Elio, p.1
Elio, page 1
Elio
A Possessive Second Chance Dark Mafia Billionaire Romance
Calabresi Mafia
Book 4
L.K. Ryan
Copyright © 2023 by L.K.Ryan
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
For questions and comments about this book, please contact 304 Publishing Company at authorlkryan@gmail.com. Visit the official website at www.authorlkryan.com
Created with Vellum
Contents
Acknowledgments
Calabresi Family
Disclaimer
Introduction
Synopsis
1. Elio Jr
2. Elio Jr
3. Cora
4. Elio Jr
5. Cora
6. Elio Jr
7. Cora
8. Elio Jr
9. Cora
10. Elio Jr
11. Cora
12. Elio Jr
13. Cora
14. Elio Jr
15. Cora
16. Elio Jr
17. Cora
18. Elio Jr
19. Cora
20. Elio Jr
21. Cora
22. Elio Jr
23. Cora
24. Elio Jr
Epilogue: Elio Jr
Sneak Peek: Vincenzo
Upcoming Releases
About the Author
Calabresi Mafia Series
Acknowledgments
This book wouldn’t happen without the support of my amazing readers. I can’t thank you enough.
Calabresi Family
Family Map:
Elio Calabresi - Father, Retired Don
Adelina Calabresi - Mother
Savio Calabresi - Boss
Sante Calabresi - Underboss
Renato Calabresi - Enforcer
Elio III - Consigliere
Vincenzo - CEO of Calabresi Holdings
Disclaimer
Warning: There are a few scenes that may trigger. Be aware. Contains strong language and explicit sexual content and is only intended for mature readers. A Dark Mafia Billionaire romance with an asshole alpha male, possessive and aggressive. This story may contain unconventional situations, language, and sexual encounters that may offend some readers. This book is for mature readers (18+).
Introduction
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www.authorlkryan.com
Synopsis
Elio
I wasn’t supposed to take it this far; I was young and thought I knew what love was, but she couldn’t be mine forever. She hates me for what I did and reminds me every time I see her that I’ll never have her again.
Cora
I’ve known him since my mother worked for his family and loved him since we were young. The Calabresi rules were in place from the beginning, and our worlds could never collide again after he broke my heart.
Will Elio convince Cora that his love for her never faded? Or will it be too late when her life hangs in the balance?
A second chance, possessive hero, hate to love, forbidden, Dark Mafia romance. Book 4 in an interconnecting stand-alone series with a guaranteed HEA.
Chapter 1
Elio Jr
Six months later
Christmas Eve 2022
It was our annual holiday dinner with family and friends at my parents' house. When my older brothers started having kids, they wanted to create their own family traditions on Christmas Day, so Mom insisted on hosting a dinner every Christmas Eve.
Cora and I had done this dinner together for years before we’d broken up. We’d slept here, woken up together, had breakfast, and exchanged gifts.
But things were very different now.
I slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. My eyes skimmed Cora’s body, and my chest throbbed painfully at the thought of her dating someone else.
I stalked over to her at the sink as she washed her hands.
“Get out!” Cora pressed her hand against my chest and tried to push me away.
I grabbed her hand and kissed the back of her palm. “You didn’t answer my call.”
“EJ, leave me alone.”
As she brushed past me, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her to my chest. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, kissing her shoulder.
“You're ten years too late.” Cora unlocked the door and slipped out of my reach.
“Fuck!” I smacked everything off the counter, and it crashed to the floor.
Beyond pissed, I stomped out of the bathroom. I glanced around the hallway of my parent's home and spotted Cora talking with my mother and my sister-in-law, Rena.
A hand on my chest stopped me from moving in their direction. “Leave her alone,” Savio warned.
My gaze clashed with Cora’s as Savio extended his arm around my shoulder, and she rolled her eyes. For the past few days, I’d called, sent texts, and even showed up at her house, all to no avail. The avoidance had to stop. I was ready to take action.
I shrugged Savio off. “She’s been avoiding me. I’m done playing games.”
“Cora’s like a sister to our family. Give her some time,” he advised.
“She saw me at a club with a few women.”
“And let me guess. You saw her with a guy and ran him off.”
I inhaled a steadying breath. “She’s too young to date.”
“She’s twenty-four, EJ,” Savio said.
I ran a hand down my face in frustration. I didn’t regret pushing men away when they got too close to Cora. “We’re friends.”
I followed Savio into my father’s office and plopped down on the couch, rubbing my throbbing temples as he shut the door.
Savio sat in the chair. “Friends, my ass. Stop being an idiot. I have other things to discuss.”
