  Escaping the Mafia is not simple, especially when Isabella's father is known to chase enemies across state lines and obliterate them, so she has to be careful—and smart.

  This Mafia princess comes up with a deadly plan. One million dollars to any organized crime syndicate who will help her with her six steps to freedom. The smell of easy money brings different crime syndicates to her side, and with their help, she destroys her own family. Nothing like a little revenge on the open road to happiness.

  Each book is written by a different author and revolves around one of the deadly steps.

  One, distract. Evelyn Kiss

  Two, liberate. Cam Johns

  Three, eliminate. Nikki Belaire

  Four, escort. Sophia Peony

  Five, war. S.G. Zertuche

  Six, love. Sonya Jesus

  About the Author

  S.G. Zertuche, aka Chicky Poo Books, resides in Texas where she spends a large majority of her time sucking down espresso while putting out “fires” at her day job. On her off time, she can be found having impromptu dance parties with her guinea pigs Charlie and Otis, Shih Tzu puppy Lulu Belle, and finch birdie Nieman Marcus, while writing steamy mystery romance in her head.

  Follow her at the following links:

  Webpage: www.chickypoobooks.com

  Also by S.G. Zertuche

  Other works:

  Ambivalent by Stefanie G. Torres

  Socially Awkward by S.G. Torres

  Overheated Mistletoe by S.G. Zertuche

 

 

 
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