Page 14 of And Twice as Twisted (Agostino Crime Family #4)

“We didn’t speak for months, not until the night she went into labor.

” I took a long drag from my cigar, handing another to my son.

“Things had just really started to settle with me taking over the city. The streets had amicably accepted my reign and I’d put out a lot of fires.

I had several families that were backing us and had cleared the way for me to sit on my throne. As you know, all it takes—”

“Is one bullet for someone to steal it from you.” He cracked his knuckles, no doubt recalling several incidences from his youth and then again with his bride. “I’m not mad at you anymore for lying about Bella.”

He was. That was a type of anger and hate that would never fade. But I needed everyone to believe she was dead to protect them. Just another check on the lists of grievances I’d caused my family.

“It was late. I’d just come home from drinking at one of the corner bars I owned back then. I was drunk, so drunk I didn’t even notice the voices in the hallway.” The cigar burned bright as I was transported back to that night.

“Christ, Rick, give me a hand.”

Riccardo, my oldest friend, laughed as he helped me get my key in the door.

“Another fucking night locked in my prison,” I slurred out and regretted my words almost immediately.

I’d spent the night at the corner bar, drinking away my problems. However, none of them were real.

No, the real problem was the fact I didn’t even know why I was so angry anymore.

I’d fought so hard to stay away from Serafina, my true love, at my wife’s request. As my son grew in her belly, her only ask was that if I sought comfort elsewhere that it not be with the one woman she knew I loved.

Her blanket approval meant I cheated with any bitch within reach.

So many wanted to swallow my cock to say they tasted royalty.

And I let them. So many of them. Too many.

I walked out as soon as my balls drained and each new conquest made me hate myself a little more.

Isabella was a beautiful woman. The sweetest soul I’d ever come across.

She turned our house into a home. My men respected her, enjoyed her company.

And the more time I was around her, the more my walls started to crash down around me.

Which meant that the guilt began to eat at me more and more.

I slowly stopped sleeping around, and to ease the guilt, I drank. A lot.

Like tonight. I could barely make out the outline of my front door, let alone get my key to unlock it. Riccardo moved fast, opening the door and shoving me inside with a laugh as I stumbled. I gave him the finger, straightened, and wandered aimlessly towards my bedroom.

I should apologize to her for everything I’d done this past year and beg her to forgive me. That thought was running through my mind as I continued down the hall.

“What the—“ I stopped when someone grabbed my arm and tugged me into my office, closing the door and placing a hand over my mouth.

Isabella was in a silk nightgown, her large belly showing how ready my son was to enter the world. Her finger covered her full lips to silence me. She tapped her ear and pointed towards the door. It was only then that I finally heard the voices.

“I told you he wouldn’t be home yet. We should’ve handled him at the bar,” one voice muttered.

“We never would have made it out alive. Now be quiet. Let’s handle the wife and his unborn spawn first.”

Isabella tapped my arm before lifting three fingers—three men.

My adrenaline was coursing through my veins, slowly reducing my inebriation.

They wanted to hurt Isabella and my son…

because of me. I tucked her away under my desk, telling her to be quiet as I jumped behind my door just as it started to open.

I moved fast, even in my drunken state, and attacked like a madman.

I’d disarmed and knocked out two of them before the third even realized what was happening.

The last fucker refused to go down as easily.

We went blow for blow while the other two started to come to.

My wife and unborn son needed me. I’d already let her down so many times.

I needed to protect them. Blood was coating the floor and my knuckles were torn open.

It wasn’t until Isabella whimpered that I came back to reality.

One of the men had her pinned to his chest. His gun against her temple. I stared at them in horror. “No!”

Isabella held on to her belly, her face twisted, pained.

“Wouldn’t I be doing you a favor?” His thick accent hinted at his identity. Many were direct immigrants from Italy, but this thick brogue was particular to one group. “You don’t care about this bitch.”

I took a punch to the gut, then the nose, the repeated blows forcing me to my knees. I stared up at the third man in confusion. Why would they be doing this? To what gain? Did I have it wrong?

