Blackmailed to the Altar (Caputo Crime Family #2)

1. Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

S ebastian Caputo

Italy

I stood in the shadowed entryway, barely breathing, as I watched the scene unfold in the bedroom. My brother’s wife, Eden, sat on the edge of the bed, her posture tense yet composed, like a statue carved from marble. Her voice was calm, measured, as she spoke to the woman on the laptop screen in front of her.

The psychiatrist was something else entirely. She was the smartest, hottest woman I’d ever laid eyes on. She had a voluptuous figure, with curves that spoke of confidence and power. Mya’s auburn hair cascaded in thick, wild curls down to her waist, catching the light and gleaming like fire. Freckles danced across her nose and cheeks, adding a youthful, almost innocent touch to her otherwise intense demeanor. Her skin was a warm, rich brown, and her full lips often curled into a knowing smile that hinted at both wisdom and warmth. Her eyes, though, those deep, intelligent green eyes, held a sharpness that could cut through steel.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Even through the laptop screen she exuded confidence, her every movement precise and purposeful. She leaned forward slightly, listening intently to Eden’s words, her expression a perfect balance of empathy and professional detachment. Her presence filled the virtual space, commanding attention without demanding it.

Eden was talking about the tragedy that had ripped through our family like a hurricane, leaving wreckage in its wake. The psychiatrist, Dr. Rivers, nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving Eden’s face on the screen. She whispered, her voice a low, soothing murmur that seemed to ease some of the tension in the room.

I felt a strange pull, a magnetic attraction that made it hard to stay hidden in the doorway. Mya’s aura was intoxicating, a blend of brilliance and beauty that was utterly captivating. She differed from anyone I’d ever met, her presence both calming and electrifying, even through a video call. I’d been sucked into viewing it after investigating this genius woman who wouldn’t give my baby brother Silas the time of day.

As I watched, a pang of jealousy twisted in my gut. It should’ve been me on that call, getting to know her, basking in her glow. But I knew better than to step into the light. This was Eden’s time, her moment of vulnerability, and Mya was here for her.

Still, I couldn’t tear myself away. The effortless grace with which she handled the delicate situation rooted me to the spot, captivated by the way Mya interacted with Eden. I felt a flicker of something deep inside me, something I hadn’t felt in a long time; a spark of hope, a glimmer of possibility.

I could steal her, his dark voice whispered in my mind.

I shook him off. I had no need for a woman.

She would be perfect for us.

I backed away from the room slowly, before Eden caught me checking out her session. It was ridiculous. A Don like myself, scampering through the corridors of my own home. However, my reign has been tenuous since my brother’s arrival. That hold had fractured since he’d knocked up his wife. My men were torn in their loyalty. Their faith was shaken by the loss in our ranks.

An older lady I called Nonna was pushing for marriage. She wasn’t our real grandmother, as both had perished when Silas made that deal that tore our famiglia apart.

Nonna pushed for a powerful alliance with a nice Italian woman, or even a Sicilian. Someone who would strengthen my foothold in Italy. Someone the men would accept as their queen. A woman who could give me many sons quickly.

Nonna just didn’t want to see me married off like Silas. She wouldn’t accept an American wife, another reason why Silas had been bypassed as the Don. Since they’d returned home, the famiglia was trying to figure out where their loyalty lay, and I didn’t want to go on a killing spree just yet for unrest within our ranks. Nonna wasn’t a soldier, though. She didn’t approve of Eden. Nonna told me all the time what she really thought of Silas’ young bride. She was struggling through her education. Her family bloodlines were murky at best.

She wasn’t suited for a Caputo.

I wanted to help her cope. Maybe a friendly face, someone she knew well, could help her settle in this unfamiliar country. It was the only nicety I could afford her. Once I put Silas in his place, she would most likely break. Eden wasn’t as strong as an Italian woman, that was for sure. She needed someone to help her when I decided to punish my baby brother for setting foot in Italy in the first place.

Someone like that hot therapist?

My scars pulled as I straightened my gloves and I shook my head as I stalked to my office. No, not the psychiatrist. Surely, there was someone else. A friend? A family member? When I walked in and saw Eden’s file on my desk, I went through it again. Her parents sucked, and her friends were busy building their careers.

She had no one.

I knew this already. I was in denial. The only solution was to kidnap Dr. Rivers, since she couldn’t be bothered to answer her calls. I slid the article I’d found, of her accomplishments at Eden’s college, into my pocket, no longer needing to look at it. Recently, Dr. Mya Rivers had been helping the grief-stricken students from Eden’s old school. The serial killer, that was Eden’s uncle, wreaked havoc on the student body. Dr. Rivers was using new techniques she’d developed in high school.

The article talked about how she graduated at a young age, and got her PhD young as well. She was a genius, and she sounded like one, too. At least from what I’d seen. There was something weird in her records though, like pages had been ripped out. I’d have to figure out what was going on there later. The hair on the nape of my neck stood on its ends.

I felt as if his presence was in the room with me. Maybe Dr. Mya could be the answer to my own prayers. She could help me get rid of these urges. These violent thoughts.

Of course, leading the Italian Mafia daily brought on these things, but lately, I’d been struggling, and I had lost time, sometimes waking up next to a corpse or worse.

The memories haunt me. They make me believe I’m going crazy. After what happened to my fiancée and family… maybe I am. Dr. Mya could help. I whipped my phone out, unable to take my eyes off her as I dialed.

“Boss?” My underboss, Vito, answered after the first ring.

