HIDDEN WITNESS 4: DOMINIC'S STORY Read online

  “There’s no doubt you’ll make a fine attorney,” he stated shoving Jude’s other arm into the machine.

  I smirked. My thoughts wandered back to Carmen. She probably flooded my cell with calls and texts. I left my cell at the warehouse. I wouldn’t speak to Carmen until Marco and I completely cleaned up the mess.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  DOMINIC

  After, we grinded up Jude’s body, we drove to Philadelphia and buried Jude’s remains deep under an unfinished building at an Esposito’s construction site. We sat on the edge of the concrete landing and washed away the grime from the soles of our boots.

  Marco and I strolled into one of his family’s restaurants. It was closed for the night. I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall over the cash register. The clock read two in the morning. We changed back into our suits and Oxfords.

  Standing over a rusty steel drum, Marco and I sipped our long neck bottles of beer. We stared into the flickering blue and orange flames watching the remains of our clothes burn. Dark smoke clouds rose to the heavens. The cool air danced across my heated neck. Grinding a human being to ground chuck was hard work. Carmen crossed my mind again. I imagined her lying in my king-sized bed sleep, wearing her dainty panties under one of my Stanford T-shirt’s. I never hungered for a woman before Carmen. Breaking my soon to be fiancé consumed my thoughts. It shouldn’t have. We both needed to focus on our education. I knew if I made love to Carmen too soon, she wouldn’t focus on her studies. Instead she’d become consumed with riding my cock.

  “Good riddance bitch,” Marco grunted, glaring through his eyelashes into the flames and chugged his beer. There was a bitterness in his eyes. Did he regret killing the half-brother he’d gotten to know over the years?

  We strolled through the doors of one of the Esposito’s strip clubs in Jersey City. Two short slender women, one with mocha skin and the other honey brown, looped their arms through Marco’s and walked in the direction of a black chair, replicating a throne positioned in the V.I.P section with a perfect view of the stage.

  “Mr. Magarelli?” My eyes floated to the tall woman with silky black hair, flowing over her thong, gracing her porcelain skin.

  “Hello, Spice.”

  “I will escort you to V.I.P.” She reached for my hand. Before our fingers touched, I extended my arm. “Lead the way.”

  In the clubs I was recognized as the most eligible bachelor in New Jersey. No one received the memo I was off the market. My beautiful Carmen held my heart in her precious grip.

  Plopping in the red leather chair, I rested my elbows on the arms.

  “The usual, Mr. Magarelli?” Her large tits almost overshadowed her pretty face.

  “Yes, bring the drink first. I’ll also have a steak, potatoes, and asparagus.” I turned my attention to Marco. The two women shook their asses in his face. “Bring him the same,” I yelled over the loud music.”

  “Coming right up.” She strolled away.

  The red and black furniture gave the strip club an upscale vibe. The darkened four corners mimicked a black hole. If entered a person might disappear. The lights from the stage and the strobe lights overcasting our bodies every few seconds was the only light around us.

  Comatosed men were plastered on chairs staring at the dancers on stage or the woman providing a lap dance. The club was open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. One of the top earning strip clubs in all of New Jersey.

  I sipped the whiskey neat, the waitress delivered.

  Marco mentioned settling down a few times. He said finding a good woman was difficult. You think? Shit, how did he ever expect to find a woman when he barely left the fucking strip club? He oversaw the strip clubs and waste management yards.

  Receiving lap dances and blow jobs was how he spent his spare time. Women threw themselves at his feet. Whenever he finally decided to become a one-woman man, his girlfriend turned out to be a fucking psycho. Every now and then she’d show her pretty angelic face, making his life a living hell.

  The strippers who doubled as waitresses flipped on the small table lamps next to the plush chairs when they delivered our meals. Marco waved the strippers away.

  We slid our knives through our steaks.

  The steak and potatoes melted in my mouth.

  “Your strip clubs and restaurants have the best steaks in all of New Jersey.” I kissed my fingers expanding my hand, “Delizioso!”

  Marco snickered chewing his steak. “You better fucking believe it.”

  “Hey man, you’ll be a single, old man, who only has the company of his strippers.”

  He flashed his perfect teeth and whipped his fingers through his tousled dark mane. “You’re right. I need to slow down. What about you, Dom? Do you ever intend to settle down?”

  I chugged my whiskey and tilted the half empty glass his way. “Don’t mention this to anyone. I don’t want people in my business.”

  “Spill, for Christ’s sake.”

  “I have a girlfriend. She and I attend college together. The woman I love is a scientist.” The ends of my lips curled upward.

  He leaned over the arm of the chair. “Let me get this fucking straight. Not only did you manage to find a woman, she’s a nerd, and you’re in love with her?”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Tell me about it. She’s married to her fucking research. Marco, she embarrasses herself often, but I don’t give a fuck. Everything about her is cute. I’ll protect her until my dying breath.”

  My eyes met Marco’s widened green gaze. A chuckle ripped from his throat.

  He clapped his large hands. “I can’t believe this shit!” He waved a waitress over.

