The mafia kings sister, p.1
The Mafia King's Sister, page 1
Dedication
To all the women with a thirst for adventure.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Author’s Note
Playlist
Sicuro Academy – Italian Crime Families
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
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
By P. Rayne
Copyright
About the Publisher
Author’s Note
This book contains references to content that may be upsetting to some readers. Trigger warnings include alcohol, attempted murder, murder, profanity, sexually explicit scenes, stalking, physical violence, and gun violence. Reader discretion is advised.
Playlist
Here’s a list of songs that inspired us while we were writing The Mafia King’s Sister.
What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish
Help I’m Alive – Metric
Free – Florence + The Machine
The Motto – Tiesto, Ava Max
Bad Idea Right? – Olivia Rodrigo
I Feel Like I’m Drowning – Two Feet
Way Down We Go – Kaleo
The Hills – The Weeknd
Play With Fire – Sam Tinnesz (feat. Yacht Money)
Apocalypse – Cigarettes After Sex
We Fell in Love in October – Girl in Red
Running with the Wolves – Aurora
Bullet with Butterfly Wings – The Smashing Pumpkins
Vampire – Olivia Rodrigo
Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
Yet – Switchfoot
Cosmic Love – Florence + The Machine
Sicuro Academy – Italian Crime Families
Northeast Territory
Specializes in running weapons
Marcello Costa
(head of the Costa crime family)
Southeast Territory
Specializes in counterfeit rings and embezzlement schemes
Antonio La Rosa
(next in line to run the La Rosa crime family)
Southwest Territory
Specializes in drug trafficking and money laundering
Dante Accardi
(next in line to run the Accardi crime family)
Northwest Territory
Specializes in securities fraud and cyber-warfare
Gabriele Vitale
(next in line to run the Vitale crime family)
Chapter One
Aria
Gabriele Vitale has barely spared me a glance the entire evening.
I’ve looked at him a hundred times between the ceremony at the church, the cocktail hour, and now dinner. Every single time, he hasn’t been looking back at me. Not once. As if I’m invisible to him.
Months ago, during my orientation at the Sicuro Academy, Gabriele was my adviser. I didn’t know much about him—no one does—except for the fact that he’s the son of Angelo and Mia Vitale. Angelo Vitale is the head of the crime family that runs the northwest portion of the country, and obviously Gabriele is next in line.
The only rumors I’d heard about Gabriele is that he’s a master with computers and keeps to himself. So when I heard I was paired with him for the weekend, I expected to be counting the minutes until I could be unleashed from his side. I wasn’t prepared for the instant attraction I felt when he towered over me and introduced himself. It was as if his cognac eyes could see into my soul, and I instantly wanted to kiss the man. To feel his short facial hair rub my cheek.
Gabriele was clear right from the start that he wasn’t interested. In fact, he treated me like an annoying kid sister—even worse than my brother. But I caught a glimpse of desire in his eyes. Still, when I attempted to kiss him that weekend, he pushed me away, much to my mortification.
Ever since that fateful day, he’s been on my mind, and today, at Antonio La Rosa and his new wife Sofia’s wedding, is the first time I’ve seen him since.
I slide the fish off my fork, chew, and swallow, trying to get a view of Gabriele’s table. The room is overcrowded with all the different Italian crime families, and I can’t get a good look at him.
Antonio and Sofia’s wedding is a big deal since Antonio will run things in the southeast section of the country one day. As such, there are representatives here from each of the major families—the Vitales who run the northwest, the Accardis who run the southwest, my family—the Costas—who are in charge of the northeast, and of course Antonio’s family, the La Rosas.
There’s relative peace at the moment between all the powerful families, but that hasn’t always been the case. So I can’t be the only one who feels an undercurrent of wariness from being in a room with so many made men.
I look up from my plate, and my older brother, Marcello, and his fiancée, Mirabella La Rosa, Antonio’s sister, are headed in my direction. From what I can tell as an outsider, they’re majorly in love with each other.
“Mother.” Marcello gives our mom a kiss on the cheek where she sits beside me, then straightens and nods at me. “Aria. Staying out of trouble?”
It’s all I can do not to roll my eyes. I want to, so badly, but I would never show my brother such blatant disrespect in front of the other families. Alone? Hell yes. But not in front of others in such a public setting. After all, he runs our family, as he has since our father was murdered.
“Of course I am.” I lift my water glass to my lips and sip. I attempted to fill my wine glass when dinner began, but my mother took the wine bottle from my hand.
Mira smiles. “Are you having fun?” She’s a breath of fresh air after my overprotective brother.
