mine for the taking

Salvatore

‘Kill or be killed’, was the one rule I’ve lived by for the last ten years of my life. I wouldn’t be standing on my own two bloody feet if it weren’t for the courage I borrowed from those words. But standing in front of Beneditti and his lack of fingers made this one of the rare times I killed with actual reason other than the need to spill blood. 

I had to teach him a lesson and remind him what happened when people messed with what was mine. 

Jade on the other hand was not used to the blood and filth that made up a world like ours. The color had drained from his face and he looked like he was ready to pass out.

“Father…” he looked on in horror before rushing to Benetti’s side, as if he could glue the fingers back on. He threw me a look of disgust, “What the hell have you done?”

“I think the words should be ‘thank you’,” I replied. “If you’re both done with the dramatics, I’d like to leave.”

“I believe you know where the door is,” Jade sneered. “You can see yourself out. Or you can call an ambulance and make yourself useful."

Pretty boy had a mouth on him. It would be a great pleasure to break him until he learned to never talk back. 

I took a deep breath and tried to reel in the growing hunger at the back of mind when I saw Beneditti’s blood start to seep into Jade’s shirt.

“Shut up!” Beneditti yelled at him. “You don’t speak to him like that.” He finally raised his face to meet my gaze. “I apologize for hitting him, I didn’t mean to disrespect you. And I apologize on his behalf, I didn’t teach him to have a loose mouth.”

I nodded slowly. “There’s no need to worry about it. It’s my job to train him now. You can trust that he’ll be in good hands.”

“Train? I’m not a dog.”

“If you insist. Now, get over here, we need to leave now. There’s no need to pack your bags, everything you need will be provided.” I looked at my watch. “I would love to stay and dine with my new family but I have a meeting in an hour. We can schedule a dinner date later and discuss how to break our engagement to the press or would you rather we keep it a secret?”

“There’s no way we’re telling the press anything,” Jade blurted out. “I’m only standing in for my sister, this is not a real engagement. I don’t know about you but I’m not into men, I don’t want people to misunderstand me.”

My mouth turned up at the side in a mocking smile. “You’re not? Could’ve fooled me earlier when you moaned into my mouth.”

He turned a deep red, matching his now bloodied clothes. “That was because…” 

“Because what?” I urged him on.

“You kissed me without my permission. Anyway, I’m not leaving with you. I need to take care of my father. We can go over the details of what this arrangement entails.”

Did he always talk this much? All the years I’ve kept tabs on him and this was the most he has ever spoken. Not that I mind, I loved challenges and turning people docile was my favorite hobby. Let’s see if he’ll be all witty by the time I’m done with him.

I raised my gun. “Get over here, we’re leaving now.”

“Don’t be stupid. Follow him,” Beneditti said. “If you want to break the union to the press then we’ll do just that. Besides, it’ll be a good boost to the new project you proposed. Take Jade with you, I have no objections.”

The look of betrayal on Jade’s face was so comical it almost made me laugh. “Heard what your father said Jadey? I’m to do as I please. Now be a good boy and bring your ass over here, we don’t have all the time in the world.” 

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” he hissed. 

I nodded once. “Okay.”

With quiet precision I walked over to him. Before he could process what I was doing I already had him over my shoulder.

“Hey! Put me down.”

Without thinking much of it, I raised my hand and spanked his ass, the sound reverberating through the library. He was too stunned to speak.

“I’ll see you later, Benedetti.” I rubbed the ass on my shoulder. “Thank you for the little gift.” 

I was almost at the door when I heard a little voice scream, “Jade!”

It was coming from the spot behind the shelf where Jade had come out from. It was the secret passage that connected the second floor to Beneditti’s library. The old man was so sloppy I already mapped out his entire estate.

“Bella.” Jade’s voice was muffled from having his stomach pressed into my shoulder. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I heard…” She screamed when she saw the blood dripping from Beneditti’s hand. The old fool was slumped in his chair, looking like he’d pass out in less than a minute. “What the hell happened?”

Jade tried to wiggle out of my hold but I placed my hand firmly on his ass. That made him go still. I wondered if I’d left a handprint when I hit him earlier. Guess I’d have to find out.

“Hello, sister-in-law,” I mocked. “We’ll leave the introductions for later. I must take my leave.”

Her face turned into a scowl. “Where are you taking my brother?” Her right hand was behind her. I almost smiled with pride, she was the feisty one that had actual brains. 

“Want to tag along?” I asked instead and felt Jade’s little hands hitting my back, as if they could do any real damage. “I certainly don’t mind.”

“Put him down right now.” 

Even though the resemblance between her and Jade was uncanny, the difference between them was as clear as day now that she was standing in front of me.

Where Jade was completely soft, Bella was hard, accepting nothing less than what she wanted. Even now, she stared at me with so much hatred it would send an ordinary man to his knees. 

I’d bet everything I had that she’d grow up to be a menace. But for now she was being an annoyance.

