Bella #1 (Sagatori Family Saga #1) (11 page)

“I’
d like to ask you something
.
” I watched as she bit her lip.

“
Shoot
.
” She reached her small hand to the table for the wine glass.

“
Did you scratch Casconi's neck
?
” Getting into the middle of this could back fire. Fuck it.

“
You know Sam
?
” Her voice broke. I did
n’
t like the fear I saw dance at the corners of her eyes.

“
Of course I know him
.
” Unfortunately.

She nodded
.“
H
e’
s crazy Jax. My father wo
n’
t believe me. And
I’
ll tell you one thing; the second I get the chance
I’
ll kill him
.
” She said behind clamped teeth.

“
Why do you hate him so much? What has he done
?
” Ther
e’
s a huge back story here. Makes me wondered why Sagatori does
n’
t believe her.

“
Where do I begin
?
” She snorts
.“
Could it be the insatiable stalking or the fact that h
e’
d threatened my father
?
”
 
Her jaw tightened
.“
I can put up with a lot. I can, but you threaten my family and
I’
ll stick an icicle in you fucking eye
.
” Sh
e’
s a tough girl. I see that sh
e’
s loyal. Something that was
n’
t a common trait these days.

“
He wo
n’
t hurt your father
.
” I happen to know h
e’
s well-guarded. I was surprised that I did
n’
t see Sal today though. And the fact that Tony backed down so easily did
n’
t set well with me either. If Sam did have his eye on the gold, she needed to be protected. I'd see to it.

Her eyes met mine with uncertainty
.“
H
e’
ll do anything he wants
.
”

“
No, i
t’
ll work out
.
”
I’
d see to that personally as well.

“
Wh
o’
s going to stop him, Jax? H
e’
s the up and coming boss. Face it, when Papa dies h
e’
ll take over. H
e’
s made it very clear since I was a teenager he was going to have me. He always gets what he wants
.
”

Heat took over my body at the admission sh
e’
d made
.“
Look at me
.
” I growled. Her head snapped to mine
.“I’
m not going to let anyone have you
.
” I said between my teeth that ground against one another.

“
Has he had you
?
” My hands gripped the cloth napkin in my lap. I realized the thought of him touching her brought back anger
I’
d tucked away.

“
Never
!
” She screeched.

I was hoping sh
e’
d say that. Relief washed over me as I unclench my teeth.

“
Why would you marry me
?
”

“
Someone has to protect you Bella
.
”

“
You do
n’
t know what yo
u’
re up against, Jax
.
” She breathed.

“
I know
exactly
what
I’
m up against, Bella
.
” My chest tightened.
I’
m not scared of Casconi.
I’
d always been more feared than him. I hold many cards up my sleeve, with action as far south as Kansas City. Cassini has nothing I fear. However, he should fear me.

“
Then why would you stay
?
”

“
What
?
” I asked, confused by the question.

“
If you know, then why would you put yourself in a position like that? Wha
t’
s in it for you
?
” Sh
e’
d been questioning a few things. My integrity, honor, and loyalty.

I shook my head
.“
You think
I’
m scared
?
” I know the damage Casconi causes.
I’
ve seen his wrath.
I’
ve witnessed the fallout. But I was
n’
t fucking scared.

“
What if we
did
get married? What would that be like
?
” She took a small bite of her lasagna tha
t’
d arrived only moments before.

“
Honestly, I had
n’
t thought that far into it
.
” I shrugged, resting my elbows on the table
.“
Yo
u’
d come to Chicago with me and w
e’
d continue as normal until
.
” I stop myself when I realized
I’
d have her with me in Chicago.

“
Until
?
” I did
n’
t reply
.“I’
m not going to Chicago Jax.
I’
m not going to agree to getting married. I do
n’
t see the reason. Giving myself to someone that I do
n’
t love just because i
t’
s convenient seems a bit ridiculous
.
”

“
I get that. I never thought
I’
d marry out of convince either
.
”

“
But yet yo
u’
ll do it
.
” She sips her wine
.“
I wo
n’
t do that to you. H
e’
ll kill you
.
” Oh, Bella Sagatori you have a lot to learn.

