The Mafia’s Wanted Desires

JAXON

“What do we know about him now?” I demanded from Duncan, sauntering past him and heading into my study while he shut the door behind us.

I was trying to be discreet with work as much as I could. Peach insisted I had to properly heal before going back to work and it wouldn’t be that much of a nice morning if she found out that I discarded her warnings of not setting a foot in the study and that was the reason I snuck out of bed before she could wake up.

But then, I would lose my mind if I continued prancing around the house without doing anything. I was a workaholic by default. It was only a matter of time before I went back to work. I just had to get her to see the reasons with me.

“We can’t find him, boss.” Duncan knew the repercussions of what he was saying and that was the reason he kept his voice really low. I halted in my tracks and spun around, tucking my hands into the pockets of my sweatpants and then, I shot him a scrutinizing gaze, watching him shift uncomfortably on his feet, his hard demeanor faltering.

“What did you say?” I queried, as though I didn’t hear him say it the first time but I needed him to say it again, my voice dangerously low.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“We…uh…we can’t find him.” He complied.

“What the fuck do you mean you can’t find him?!” I barked, marching forward and grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. My eyes were locked with his, in a deadly stare, my jaw completely locked as I glared murderously at him.

“We are trying our best, boss. It’s like he completely disappeared from the face of the earth.” He divulged and I scoffed at how stupid he sounded. The anger that surged through my veins completely overrode every other emotion I was feeling and my fist connected with his face and he staggered backwards, blood spurting out of his mouth.

“ARE YOU THAT INCOMPETENT!?” I demanded coldly, my loud voice echoing throughout the study.

“If you have to disappear off the face of the earth to find him, then fucking do it because if you don’t come up with his location in the next forty-eight hours, so help me God, I will tear you to shreds!” I threatened him, enunciating every word that dripped with utter coldness.

“I am sorry, boss.” He apologized, bowing his head. I hissed through clenched teeth and peeled my eyes off his frame, pacing around the study with my hands constantly raking through my hair. I let out a low growl and kicked a chair out of my way, frustration overwhelming me.

All my life, the very thing I have always been terrified of, is the reason I have always kept people at arm’s length. The reason I have convinced myself is that pretending not to have a heart makes it easier not to get your heartbroken. Getting attached to someone. Hopelessly attached because it only meant one thing.

Being vulnerable.

And I have spent nearly half my life evading it because I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the chaos that came with it. The target would cease to be me, instead, it would be the person I cared about because my enemies believe that by eliminating my love interest, it would leave me vulnerable and they would be able to get to me.

But how do I stop something I had no control over? When in truth, it burned within me like wildfire, absorbing me from the inside out and the most terrifying part was that I loved everything about it. It was the most alive I had ever felt. It gave me a sense of purpose.

His target wasn’t me, at least, not yet. Instead, it was the very person that happened to be my anchor. The very person that could make me stay sane amidst my chaotic life. The very person that pulled at the strings that kept me in touch with emotions I barely knew I had. The very person who completed me.

My soulmate.

And even though I had taken that bullet for her without hesitation, something I would do again if I had the chance, I couldn’t bring myself to stop thinking about what would have happened if the bullet got to her instead of me. I would probably be out in the streets by now because the thought of living the rest of my life without Evaline in it was enough to drive me mad.

And it had anger pumping through my veins, lacing my soul with a desperation that made me want to incinerate Micah, give him a slow, painful death, and bathe in his blood, for daring to cross my path. For even thinking of getting to me through her because I would rather die than allow anything to happen to her.

“Boss…” Duncan’s voice trailed off.

“What?!” I bit at him harshly.

“I just wanted to let you know that it’s good to have you back.” He spoke up, his words knocking a harsh breath out of me. I whirled around at the impact of his words, our eyes locking in a stare. His stiff lips slowly stretched in a smile and I found myself chuckling, then I walked towards him, patting him on the back, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips.

