《Daniel Nicholas Castello》

"Rafael," I snap, answering his call. Why is this asshole calling me at four in the morning? Sure I was already up, but that does not mean that I wish to talk to anyone right now.

"I need your help," he says, getting straight to the point. I sigh, running my hand through my hair. I want to say I feel like an ass for snapping at him, but I really don't.

"What's wrong?"

"I need to find Dakota," he replies and I blink in surprise at his words. That's an odd request coming from him. Dakota Adams is his ex-girlfriend and Valentina's mother.

Rafael and Dakota met at a party in freshman year of university. They had a very drunken one-night-stand which ended with Dakota pregnant. Even though a baby was not part of either of their lives, they decided to keep it. Both of them had very different reasons though. Dakota wanted the child because she knew that Rafael would never leave her if she had the baby. Rafael wanted the baby because he wanted to be a better father than his own.

Eventually though, Rafael fell in love with Dakota and when Valentina was born, Rafael was the happiest I have ever seen him. But that ended soon when Dakota left Valentina with Rafael, telling him that she had to prepare her family before she told them about Valentina. Except Dakota never returned. She left her new-born daughter behind like it she meant nothing to her.

Rafael hasn't talked or asked of Dakota since then. He loathes her with a passion.

Rafael was heartbroken because of Dakota. He had not told his family about Dakota's pregnancy before because he did not know how they would react. But after Dakota left, Rafael decided not to tell them about Valentina's birth either. It's been four years, and the only one in Rafael's family who knows about Valentina is his brother.

Which is why he probably does not want to use his own men to find Dakota. They can easily find out about Valentina through Dakota and then Rafael's father will know about her too.

"Why?" I ask, still not able to understand his sudden interest with that bitch.

"She tried to take Valentina away from me," he replies and I freeze. What the fuck. "She tried to kidnap her. Thank heavens Stella was there otherwise she would have been successful."

My close my eyes and rub my forehead. That little girl is like a niece to me and I deal with anyone who tries to do her any harm in a very fucked up way.

"Why?"

"I suspect she needs money. She's fucking this bastard who has a gambling problem, and has a debt close to two-fifty thousand euros. I'm assuming she wanted to hold my daughter ransom," he explains and I clench my jaw in anger. Jesus, how can a mother be so cruel to her own child?

"I'll get Lorenzo and Stefan started on this. Where are Valentina and Stella right now?"

"They're still in Vai. They're flying to Kilanea in a while," Rafeal replies.

"Where will they be staying?"

"Stella's old apartment. I don't want anything getting back to my family so-"

"They can stay at mine. It's more secure than Stella's. No one can get in or out without Stefan or Lorenzo knowing," I tell him.

He pauses for a moment to think over my offer.

"I'll make sure no one in your family finds out about it," I add before he can say anything."

"Fine, okay," he replies then sighs. "What are you doing today?"

I glance at Selena through the balcony window and sigh. I wanted to spend the day with her but now I need a way to let out my anger and frustration.

Yesterday was the same. I finally found the person who had betrayed me to Lucien Marcello and I felt like an idiot for not realising it sooner- Luca Marchetti, a distant cousin of mine and also the person who was going to be my second in command in a year's time. He wanted me gone- dead, so he could take my place as the boss. I was not entirely surprised by his betrayal, knowing how power-hungry he is, but that in no way means that I was not angry. I was fucking livid. I wanted to kill him but I knew it had to wait. I have to figure out who exactly is working with him before I eliminate him- along with his supporters. I do not tolerate betrayal or insubordination and his supporters have shown both by either helping him or by not informing me of his betrayal.

Since I could not exactly kill him yet, I decided to take part in these fighting matches that Rafael's father holds to search for potential new recruits. That's how I got all my bruises, and that's why I told Selena that it was a 'voluntary fight'. After all, I could not have told her that I took part in an illegal underground fighting competition to search for potential mafia recruits- she would have run away from me before I could finish explaining if I did.

"Working."

"We captured some people who were involved in Marcello's trafficking ring. If you want to-"

"I'll be there," I tell him before he can finish his sentence. Of course I want to teach them a bloody lesson. They are sickening people to be involved in such a thing and they deserve to feel the same amount of pain that their victims felt.

