Cruel Betrayals (Savannah Sharks Hockey and Mafia #3)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

JOSEPH

My phone rings, pausing the music that’s currently playing at maximum volume. I lower the dumbbells to the floor and check to see who is interrupting my workout.

“Rhett, what do you want? I’m in the middle of working out.”

It’s Monday morning, and the team has the day off. Dad has another meeting at an undisclosed location, so our morning meeting is postponed until lunch. This is the only time I have to clear my head and work out my frustrations.

Both work and sexually related.

Normally, I’d turn to Alexandra, but she’s still avoiding me.

“That’s perfect. I’m on my way. Don’t freak out when I barge in.”

“What if I wanted to work out in peace?” Not that I usually ever have alone time, but I need to sort out my own shit right now.

Preferably alone.

“Pfft. You’re practically my brother. It’s my right to interrupt your workout.”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me. “Just because you’re fucking my sister doesn’t mean you’re my brother.”

He scoffs. “Oh, you wound me. I was referring to being teammates and working for your father.”

I laugh, feeling better than I did ten minutes ago. “Well, then I guess you are my brother and can interrupt me whenever you want.”

“Being engaged to your sister does make us family, though.” He says in a more serious tone.

“Not until you tie the knot.” I laugh at our old jokes.

Back when he and Francesca first started dating, he would tease me about being my brother. Of course, I told him to fuck off, and he wasn’t family until it became official, but after Franny left and we brought him on board, he did become the brother I never had.

“Are you fine if I stop by?”

“Only if you get a workout in, too.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“I’m not calling you fat, but you’ve been skipping gym time ever since you and Franny got back together.”

“Don’t worry, Joey. I’m getting my workouts in.”

The last thing I need is to picture him and my sister in bed together, especially when I’m having problems with Alexandra.

“Just get your ass over here and quit interrupting my workout.”

He laughs and ends the call.

I turn the music back on and resume my dumbbell rows. My muscles burn as I push them to their limits, but the physical exertion keeps my mind off Alexandra.

Walking over to the rack, I place them in their respective places before grabbing my bottle of water. I chug half of it before stretching my neck from side to side.

“Save some water for me.” Rhett says from the doorway.

I turn around and give him a head nod. “There’s plenty more in the refrigerator.”

“I know. I was just fucking with you.” He jumps on the treadmill and sets a leisurely pace as I lay down on the bench to get in a few sets of bench presses.

“Not that I really need to hear the details, but how’s engaged life treating you?”

Rhett’s smile turns into a huge, goofy grin. “It’s great. Chessie is deep into wedding planning. She’s wanting a summer beach wedding and an extravagant honeymoon overseas.”

“The beach during summer is going to be packed and hot. Why does she want to get married outside?”

He turns the speed up on the treadmill. “Better pictures.”

“Why can’t she get married in a Catholic church and take pictures outside?”

He shrugs. “These are her dreams. As long as I get to marry her, I’ll be a happy man. I don’t care if we get married in a church or on a beach. For all I care, we can elope and throw a huge reception.”

I scoff. “That will make my family happy.”

“Hey, your sarcasm isn’t helpful. She’s already been through the ringer with your mother. Hell, she still has nightmares about killing her.”

She shouldn’t have shot Mom, but voicing my opinion isn’t going to help anything now.

“Does she regret it?”

“I think she’s still wrapping her head around the fake death part. I offered to book her an appointment with a grief therapist, but she said no.”

“That’s because in the Marino family, we don’t talk to strangers about our lifestyle. We keep it private.”

“That isn’t a healthy habit.”

“That’s the way it’s always been. If we talk to therapists or doctors, they will report us to the police. That’s why we only go to Doctor Matteo. He knows about our lifestyle and he knows how to keep his mouth shut.”

Rhett clamps his mouth shut, but looks like he wants to say more. He may disagree with the way my family deals with our problems, but it’s the safest option.

We stay quiet for a while, each of us concentrating on our own workout.

