Chapter 1
"Sucker For Pain"
I have always lived for the highs that this life brings and continues to bring me. I never stand down or bow down to anyone. I have always made my own way in life, breaking all the rules that this world had to offer. It not only brought me a supernatural high, loving to torture and kill, but it even did it for my brothers as well. We walked through the flames together, loving this crazy life. I have been devoted to destruction for so long; I don't know any other way, having no emotion for so long, but that has all changed.
Can life be this cruel?
We landed from a long-ass trip away from our pregnant wives, eager to be back with them. All of us men just wanted to hold our women and or children in our arms. We were all blessed beyond belief with the lives we have now. Having triplets on the way, two boys and my little princess, Christian having a baby girl on the way, and Lukas having his son on the way, none of us ever thought we would have this for ourselves, even though some of us had wanted it. We are all happy I was even just telling them just how good things are going just when we landed I was happy talking to my love, my life, my anchor which is my wife on the phone finding out she was going into labor so I was trying to rush off the jet to get to my family not knowing we were walking into an ambush some of the cars were blown up people were killed all from the other side but they were still dead. I was able to get a bullet into Carlo before he got away. The son of a bitch even killed his own man. The mother fucker has no loyalty.
We couldn't call anyone to let them know what was going on because we were too busy trying to get Christian to the hospital. He was bleeding everywhere and badly coughing up blood, and it was running from his side as he told me to take care of Amelia and his daughter. As if Christian would have to ask me, too, I would do it anyway because he was my best friend and my brother. But he was talking nonsense, or should I say it was nonsense to me, because I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want him to die; he is my best friend, my brother. His dying wasn't an option; it wasn't part of the plan. He was the glue that held me together when we all thought Jose was dead; without Christian, I would have lost it.
I tried talking to him, but he stopped talking to me. He had stopped breathing just as we pulled up to the hospital. We all carry him in, not waiting for them to come out to us. Christian was a big guy, but I would carry my friend anywhere if it meant saving his life, so I yelled We need a doctor. He has been shot, he is Prince Christian Ai Lee of China, and I am Marco Costello. I begin to hear whispers from other guests and staff calling me the crown prince, but also doctors and nurses run out towards us with a bed, grab Christian, place him on it, and take him to the back. I tried to follow, but they wouldn't allow me to go. He wasn't breathing, he wasn't able to talk, he wasn't alive. How am I going to tell my sister and Bai? This is going to break their hearts.
Lukas: Marco, I will call Vincenzo, Gabriela, and Camilia.
Okay, man, I will call the rest of the guys.
I pull out my phone, feeling like this is unreal. The first person I need to call is King to check on my wife, then everyone else. King doesn't hesitate to pick up the phone.
King: Marco Hazel is fine, I promise.
I told him I understood, but I still would like to know what happened. But before he goes into details about everything, I guess he had me on speaker because it is Hazel. I heard her in the background saying she would explain everything when she gets here, that Amelia, Camilia, and she are on their way to the hospital. Lukas moved fast, or my father moved fast, because the girls already knew what was going on, and I had only made one phone call. I don't argue with her coming, even though I think she should be resting. I mean, she was just having contractions. But instead of me trying to tell her what to do because she is stubborn, I just tell her to stay safe, and I will see them when they get here. I know King, Marcus, and Tony would never let anything happen to her, so she is in great hands. At least I know one of them is good now, so my mind can rest just a little. Lukas says that the police are at our private airport already and that Dad, Mom, and Cheng Lee are on their way here as well.
I started to pace the floor. I know we just barely arrived, but I needed word. But before I could freak out and go crazy, everyone arrived within an hour, my father with questions like he was the police, or maybe it's just me being irritated because I am worried about my best friend. It has been like four hours now, and still no word. Amelia hasn't stopped crying since she arrived. Mom is holding her while Hazel is holding Bai, leaving Cauis to hold baby Faith and Konstantin. I stopped pacing, went to the nurses' station, and asked if there was any word on Christian Lee. The lady says Sorry, no word. Hazel released Bai, making Mr. Cheng hold her while she walked over to me, telling me he would be okay, that he was strong. I hug her tightly and start to cry. I never fucking cry, but Christian is my brother. I can't lose him. Hazel steps back, seeing the tears running down my face, and she looks pissed. She tells me that she will be right back. Before she walks away, she kisses my cheek, taking the four steps back to the nurse station.
Hazel: Look, you have been sitting here for the past four hours doing Jack Shit, so I need you to get off your ass and go check on my cousin, or I will have your fucking job. So get your ass up now, lady.