  “Bring a bottle of Jim Beam. We need to toast to Dom. I never thought I’d see the day. If your brother could see you now.”

  Our smiles rose and fell. The waitress returned filling our glasses, leaving the bottle of bourbon whiskey on the small black table.

  Marco and I raised our glasses. “Dillon would be proud of his little brother.”

  I struggled to swallow past the huge lump in my throat. What I’d give to tell my brother anything about my life.

  “Dom, I’m honored you’d confide in me about something near and dear to your heart. To happiness.”

  We clinked our glasses. “To happiness. And to Dillon.”

  “To Dillon. We miss you brother.” The sentimental glint in his eyes told me he missed his best friend more than he cared to admit.

  “Dom. Dom.” Marco shook my arm. My eyes fluttered open. His bodyguards stood around us.

  I rubbed my fingers gruffly over my eyes. “What the fuck time is it?”

  “One in the afternoon, Mr. Magarelli,” Nadir the oversized giant stated in a growl. He often spoke in a growl. Nothing personal.

  I ran my fingers through my disheveled hair.

  “Dom, we need to head out.”

  “Yeah.” I stood.

  Marco and I walked along the road where we shut down the hijacking last night. We scoured the streets for any evidence left behind. Our clean up job was thorough.

  Two hours later, we sat at the corner of Jude’s street, staring at his childhood home through our dark sunglasses. I adjusted the passenger seat in the black Tahoe, glancing out of the side mirror. Little old ladies sat on their porches conversing with friends. Every now and then they stood, waving their hands in the air, yelling in Italian at the neighborhood kids, zipping across their grass on bikes. A chuckle fell from my lips.

  Marco glanced my way. “What’s funny?”

  “I remembered when I was a young boy my grandmother yelled at me in Italian for riding my bike across the neighbor’s lawn. She was a spitfire that one.”

  “You’re lucky all your grandmother did was yell. Mine smacked me upside the head for riding my bike too fast in the neighborhood.”

  We laughed.

  My smile fell. “I don’t remember a time in my life I didn’t have bodyguards.”

  Marco placed a toothpick between his lips.
“The mafia life.”

  “You never wanted to be average?” I glimpsed at him.

  “Fuck average. Average motherfuckers don’t get pussy like mobsters.”

  I dropped my head against the leather headrest. “Shit, I have to agree with you there.”

  My lips curled as I continued watching the people in the neighborhood. A sliver of me wished I didn’t have bodyguards. But to forego my power. Fuck that never.

  Marco and I strolled into his warehouse. My fingers dug into my shoulder blade, trying to workout the sore muscles from sleeping in the chair at the strip club. All I wanted was a hot shower and to hear my woman’s voice. Playing with her sweet pussy would be an added bonus.

  “Marco. Dom!” How’s it hanging? Marco’s brother Luca Jr. stepped out the office, arms wide, holding a cigar.

  “Shit,” Marco grunted under his breath.

  Luca and Marco could almost pass as twins. Luca was the oldest by two years, stalkier and less tattoos. He berated Marco for covering his body in ink.

  Luca pulled me into a bro hug. “What brings you to Jersey City?” He stepped back, bringing his cigar to his lips.

  “Marco and I have been enjoying the food and women at the strip club.”

  His head rose as smoke released from his nostrils and lips. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

  My eyebrow arched. “Luca, what the fuck? I’m a grown man in law school. I can leave when I fucking please.”

  He laughed, slapping my cheek. “Just busting your balls.” His eyes fell on Marco. “Pops, called an emergency meeting.”

  “All right, Dom, wait for me here. We’ll hit the club after my meeting.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Luca’s heavy hand landed on my shoulder. “Dom, no need for you to wait here. Join us.”

  Shit, someone ratted us out. “Sounds good.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  DOMINIC

  Thirty minutes later, Marco and I sat in the middle of his father’s study. Luca Jr. and two guards sat on the sofa behind us. Marco and I already had our story together. Just in case. We sat, relaxed in our chairs, sipping whiskey.

  “Marco, why did I hear about the botched hijacking attempt second hand? Instead of from my son?” Luca Sr. leaned into Marco and roared. His slicked salt and pepper hair shook loose.

  Their grandfather died of a heart attack when they were young boys. My grandfather took to Luca Sr. Out of the five families we are the closest.

  Marco sat on the edge of his seat. Arms stretched. “Pops, you have to trust that I can run the businesses you’ve assigned to me and then some. Luca and I will become bosses of the family soon. I can handle problems.”

  His father crossed his legs at his ankles, and leaned against the oversized cherry wood desk, sipping whiskey. “Marco, once you handled the problem, you should have informed me. No matter what!” he growled.

  Marco dropped his head in his hand. “Fine, Pops.” He sat back and slid his fingers through his hair.

  “Next time, I save our family hundreds of thousands of dollars, I’ll report the situation had been handled to you right away.”

  Lucas waved his hand in the air. “Don’t fucking patronize me.”

  I sat back watching Marco and his old man bicker back and forth. What the fuck did the bosses think in our families? That they’d run the fucking business forever.

  Marco and I walked out of that meeting unscaved. We lounged in V.I.P at club Insane. Clinking our whiskey glasses, Marco and I burst into hysterical laughter.