He’s the first to break the silence. “What’s going on with you and Alexandra?”

“Nothing.” And unfortunately, that’s the truth.

His eyebrows furrow as he starts to jog. “Why?”

“Because apparently I’m a fucking masochist.”

His laugh echoes off the walls. “Not the role I would have guessed, but to each their own.”

I glare at him and he only laughs. “I’m kidding. Lighten the fuck up.”

“I can’t. I’m on edge.” I push my muscles to their breaking point before returning the bar to its resting spot.

He stops the treadmill and gets off. “Damn, dude. What are you training for? The Strongman Competition?”

“I have to work towards something.” I hop on the treadmill and set it to my normal jogging pace.

“What about working toward bettering your hockey career?”

“The Sharks aren’t my future, and you know it. I love the sport, but eventually, I have to hang up my skates and face the real world. My father is expanding the family business faster than I expected, and it’s too much for him to keep up with alone.”

“Damn, dude. I didn’t know. I just thought the only thing on our agenda was the club rebuilding.”

“No one knows what is really going on behind the scenes. Not even you and Spencer. Dad’s been meeting with several new partners, and I had a meeting with the Valentino family.”

“Who?” Rhett grabs a set of dumbbells and carries them over to the bench.

“The Valentino family. They are another mafia family from New York. They want to expand their empire to Florida so the father can retire down there.”

“Why would you want to work with another mafia family? Especially one that is close by and can take over your territory? Do you know anything about the Valentino family? Are they comparable to Giuseppe Rossi or more like Arturo?”

“Dad and I aren’t interested in expanding our operations in Florida. We would keep our territory and they would keep theirs. They have a huge demand in the clubs down there, but they can’t keep up with supply.”

I turn up the speed until I am running.

Why is he being so combative? Where is this coming from?

He places the dumbbells on the floor and grabs a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “So we are going to be their supplier? Why not just take over the territory if it’s that in demand?”

“Because we aren’t a Rossi. We have enough drama dealing with them and the Reapers. We can supply them with capital for now, and they can have their own market.”

He chugs the water and throws the empty bottle away. “That doesn’t seem wise when the feds are already on your asses.”

“The Valentinos are still in the early stages of setting up their operations. They are looking into purchasing a warehouse so they can make their own products.”

Rhett picks up the dumbbells and continues his workout. “Do you not hear how risky that is? They are back on square one. They are desperate for money. Aren’t you afraid they will turn to the feds and strike a deal with them?”

“No, because then the spotlight will be on their family and their activities. They do everything we do as well as run a prostitution and escort ring. Their crimes outweigh ours.”

He drops the dumbbells to the ground and stands up. “What the fuck? Prostitution? Really?”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Did you become a prude all of a sudden or adopt a holier than thou attitude? The mafia is a business that deals in organized crime. We do what we have to and save the judgment for our death day.”

“I understand it’s a business. I get it, okay? But there are certain lines I thought we didn’t cross, and harming women and children wasn’t on the list.”

“Who said they were harming women and children? They don’t have children working for them, and the women choose that profession just like Emily chose to work at the club for us.”

Speaking of Emily, I haven’t heard anything from her since Dad reached out to all the employees. Is she still planning on working for us, or did the Reapers scare her away?

“Do you really think women choose to be prostitutes?” He takes a few steps toward me and clenches his jaw as if he’s looking for a fight.

That would be the biggest mistake he could make right now.

“Some, yes. Look, I don’t know every little detail about them, but from all the research I’ve done about their family and their financial situation, I trust that they aren’t going to screw us over. If you have a problem with our businesses or where our operations are headed, then you are free to leave.”

Rhett Montgomery might be the captain of the Savannah Sharks, but I’m the captain of this team. I’m not going to let him derail our future because of his hesitations over prostitution.

He can either get in line, or take my sister and go his separate way.

I guess this is why Uncle Tony didn’t want Dad to bring in outsiders. It’s easier when everyone is supportive of the family’s goals.