The nurse gets up without a word, leaving, going through the double doors, and Hazel walks over to me, pulling me into a hug. The nurse returns ten minutes later with the doctor. She doesn't make eye contact with Hazel at all; she looks everywhere, but her, and the doctor looks tired and stressed, kind of like how I feel right now. He asked Are we the family of Christian Lee and everyone said yes at the same time. Amelia stands with a big belly and red eyes, saying she is his wife and points at Cheng Lee and Bai, saying his father and sister. He tells us that what took so long was he had to remove the bullet and give Christian a shit load of medication because he woke up doing surgery trying to get off the operation table plus he needed blood a lot of blood but he will make it that he is in recovery now but only two people are allowed in until they move him to his room.
We thank him.
Then Amelia and Cheng go back to check on him. Christian is in recovery for twenty-four hours. I stayed the entire time. I am not leaving until he wakes up, which doesn't happen until July 2nd. He opens his eyes, looking at me, telling me that I look like shit. I smile, telling him thank you. That makes two of us. Then I get up, hugging him, making him tell me Don't go soft on him now. I laughed at him, telling him to shut the fuck up. He had me worried. Amelia kisses him, crying. He tells her he is fine, asking her how his daughter is. Amelia stands up, and he rubs her belly, saying he loves both of them. She tells him she loves him more before telling him she will go get the doctor. She kisses his head, then leaves the room. I tell him that his father just left with Bai and Cauis about an hour ago.
Christian: Did you catch or kill them mother fuckers?
I shake my head, no telling him what happened while he was in the car, that I shot Carlo twice and Lukas shot Manuel once, but it was Carlo who killed him.
Christian: That fucking coward has no fucking loyalty. That will be his downfall, mark my words.
You might be right. King and Tony have been tracking him; they were even able to locate him. He was using one of the Gambino private doctors, but before they could catch him, he boarded a flight going to North Korea. Which makes me wonder who he knows in Korea?
Christian: Ae-cha, she is the only one who hates us both just as much as Carlo.
Just then, Amelia walked back in with the doctor and a nurse, so I stepped out to make a call. Chan-yeol picks up on the first ring.
Chan-yeol: Mr. Costello, what can I do for you, sir?
Has Carlo tried to contact you or Ae-cha? I am asking because he was seen boarding a jet that was headed to North Korea, and it made me wonder who he could know in North Korea other than the Delun family, and since your sister tried to have us killed once, maybe she would like to try again.
Chan-yeol: Mr. Costello, he hasn't tried to contact me. Believe me, I know better than to cross you, and he wouldn't be in North Korea looking for Ae-cha either; she moved to Miami. Coral Gables, to be more exact, she moved there back in February after our father died.
Well, Mr. Delun, if you see or hear from Carlo, be sure to let me know. It would be greatly appreciated.
Chan-yeol: I will do, Mr. Costello, I mean Your Highness.
Just call me Mr. Costello. Thank you, Chan-yeol.
I hung up the phone thinking Chan-yeol is a smart man, so if he crosses me, I will seriously kill him very slowly, that includes killing everyone that he loves, making him watch, and there's no need to threaten him because he already knows how I get down. When I walk back into the room, the doctor is gone, and only Christian and Amelia are here; the guards are outside the door.
So what did the doctor say, man?
Christian: Did you know that they touched my dick, man?
I busted out laughing at him when he said this because of the look on his fucking face and his tone. Christian was fucking heated.
Christian: So not funny bitch. I am being serious. I asked to go to the bathroom, and the doctor was like For me to just pee, that the catheter will catch it like it's fucking nothing. I look down under the covers, and there is a fucking straw in my dick, man.
This time Amelia laughed out loud, which made Christian glare at her.
Christian: Not cool, babe.
Amelia: Okay, it isn't. I'm sorry, Ailee.
While they talk, I start to call everyone, letting them know that Christian is awake. Next, I call Hazel to check on her, but she puts me on hold, telling me to let her tell Jace that she will call him back. It had pissed me off to have her place me on hold for him. This whole jealous thing is new to me. I never had a problem knowing that women desired, needed, and wanted me. It was never someone that I cared for this much that I love, desire, need, and want. When she comes back to the line, she apologizes, asking about Christian, whom she calls Ailee. I hand him the phone, allowing them to talk. And once their conversation was over, he gave me the phone back thirty minutes later. Hazel hung up, even though the conversation was one-sided, well, from what I could hear of their talk. I can tell that they love and respect each other; their bond is closer to twins or siblings than cousins, and Christian treats her like a princess. Morris-Lee came to check on Christian in the hospital before leaving on July 4th. I can tell that he cares about his nephew because he made the trip after barely just moving his family to Miami, and also with the way he speaks to Christian and about him.
When he leaves Italy, instead of heading back to Miami, he is headed to North Korea with Haziel and Jasiel to search for Carlo, where his sons Wang-Lei and Zhang-Wei will be meeting their father.
