Page 1 of A Mafia's Treasure

Chapter1

Frankie

It feels like a lifetime ago I was living in London with my partner Carl. It's laughable really, we were together all through high school and college, and it just felt natural to move in together. Once we did, everything just … well, it just followed I guess. It all started out great, we had fun, and it was exciting having a place of our own with no parents to tell us what to do. We’d stay up for hours, just chatting about our dreams and what we wanted out of life, and it seemed like we were on the same page … until we weren’t.

Then our jobs took us along separate paths. Carl was an exec. at an accounting firm and wanted to become a partner so always at the office, and me, I worked at a gym. Working out was my passion, well, boxing mainly. It was a way to release any frustrations.

After a while, I joined an MMA club where I was really able to fulfill my desires, and I was good, real good, but Carl didn’t like what I was doing, it didn’t fit with his cookie cutter lifestyle. Apparently having a partner that was doing masculine things day to day wasn’t becoming of a partner’s wife …he has to make partner first.Who the fuck does he think he is? It’s not the 1900s, women can do all the things men do!

I guess ourdifferencesbecame more obvious when I came home and found him balls deep in his PA. So fucking cliché; it’s laughable! That bastard was not going to rain on my fucking parade. I always knew something wasn’t right, but it was just easier to stay put, I guess.

I was nervous to discuss the news I was given weeks ago, but it was more pressing now, and it was the ideal opportunity to get the fuck out and start again. And the cherry on top of this shitty cake is I won’t have to see this dick or his pretty little cum bucket ever again.

And that is how I find myself sitting in this rundown apartment in Brooklyn, but the smile on my face couldn’t be bigger.

I was invited to fight for one of the famous underground clubs here in New York, only when I got here, I realized that there was a mix up, but I’ll be fucked if I am going to let that stop me. I can hold my own against anyone, and my results show that! I have trained with men my whole career, that’s what makes me the best, and what makes it better is the guys in this sport underestimate me because they see how I look and step off the gas … and that, that is when I strike!

Reaching for my gym bag, I pull out the black invitation with the silver VIP lettering. Turning it over I see the QR code that could change my life.

Grabbing my phone I scan the back, and it brings up the location of the gym. I head towards the broken mirror on the wall and select start. The apartment isn’t much but it’s all I could find on such short notice. The walls are bare, but luckily it came furnished …apparently.The couch and small coffee table are all that sits in the small lounge room, but I don’t need much.

The kitchen is basic and only big enough for one person, but again, for now it’ll do. If all goes well, I might have a look and see what the local thrift store has to make it a bit more homey. I take one last look at myself before I head out.

My black Lycra leggings and gym bra look hot, and the high ponytail sits perfectly, leaving my long blonde hair trailing down my spine. I smile widely, knowing I one hundred percent look the part. I have all I need in my bag, and I look ready to kick arse, or ass as they say here.

I grab my bag, pick up my phone and keys, and leave my apartment, the door sticking on the way out. I really must remember to get the landlord to look at that but now is not the time. The hallway lights flicker on and off and the lift is still out of order, but I prefer to take the stairs anyway, even though I have to squeeze past the young guys sitting on them, taking up most of the space.

As I pass, I get cat calls and one of the guys grabs my ass. It’s a silly mistake on his part as I turn and grab his wrist, swiftly twisting it and hearing the snap of bone and his scream echo in the stairwell?.

What a great fucking way to start your day! I am so pumped right now.

“You crazy fucking bitch, you just broke my wrist,” he calls out as I walk away.

“Sounds like it,” I say as I turn round and flip him the bird. “Next time, you should think before you touch.” I smile sweetly as I head out the main door of the apartment complex with an extra pep in my step.

Passing people on the street is exciting as they all seem like they are on a mission, a little like London, but something here feels different. I can’t put my finger on it, but I love it. I choose to skip the subway as I’ll get more exercise walking and see more this way, but as I walk further and further, it feels like I’m heading in the wrong direction, even though I’m following the directions on my phone.

Ignoring the niggling feeling in my gut that I should have looked further into this before I packed up my whole life and flew—I don’t know about 4 to 5 thousand miles—across the world. I knew they assumed I was a man, no doubt in my mind, and the training gear they sent to the apartment confirmed it. But I can work with the little mix up; it’s happened before and it’ll happen again. Back in London, I’ve worked with men, fought with and against men, hence the invite.

That is why I will fight for this opportunity. However, the famous underground club here is famous in the MMA circuit, but from the chatter I have heard about it, I am sure it isn’t strictly above board, but who wants to listen to gossip. I smile to myself as I think back to Charlie, my trainer, when he was telling me about this place. Sometimes when it comes to gossip, men are way worse than women.

Looking back to my phone as it announces that I have apparently arrived at my destination, I look up and see nothing but skyscrapers in the distance. I can feel the breeze from the Hudson River, causing a welcome chill across my skin on the sticky summer’s day.

I go over to the metal barriers, dropping my bag to my feet, and just look out at the amazing view in front of me. This is it, this is my new life. I grip the cool metal and inhale as I step back and look around for any signs of ICON, the MMA club, but there is nothing, only large orange containers. I can hear the unmistakable thud from a punching bag, so I walk toward the metal shutter, which is half open.

I guess there is only one way to find out if this is where I am supposed to be.

Chapter2

Antonio

Imust have the best job in the fucking world, I think, resting my feet on the small desk in the make shift office we installed in here.

When my uncle, Nico Snr, passed away, I know things changed and were rocky for a while, but we have all settled into our roles now. I can’t think of anything better than arranging fights and getting only the best fighters for our club.

Marco, my brother, on the other hand, has to work in the financial district doing whatever shit he does most of the day until he can get his ass to the exciting part; the part we all like to enjoy which is the clubs we are building. I know that we have to have a legitimate side to our businesses, otherwise things can go south real fucking quick, but dealing with that shit day in and day out would bore the fuck out of me.

That’s why Nico took over from his father as the new Don of the Romano empire when he passed, and in the last year, we have done so much. I know Nico has missed this place. He was here all the time, but his role takes up so much time, I hardly see the fucker anymore.

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