I know I sound like a hypocrite- after all, I am the mafia. But it's not the same thing. I don't usually hurt innocent people- women or children.

"They're being transported to the manor. I'll text you when they arrive."

"And I'll inform you if I get any information about Dakota," I tell him then hang up.

-

I want to go out for running but I'm not sure that's the best idea. Selena would be completely alone if I went and if she woke up from a nightmare and I'm not there- I would hate myself for it.

I sigh as I take another sip of my coffee and open my phone to message Stefan.

Me
Any updates of Dakota Adams?

He replies negatively after a minute and I'm not surprised. It's been an hour since I told them to start looking for her and even I realise that an hour is not enough time to find someone- he'll, even a week isn't enough time to find someone who could be anywhere in the world.

I open the email app to write an email to my assistant about some contracts I need when I hear someone moving. I look towards the bed and realise Selena is up.

I frown. It's still too early. She shouldn't be up yet. "Why are you up so early?"

She suddenly sits up on the bed and turns around to look at me, he eyes wide. I raise my eyebrow but she isn't looking at my face anymore, instead her eyes are scanning my chest. I don't understand her reaction. She has seen me without a shirt several times before but this time she's looking at me differently. Her eyes are dark with desire. My body tenses because of her roaming eyes but I remain quiet and watch. She bites her lip as her eyes trail lower down my abdomen.

Jesus. Her obvious desire for me and her lip biting is enough to turn me on.

I close my eyes. Why the fuck am I getting turned on even though she's just staring at me? What will happen to me if she touches me?

I open my eyes again, clear my throat in hopes that she'll stop staring at me like that. I'm pretty sure I'm more turned on than she is and I would rather she not notice that- in case she hasn't already. Her eyes snap to my face and I smirk. She looks flustered. It's good to see that I seem to have as much of an effect of her as she does on me.

She suddenly looks away from me, brings her knees up to her chest and rests her head on them. "What time is it?"

I subtly readjust myself through my trousers, not wanting to scar her in case she decides to look at me again. "Five."

She peeks at me through her fingers, quickly hiding her face again when she realises that I'm staring at her. I bite my lip to tone down my smile. She will probably get pissed if she finds out how much I'm enjoying her flustered state.

"When did you wake up?"

"An hour ago."

She looks at me and tilts her head in confusion. "Why did you wake up so early?"

"I had some work left from yesterday and I was not sleepy anymore," I lie. She doesn't need to know more. The more she knows the worse it is for her. She raises her eyebrows at me and I'm sure she's about to question why I'm not sleepy despite sleeping for less than four hours. I answer her because she can ask. "I am not used to sleeping a lot."

She rests her head on her knees as we continue to stare at each other. How does she always manage to look this beautiful? She just woke up, but it doesn't look like it. Her hair falls neatly down her shoulders and despite not sleeping enough today, her eyes shine brightly. She should go to sleep though. She'll get sick if she doesn't get enough sleep.

"Go back to sleep, cara mia," I tell her.

"I'm not sleepy anymore," she replies, getting up from bed. My jaw clenches at her stubbornness. Why can't she listen when I ask her to do something for her own good? I'm about to argue with her but she gives me a stern look, "If I feel sleepy, I'll sleep sometime in the day."

Knowing that she's made up her mind about it and she's too stubborn to change it, I let the matter go. If this would have been someone else- well, I can't say my reaction to disobedience would have been as calm. "Fine. What are you doing today?"

"I'm going to start packing," she says and I freeze. I did not even think of this. She's not going to stay with me forever. Of course she isn't. She has to go to back to her life sooner or later. "I going to have to go back to my parents' house soon."

"I know," I reply then look at her. I don't want her to leave, but that is something that I cannot ask of her. So instead I say, "I'm going to miss seeing you so often."

"As am I." She walks towards me. "But you can still talk to me whenever you want to."

That's not enough. I don't just want to talk to her, I want to see her and touch her and sleep next to her.

When she's within my reach, I put aside my phone and coffee cup. I brush a strand of her hair behind her hair and press my lips against her forehead, breathing in her heavenly scent. "I know, but it's not the same."