“I’d indulge you but I have places to be. Worry about your father instead.”

“Bella, go get the doctor. I’ll explain everything to you later. Just make sure Father is safe, he has lost a lot of blood…”

I turned back to the door, ready to leave. I really had things to do. This transaction was only meant to last for five minutes tops.

Infiltrate the estate in two minutes, get Beneditti’s head in one, then cart away with Jade as my fucking price. Except—the little fucker had stumbled into the room looking like a fairy had dumped all their glitter on his head. No doubt Bella was the culprit. 

“I’m not letting this monster leave with you,” came her determined voice. “He’ll have to go through me first.”

I caressed the side of my gun. “If you insist.”

“Don’t listen to her, she’s just a kid.” I could feel Jade start to panic, he knew me too well. “I beg of you…”

Nero curled himself around my wrist, pressing himself deeper into my skin. He wanted me to pull the trigger. 

Bella slowly brought out the hand she’d kept behind her all these while, revealing a shotgun. She pointed it at me.

I shook my head. “With an aim like that you’ll have your brother killed before I have the chance to do anything. Are you sure it’s even loaded?”

She cocked the gun, a brow raised at me. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

“Bring the gun down, Bella. You’re going to hurt yourself. Let me down Salvatore, let me speak to her. She’ll only listen to me.” He tried to wriggle free.

“Keep doing that and you’ll give me a boner. It doesn’t take much for a whore like me.” I tilted my face slightly towards him only to be met with bare creamy skin. I imagined what it would feel like biting into it. 

“Bella just go, I’ll be fine,” Jade said with a sigh. “I promise everything will be alright.”

Well—it really would’ve been alright if they little fucker hadn’t put her finger on the trigger. I had to act fast. Kill or be killed.

I raised my gun and fired in the tiny second it took for her to aim properly. She fell to the floor with a scream. 

“No!” Jade yelled over and over again, hitting my back with all his might. “Bella! She’s just a kid you fucking monster. She’s just a kid!” 

I’d deal with the mess later. I tightened my hold on Jade and walked out of the door. Whatever Jade saw when I turned made him freeze. I guess seeing his sister lying in the pool of her blood was not a sight he thought he’d ever be graced with it. 

My men flanked me when I walked into the hallway. It would’ve been way easier to massacre everyone and call it a day. But watching the high and mighty Beneditti slowly fall from grace was worth more than a merciless kill.

Luca, my right hand man, met me at the entrance. “The chopper is ready for take off. I called Elena and had her reschedule your meeting. Everything else is under control.”

“Good. Take care of the girl, and make sure Beneditti does not do anything stupid.” We shared a look of understanding before I made my way to the chopper. 

The blades of the chopper roared to life as I approached, whipping dust and wind into a blinding storm. It tore at my clothes and hair as I got closer. Finally, I let Jade down. He was surprisingly quiet, I'd half expected him to put up a fight. 

“Get in.”

He stood frozen to the spot.

“If I didn’t know better I’d say you love being carried by me.” I put my hands on his waist and lifted him up. I tried not to dwell on how perfectly my hands fit around him, or how his body moulded into mine on instinct. 

Marcello, who had been waiting in the chopper, helped me pull him through the open hatch. I was about to climb in when Jade suddenly turned and his foot started coming down on me. I moved in time to only have his leg graze my shoulder.

“What the fuck?” Marcello yelled before grabbing Jade’s arms and pulling him in. 

“Don’t hurt him,” I muttered before climbing in and signalling to the pilot to take off. Marcello still held onto Jade like he was afraid he’d charge at me again, but I was more concerned about him bruising the skin around his wrist.

Something ugly gnawed at my chest. I wanted to be the only one to mark Jade, I wanted to be the only one to bruise that delicate skin of his. He was mine to break after all.

“Release him Marcello. Go pour me a drink.”

He was hesitant, looking at Jade’s hands that were folded and ready to punch the fuck out of me. “Maybe we should sedate him first.”

“Maybe not. Go get me a drink. Whiskey. I want it neat.”

He slowly released Jade who rushed to me and managed to deliver a punch to the side of my mouth. 

I touched the delicate area. “You punch like a girl.”

That flipped a switch in his head. He charged at me with full force, hitting every inch of skin he could lay his hands on. I let him, watching through hooded eyes.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” he swore, “I will make sure you drown in the pool of your own blood.” His fist connected with my jaw. “You took her from me—” another punch to my gut. “You took my sister. I swear I’ll make you watch everything you love burn down. I’ll make you pay with your life.”

“I’m counting on it.”

He kept going until exhaustion took over and his body sagged against mine. “I hate you,” he breathed, his hands grabbing my shirt. I fucking hate you.”

My hand found his waist, keeping him steady on his feet. “Good. You’ll need that hatred to keep you going. But first, you need to take your shirt off. I will not have you drenched in another man’s blood.”