A Blued Steel Wolfe Read online

  A Blued Steel Wolfe

  Michael Erickston

  Copyright © 2015

  Foreword

  This is the sequel to “A Stainless Steel Cat” and follows Justin and Cammie as they begin their own romance in the wake of Tam and Royce’s wedding.

  Prologue

  A Deadly Reception

  Antonio Lupo was born in Rome, Italy. His father, Giovanni Lupo, was a Captain in the Scarlatti Syndicate of La Cosa Nostra. Shortly after his birth, Antonio’s father received a promotion to run the New York arm of the Scarlatti Family operation.

  Giovanni Lupo immigrated legally, bringing the rest of his family with him. His wife, Antonio’s mother Gianna, gave birth to Antonio’s brother in New York, shortly after their move.

  Antonio and Salvatore grew up with the usual sibling rivalry, exacerbated by their father’s business. When Antonio reached the age of eighteen, Giovanni inducted him into the family business.

  They ran numbers and guns, but Giovanni steadfastly refused to run drugs. He said, and Antonio agreed that drugs would bring unwanted attention from the authorities. For three years, Antonio became his father’s right hand, dealing out justice when needed, and rewarding friends as required.

  Salvatore, on the other hand, thought that drugs were the wave of the future, and kept asking his father to start in that business. Giovanni steadfastly refused, pointing out the heat that the cops would bring down on them if they did.

  Salvatore also disapproved of his father’s alliance with the Irish. Granted, the alliance kept the peace, and any violations of their agreement met with swift and sure justice by both bosses. In the world of the Mafia, true friends are rare. However, Giovanni Lupo and Kevin O’Hara became friends.

  Giovanni expected Antonio to marry a nice Italian girl, but that was where father and son differed in opinion. Unbeknownst to Giovanni, Antonio began seeing the daughter of his father’s closest friend.

  Linda O’Hara was an Irish redhead with sparkling blue-green eyes and a sweet smile. When the families had a sit-down to hash out a new game plan to deal with another upstart gang, Antonio and Linda’s eyes met, and they fell in love at first sight.

  For Linda, the coal black eyes of Antonio Lupo drew her in. The first time he smiled at her, she felt her heart flutter. The first time he said her name in his slightly accented English, she felt her heart soar.

  The first time they kissed, having retreated to a private area of her father’s house, she pledged herself to him, and he did the same. He pledged that they would be together, and nothing would stand in their way.

  When they broke the news to their families, the Bosses almost went to war. Insults flew. Threats were made. Things would’ve come to a head if not for Antonio himself.

  “Silence!” he shouted. When all eyes turned to him, he looked at Kevin O’Hara first. “Sir, I love your daughter, and I will prove that I am good enough for her.”

  Then he turned to his own father. “Father, I love Linda with all my heart. She is good enough for me! Besides, think of it this way. Now our alliance with the O’Hara Family will be cemented for all time! Our marriage will unite our families in blood as well as friendship.”

  Salvatore was looking forward to a war with the upstart Irish. Now, suddenly, he found himself scowling at his older brother.

  “Are you going to listen to this love struck idiot, Father?” Salvatore demanded, standing up to make his point. “He is obviously too infatuated with the Irish whore to see clearly!”

  “Watch your tongue, Salvatore!” Antonio warned in a low, gravelly voice. “We’ll make our families stronger through our marriage. You’d keep us divided if you could!”

  “Antonio is correct,” said Giovanni to the room. Then he turned and smiled at Kevin O’Hara. “We must put aside our petty differences. Kevin. You know how love is, as do I. We cannot stand in their way, my friend.”

  “You’re right, Giovanni,” Kevin O’Hara said with a nod of acknowledgment. “We can’t stand against true love. That would be an affront to God. You have my blessing, Antonio.”

  “And you have my blessing as well, Linda,” Giovanni added, smiling at his friend’s daughter. “I hope you both find the happiness that Gianna and I have.”

  The wedding plans went smoothly, except for a couple “Bridezilla” moments from Linda. Both families contributed to the planning, but one of them seethed inside.

