Bella (A Sagatori family saga-A Mafia Romance Book 5) (7 page)

Jax

Watching Bella walk away was the single hardest thing I’d ever done. I knew what Bella thought seeing me with this viper—hell, I would’ve committed murder if this were twisted around. But she had no idea what this all meant, and I couldn’t let her find out. The truth that twisted in between Rebecca and myself was the one thing that would rip Bella to pieces.

I sucked in a deep breath, wanting so badly to run after her. “Why are we here, Rebecca?” I growled through my clenched jaw.

She drummed her gigantically ridiculous red nails on the table, watching me with disdain. “Sit, Jax.” Her stare narrowed in on me.

“Why don’t we start with you telling me where you’ve been for the last year and a half?” I held the table, gripping the edges as hard as I could so I didn’t leap forward and grab her by the throat.

Her red lips curved into a smile. “Why don’t we talk about her.” One second passed where the vulnerability in her posture was visible; her head falling slightly as her eyes swam to the corners. “She’s beautiful.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a short moment then raised her brows adjusting the ring on her left finger… her wedding ring. My eyes heated with anger.

“That’s—”

Her eyes fell to the ring again “My wedding ring?” she twisted it with her right hand. “Yes.”

“You lost the right to wear that ring the moment you decided it was okay to sleep with Casconi?”

She nodded toward the waitress, signaling her to approach.

“Are you ready to order?” the waitress asked.

“I’ll have a pink champagne and my husband will have a cognac.”

“Will that be all?” She smiled.

Rebecca nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She drew in a deep breath, watching as the waitress walked away before continuing. “I missed watching you with a tumbler in your hand. The way you swirl it with your wrist just before you press your lips to the glass.”

“Why the fuck am I here?” I loosened my tie.

“I wanted to see you; it has been… a long time, too long.” She sucked on her bottom lip.

The waitress delivered the two drinks to the table and then hurried away.

Rebecca raised her glass. “To love—” she paused, “—and revenge.”

I didn’t raise my glass or respond to the toast; my response wasn’t about the raised glass but about the reason we were here to begin with. I leaned in, letting my eyes cross the path that led to our table before allowing them to land into hers, attempting to avoid unwanted attention. “I’m only going to ask one more time then I’m walking out the door. What do you want?”

“I dream about you, ya know. When we were apart, I’d look up to the stars and wonder if you were watching them too.”

Memories played over in my mind like a fuzzy black and white movie, much like the ones she and I would lay in bed watching. Memories of Rebecca’s and my life together hadn’t been something I’d thought about for a long time. I sat back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other. “You were dead, Rebecca, I saw your body.” I held back the anger that seethed through my blood. There were too many people that knew me here, and I wondered why she’d chosen this place. After all, they knew her as well and maybe that was why she’d chosen it. Perhaps she wanted to keep me calm.

“You mean you saw what was left-over from the sham of a marriage that we had?” Her breath hitched, “I—,” she dropped her eyes to the table blinking rapidly. “You put a bomb in the car, Jax.”

I shook my head.

She was working me over, wanting me to admit that I’d been responsible. That would cost me huge, and I had too much to loose to fall into her trap. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rebecca.”

Her mouth gaped open before she whispered, “You’re gonna deny me the truth, Jax?”

“What truth?” My eyes looked away from hers as I laughed, making eye contact with an old friend. Ignoring the watchful eye of her skinny piece of shit guard, I sipped on the cognac, relishing in the taste.

“We could certainly start with the truth about my sister,” she said while bringing the glass to her mouth.

“
Leave Bella out of this!
” The vessels in my head threatened to burst. My thoughts were homicidal, maniacal at best.

“Isabella Sagatori, I wonder what she will say— learning that she isn’t who she thinks she is.”

My heart beat like a bass drum in my chest. A forceful breath rushed through my teeth.

“One night, Jax, that’s all it will take to ensure you’re secret is safe.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I huffed. “That’s your thing, Becca, to cheat on the person you’re married too, remember? Is that where you’ve been all this time, with Casconi?” Where had she been all this time? I guessed witness protection; I’m sure she’d be all too willing to give me up.

The whites of her eyes changed from dull white to the pink color of the drink she held. “Telling her we share the same father—” she sipped on her drink, “—will ruin her; is that what you want?”

“No, Becca. ” I drew in a deep breath. “That’s not what I want.”

She narrowed her stare and brought a smile to her lips. “Great—” she set her drink down “— it’s settled then. Shall we?”

I waited in my chair for another moment before standing. “Let me make a stop to the men’s room.”

“Jax, you don’t have anything up your sleeve, do you? After all, I’m sure you remember how amazing this is going to be.” She stood moving closer to me. “We were so good together, the best orgasms of my life came from this mouth.” I wanted to vomit. “And this cock.” her hand slid to my dick. “Not hard for me yet?” She turned, watching me through the corners of her eyes. “You will be.”

I walked away from the table, heading toward the restroom. I gave a nod to my old friend who sat a few tables away in the back of the restaurant. That bitch wasn’t coming anywhere near my dick. I had to see what the fuck was really going on and how to take care of her quietly.