“Where’s Pops?”
“Playing with the kids in the backyard.” He gestured to the window before returning his gaze to me. “I need you to go to New York. Giosuè needs some assistance.”
I scrutinized him. “How long?”
“Not sure. Probably a few weeks. The situation with Gallagher needs to be dealt with.”
“I’ll get Vaughn and Thompson to clear us if there's any blowback.”
“Something is happening, EJ, and the question is, are you ready for it? I'm not sure what's going on with you and Cora, but you need a clear head.”
“Leave it alone.” Now was not the time to talk about my personal life.
“Don’t hurt her. Cora and Marilyn mean a lot to our family,” Savio warned, referring to Cora’s mom.
“I'll kill myself before I hurt her.” I glared as I followed him out of the office.
“Cora, why are you so dressed up?” Rena asked.
“I have a date,” Cora answered.
I marched over to her at the dining room table. “No, you fucking don’t!”
“Why do you care, EJ?” Rena demanded.
I flipped her off.
Cora's nostrils flared. “None of your business.”
“Whoever he is, say goodbye because we're gonna send him to an early grave and pay for his funeral.”
Cora jumped up from her seat as the doorbell rang.
“Are you ready?” an unfamiliar voice asked as she opened the door.
“What the fuck?” I marched behind her and yanked the door wide. Removing my gun from the holster, I pointed it at his head.
Cora’s date threw his hands in the air, and his eyes skittered between Cora and me.
“Elio Jr!” my mother yelled.
Cora jumped in front of the gun. “Put that away,” she spat, trying to force my hand down.
“Move, Cora,” I growled.
“No. You’ve lost your mind.” Cora pushed against my chest.
I moved back and put my gun away.
“You know better, son,” my father stated, his mouth tight with disapproval.
I’d given Cora space and kept things friendly during family gatherings. I knew I didn’t deserve her, but I was done with the games. “He needs to leave.”
“Your nephews are watching. Stop this right now,” Mother hissed.
Her words finally penetrated, and I realized I’d gone too far. I relaxed but stared at the smug look on her date’s face.
I reached for Cora’s hand as she left the house. “If you leave this house, we’ll have a big problem.”
Cora froze. “My life is no longer your concern.”
I moved toward the bastard. I wanted to wring his neck.
“Let her go.” Renato clamped a hand on my shoulder.
“Get off me.” I shoved him back.
“Marilyn is family, and you're acting like an ass.” Mother shook her head in disappointment.
Everybody watched Cora leave with him like they were a happy couple.
They pissed me off even more. I wanted to reach for my gun again but had another idea. Grabbing my jacket off the coat rack, I jogged outside to my Ferrari as Cora and her date pulled out of the driveway.
Before I could start the engine, the door opened, and Renato climbed in next to me.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Here to make sure you don't do anything stupid,” Renato replied coolly.
I pressed the gas pedal and drove to the main road, watching the car in the front head in the opposite direction to Cora’s place. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, texting one of the guards we always had on Cora.
Me: Make sure he ends the date asap.
Freddie: If he refuses?
Me: Kill him.
Freddie: Accident or…?
Me: Doesn’t matter.
I smiled and re-pocketed my phone. Turning up the music, I lit a cigarette.
Renato went to turn the radio down.
I smacked his hand away. “I don’t want to talk.” I knew what I was about to do was wrong, but I didn't care.
“Whatever you just did will only piss her off even more,” Renato pointed out.
“Better she’s pissed off and safe at home than with him,” I muttered.
“It’s about time you got over her and moved on.”
I glared at him. Renato, of all people, had no right to tell me to get over a woman.
“Where are we going, by the way?” Renato questioned.
“I need to grab some files from my office.”
“It’s Christmas Eve. No one works on Christmas Eve,” Renato said.
“Well, no one asked you to jump in my car. You should’ve stayed back at the house.”
As the third eldest, Renato wanted to play the saint. “Someone had to ensure you didn't kill him or yourself.” He snatched away my cigarette.
“Why do you fucking care, Dr. Phil? Sitting there, all calm and collected. You think because you’ve got a wife and kid, you can give relationship advice?”
“Nothing about me is calm and collected. I just know how to put the craziness aside, dear brother. Unlike you, it seems.
Arriving at the Calabresi building, I parked out front instead of in my usual reserved spot.
Renato threw a hand in the air. “Are you really gonna work on Christmas Eve?”
“Yeah. If I gotta fly to New York and handle this bullshit with Cade Gallagher.”
“Gallagher will get touched.”