  Salvatore Lupo didn’t want this wedding to happen. Despite his father’s words and actions, Sal thought that the family was limiting itself. Giovanni’s outdated views on honor would cripple the Lupo and Scarlatti families. He was certain of that!

  The Alliance, as the families called it, kept the peace and kept the police off their backs. However, in Sal’s estimation, life without war would lead to stagnation. The Alliance held the southern half of Manhattan. Meanwhile, the newly arrived Russians began to take control of the northern half of the island.

  Salvatore smiled when he spotted the opportunity.

  ***** ***** *****

  The wedding plans proceeded apace, with Linda becoming somewhat of a Bridezilla upon occasion. Both mothers insisted on equal time planning the bridal shower and wedding, itself. Giovanni and Kevin insisted on splitting the bill down the middle as a show of their new, stronger alliance.

  All seemed well, but the festive atmosphere grated on Salvatore. How dare they do this to our family! Antonio has overstepped himself and my father has betrayed everyone with this stupid alliance! We should rule over the entire island, but I see now that a change in leadership will be required for that to happen!

  He steeled himself for what he had to do. He didn’t want to kill his whole family, but he knew that some of them would have to die. In particular, he knew his father and brother would have to die for their family to survive. Very few of his own men would side with Salvatore, though. Giovanni was a charismatic Don. He knew that a show of force would be necessary to bring about change, and he knew that the Russians would jump at his offer of an alliance.

  When he met with Dmitri Ivanov, the ex-KGB agent jumped at the chance. He promised a more powerful alliance than the Lupo family now had with the O’Hara clan. The sit-down ended with all details worked out, and Salvatore left with a smile on his face. He knew that the Russians were into the drug trade, and he knew their brutality. He also knew that when the Russians killed his father and brother, the rest of the Family would look to him for guidance.

  The planning over, he looked forward to the plan’s execution and smiled.

  ***** ***** *****

  Antonio was nervous as the day of the wedding approached. He knew he loved Linda with all his heart. However, when she broke the news to him that she was pregnant, he didn’t know how to react. The news filled him with equal parts joy and terror. He wanted to run. He wanted to take her in his arms and make love to her. But in the end, he knew that he needed to become a father.

  Salvatore’s attitude changed as the preparations proceeded. He seemed happier, and expressed his happiness at Antonio’s pending wedding, wishing his brother a long and prosperous life. He even helped plan the reception, much to everyone’s pleasant surprise. He became more of a brother to Antonio than he’d been for their entire lives! In that spirit, Antonio asked Salvatore to be his Best Man.

  The day finally arrived, and spirits soared at the impending nuptials. Antonio dressed in his best tuxedo. He then took deep breaths to calm his nervousness and prepare for the upcoming ceremony. The thought of marriage and a lifelong commitment to Linda O’Hara frightened him and excited him in equal measure. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. His coal black eyes and jet black hair gazed back at him from the reflection.

  He knew he struck
an imposing and handsome figure, judging by how most women reacted when he was around. Only Linda O’Hara, with her fiery red hair and deep blue-green eyes captured his attention. Her sweet personality and fiery temper captured his imagination. Her good soul and giving nature captured his heart. So it was that Antonio Lupo, heir apparent to the Lupo Family, fell in love with Linda O’Hara, the daughter of an Irish Mob boss. He knew that their marriage was unprecedented in criminal underworld. However, he also knew that the alliance would only grow stronger because of their love for each other.

  Linda was also nervous, but for slightly different reasons. She couldn’t help herself when it came to Tony Lupo. The Italian Mafia capo was a good man, deep down. He truly cared about the civilians under his protection.

  Antonio arrived at the cathedral first with Salvatore, and the Best Man ushered his brother into the area where they would prep for the wedding itself.

  Linda arrived next with her maid of honor and her mother. She was nervous, but her mother Siobhan calmed her daughter’s nerves.

  “Don’t worry, dear,” Siobhan said to Linda. “Tony is a good boy, and I’m looking forward to being a gran to your baby.”

