Hiding With Her Twin Babies
Chapter 36

Mabel never got home that night, but not because she went to a lover. Instead, something much more sinister has happened to Mabel. Dante and Logan are blaming themselves for not securing Mabel fast enough. Since she is staying alone, they should have known that she would be an easy target.

Dante is aware that fractions in the Italian Mafia want him out as they see him as a threat. There are two groups among the Dons in the Mafia. Dante Casella has the most votes to become the next Godfather of the Italian Mafia in the states, but Bernardo Garza is there. He is a young Don with a bright future in the business, and he is running San Diego. He is doing well, and many of the Dons are behind him. Dante is aware of this threat, and so is Logan and therefore, Logan has not given up his ring as Godfather of the Mafia yet. Don Dante Casella is a strong leader with little mercy for his enemy. He and Bernardo were always friends, but lately, Bernardo is questioning his leadership as Bernardo thinks Jennie and the children will soften Dante’s heart. Dante did not trust Bernardo anymore and left him out of meetings. Dante calls Logan, and they both think Bernardo took Mabel. They are worried. If Bernardo went rogue and kidnapped Mabel, her life may be in danger as Bernardo is a strong Don. They know Bernardo is unhappy about being left out of their meetings and wanted to talk to the Casellas. But both Logan and Dante are afraid he will turn against them in a meeting and split the Italian Mafia into two groups, which will mean war.

Bernardo Garza is sitting in his office when his second-in-command Stefano walks in. He looks like he has fought a lion. His clothes are torn, and he has scratch marks on his face and arms and is covered in his own b***d. Unfortunately, the men with him do not look much better.

“What the hell happened to you?” Bernardo asks.

“Boss, next time you send us to kidnap someone, can you please warn us that she is not someone to play with. We had our handful with her, and she is still in the back of the van, tide up. We are too afraid to go near the woman again. She may be pretty and looks like she can not harm a fly, but damn she kicked our asses, and if we had not taken so many men, we would not have been able to catch her,” Stefano says. Bernardo looks at his men, that look like they just fought a battle in a war, and this little superstar intrigues him.

“You mean to tell me a girl did this to you? One woman?” Bernardo says. He is talk and has black hair with brown eyes. He is well built and strong. Stefano nods. Bernardo laughs. He wants to meet this wild cat and see if she is as badass as his men are telling him she is. He took her to send the Casellas a message that he could be as powerful as they are. He will rerelease her. He only used her as a warning. He does not want to go to war with the Casellas as they have more influence and power than he has. He is playing a game with Dante. Dante was his friend, and because they didn’t see eye to eye on everything, Dante thought Bernardo would go rogue and turn his back on the Casellas. Bernardo will never go rogue, and he wants his friend to know he will back him no matter what, but since Dante does not want to talk to him, he needs to do something to get Dante’s attention. He knows if he took Jennie or Dante’s children, he would start a war for sure. So he took Mabel. She was also the most accessible target as Angy is involved with Andrei Petrov, and Bernardo does not want to start a war between the Russian and Italian Mafias.

“Well, let’s go and see if this little woman is as bad as you say she is,” Bernardo says, and he gets up from behind his desk. He walks to the van. As he opens the door, a figure jumps on him and starts scratching and biting him. She kicks and does everything in her power to hurt him. Bernardo picks her up and throws her over his shoulder. The men are surprised that she got out of the ropes they tied her up with. Mabel Casella is no woman. She is a demon from hell in their eyes.

“I thought you said you tied her up?” Bernardo says. Mabel is scratching his back and bites him on his bum.

“We did, luckily we locked the van,” Stefano says, making sure he is far away from Mabel so she can not reach him.

“Let go of me, you bastard! If my father and brothers find out you took me, you are a dead man,” Mabel says. She bites Bernardo again, and he slaps her on her bum.

“Stop f*****g fighting me. You are turning me on,” Bernardo says. Mabel stops fighting immediately. The last thing she wants is a horny kidnapper. Nevertheless, Mabel is angry, and the wild side is ready to fight him all the way.

“You won’t dare touch me in any dirty way, and you hit me,” Mabel says. She kicks at him again and hits Bernardo in the stomach, but it feels like she is kicking a wall.

“Well, don’t try me, sweetheart and I did not hit you. Instead, I gave your sexy bum a little slap. Now be a sweet little girl and keep still, stop kicking. It will not help you,” Bernardo says, and he laughs softly as he carries Mabel into his house. Bernardo is a man of honour, and he will never have s*x with a woman against her will. He only said she is turning him on to stop her from fighting him, her nails are sharp, and his bum is hurting where she bit him.