I spent my time in the bathroom texting Wyatt, Tony, and Sal. I gave them specific instructions on what I needed them to do and their main priority being Bella. Likely Becca had no desire to leave Bella alone since she loathed her as much as she did. I think it was mostly jealousy. Now that Bella was my wife and carrying my child, she was in even more danger. I’d make sure she was protected from all of this somehow.

Once I was satisfied my men were going to be doing what they were supposed to, I cleared my text and left the bathroom. Seeing that my old friend Victor had already left, I took a deep breath and headed back to that viper.

I had once loved the old Rebecca, the sweet girl, but she’d changed a long time ago and not for the good. This Rebecca, I loathed.

I approached her, seeing a smile break on her lips. “Are you ready?”

“Let’s get this over with.”

She linked her arm with mine as we left the restaurant.

“Boss, can I get a word.”

I broke free of her grip, walking toward Wyatt. “Yeah.”

“Boss, I fuckin’ hate like hell to tell you this, but Bella got out of the car at a stop light. I went looking for her, but I can’t find her.”

My heart pounded against my chest while adrenaline forced its way through my body. I was about to leave with Rebecca, and I had no idea where my wife was. “I’m going to kill you,” I growled through clamped teeth.

“That’s not the bad part, Boss.” He dropped his head.

I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat, but I needed him to find my wife. “Talk.”

He leaned in, speaking quietly. “She took a gun, I mean I have this one—” he leaned in further opening his jacket, “—but she took my spare.”

“And when the fuck did all this take place?”

“Oh man.” He swept his brow with the back of his hand. “Boss, I pulled over for a second to answer your text, and I don’t know what happened.”

“You shouldn’t have said that to me. Now I have to kill your ass.” I ran my hand over my jaw.

“What the hell would she need a gun for?”

I lifted my eyes to this idiot. “Have you met Bella? Did she see your texts?”

His head dropped. “I may have left my phone in the car when I got out to check the tires. Bella said it felt like there was a flat. She could’ve looked at it. She asked if I was messaging you and I said yeah.”

“Jax? I don’t have all day,” Rebecca barked at me.

“You fool, she conned you, fuck!”

“I didn’t think she had it in her,” he admitted. He really was a dumb ass.

“Yeah she’s got in in her; she’s probably on her way here right now.”

“What do you want me to do?”

I tapped my fingers along the top of the car. “Find her and hand her over to Dominic and Tony, then wait for my call. But fuck, first take me to the Westport Hotel.”

He nodded.

Once we were in the car I found myself searching all around for Bella. I imagined she was walking the streets of Detroit. I texted her once we began driving away.

Jax:
Where are you

Bella:
Turn around. Quietly
.

Holy fuck! Her car was behind us. If I said anything to Wyatt the dumb bitch next to me would know, and if I let her continue the crazy ass mission she was on she would likely get dead.

Jax:
WTF?

Bella:
This is my family, Jax.

Fuck!

Bella:
She can’t have you. I won't let you do this to us.

“Who are you texting?” Rebecca leaned in.

“None of your mother fucking business,” I snapped.

“Oh, Jax—” she rubbed my leg, “— all that pent up hostility; you’re so sexually frustrated.”

“Get your fucking hand off of me.”

“I think I hold the cards here, Jax. I say what goes.”

I couldn’t stop myself. I tried but my body moved before I could control it. “You control nothing, bitch. I’ll fucking end you right here right now.” She gasped for air. I was choking her with both my hands wrapped around her throat. Her guard in the front seat snapped a gun on me and of course, Wyatt pulled one on him while also driving the car. I took in a deep breath and let her go. “Get that fucking gun out of my face or I’m gonna end you right now.” My resolve was breaking, and I was taking these motherfuckers with me. I was usually collected, but this shit had me way out in left field.

Once we were at the hotel I gripped the door. I knew Bella was behind us, and I knew she was crazy as hell. Fuck, that’s why I loved her so fucking much. She meets my crazy. But I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

My phone vibrated in my jacket.

Bella:
Trust me, baby.

I wanted to tell her to fucking run, but I couldn’t help but to trust her. Fuck! This girl had me on every level. I couldn’t though; I couldn’t let her find out the truth about her past and what it all meant for her future.

Jax:
No, this is what I want, Bella, get the fuck out of here.

Bella:
Liar

I shook my head realizing we’d arrived at the hotel. Rebecca stepped out of the car and I took a deep breath, hoping everyone was in place. And hoping that Wyatt mentioned the small fact that Bella was running loose with his gun.

I saw Bella’s car several cars back. I scoped out the entrance, not seeing any signs of her. She was gonna get herself killed and with our son in her belly at that.

I stepped to the other side of Wyatt, filling him in and needing him to fill in everyone else. I was going into a hotel suite with this bitch; she thought she had my balls in a vice, but she didn’t. My only fear, though, was that this was a ploy for something even bigger than I imagined; something I couldn’t control.

We rode up in the elevator in silence. Rebecca kept checking the time on her watch every few minutes nervously like she was late for something.

I ignored her for the most part but always kept her in my sights. But all I could think about was Bella.

Rebecca’s phone rang causing everyone to look at her. “Yes.” Silence. “I’m at the hotel.” She ended the call by pressing the red button on her phone, slipping it into her bag just before the doors opened to the 20
th
floor.