  Linda looked at her mother in shock, to which Siobhan laughed.

  “Oh dear, did ye think I wouldn’t notice?” she asked with laughing eyes. “You’ve been positively radiant for the past three months! When Bridget was pregnant, I noticed that too!”

  The sound of her older sister’s name caused Linda to blink. “Mother, why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Because it isn’t my place, sweetheart. It’s up to you to tell everyone. Does Tony know yet?” the older redhead said.

  “Not yet, mother,” Linda blushed. “I’m going to tell him on our honeymoon.”

  “Oh dear!” Siobhan exclaimed, her face a mask of shock. “He doesn’t know you’re pregnant with his son yet?”

  Once again, Linda blinked in surprise. And once again, Siobhan laughed.

  “Darlin’, a mother knows these things! I can just tell,” she said with a smile, patting Linda on the arm. “Now, let’s get you ready for your big day!”

  In the other room, Sal paced back and forth while Antonio calmed his nerves.

  “You’ve faced down twenty angry Puerto Ricans, and you’re nervous about this?” Salvatore chuckled. The laugh sounded forced though, even to his ears. Fortunately, for the turncoat, Antonio missed the forced nature of the chuckle.

  “When you get married, Sal, you’ll be in my position now. Trust me brother, when you marry the woman of your dreams, you’ll be just as nervous as I am!” Antonio replied, smirking at his younger sibling. “I’m ready to go. Let’s go take our places.”

  The Wedding March started to play, and Antonio looked to see the vision in white with the long veil and train behind her dress. His breath caught in his throat as she walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, Kevin O’Hara.

  As they reached the altar, Kevin smiled as he handed his daughter’s hand to Antonio. The groom smiled as he Linda smile beneath her veil.

  “Dearly beloved,” Father Timothy started. “We are gathered here today to join Antonio Lupo and Linda O’Hara in Holy Matrimony…”

  Antonio and Linda exchanged their vows, which they’d written themselves. As the ceremony ended and Antonio raised his new bride’s veil, he saw the glow about her as she smiled up at her new husband. He drew her to him and kissed her lovingly, and the whole cathedral erupted in applause for the happy couple.

  Antonio and Linda Lupo exited by the front entrance to the tossing of rice. They reached the waiting limousine, and entered it together. They still had to attend the reception before they could depart for their Honeymoon, though. As they kissed in the limousine, on their way to the O’Hara estate in the Hamptons for the reception, they could only think of the bright future ahead of them.

  Kevin and Siobhan O’Hara insisted on hosting the reception for the newlyweds. Not one to turn down a friend who wished to honor his family, Giovanni accepted his friend’s help.

  Unfortunately, Salvatore knew where the estate was too. Neither he, nor Dmitri, wanted to desecrate a House of God with bloodshed, so Sal gave him the address for the reception.

  As he drove behind the limo carrying his newly wed brother and his new sister-in-law, Sal let a small smile come to his face. He knew that his victory was near. He might even let Linda live, since she was a very beautiful woman. He fantasized about taking her while his brother’s body was still warm. That thought made him excited. His smile widened into a grin as he thought about taking the Irish vixen while his hated brother bled out beside them.

  Ever since they were children, Salvatore hated his brother with a blinding passion. Antonio was always the “Golden Boy” who could do no wrong. However, Sal hated being his brother’s “friend” for the past few months even more. Soon, though. Soon he wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore! He would become head of the Lupo Family, and those who didn’t accept it would disappear. He was going to take what was his by right of blood!

  God help anyone who stands in my way! He thought to himself. Even his sainted mother wouldn’t be safe if she stood between Sal and his vengeance. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but he wouldn’t take anything for granted.

  The reception party quickly went into full swing, once everyone arrived. The DJ played a mix of Irish and Italian favorites. The guests were having fun until they heard a single muffled gunshot. It wasn’t quiet, like a silencer would be. It was just muffled. Most of the guests didn’t even seem to hear it, but Antonio did.