“
Yo
u’
re scared of him
.
”

“
Presumptuous much
?
” Her fork dropped to the porcelain plate.

“
Yes
.
” I watched her sparkling eyes wonder into darkness.

“
And, sure of yourself
.
” She snapped. If anyone else in this world spoke to me like that
I’
d gut them.

“
Always
.
” She was flustered. It was amusing to watch.

Her face reddened with a smile peeking out from behind the sneer sh
e’
d been holding
.“
Good
.
” She stabbed another bite of lasagna into her mouth.

When w
e’
d finished our meal and I was satisfied sh
e’
d eaten enough I paid the bill and we left the restaurant.

“
Jax
.
” A voice screeches from behind us just as I was tucking my arm around Bella shielding her from the wind.

I turned seeing Beatrice, Rebecc
a’
s mother
.“
Bea, how are you
?
” I approached. I had
n’
t seen her for a while. It was difficult being around her family. Bekka was also from Detroit.

“
Well
,
” Her eyes follow to Bella
.“
Did
n’
t take you long, did it dear
?
” Her nose lifted with disgust.

“
Hello,
I’
m Isabella Sagatori
.
” Bella extended a hand to Bea.

Be
a’
s eyes never left Bell
a’
s
.“
Sagatori
?
” She asked not reciprocating the gesture and instead walked away without another word.

Bell
a’
s hand tucked into the sleeve of her sweater to keep warm. After I helped her into the car, Mickie took his place behind the wheel driving away
.“
Wher
e’
s your coat
?
”

“
In the car at the office.
I’
m fine
.
” She deadpanned.

I apologize explaining who Bea was, hoping she did
n’
t feel accosted by her less than welcoming attitude.

“
Jax, sh
e’
s hurt. Her daughte
r’
s gone and your kinda all she has left from that, ya know. Sh
e’
s grieving. She probably thinks yo
u’
ve already replaced her baby girl
.
”

Bella had a way about her that drew you in. I was seeing that more and more
.“
Yo
u’
re very insightful
.
”

“
Meh. I do
n’
t know about that, but I
have
seen it before. My grandmother acted that way with Papa after momma passed away. She was hurt and needed to push that on someone you know. I imagine your wif
e’
s family feels the same
.
”

I had
n’
t considered that.
I’
ve barely spoken to Rebecc
a’
s family in months.
I’
m doing good to go day to day with normalcy. Add in the in-laws and it makes it damn near impossible. They constantly talked about her. Sometimes I did
n’
t want to talk about her. Sometimes I wanted to forget her. Especially knowing whose ar
m’
s sh
e’
d been in right before she died.

“
Where are we going
?
” Bella asked thirty minutes into our drive. Sh
e’
d been distant in thought since we left the restaurant.

“I’
m taking you home
.
” I felt the car as it rounded the crazy ass corner. This road was a death trap.

She laughed into the sleeves of her sweater.

“
Wha
t’
s so funny
?
” I asked as Mickie pulled into the drive of her home.

Once the car was in park, she shifted into the seat
.“
This is the safe house, Jax
.
”

“
Oh, I did
n’
t know
.
” I ca
n’
t believe Sagatori let me leave last night knowing where his safe house was.

“
Do
n’
t worry about it and Papa is
n’
t going to make you disappear, just yet
.
” Her door opened as she stepped out.

“
Just yet
?
” I stepped out and saw Mickie's glare as he closed my door.

Her body turned towards me, her hair in the cutest bun on top of her head. She was smiling with color reaching her dark eyes. They sparkled with the hint of sun peeking out from behind the clouds. she was absolutely beautiful.
Fuck!

“
Where do you live
?
” We stepped onto the porch.

“
How about we go inside, warm up and have a drink
?
” She turned and brushed against me.