“Well, it hurt, and I am going to tell my father,” Mabel says. They walk into Bernardo’s office, and he puts Mabel down on a chair. Mabel looks up at the big man, and her heart skips a beat. Damn, he is sexy. Bernardo looks at Mabel, and he can not help but admire her beauty and fighting skills. She does not have a scratch on her while his men look all torn up. She is beautiful with her black hair all messed up, and this time, he has to sit down behind his desk fast as he thinks of her looking like that in his bed. He can feel himself getting hard, which is not suitable for him as he is not planning to get involved with Mabel Casella.

Bernardo decides to wait a few days before calling the Casellas. He only wants a talk with them. Then they can get Mabel back. He always admired both Logan and Dante, and he did not want to fight them. He only wants them to listen to him, or other Dons will challenge them. His father left him and his mother when he was a little boy. Bernardo had to fight his way to the top. She can roam freely in the house, but she can not go outside, and the guards are armed with tasers if she tries to escape. Mabel has her room, and Bernardo gives her his credit card to order online clothing. Mabel is so angry at him that she orders all the expensive stuff. Sexy lingerie, bikinis, dressed shoes and handbags.

Her stuff arrives the following day as all the shops are in San Diego and only from the most expensive boutiques. Bernardo walks in with her packages, and he opens them one by one in from of Mabel. Mabel tries to stop him as she does not want him to see the sexy lingerie and bikinis, but Bernardo is taller and stronger than her, and it does not matter what Mabel tries. So he opens the lingerie first.

“Hmm, since I bought it, I think you should model them to me,” Bernardo says with a smile as he sees Mabel blush.

“Over my dead body!” Mabel says.

“That can be arranged, but I will not push you on the lingerie, but the bikinis I want to see,” Bernardo says, and Mabel looks at him with a sparkle in her eye.

“Well, mister, if you want to see them, I will show you them,” Mabel thinks to herself as she grabs one of the tiniest bikinis and walks to the bathroom. She puts it on, and she knows her body is perfect and looks stunning. But, as she steps out, she can see Bernardo getting uncomfortable. Mabel can see what the picture is doing to him as she looks at the knob in his pants growing.

“Okay, I have seen enough,” Bernardo says and want to walk out of the room, but Mable is spiteful and blocks his way out.

“Mabel Casella, you are playing with fire! Get out of my way, or I will not be held responsible for what you are doing to me,” Bernardo says. Mabel laughs.

“Can’t handle the heat, mister big shot?” She asks. Bernardo walks to her and takes her in his arms.

“Can you?” he asks as he k****s her hard. Mabel can feel her body responding to him, knowing she is playing a dangerous game. She knows if she does not step away from him now, she will lose all control. So she pushes him away and slaps him hard. Bernardo laughs.

“Afraid of me, little one?” He asks as he steps past her and walks out of her room. Mabel can be glad he respects her and her family so much. Bernardo also knows it will be best for him to get her away from here as fast as possible. He does not want to fall for Mabel Casella. She is dangerous to play with, and her parents will never approve of him dating their daughter or even losing his heart to her. She is way out of his league as he is just a poor boy from the streets of Sicily and not worthy of the daughter of Logan and Jen Casella. He knows that, and his heart is bitter. He once was friends with Dante, and he knows they don’t see him as they see the other Dons. They do not have the same respect for him. They would not leave him out of the meeting if they had. Bernardo sees himself as beneath the mighty Casellas, and although he is street smart, they never listen to him as they would to the other Dons. It hurts him that his friend has turned his back on him just because a few Dons are backing him. He does not want to become the Godfather of the Italian Mafia in America. He only wants respect and his friend back. He wants the Casellas to take him seriously and listen to him as some other Dons do.

Back home, Logan and Dante are waiting for a call. They don’t want to start a war as Mabel may get hurt. Finally, at last, the call comes they have all been waiting for. Dante’s phone rings, and it is Bernardo.

“Garza, what is the meaning behind you taking me, sister?” Dante asks.

“I just want to talk to you and your father, Casella,” Bernardo says.

“Is Mabel okay?” Dante asks.

“She is fine. I will not hurt her, and it hurts me that you who know me so well will ask me something like that,” Bernado says.

“Where and when do you want to talk?” Dante asks.

“Tomorrow at your place,” Bernardo says. It shows he trusts the Casellas, which says a lot to Dante.

“Fine, we can meet at my office,” Dante says.

“You can talk to Mabel now,” Bernardo says. He hands the phone to Mabel, who is sitting in his office now dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.

“Hi, Dante, I am fine. This bastard did nothing to me,” Mabel says.

“Hi, sis, I am glad to hear that we will have you home in no time,” Dante promise his sister. Mabel looks up at Bernardo. She is not sure if she wants to go home.

“You may start calling me Bernardo and stop calling me bastard,” Bernardo says dryly after Mabel hangs up. Mabel snorts. Bernardo walks closer to her, and Mabel quickly returns towards the door. She is unsure if she can control herself if he k****s her again. She runs out of the door and to her room. Bernardo’s laugh still echoed in her ears.