Craving more closeness, I wrap an arm around her waist, pull her towards me and bury my face in the crook of her neck. I won't be able to do this is she's not living with me. "I love you."

She starts running her fingers through my hair and I sigh contentedly.

"I love you too," she whispers in my ear and all I want to do is stay in that moment for the rest of eternity.

-

My fist hits the side of his face again, and this time I hear a cracking sound before his chair tips over and he falls to the floor limply.

"I'm not usually one to caution restraint when it comes to killing someone like him," Rafael says from behind me. "But considering that's the third one in under an hour, I feel obligated to."

"He had nothing of use to tell me anymore," I tell him then look down at the bloody body. "Besides I do not think this one is dead yet."

Rafael comes to stand beside me and tilts his head, looking down at the body I may have potentially made lifeless. "I think he is."

I nudge the body with my foot and get no response. I sigh. "That did nothing but make me angrier."

"I wonder why," Rafael says dryly and I shoot him a glare. "What are you going to do about Luca?"

"Do you mean besides killing him?"

He laughs shortly. "I know you better than that. I know that you aren't going to kill him yet."

I glance at him and shrug but don't answer. He's right of course. Since this morning, I have found some very... interesting things about my dear cousin. I would be a fool to kill him before I can make use of him.

"Ace," Stefan says, coming into the room. He glances at the body on the floor and gestures for one of the men to clean up the mess I made. "Rafael. We have found Dakota's husband."

Rafael freezes. This is new information for him. He did not know that Dakota was not just 'fucking' the man, but was also married to him.

"Where is he?" I ask Stefan. Rafael remain stoic and expressionless.

"We're having him transported here. He'll be here in less than four hours," Stefan informs us. I nod and signal for him to leave with my hand.

"Rafael, a-"

"She got married," Rafael whispers and I blink in surprise. That was not what I was expecting. "She left her new-born daughter because she wasn't ready for that kind of commitment to someone but she got married."

Before I can say anything, Rafael starts walking away from me. "I'm going to fucking end that bitch," he says, before leaving the room.

-

I look at Rafael again for the tenth time in the last minute and he sighs. "I'm not going to breakdown, Daniel."

"I never said you were," I mutter, looking away from him again.

"Y-" He's interrupted by a shrill, excited scream.

"Papà!" Valentina shouts, running out of Stella's hold towards Rafael. Rafael grins and bends down to pick her up.

"How is my princess?" He asks her, kissing her all over her face, making her giggle.

"Hey, Ace," Stella says, kissing my cheek.

I smile at her, pulling her into a hug. "Hey yourself."

"I missed you."

"I know." She pushes me away and punches my shoulder.

"Nice to know that you're still an as-" She stops short when I raise my eyebrow and point at Valentina. "You're lucky she's here."

Before I can reply, Valentina runs towards me and hugs my leg. "Hi, Ace!"

"Hi, angel," I reply, bending down to her height and hugging her. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I missed you so much!" She holds her arms out wide to demonstrate her point and I grin.

"I missed you more!" I tell her then look at Stella. There's something wrong with her. She's looking around as if she's afraid that someone might see her. I wonder what's going on in her head right now.

I sigh at Stella and Rafael's stubbornness. The obviously want to be together. They dated for a brief time before university, fell in love and broke up for no particular reason. They have loved each other since then but refuse to get together because of some bullshit like being 'scared of hurting each other'.

And yes, I was fucking my friend's ex. But that's not the point because well, Rafael knew that Stella and I had a casual relationship. He didn't care about what we did- he even admitted that he preferred Stella to have "a causal relationship" with me than a serious relationship with someone else. Besides, Stella and I have had an on-and-off thing since we were fifteen.

The point is that Stella and Rafael aren't realising that they're hurting each other more by not being together.

"We need to get to the apartment. It's not safe being out in the open," Lorenzo says from behind me.

"Safe from what?" Valentina asks and I turn to glare at Lorenzo. Could he not have spoken in another language in front of Valentina?

"Unicorns, bambina," Stella says, taking Valentina's hands in hers. I look at Stella deadpan. That was the worst fucking excuse anyone could have given.

Valentina looks at Stella with wide eyes. "What did the unicorns do?"

