United with the Family by Cherie Benjamin (most read book in the world .TXT) 📕

Carlo had a beautiful wife and two wonderful children.   He was devoted to his responsibilities of keeping those he loved, and the members of his community happy and healthy.  It took only one evening to change his world. He came home from a long day at work to find his son and daughter sitting on the living floor crying; his wife was nowhere to be found.  Kneeling down in front of his children, he began to soothe their crying.

"Shh, little ones.  It is okay." Carlo whispered.  "I am here. Now where is your mama?"

Little Tony, still whimpering, pointed to the back of the house.  "She's hurt."

Carlo knew he needed to find out what was going on, but was torn about leaving the children.  "Daddy is going to check on mama; I'll be right back I promise."

Carlo kissed each child on the cheek and took off to the back of the house.  When he arrived in the kitchen, he found Anna, his beautiful wife, lying on the floor, her face bruised and bloody and her clothes torn from her body.  Rushing over to her side, he began to check her over. "Baby, tell me what happened?" Carlo implored, trying to wake her.

Opening her swollen eyes, Anna looked up at Carlo.  "They followed me home from the market. When I thought they walked past the house, they grabbed me, and pushed inside the house."  Then her eyes grew large and had a pained look. "Where are the kids? Are they okay?" Anna pleaded, trying to get up, but was unable.

"Lay still, my love, they are fine.  Now let me check you out." Over the next hour, Carlo checked his love over; most of the wounds were bruises, but she also had a busted lip. However, what he worried him the most was the fact that she had been raped, repeatedly.   He needed to get her to the hospital and have her checked out, immediately. Anna kept apologizing for allowing it to happen, but Carlo reassured her that it was not her fault, but, rather, the savages that had followed her. He ran to the neighbor’s house to see if they could look after the children until they got back.  After getting them settled, Carlo carefully placed his wife in the car and rushed her to the hospital.

After getting to the hospital, Carlo sat outside in the waiting room, patiently waiting for the doctor to examine Anna.  As he sat, the events of the day began to crash around him, and, in that moment, for the first time in his life, he didn’t want to follow the Hippocratic Oath of ‘do no harm’, instead, he wanted revenge against the men who did this to suffer like his wife was suffering.

Salvatore Leone was also in the hospital, and saw the man in the waiting room, "Dr. Mallos?"

"Mr. Leone, hello,” Carlo responded.

"Are you okay?"  Salvatore asked. He could see there was something seriously wrong with Dr. Mallos.

"No, Mr. Leone, not really."  Carlo said. As he looked at Salvatore Leone, he knew that this man was what he needed.  If the whispers were to be believed, Salvatore Leone was the Don of the Leone crime family. Although he and his family were known criminals, he had never been witness to any crimes, or been required to treat anyone as a result of the Leone family business.

Salvatore took in Dr. Mallos’ stance and overall appearance; it did not take long to surmise that he was a broken man.  "Dr. Mallos, come, why don't we go for a little walk, and get some air?"

Carlo and Salvatore walked out of the hospital and into the small garden next door.  Carlo finally broke the silence and told Salvatore what had happened to his wife and how he wanted, no, needed, to make the men who had done this to pay.  Salvatore listened to the man. He knew of Dr. Mallos and his earnest work in healing not only the bodies of the community, but their spirits as well. When Carlo had finished his rant, Salvatore knew he had to help Carlo.  However, he also knew that, by doing so, it would mean that Carlo would be required to become part of the family. When Salvatore faced Carlo and pledged his help in getting his family the justice they were seeking, Carlo vowed his allegiance to the Leone family, and thus began the relationship between the Mallos and Leone families.

                                                        ~~~~~*~~~~~

As Roaland and Tito, one of his guards who ran to assist him, helped Kane toward the house, they were met by Nazario, who came running out the door.

"Son, are you okay?"  Nazario asked, concerned at seeing the blood soaked shirt.

"Yeah...I think so,” Kane gasped.

They took Kane in the house and were met by Dr. David Mallos, who had attended the ceremony for Erik.  

They sat Kane in a chair and cut away his jacket and shirt.  Once free of the clothing, Dr. Mallos examined the wound and discovered that the bullet entered through the shoulder, and exited directly through his back.  He was relieved to see that the bullet wound was a clear shot, knowing that if one had to get shot, this was the best-case scenario; it caused less damage and had a speedier recovery time.  As he pulled a vial out of his medical bag, which he had one of the guards bring in from the car, he began preparing the syringe with the painkiller. Kane saw the syringe and asked Dr. Mallos what it was.

"It’s just some painkiller to numb your shoulder before I start sewing you up."

"I don't want it; just get on with it,” Kane ordered.

Suddenly, from across the room, there came a counter-order full of concern, and authority, "He will take the shot."  Ara demanded.

Kane’s head whipped around to see his beautiful, but fierce fiancée walking toward him with fire in her eyes.  When she got to his side, she placed her delicate hand on the side of his face and gently caressed it.

"You will do everything the doctor says, my love; I need you whole and healthy."