  “Marco, what the fuck?”

  I pointed at him. “That was a close fucking call.”

  He fell back on the black velvet sofa, running his hand over his gruff face. “I had a feeling my father would keep his foot on my fucking neck. Shit, he has to release the reign at some point.”

  “Marco, he will. The men in our families never want to release control.” I swallowed the remaining contents in my glass, taking in the burn. “My grandfather believes my temper is so bad I’ll burn all of Newark down.” My eyebrows rustled together. “Give me a fucking break. I’ve been tame over the last year.”

  He raised his glass, dropping his head in laughter. “You fucking tame? I bet you wanted to tell my father to hurry the fuck up with all his control issues.”

  I poured Jim Beam to the halfway point in the low-ball glass. “You are fucking right I did.” I sipped. “But the fact that I didn’t sigh aloud shows progress.”

  “Dom, you’re going to make one hell of a boss.”

  We raised our glasses. “So, will you, Marco.”

  Standing in Marco’s bathroom, I stared into my red eyes in the mirror. Swishing mouthwash in my mouth, I lowered my face to the porcelain sink, spit, then splashed cold water over my skin. Climbing into my bed was all I wanted to do.

  I dried off my face then stepped into the living room.

  “Good morning, Dom,” Nadir stated, leaning on the breakfast bar.

  “Good morning.” I ran my hands down the front of my gray suit.

  “Is Marco here?”

  “Yeah, he’s knocked out. I grabbed your cell and watch from the warehouse. Now that you both squared up business with the boss, I figured bringing your phones over was safe.”

  I swiped up my items off the counter. “Thanks, Nadir. Tell Marco I’ll talk to him later.”

  “Will do.”

  I ran my finger across the slick screen. “Shit!” I mumbled.

  My cell was dead. I hooked it up to the car charger and waited for the screen to light up. Teck focused on the road in route to my parents.

  Twenty minutes later, Teck drove through the gate. My eyes widened then narrowed at my men standing in the driveway. What the fuck were they doing here?

  Teck could barely throw the car in park before I opened the door.

  “Why would you two come to New Jersey and leave Carmen alone?”

  Hugo’s brows rose. “We didn’t leave her. She’s in the house.”

  “I’ve heard enough,” I roared, running inside.

  The aroma of fresh pasta sauce lingered in the air. I stalked toward the kitchen.

  “Dominic, what happened to you? Were you sleeping on the streets?”

  Her brown eyes the color of honey gave me the once over.

  “Partying too hard, Mom.” I ran my hand over my gruff face.

  She folded her arms across her chest. “Your girlfriend is here. You know the girlfriend only Alex knew existed.” One eyebrow rose.

  “Mom, I apologize. I should have told you about her. Carmen is the only girlfriend I’ll ever have.”

  Her eyebrows scrounged together. She leaned in. “What does that mean? Are you going to break her heart?”

  I snickered. “No, Mom. Carmen and I will eventually get married. After we finish school.”

  Her mouth dropped open and she threw her arms around my neck. “Dominic, I was sure you’d be a bachelor forever.”

  I planted my lips on the side of her head, holding her tight. “Nope, Carmen is the woman I’ve waited for all these years.”

  She stepped back, then checked the meal in the oven. “I’m happy for you Dominic. Although, I didn’t think she was your type.”

  My dark brows wrinkled. “Why because she’s black?”

  She chuckled. “No, because she wears cute little T-shirts and blue jean shorts.” My mother’s Jersey accent came across thick.

  I smiled. “That’s Carmen. She’s a scientist. If I left it up to her, she’d wear T-shirts and jeans under her white lab coat forever. She has a beautiful wardrobe at home.”

  My mother sipped a glass of chardonnay. “Would you like a glass?”

  “No, I’ll wait till dinner.”

  “So, she lives with you?”

  “No, she has her own place. Believe it or not, Mom, Carmen is still a good girl. If you catch my drift.” I arched a brow.

  “Oh. Well, good for her.”

  “She needs to remain focused on her stu
dies.”

  She laughed. “So, do you. You’re costing us thousands of dollars up there at Stanford. I’m sure you had law classes this week.”

  I sighed. “Yes, Mom. We’re returning to school tomorrow.”

  She pointed her finger toward me. “Dominic, stay your ass in school. Stop coming back to Jersey every other week.”

  “Yeah, Ma.” I kissed her forehead then turned on my heels.

  Light chatter seeped from Alexandria’s bedroom. I leaned against the frame watching my sister and my woman giggle. The bond they’ve created in a short time was special. Alex asked Carmen was she moving to Jersey. Carmen said she didn’t know.

  “Yes, she is.”

  Carmen shot me a death glare.

  I told Alex I needed to borrow Carmen. The second I closed my bedroom door behind us, I wanted to rip Carmen’s clothes off and fuck her hard.

  She’s a virgin, Dominic, there will be no getting your dick wet anytime soon.

  I wanted to say fuck school and her damn degree. Feeling the warmth of her pussy squeezing my cock was what I fucking longed for. Shit!