Stella turns to Rafael for help but he shrugs, looking amused at their interaction. "Um... Papà and Ace made the unicorns mad and now they are chasing them."

I blink. What the fuck. How is she so terrible at excuses? Valentina is never going to believe-

"Let's go!" Valentina says, pulling Stella to the car. "I don't want Papà and Ace to get caught."

Stella throws me and Rafael a smirk as Valentina drags her to the car.

"I can't believe my daughter is so..." Rafael says then trails off.

"Naive?" I suggest and he shrugs.

"Not what I was going for but I'll take it."

-

"You should spend time with Valentina," I say to Rafael, leaning against the table.

He does not look away from our hostage- Dakota's husband- as he replies, "I have to deal with him first. He still hasn't told me where his bitch is hiding."

I glance at man- who is staring at Rafael with wide eyes. Of course that fucker hasn't told Rafael about Dakota- his mouth is bloody gagged.

"I'll take care of him. Valentina is asking about you. Go spend time with her."

Rafael sighs. "Fine. But try not to kill the fucker until he's given us all the information he can."

The man shifts his terrified gaze to me now. He tries to scream, but the gag muffled his cries.

I laugh shortly. "I'll do my best."

Rafael does not even bother sparing Dakota's husband a glance before leaving the room. I turn my focus on the man to assess the damage Rafael has done. It is not anything too bad. There are just a couple of cuts on his shoulders, arms and legs.

First things first, the gag needs to come off. As soon as I remove the gag from the ungrateful fucker's mouth he starts screaming. I sigh. It's going to be really hard not to just end him.

"Continue screaming like that, and your tongue will be gone before you can blink an eye," I warn him, bored and annoyed by his persistent screaming. Does he not know that no one can save him now?

The man immediately stops screaming. Good.

"Where is your wife?" I ask him, picking up the knife that Rafael had used before. I fold my shirt sleeves till my elbows, not wanting them to get drenched in blood, then look at him again. The fucker's dark eyes reflect his fear as he stares at the knife and then back at me.

"I-I d-don't k-know," he replies, stuttering.

My jaw clenches. Wrong fucking answer. My fist makes contact with the side of his face before he can take another breath. I try my best to control my strength. After all, I would not want to break his bloody jaw before he gives me what I fucking want.

"Try again," I growl, leaning down so he can see my glare.

"I s-swear, I-I don't k-know." This time I opt for a backhanded slap to the face that leaves a cut on his face because of my rings. I find its more effective than a punch at times.

Tears start flowing down his face, and I sigh in irritation. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against crying, regardless of a person's gender. But this coward had the audacity to try and kidnap a little girl but can't take a bloody slap without crying. It's pathetic.

"P-please!" He begs, screaming.

I grab a fistful of his blonde hair and yank his head back. "What the fuck did I say about screaming?"

He remains mute as he stares at me. I press the knife I had grabbed before against his neck. "Answer me."

"I-I w-won't do it a-again," he says, fully sobbing now. Jesus, Rafael was right to gag him. His voice is annoying the fuck out of me.

"Tell me where your bitch is," I say again and he shakes his head. I know he knows where she is. They were separated at the airport. I just don't get why he won't fucking tell us. If she cared about him, she would have taken him with her. Or she would have come for him by now.

I let go of his hair and move away from him. I watch as he relaxes. A fucking mistake on his part. But then again, he doesn't know what I have planned for him yet.

I turn around a discard the knife on the table and instead opt for a larger one. I turn it and study its long jagged blade. This will suffice.

Before the coward can even begin to process what I'm doing, I stab the side his thigh. I make sure to avoid the place where the main branch of the femoral artery is- so he doesn't bleed out so soon. And much to my dismay, the fucker screams. He doesn't fucking learn, does he?

"Scream again, I fucking dare you," I growl in his bloody face as I twist the knife, that's still lodged in his leg. He does not scream again, not because he did not want to, but because he probably could not. I'm pretty sure his throat is hoarse my all the screaming that he has done so far.

After ten minutes his eyes start closing and his body goes limp. Fucking pathetic. I haven't even started yet and he has already passed out from the pain. Or maybe it was fear. I don't fucking know- I don't care much for either.