“We got this, boss.” One of them nodded at the other two before disappearing down the hall, and the front door slammed.

“Mario, th-the baby’s coming,” Isabella whined, her knees buckling as she dropped closer to the floor.

“You’re both fucking dead.” My hands twitched, needing to kill them. “Isabella, look at me.”

She peered up at my face, hers riddled with agony.

I’m going to make this right. I silently told her we’d get through this. I’d spend the rest of my life making up for my bullshit.

“Shoot the bitch!” one shouted as she called out for them to wait.

“Mario, I love you. I know you never wanted this, me, but I still love you.” She stopped to scream in pain, and the man holding her seemed conflicted. “Mario,” she whispered, before nodding at the guy behind me.

And then I saw it.

I elbowed him in the face and ducked to my right, Isabella’s gun going off immediately.

I didn’t hesitate, charging the man at her back and slamming my full weight into him.

I subdued him easily, but Isabella had other plans.

She groaned in agony but continued to lean over my shoulder, the gun held strong in her grip.

“Rot in hell, bastardo. ” The gun discharged and his body dropped at the same time hers started to fold over.

I moved quickly, helping her to the ground and pulling up her nightgown. “Oh fuck.” I called 9-1-1 first, Riccardo second.

“Whatever you do, make sure my son is okay,” Isabella commanded and only then did I notice the puddle of blood forming under her.

“You’re both going to be okay. And I promise you I will do right by you and this family. I’m so sorry for everything, for what I’ve put you through. I love you, Isabella.” And I meant every word of it.

As she gave birth to our son on the floor of my office, so many images of a future without them flashed in my mind.

Made me sick. It was one promise I knew I’d spend the rest of my days fulfilling.

I’d love her and my family until I died.

Whatever I did in life, it would be for their benefit. Because this woman owned my heart.

“That’s why we named you Lucifer.” My son eyed me curiously, so I clarified, “If you’d have killed a woman as tender as your mother, I would’ve thought you were the devil. Instead, you were really fucking lucky she was much stronger than that.”

“Sienna needs to leave, Pops.” The kid had an uncanny ability to smother my decent mood. “If she thinks we all turned our backs on her, then she’ll go.”

“I know. She needs to hate us to leave.” I despised saying it aloud, but it was true.

Apollo was like another son to me, and if we didn’t get him straightened out, he’d either die or be sent to prison.

When it came to those two, their version of love was so toxic it promised to implode—at least until they got their heads on right.

Once it clicked and Apollo was back to himself, I had no doubt they’d make amends.

I had Philly’s alliance and offer of protection, even if my family would hate me for it.

I never really understood Shakespeare until this moment.

My decisions left me uneasy, since they were made because of my crown.

I had to protect Sienna, and if Apollo couldn’t, I’d ensure someone else could.

My adopted son would never love her, not the way my eldest daughter needed him to.

He’d show it in his protection, his loyalty, and his possessiveness.

Once everyone realized this, everything else would click into place.

I just needed to push him and get him there.

Before they killed each other.

“So, that’s the plan?” Lucky asked, swallowing the same bitter pill. “He’s losing control. They can’t be allowed near each other.”

Sienna was going to hate us.

Realistically, we didn’t have many choices.

We could let Apollo continue to spiral and end up in a cage, or worse having killed my daughter.

We could treat him like a sick dog and put him out of his misery.

Or, finally, we could force Sienna to leave.

She needed to go away until we got him under control.

Because letting Apollo off his leash would be the end of us all.

The ultimate betrayal could very well be the one that saved my daughter.

She’d never leave on her own; she was incapable of walking away from a fight.

But if we turned our backs on her and made her angry, she’d leave and actually do right for herself .

For once, she’d choose herself over this family.

“Someone needs to take the bullets out of her gun.” I took another puff of my cigar. The statement was comical but it didn’t make it any less true.

Our conversation transitioned from business to family. My son was preparing to add on to his, meanwhile I was losing control of mine. We’d need to send Sienna away while we begged Octavia to come home. It was an absolute mess.

But I would save my children and pay for my sins. I just didn’t expect my two daughters to have plans of their own.