“I get that you’re going through some shit, but I’m not going to stand around while you are being a dick.”

He places the dumbbells back on the rack before turning toward me.

“I’ve always put the family above everything else, even my own happiness, and you know it, but I think you are making a huge mistake by partnering with another mafia family. Prostitution is a line we never should cross, and if that means I take a step back from the family, then so be it.”

He turns around and leaves without giving me a chance to respond.

I turn the speed up on the treadmill until I can barely keep up. Rhett is my oldest friend on the team, but if this is the hill our friendship dies on, then so be it.

After several minutes of sprinting, I turn off the treadmill and head upstairs to shower.

My phone chimes with a message from Dad.

I just finished with my meeting and am heading back to the house. Be ready for the meeting in twenty minutes.

I don’t bother messaging him back. I take a quick shower before getting dressed. Jogging downstairs to the meeting room, I hear Dad yelling at someone.

“I don’t fucking care what excuse he gave. Fix it today, and then fire his ass. Make sure he doesn’t get a job around here ever again.”

I sit at the opposite end of the meeting table and listen to his conversation.

“Just get it done. I’ll call the shipping company for an insurance claim.”

He hangs up the phone and immediately makes another call.

“Victor, hey, it’s Artie. I need you to file an insurance claim for the last shipment. I’ll get all the necessary information after my meeting.”

He ends the call and glances around the room. “Have you heard from Alexandra?”

“Not since last week.”

I glance at my watch. Alexandra is late. She’s never late unless she has a doctor or dentist appointment.

Dad frowns, as if he’s worried. If neither of us has heard from her, then who has?

“I can reach out to Franny to see if Alexandra is at the office. Maybe she thinks the meeting is over there this morning.”

Alexandra never gets her meetings mixed up.

She wasn’t at her new apartment, even though her car was in the parking spot. Or maybe she looked through the peephole and saw who it was and ignored me.

I don’t blame her, but I warned her.

The back door opens before softly closing. Standing up, I say, “I’ll check to see if it’s her.”

Dad lets out a deep sigh as his phone rings. “I’ll be here on the phone.”

I make my way to the kitchen and watch as Alexandra tucks her phone into her purse.

She’s wearing a long sleeve shirt and dress pants.

“You’re late.” My tone is much harsher than I intended. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine.” She says softly as her gaze darts around the kitchen.

She’s lying. I know when she’s fine and when something is bothering her, and right now, something is on her mind.

Is it me?

“You didn’t return my calls or texts.”

She crosses her arms and winces in pain. “I was busy.”

“Did you get moved in and settled?”

Are her arms sore from moving? Did she do it by herself? Did she have to carry everything upstairs alone, or did she hire movers?

“Yep. We’re supposed to be in the meeting with your father.”

She pushes past me, but I reach out and grab her hand. “Alexandra wait. Please.”

“What do you want, Joseph?”

“I want more with you. I shouldn’t have hesitated when you asked me last week. I was scared and running from my true feelings.”

“There isn’t anything between us.”

“Don’t say that, Alexandra. Everything is still here. Our feelings are real.”

“No, they aren’t. I don’t want to be with you.” Her voice cracks as she pulls her hand out of mine.

“Why? What changed?” How can she change her mind all of a sudden?

“Everything has changed.”

She disappears down the hallway, leaving me more confused than ever.

What the fuck just happened?

I walk back to the meeting room. Dad is off the phone and looking at the folder Alexandra just handed him.

He looks up at me as I take my seat. “Where do we stand on information regarding Rossi?”

“There hasn’t been any word from Rossi or any of his informants.”

He frowns. “How’s the prisoner?”

“Stubborn as shit and refusing to eat.”

“We can move him to one of the known safe houses and see if he will speak more freely once he’s clean and comfortable.”

“I’ll speak to Alvin and get him transferred this afternoon.”

I glance to my father’s left and meet Alexandra’s gaze.

God, she’s so fucking beautiful. How could I be so stupid and let her get away?

I’ll earn her love back one way or another.