Looking into her eyes, he could see that they were still full of fire, but also compassion, concern, and need.  He needed her, as well.

"Okay."                                        

Dr. Mallos gave Kane the shot along with an antibiotic, and, after sanitizing the skin, began sewing up the wound.  Once all the sutures were done, Dr. Mallos applied a clean dressing over it. He gave Kane and Ara instructions to keep the bandages clean and dry and to refrain from any over-exerting activities.

"You mean I can't fuck?"  Kane questioned.

Ara hit him hard on his good arm, shouting his name in embarrassment, "KANE!"

Dr. Mallos laughed.  "I didn't say that, exactly; let’s just say you will need to lay back and take it."

Ara’s cheeks flushed a crimson red while Kane put on one of his signature smirks. "I think I can do that."

"Kane!"  Ara yelled again, while shaking her head.

"What?"

Suddenly Uriel walked into the room, his nose bruised, but no longer bleeding.  Instead, he was sporting two black eyes. "Got the motherfucker." He announced to the room.

"Who is he?"  Kane asked, starting to rise from the chair, only to have Ara ease him back down into it.

"Waylon."

"Waylon, as in our Waylon?  One of our own?" Nazario questioned indignantly.  Had one of his own family members tried to kill his son?  Waylon had been part of the family since he was a small child.  His mother was one of the housekeepers for the Leone's estate and now it appeared he had shot his son.  "Where is he?” Nazario demanded.

"We are about to take him to the warehouse."  Uriel said.

"NO!  I want him taken to the basement."  Nazario demanded. Waylon would never leave the grounds of the estate alive, or even in one piece.

"I want a piece of him."  Kane slurred, feeling the effects of the painkillers.

"Son, I don't think you will be able to deal with him in your condition."

"FUCK THAT, DAD! He shot me, so it's my right."  His slurring becoming even more pronounced.

"Kane, baby, calm down."  Ara said as she gently rubbed his good arm.  "Let your father handle it."

"NO!"

"KANE!"  Nazario yelled.  "I am still the boss of this family and I will take care of this."

Kane huffed, sticking out his bottom lip.

Nazario shook his head at his son, knowing it was the meds that were causing him act like a two year old. If he wasn’t so upset that Kane had been shot, and Waylon had betrayed the family, Kane’s actions would be funny right now.  Patting Kane on his good shoulder, Nazario turned to Uriel and ordered, "Uriel, I want Waylon taken to the basement and tied up to the wheel."

The wheel was a device of torture that was only used against someone accused of betraying the family in the most heinous act. The attempt on Kane’s life definitely fit the bill.  Uriel went out to instruct the guards who were holding Waylon to take him to the basement.

"Dad, can I at least come downstairs?"  Kane whined. Ara had to cover her mouth to muffle the giggle that escaped from her at her fiancée’s childish manner.

"If you watch your tone, sit back, and only observe.  You need to heal, Kane." Nazario said.

"FINE!"  Kane pouted.

"Can I come as well, Nazario?"  Ara asked.

Kane's head whipped around.  "FUCK NO!" He did not want to expose Ara to what was about to happen.

"Kane,” Ara whispered in his ear, “I need to start learning how the family handles this type of situation."

"NO...NO...NO!" He responded, repeatedly shaking his head until he felt a little dizzy.

Nazario could see that Kane was in no state of mind to listen to reason.  While he agreed that Ara needed to begin instruction on these matters, tonight was not the night.   The guards handling Waylon would surely question why a soon-to-be wife was being permitted to attend a torture session; God forbid if there was any speculation about the upcoming family merger leaked before the day of the ceremony.  "Ara, dear, can I speak to you a moment?" Ara walked over to Nazario. "As much as I want you there, until the news of the merger of the families is shared with everyone else, I feel that it is in everyone’s best interest that you stay behind."  He whispered.

Ara thought about what Nazario was saying. Even though she wanted to begin her training, she understood the reason why Nazario did not want her to attend.  "I understand."

"Good. Tomorrow you will begin your lessons with Rosa and Uriel.  I will also be training you on the business aspects of the family.  Both legal and illegal."

"Thank you for explaining it; I really hope I will be a good leader."

"I have no doubt."  Nazario said, giving her a hug.  "Now I have to take my loopy son with me and take care of Waylon."  Nazario walked over to Kane and helped him up.

Kane gave Ara a big sloppy kiss on her cheek, missing her lips altogether, and grabbed her ass.   "God, I want to fuck you."

Ara giggled and placed a sweet kiss on Kane’s lips.  "I will take care of you later; now go, and take care of the problem."

Nazario, Kane, and a large contingency of guards, proceeded down to the basement.  Opening the large iron door, the group walked in to find Waylon tied spread eagle on a large round wooden disk.  All his clothes had been removed; one could clearly see the gunshot wound to his leg.

"Uriel, are you responsible for that?"  Nazario asked, pointing to the wound.

"Yes, he tried to run, so I took a shoot."

"Great job.  Okay, let's get started shall we?"  Nazario said as he took off his jacket, and removed his cufflinks, rolling up the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt.

Walking over to