I nodded in agreement as we climbed out of the car. Andrew, one of the security guards on duty, raised a hand to acknowledge us.
Renato pushed the glass door open, and I followed him to the elevator. He hated the nine-to-five lifestyle. As Enforcer, he got the call when we needed a person handled.
I took care of the legalities. I was the second youngest son and trained in all aspects of the Calabresi mafia world. As the Consigliere, it was my duty to ensure none of our names came up in any dealings. When they needed an extra pair of hands to get rid of someone, I was more than equipped to handle myself. Everyone underestimated me because I wore suits and could talk with presidents of countries and Fortune Five Hundred CEOs as easily as local drug dealers on the streets who sold nickel and dime bags.
But when it concerned Cora, I turned into EJ Calabresi, son of a mobster.
We stepped off the elevator and strolled down the hall to my floor, which housed the legal department.
I slipped the key into the door, and the light automatically came on as I stepped inside my office. “What the…?”
The place was trashed.
Renato entered behind me and looked around in shock. He pulled out his gun. “What the fuck, EJ?”
I reached for the desk phone to call security. “Get up here now,” I barked into the receiver.
“Shit. Looks like you've made an enemy,” Renato said. “You pissed off someone?”
A flicker of annoyance popped into my head, and I knew this wasn’t a random act. I’d fired my last assistant, Angelina, for fucking up constantly and coming in late all the time. She’d been recommended by Vincenzo, but I think he’d slept with her a few times and fobbed her off on me when she’d screwed up in accounting.
“Shit.” I cursed.
Renato narrowed his eyes. “You keep anything important here?”
I knew he was asking if I had any mafia paperwork at the office. “No. I’m careful.” Calabresi Holdings only kept essential paperwork. I kept my mafia dealings in a safe at home.
“You called, Boss?” Andrew, the security guy, asked as he appeared in the doorway.
I checked my computer. Nothing seemed off. I picked up the pens and staples on the desk. “Did anyone leave here in a rush?”
Andrew responded, “No, sir.”
“Have you made the rounds tonight?” Renato asked.
Andrew’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I was still checking the first floor. I can call the police.”
“Did you see anything suspicious? Maybe Angelina?” I asked, recalling that she worked late.
Andrew frowned. “Angelina from accounting?”
“Yeah, did she come by recently?”
“Not unless she came before my shift. I’ve been here since the office closed two days ago.”
Renato's phone rang, and he moved away to answer it.
“I need the security footage sent to me,” I told Andrew.
He nodded. “Yes, Boss. But… are you sure we shouldn’t call the police?”
“No police. Just get the footage.”
“Fuck!” Renato exploded as he talked on the phone. “Yeah, I’m with him now.”
“What’s up?” I asked, stepping around the desk and walking toward him.
Renato's expression was grim as he ended the call.
“What happened?”
Renato took in a shuddering breath. It was difficult for him to make eye contact with me. “That was Savio.”
“And?” The only thing that would have Renato so off-kilter was if something had happened to a family member. Mafia business wouldn’t have him this upset.
“Cora was in a car accident.”
I closed my eyes and counted to three to calm my nerves, but it didn’t help. “Where is she?”
“They're taking her to Amory Memorial.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “Her date?” I asked through gritted teeth as we hurried to the elevator. We stepped in as soon as the doors opened, my trashed office forgotten.
“Apparently, he was speeding. Savio said Marilyn was on her way to the hospital. Mom has a driver taking her,” Renato explained, referring to Cora’s mom.
“I want him dead.”
“We don't know if he was the cause,” he reasoned.
My patience was wearing thin as I repeatedly stabbed the lobby button. “You just said he was speeding.”
This goddamn elevator was taking too long.
Renato gripped my shoulder and nudged me out of the way. “Calm the fuck down. Cora will be fine. Acting recklessly will only put you in the hospital, too.”
I shoved him off me as the doors finally opened. As soon as we reached the lobby, I jogged out of the building to the car.
Renato grabbed me as I reached the driver's side. “Give me the keys. I'll drive.”
“I’m fine.”
He extended a hand. “You're pissed and upset.”
“I said I'm fine,” I gritted through my teeth.
“You're not fine. We can stand here wasting time, or you can let me drive so we get to the hospital in one piece.”
I glared at him but finally relented. “All right, you drive.” I tossed the keys to him.
“Calm down and relax. She needs you with your head on straight,” Renato said as I climbed into the passenger seat beside him and pulled out my phone.
“You’re right.” Acting out and being pissed about a date wouldn’t help the situation. I had to show her I’d changed.