"I thought Rafael asked you not to kill him," Stella says, amused, as she enters the room soon after the fucker passed away.

"He's not dead. He just has an embarrassingly low pain tolerance."

I unbutton my shirt- which has now been ruined by the bastard's blood and throw slightly to the side. It was the wrong day to wear white.

Stella rolls her eyes as she glances at the passed out man. "Not everyone has been tortured since they were nine, and so develop a pain tolerance as high as yours."

I let a small laugh at her words. "I guess you're right."

No, I don't guess. I fucking know that she's right. Stella and Rafael may be as immune to torturing people as I am, but they cannot handle being tortured. A gunshot wound makes them feel miserable, I can't even imagine what they would feel if they went through the hell that I have since I was nine.

At this point, I'm so fucked in the head that pain and pleasure are one of the same to me. I guess it was my coping mechanism as a teenager- to embrace the pain so it did not affect me as much- so pain would not be my weakness. I don't really know when I stopped embracing the pain and started craving it.

I shake my head at my fucked up thoughts. If anyone knew about my thoughts, I'd be in a bloody mental asylum right now.

"How are things with Selena?" Stella suddenly asks me and I sigh. I should have seen this coming. Stella's too fucking curious to not ask me.

"That's none of your business."

Stella pouts. "Don't be like that. I need to know."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a curious bitch. Also, this is the first time I'm seeing you happy in this way."

"Things are fine with her," I reply, giving in and she raises her eyebrow at me.

"What's fine supposed to mean?" She asks and when I start to reply she cuts in, "Daniel, if you give me the definition of fine then I kid you not, I am going to fucking kill you."

"I wasn't going to," I lie and she looks at me like she doesn't believe me. "And by fine I mean exactly that. Jesus, I love her more than I ever thought was possible but it's so fucking hard. I'm not used to this kind of a relationship- one where I don't hold all the power. And to top it all off, she's stubborn as hell and barely ever listens to me. It's so fucking frustrating."

And for the first time in my life, I'm not the one who holds all the cards in the relationship. If she found out about me, what I really am, she would leave me in a heartbeat. Even imagining that scares the shit out of me. I've allowed myself to become too attached to her and I know I'll end up regretting it.

"If what Raf has told me about her is right, then your relationship with her isn't going to be like your usual relationships. You are not going to have full control in the relationship. She is not going to listen to your every order. She will challenge you. And you aren't used to that so of course it's frustrating at times. But you will have to compromise- which I know is a new thing for you."

I throw a glare and her and she rolls her eyes. "That's just proving my point, Ace. You can't glare at her or punish her every time she does or says something that you don't agree with. That's compromise on your part."

She's fucking right and I hate that. I'm a control freak, there's no other way to say it. And that's not a good thing but that's just how I am. My past relationships have reflected that. Even with Stella, our relationship had a very blatant power imbalance- I was always the one in control. But like Stella, all those girls craved the control I had over them. But that's not going to happen with Selena. I will have to try very hard to give up control. Even then, I'm not sure how successful I will be in doing that.

I need a drink to deal with this.

I turn on my heals and start walking towards the kitchen with Stella close behind me.

"How are things with your family?" I ask Stella, hoping to avoid any more talk of my relationship with a very stubborn girl. Stella remains quiet. "Talk, Stella."

She narrows her eyes at me. "You can't tell me what to do anymore."

I raise my eyebrow. "Do you want to bet on that?"

I'm hoping she won't call me on my bullshit because I cannot tell her what to do anymore. The only way I could get her to do so was by fucking her. And I can't do that anymore.

I can threaten to kill her, but knowing Stella, that would be entirely ineffective.

She rolls her eyes, brushing past me as she pours a drink for both of us. "They are making me get married," Stella says, handing me my drink and I almost drop it. What the fuck?

"To whom?" I ask her, barely controlling my anger. Arranged marriages are common in the Cosa Nostra but I didn't expect Stella to have one. She always wanted to marry for love and now that her family is forcing her to marry someone- her dream can't come true. I, of all people, cannot be surprised that she's letting her family control her that easily but it still makes me mad. Why can't she ever just stand up for herself when she has to?