I don’t know Mira all that well because she’s a La Rosa, but for the past year, she’s attended the private college for Mafia children along with my brother. Every time I’m around Mira, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t rejoice at the way she puts my brother in his place. I honestly never thought I’d see the day.
“I’d be having more fun if I was allowed to have a glass of wine,” I say with an annoyed smile.
Mira giggles, and my brother narrows his eyes.
“You have a few years yet,” my mom says beside me.
Don’t I know it. I’m counting the days until I’m on campus at the Sicuro Academy. Maybe then I’ll be able to be a regular college kid and discover what life has to offer outside the confines of my house. In my eighteen years, I’ve played the role of an innocent, virginal, sheltered girl who watches everyone else have fun.
Things were worse when my dad was still alive. The only attention he ever paid me was to make sure I wasn’t doing anything to shame him or the family. Which is why he had my bodyguards sit outside my room. I was merely a hidden pawn to be played to further his power at some point. If he needed to, he could marry me off for his own gain. But with him dying and Marcello living away from me all year, I’ve felt a little more freedom.
And the little fun I found only makes me anxious for more.
“How did the pictures go?” my mom asks.
“Long,” Marcello says with a sigh.
They’re both in the wedding party since the bride and groom are Mira’s best friend and brother . Marcello, since he’s engaged to Mira, is now a part of their family.
“Painfully long,” Mira says. “Let’s not let my mom talk us into that many when we get married next year.”
Marcello slides his arm around Mira’s waist and places his finger and thumb around her chin, tilting her face to look up at him. There’s so much adoration on his face, my chest squeezes. Will anyone ever look at me as though I’m their everything?
“I’ll stand and pose with you for hours,” he says.
She laughs and grabs a hold of his tie, pulling him closer. “I highly doubt that. You’d be trying to sneak us away after the first snap of a picture.”
His smirk says they both know she’s right.
I laugh and my mom smiles at them while they kiss tenderly but briefly. Their nauseating affection causes me to take a quick glance at Gabriele’s table. I suck in a breath watching him stand. I’ll never get over his height. He’s getting up from the table to speak with Sofia and Antonio. She and Antonio must be making the rounds, thanking their guests and pocketing the cash envelopes. This is my tim
“Excuse me, I have to use the restroom.” I slide my chair back and stand with a small smile, leaving before any of them can answer.
I force myself not to bolt across the room. Gabriele leans in and kisses each of Sofia’s cheeks. Before I reach them, Antonio finishes his conversation with Gabriele’s dad, Angelo Vitale, and joins them. The closer I get, the more my stomach feels as if a million ballerinas are pirouetting through it. Despite my nerves, I raise my chin and step up to them. I’ve received enough compliments tonight to know I look good. Now I just need Gabriele to notice.
“Hey, guys.” I close the last few feet of distance, and they all turn in my direction.
Antonio and Sofia smile, but Gabriele’s jaw sets as if he’s sculpted out of stone. Is he annoyed that I’m here?
“Hi, Aria. Are you enjoying yourself?” Sofia asks, hugging me.
“I am. My mom and brother are so involved making sure they talk with everyone that I’m almost able to do my own thing.” Which was true until dinnertime.
“I’m starting to understand why you and Mira get along so well. You’re very similar,” Antonio says.
The four of us laugh, knowing Mira and I don’t like authority and tend to disobey.
“Your brother is going to have his hands full at Sicuro,” Sofia adds with a smile.
I feel my cheeks heat, and I sneak a look through my eyelashes at Gabriele. His face is void of emotion.
As soon as our eyes meet, Gabriele says, “I’m going to get back to my date.” Asshole. “Congratulations again, you two.” He turns and walks the short distance back to his table, where he slings his arm around the back of the blonde’s chair.
All the air leaves my lungs. How have I missed he brought someone? Where was she at the church? Now I feel like a silly little girl for chasing after him . . . again.
“I’m going to go see if I can sneak some wine off a table,” I say, turning and pushing my way into the crowd before Sofia or Antonio can respond.
I refuse to let the tears that flood my eyes fall. I drown in embarrassment, dodging people left and right in search of somewhere to hide. Gabriele has done everything in his power to let me know he’s not interested in me. It’s time I listen.
Chapter Two
Gabriele
Jesus Christ. Why does she have to look so damn sexy?
I’ve been avoiding Aria all day. I have no choice. She’s nothing but trouble. She’s made it clear she wants me to pursue her, and I admit I’m intrigued. But she’s off-limits. Not only is she Marcello Costa’s little sister, but she’s way too young. She’s way too innocent. She’s way too inexperienced for someone like me. The last thing I need is to start a war with the Costas because I corrupted Marcello’s baby sister.