  Antonio and Linda were on the dance floor when it happened. As soon as he heard it, Antonio moved protectively in front of his new bride and looked about for the shooter.

  Then some well-dressed men entered the backyard of the Hamptons estate and smiled at the guests. Giovanni and Kevin, as heads of the Alliance, rose to meet the new arrivals. Antonio knew that the guard posted at the gate was dead, but he couldn’t warn his father before the Russian began to speak.

  “Greetings everyone,” Dmitri said in his thick accent. He gave a falsely warm smile to everyone in attendance, and then focused on the newlyweds as he continued. “We are merely here to pay our respects to the most beautiful bride and her very lucky groom.”

  Giovanni knew that this was more it appeared, but he would be diplomatic. Dmitri had a lot of power on the northern side of Manhattan. “Thank you for your well wishes, my friend. If we’d known that you would be interested, Dmitri, we would have invited you.”

  “Ah, Giovanni my friend,” Dmitri said with his false smile still in place. “I am hurt that you would forget about me when planning the invitations for your son’s wedding.”

  “It wasn’t intentional, Dmitri. Unfortunately, we did not account for you and your men attending, so we don’t have enough food for you,” Giovanni said with his arms outstretched by his sides to indicate the guests. “We must have lunch tomorrow, though. My treat.”

  As he said it, he nodded imperceptibly to his chief of security. Johnny Scars nodded back and surreptitiously made a signal to the rest of his team. He knew to be ready in the event that the Russians should try something.

  “Well, then I will graciously accept your offer, my friend,” Dmitri said. He smiled even wider and nodded once. At that signal, Johnny Scars and the other members of Giovanni Lupo’s security detail fell as eight shots rang out.

  “Snipers!” Antonio yelled as he grabbed Linda and started running towards the house at an oblique angle. He spotted ten men on the roof and realized that they were targeting the Dons as well as the security. A quick glance back showed his father fall to the ground with a bullet through his leg. He couldn’t stop though. He needed to get his new wife to safety before he could help his family… if any of them survived.

  Once in the house, an O’Hara security man met him and took charge of Linda. At Antonio’s request, the man gave him a gun, and the son of Don Giovanni ran back out into the hailstorm of bull
ets.

  He emerged to see Dmitri put his gun to Giovanni’s head and pull the trigger. His father’s head flew backward as the bullet took the back half of his skull with it.

  Without thinking, Antonio lifted the Beretta 92FS and took careful aim. He squeezed the trigger once, and a small red dot appeared in Dmitri’s forehead. The Russian’s face took on a surprised expression, and he fell to his knees. Then he toppled over, dead.

  “Your boss is dead!” Antonio shouted at the Russians, over the din of gunfire.

  The other Russians paused for a moment as they all looked at Dmitri’s corpse. The Italians and Irish, having taken cover, used that moment to open fire on the Russians again. Several more of the Russian Bratva died in a hail of bullets before they returned their attention to the Alliance shooters. The Mafiosi kept up their fire as the Russians used what cover they could find. The shooters on the roof of the O’Hara home died when the Irishmen inside the house figured out that the ex-KGB goons were on the roof.

  The tide seemed to turn in favor of the Allies, but then even more Russians entered the backyard with automatic weapons. Bullets flew on both sides, but the Italians and the Irish faced insurmountable numbers and firepower. Outmanned and outgunned, they had to choice but to pull back into the house.

  Most of the O’Hara security team was still alive, and working to get the women and children out of harm’s way. Antonio looked around, but could only spot a few of his Family that were still alive. Even his brother was missing, which seemed strange. Salvatore wouldn’t desert his family. That was unthinkable! Yet his body wasn’t anywhere to be seen, nor was he anywhere in sight!

  Antonio pushed it to the back of his mind for now. They still had to deal with the invading Russians. As he moved into a fallback position, it dawned on Antonio that he was now the de facto leader of the Lupo Family!

  He shouted to his remaining soldiers, rallying them to him where he could. He only had nineteen soldiers left, out of the fifty who’d accompanied them to the wedding and reception. Together, they barricaded themselves inside the house.