"Antonio," she replies, her voice quiet and desolate. My eyes snap to hers and she backs away because of the anger the hold. It's not entirely directed at her but that doesn't mean it doesn't scare her.

"Alessi?" I growl through my clenched jaw and she nods. What the fuck is wrong with her family? Antonio Alessi is the devil's incarnate. He has probably killed more people than both Rafael and I combined. And that's saying something. Not to mention he is absolutely fucked in the head. He killed his first wife for looking at another man. "What did you say?"

"I don't have a choice."

"You always do!" I almost scream at her. Instead of moving away from me this time, she moves towards me.

"With you, I did. But my family is not the same- you know that."

"How did they let you come here?"

She sighs. "I told them I needed to for Raf and V. I told them I would not object to the marriage if they let me come."

"When is it?"

"A month from now."

Holy fuck, that does not leave enough time for me to do anything to help her. Except-

"I can kill him."

I know that that seems like my reaction to everything but it's usually the safest bet to eliminate a danger. If you kill someone, they can't hurt you anymore.

Stella stops and stares at me. "No. You already have enough people coming after you. I won't risk the Alessi's and my family turning against you as well."

I know she's right but what she fails to understand is I don't give a fuck about who comes after me because I will end up winning. But if her family comes after me and I kill them. No, that would not work.

"I can help you disappear," I suggest and she shakes her head.

"That would not work. I am not alone. They have their men following me everywhere- both my family and Antonio."

I purse my lips. "Does he know that you aren't a virgin?"

Stella breathes. "Not yet."

"He'll fucking kill you when he finds out."

Stella stops beside me and I look at her. "I'm not weak."

I never said she was. But that's not the point because his first wife wasn't weak either. The point is I know him. I've even worked with him years ago. I've seen how he deals with women who he is with. That's why I made Nonno cut all ties with him.

When he finds out Stella isn't a virgin, he'll be furious. Even if he does not kill her for it, he will make her life miserable and he will go after every man she has slept with- which unfortunately for him includes only me and Rafael.

"Does Rafael know?" I ask Stella and she shakes her head. I know she's trying to be strong but her bottom lip is quivering.

"Not yet. I didn't know how to tell him. Telling him would mean leaving him and Val behind. They'll hate me forever."

"They won't."

"Maybe," Stella replies. "But Raf will start a war with my family and the Alessi's- a war which in any case will end up with the death of people I love."

"What are you going to do?" I ask her.

"Break his heart because it's better than him ending up dead."

-

Don't fuck up things with her. I think of Stella's last words to me as I lean against the wall and stare at Selena's sleeping figure.

Everyone shares Stella's thoughts. They know I'm going to be the one to fuck things up- Francis, Rafael and Jax have already given me the same warning. Stella is the fourth person to do so.

And now I'm sure that I have made a mistake with Selena. I should never have told her I loved her. I should not have asked her out. She deserves so much better. She deserves a person who won't fuck her up and I can't be that person. But at the same time, I know I'm too much of a selfish asshole to let her go. The only way our relationship is going to end is when she leaves me. And the best way to get her to leave me is by telling her about me- what I really am. But even then, I'm not sure if I can leave her alone.

I should not sleep with her tonight. I need to get used to sleeping without her- and she needs the same. I-

Selena turns around and her eyes snap open.

"Hey," she mumbles, still half asleep.

I walk towards her and sit beside her on the bed. "Go to sleep, Selena," I tell her, kissing her forehead. I shouldn't do this. I should just leave. She's isn't going to be with me for much longer. I should get used to distancing myself from her.

She frowns. "Aren't you sleeping with me?"

Cazzo. I didn't plan on her waking up. I certainly didn't plan on looking into her disappointed expression when I didn't sleep with her...

... well, I suppose one more night can't hurt her.

Not trusting my voice, I don't say anything. Instead, I climb over her and slide into bed beside her, pulling her towards me.

I can feel my heart already breaking. This is most probably my last night with her and she doesn't even know it yet.

"I love you," she whispers against my ear.

I close my eyes. I don't think I can do this. Telling her I love her again will just make everything worse for me. But if I don't, she'll be hurt and that's worse. "I love you too- no matter what."