I wasn’t fond of admitting it but Duncan had grown to become a part of me over the years. I got used to having him around and I considered him family but I would never say that to his face. I wouldn’t want him to get ideas and start slacking at his job. I wanted to keep him on his toes, not have him relish in the fact that he was the closest thing I had to a best friend.

“Now get to work,” I ordered him.

“Jaxon Arden Gray! I am going to shave you bald if you are in there!” I heard Peach yell from outside and my eyes went wide in shock, my heart dropping to the pit of my stomach. She kicked the door open and stormed into the study, her rage-filled eyes anchoring on me.

Then, she turned to Duncan.

“What did I tell you about managing his schedule?!” She queried, yelling at him. He stood stiff, watching her without uttering a word.

“You know what? Just get out. I will deal with you later.” Her voice was thick with assertiveness as she leveled a deadly gaze at him. Duncan threw her a curt nod and strode out of the room, leaving us behind.

I didn’t bother moving from where I stood because I knew it would only piss her off further, so I tucked one of my hands into my pocket, rubbing my nape with the other, and reflexively, my eyes did a slow crawl over her body. My lips twitched at how gorgeous she looked with her bed hair. She was clad in one of my numerous black shirts that looked like it wanted to swallow her small frame in it. There was no way I would ever get used to seeing her in my shirt.

No way.

The cold look in her brown eyes soon faltered, morphing into concern. She approached me, sighing softly and she wrapped her arms around me, cocooning me with her essence. I slipped my arms around her small waist, tugging her forward until there was no space left between us. She smelled like me. It made me want to eat her up.

“You never listen,” She sighed in defeat.

“I am so sorry, baby. It was important. I couldn’t leave it unattended to.” I refrained from telling her that I was conversing with Duncan about a thousand ways I was going to make that bastard suffer because I knew Peach so well, she wouldn’t allow me to go through with it.

I knew she was priceless, from the first day I set my eyes on her but there was nothing in this world that I could use in qualifying how supportive she has been. She has been working from home ever since the incident and at some point, I began feeling guilty for holding her back but she was quick to clear everything up that she was happy doing this for me.

She was so selfless when it came to me, I didn’t understand why Maria couldn’t see that. Remembering what she did only made a terrific rage simmer through my veins, my teeth grinding against each other in irritation.

“You are thinking about it again.” She spoke up, pulling away from the hug.

“And I don’t understand why you are not mad at her!” My tone came out so sharp and it stunned her, causing her to take a step backwards.

“Arden__”

“She doesn’t get to say those things to you and get away with it!” I snapped fury engulfing me.

“I told you, I am not mad at Maria. I wouldn’t lie to you about how I feel. Yes, I am hurt by the words she said but I am not pissed at her. I understand where she is coming from but it didn’t warrant her reaction…” She paused, examining my features and then, she stepped forward, taking my hand in hers and squeezing them softly.

“Listen, just give her time to come to terms with what’s going on. It’s a lot. It’s a lot of information and she doesn’t know how to deal with it but I am glad she has Andrew by her side to get through it.” Her eyes brightened with a smile. Her words struck me really hard, eliciting an approving sigh from me before I locked our lips in a soft kiss.

“How about Aunt Caroline?” She asked after breaking the kiss and I sighed.

“She blames herself for not figuring it out,” I revealed, feeling a twinge of sadness settling into me. A knock sounded at the door, interrupting us and we swung our heads at the door, simultaneously.

“Come in,” Peach spoke.

The door creaked open, revealing a maid and I arched my brow at her instinctively.

“Um, Mrs. Gray, there’s someone here to see you.” She relayed and I sent my wife a quizzical stare. I watched her bite her lip slowly, blinking afterwards.

“Leave,” I ordered the maid and she heeded my words, walking out of my study and shutting the door behind her.

“Evaline?” I called her and she sighed.

“Please, don’t get mad.” She squeaked and on cue, I folded my arms across my chest, staring at her for an explanation.