“Wheels up in thirty. I have a package to pick up in America.” I hung up after issuing my order, and gave my attention back to the young woman who intrigued me.

I stared into her eyes. She looked happy in this photo. Like a bright light that never had a flicker in all of its time. I was going to dim her light. I knew that already. Did it change anything?

Not at fucking all.

United States

I didn’t bother telling Silas of my plan to kidnap Dr. Mya Rivers. He wouldn’t be around much longer to see what I did to my pretty little mouse anyway. Since she was the best in her field, Silas had been trying unsuccessfully to gain more of her services. Sessions with Eden weren’t enough. Silas had tried to go about it the nice way, where he contacted her office and asked for an appointment here in Italy, but she was booked out and unwilling to compromise.

Then he attempted to fly out and meet her, to try and persuade her to change her mind. He couldn’t seem to catch her at any of her offices. She wouldn’t return his calls. He tried emails, and they would bounce. He even sent her a letter in the mail, but it was returned to sender.

It was like this woman knew Silas was bad news, and wanted nothing more to do with him after Eden’s first few virtual sessions. So my little brother did what he was good at; he overreacted.

He’d hit the end of his rope. Now, it was up to me to make sure little Dr. Mya came quietly to Italy with me. I hoped she made me chase her. I loved a good chase, though I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t kill her… purposely or accidentally.

I may have need for her. She could help me control my dark impulses. I had been watching her sessions with Eden, thinking I could learn how to better deal with my own PTSD. But watching someone work through years of sexual assault, physical abuse, and all the other wild shit Eden had lived through, was not the same as working through my shit on my own with a professional.

I looked around the multi-level parking garage across from the university hospital where she volunteered. They were doing a major overhaul of it. I could hide out here. Dr. Mya Rivers drove a 2008 Miata; easy to spot late at night. I would bide my time and take her back to my home. There she could help Eden, and maybe I could get a little something from her in return.

My obsession made no sense to me. That dark voice in the back of my mind whispered sweet promises of what I could have. I found my place near the top of the garage where she’d parked that morning. I knew I would catch her, and no one would be around to hear her screams.

Once I caught her, blackmailing her would bring me great pleasure.

I was uncertain of where my predilections stemmed from, but they were spiraling out of control. Since I’d seen her green eyes, they’d haunted me. They were begging me to take over and assert my dominance on her.

I’d taken up smoking again to help me cope with my obsession. I watched every TED Talk, seminar, and any other media my newly-acquired tech guy, Samuel, and I could find that involved my little doctor. More and more I couldn’t stop looking for updates of her accomplishments.

The woman was mine. I thought I wasn’t ready for something like this, but with my father being ill, and my time to take over quickly approaching, I was looking to the future.

It was bright with her standing beside me.

I would make her my queen, ensure she wouldn’t want for anything, and that would be my penance for what I was about to do. Though, once she was in my care, she couldn’t leave.

No matter what, she’d be mine.

I could kill her, but I shouldn’t, wouldn’t, and I couldn’t imagine taking her beauty from this world. Her genius alone could probably cure some kind of medical mystery, but it was her body that intrigued me more.

It was perfect. Like God had handcrafted her to bear my children. Father Marcello, the famiglia’s priest, would agree with my sentiments when he met her. Time wore on as I waited for my genius doctor to grace me with her presence. Samuel, previously employed by my little brother, had already hacked her devices, so I could send texts and emails saying she was taking a vacation. I didn’t want a manhunt, after all.

She was supposed to be done volunteering at seven, just as dusk was falling; a little risky since I wouldn’t be covered by night, but I brought a few men I could call on if I needed help.

In fact, they were waiting in the vehicle with tinted windows, a few parking spaces down from the flashy Miata. I wanted to put my hands on her body. I never wanted to tarnish another with this damaged, scarred flesh as much as I do at this moment.

Until her.

I lit another cigarette, knowing that soon I wouldn’t have any more need for the habit. She was mine. And when she belonged to me, my world would become stable again.

No more losing time. No more waking up in strange places with no memory of how I got there. No more finding things I don’t remember buying or doing. No more blackouts where hours pass in the blink of an eye. No more hearing voices in my head that aren’t mine, arguing or whispering things I don’t understand.

No more feeling like a stranger in my body, like I’m watching someone else control my movements. No more unexplained mood swings, going from calm to angry or scared for no reason. No more seeing my handwriting in a style that isn’t mine. No more friends or family mentioning things I supposedly said or did, and having no recollection of it. No more feeling like I’m living someone else’s life, with memories that don’t belong to me. No more moments of panic when I realize there are gaps in my memory that I can’t explain.

I paced the area, waiting for my prey. Lethargy swept over me. I hadn’t been sleeping well. The images of the object of my current desires kept me up at all hours. Business was slipping. I leaned heavily against the wall behind the plastic, trying to breathe.

Heavy was the crown indeed. She would solve all my problems without my men suspecting a thing. I could hear her heels clacking up the stairs now. I put my cigarette out on the wall and slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t want to leave behind any physical evidence.

A yawn hit me, and I tried to shake it off. I couldn’t fall asleep now. It was almost showtime. I flipped between calm and agitated as she made her way up the steps, grumbling loudly. I could only hear her angry muttering, but not make out the words.

My eyes closed briefly. My heart raced in my chest. I couldn’t do this. I opened my eyes again, but my vision flickered. Rest. It was all I needed right now. I couldn’t remember why I should stay awake. I closed my eyes once more.

Good. This isn’t really your forte, anyway, a smooth voice whispered in the back of my mind. Then it went black.