No pussy is worth the wrath of Marcello Costa.
But she’s hard to resist. Every time my gaze has fallen on her today, I force myself to look away. That proved impossible to do once she joined my conversation with Antonio and Sofia, though, so I was stuck being near her. Smelling her perfume and soaking her in.
She’s wearing a deep red silk dress, and her long, shiny hair is set in waves hanging down her bare back. The gold locket she’s rarely without hangs down her neck, nestled between her cleavage. Add her big, dark, doe eyes staring up at me with expectations, and who could expect me to ignore her?
Which is exactly why I had to remove myself from the situation with the excuse of my date. Why couldn’t Aria Costa be anyone else? Because anyone else would have been in my bed already.
The blonde beside me isn’t my date. I lied. And I’d be an even bigger liar if I pretended the hurt that flashed in Aria’s eyes didn’t flay me moments ago. Stephanie is the daughter of one of my dad’s associates who happened to be seated beside me for the evening. But none of that matters. I chat with Stephanie as if I have interest for only Aria’s benefit if she’s spying on me.
When Stephanie excuses herself to go the restroom, my father leans into me. “You know with Antonio married now, and Marcello well on his way, perhaps it’s time we find you a bride.”
My veins grow hot. This bullshit again. I suppress an eyeroll and force myself not to react.
“They’re shoring up their alliances, and we’re being left out.”
“I’ve already told you that I have no interest in finding a bride. I have years before you need to worry about adding to the family line.”
“Perhaps, but while you’re sitting there in front of your computers, our competitors are making inroads with each other. I just heard that Marcello is regularly supplying the La Rosas with weapons now for them to sell in their territory.”
My father has always believed that the man with the most muscle is the most powerful, but I disagree. The man with the most information holds the power to bend others to his will. Not to mention, he should be happy he raised me to have respect, or I’d tell him how many times I saved his ass with my computers.
“You act as though we have nothing,” I say.
“There’s always more to be had, Gabriele. Someday you’ll realize this.”
I take a large mouthful of my drink. My dad has always wished I’d be just like him. He doesn’t outright say that I’m a disappointment, but I feel it with his judgment. The same as I feel this damn tie choking me.
It’s not that I’ve never cut a man’s throat to further the cause of my family, but too often, the men in our world let their base instincts control them, rather than using their heads to determine the best course of action.
“Don’t even think about arranging a marriage behind my back.”
“I can’t promise that, but I can promise it won’t be Aria Costa. Whoever Marcello convinces to marry her is only giving him more power than he already has—if it’s outside of their family.”
“Good.”
Last year when I was assigned Aria as my orientation student, Marcello warned me off his sister, and I wasn’t lying when I told him I have no interest in a child—and that’s exactly what Aria is to me. A sweet, innocent, inexperienced child. As tempting as she’s become to me, I need to remember she could never handle me. Not the real me. Which is why I prefer older, more experienced women.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s made it clear that she’ll finish her time at the Sicuro Academy before he’ll consider a match for her.”
I don’t understand why my chest loosens with the knowledge that Aria won’t be sold off to the highest bidder anytime soon.
“Now the Accardis’ daughter—”
“Is a literal child. She’s fourteen.” I toss back the remainder of my drink.
“She won’t be fourteen forever.”
The veins in my neck bulge. But before I can say anything, Stephanie sits in her seat. At least I don’t have to worry about my father trying to arrange a marriage with her. Her family isn’t powerful enough for her to be an option.
This conversation makes it clear that sooner or later, my father is going to force me to wed someone in the name of loyalty to do what’s best for the family. It’s not something I can put off forever, no matter how much I want to.
* * *
The next evening, as I make my way back to the hotel lobby, I spot Aria immediately. It’s like my subconscious is tuned to her presence, and my inner radar knows when she’s around.
My father and I are spending the next few days in Miami to conduct some meetings with the heads of the other three families. They thought that since we’d all be here for Antonio and Sofia’s wedding, it was a good time to work out some minor issues that are brewing.
I’m alone in the lobby since my father hung back to have some drinks and shoot the shit with the other dons. I bailed.
Now, curiosity grips me in its clutches because Aria’s dressed seductively in a short, black body con dress, but she’s obviously trying not to draw attention to herself. She walks along the far wall of the lobby, head down, her long hair hanging in front of her face. In her hand is a small purse and an oversized black envelope.
What’s inside it?
She slips through lobby doors, none the wiser that I have eyes on her, and slides into the back seat of a small white sedan with an Uber sticker. Where is her security? One tap from another vehicle and that car would crush like a tin can.
