Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 8

Enjoy.

Stephen

"For my peace of mind, would you take it? Please just take it, for my sake." I needed her to take this gun. Anything could happen. I guess I just have to come to terms with myself. Yes, I did care for her. Yes, she was making my emotions ignite.

Yes, I enjoyed our kiss.

I just can't deal with this right now. There's so much at stake if I let her get involved with me. I hate it so much that she's right. I hate how she probably knows what I'm feeling. Where did I slip up? How does she know? Man, there really is nothing like a woman's intuition.

"O-ok, I'll take it." She shakily grabbed it and put it in her purse. I turned her around and led her out the office. My men were already waiting by the door.

"We're taking three trucks. I'm riding in the last one. We are waiting on Vinny's location for Stefano. In the meantime, we'll be making our way to the warehouse. When we get there, I want you all to go to your posts." I looked at each and every one of them. "Don't fuck this up, or you'll be dealing with me." I glared at them.

"Yes, boss." They said in unison.

"Let's go." I led Jazmin to the last truck and we got in the back. Two of my men were in the front. They all had talk radios that had a pretty distant radius. "You ready?" I looked at Jazmin.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Good enough. I held the radio up to my mouth.

"Start driving." All three cars began on the 40 minute journey to the warehouse. Giovanni and Damien were already out waiting on the location. They were going to capture Stefano and any other men he had on him. I'm not saying I trusted Stefano, I just didn't think he was that stupid to cross me. Who the fuck does he think he is?

He was literally asking for a death wish. Did he think I was stupid? I was just so offended right now. See that's what I was saying, these small time mafia dons love to overstep their boundaries. I'm not doing anymore deals with new blood, fuck them.

As we were driving, things were relatively silent. I looked over at Jazmin and she was looking out the window. I'm surprised she hasn't said anything. She usually annoys me with something. I shrugged and looked out of my window. I began to think about early in the day when Jazmin ripped into me. Not going to lie, I was very much so pissed. I even raised my hand at her. I really did want to smack the fuck out of her, but I wasn't going to do that. I don't know what came over me. I'm glad Vinny pulled her away.

I hope she didn't think too much about it. I would never hit her nor any other woman. I did talk to her like she was a piece of shit. I probably should've addressed myself, but I didn't. I'm so fixated on shutting her out, I'm hurting her so she doesn't affect me.

She really did put me in my place. She told me I had mother issues, which that hit home.

I was ten years old when my father kicked my mother out on the street. He didn't give a fuck. My father is ruthless, he is a cold man. You think I don't care? He really doesn't care. He told my mother she wasn't going to be a fit donna. He said he couldn't be seen with her and the only thing she was good for was giving him a son. I will never forgive my father for what he did.

I know I let him stay on my property, but our relationship is severely strained. That's why he doesn't come out of the house much. He's made me the monster I am today. As many times as he beat my ass until I had a black eye. Until I bled.

"You need to stop being so fucking weak!" He yelled at me for probably the 100th time that day. "How are you going to run this mafia?! How are you going to do this son? You need to stop all that fucking crying!" He smacked me right down to the floor.