Moor, p.1
Moor, page 1
MOOR
A Modern Retelling of Shakespears Othello
TWISTED BARD
GIOVANNA REAVES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Twisted Bard
Find Me On Social Media
Books by Giovanna Reaves
Also by Giovanna Reaves
Act I
Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V
Scene VI
Act II
Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V
Scene VI
Act III
Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V
Act IV
Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Final Act
Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Thank You
Books by Giovanna Reaves
About the Author
Copyrights
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Your non-refundable purchase allows you to one legal copy of this work for your own personal use. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload, or for a fee.
Disclaimer: This book may contain explicit sexual content, violence, racist language, adult language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable, which might include male/male sexual practices and multiple partner sexual practices.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, businesses, and incidents are from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, people, or events is purely coincidental. Any trademarks mentioned herein are not authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks used are specifically in a descriptive capacity.
Copyright © 2024 Giovanna ‘Gia’ Reaves
Contagious Edits http://www.contagiousbookservices.com
TWISTED BARD
A retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello
BLURB
Loyalty is sacred; betrayal is unforgivable.
Des, a young doctor who has always followed his parents' expectations, is inexperienced in love and life. That all changes the night he operates on a dangerously handsome patient. Des's growing attraction quickly turns into an irresistible desire.
Othello, bound by loyalty to his family's code, has just been named the successor to Verona Heights' most powerful underground organization, La Famiglia Romano. With immense responsibility weighing on him, he believes there's no room for love—until a certain doctor catches his eye.
As passion ignites between Des and Othello, a dark conspiracy against Othello threatens to tear them apart and endanger their lives, forcing them to confront their fears and desires.
Can they survive the treacherous forces working against them, or will their love be destroyed forever?
This modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello is filled with betrayal, loyalty, romance, and a little love at first sight. Part of the Twisted Bard series, where multiple authors bring the Bard’s timeless tales into the present
“She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them.”
Othello— (Act 1, Scene 3)
FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
I love hearing from you. Email me at GotRomance@GiaReaves.com or sign up for my newsletter to receive updates on what I’m doing next.
Check out my website for more deals and more: https://giareaves.com
Join my reader’s group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GiovannasSecretOneNighters/
BOOKS BY GIOVANNA REAVES
Goliath’s Mate: G-Force Federation (Book Three)
Check out the Vale Valley Series
Season One: A Vale Valley Winter Romance
Season Two: A Vale Valley Valentine Romance
Season Three: A Vale Valley Summer Romance
Audiobooks
Jordan's Pryde
The Cowboy's Baby
Winter's Promise: Omegaverse Romance
The Drummer's Heartbeat: A Winter Romance
Protecting His Omega
ALSO BY GIOVANNA REAVES
Bewitching Love: A Valentine Romance (Vale Valley Series)
Love is in the air, and Vale Valley’s magic is bringing lonely hearts together.
Sirius is a skilled doctor and a witch who has always been a loner. Being a witch in the human world has been hard on him since he cannot use his magic for fear of revealing himself. After years of hearing about Vale Valley, he packs up everything he has, hoping to have a new start and be his true self. But with a new life comes new experiences, information, and things he wasn’t aware were possible. Will Sirius be able to handle the changes coming with his new life, especially when the bewitching take effect?
After the death of his grandfather Trenton Vale twenty years ago, Alphonso and his parents left Vale Valley. Although he keeps in contact with his extended family, he can no longer ignore Vale Valley’s magic calling out to him. He returns home for what should have been a short visit. As a single father, his only goal was to let his daughter experience the wonder of the small town he still holds close to his heart. A chance meeting with the cute doctor makes him want to reconsider moving back to Vale Valley permanently.
Bewitching Love is the twelfth book in the second season of the Vale Valley series. It is a heartwarming story of two men falling in love and building their new lives together.
Thank you, Shane, for the opportunity to write Moor. I had a lot of fun stretching my writing legs. You are the best.
ACT I
“She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them.”
Othello (Act 1, Scene 3)
SCENE I
OTHELLO
Othello Romano-Moor looked appreciatively around the abandoned warehouse that was converted for the late-night meeting between the Falcon and the La Romano Famiglia clans. His men had done a good job making it amenable. The dimly lit room had a single table surrounded by stone-faced men as tension rose between the two factions, both part of Verona Heights' underworld.
As the newly appointed successor and underboss, Othello sat on the right of his adopted father, Alessandro Romano, the don of La Romano Famiglia, at one end of the table. On Alessandro’s left side was his adopted brother and best friend, Iago Romano, the family’s consigliere.
Don Alessandro was a robust man in his early sixties, with dark, wavy hair and slightly graying temples. He recently needed a cane due to a slowly healing injury to his left leg. Behind the three men stood their soldiers, watching their backs, not to mention the ones outside guarding the warehouse.
Across from the Romanos were the Falcons, led by the young and inexperienced Don Julian Falcon, who had just assumed leadership after his father’s untimely death. His trusted advisors, seasoned but wary, stood behind him, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger. However, Julian’s father’s death was not the reason for their meeting.
Four weeks ago, Don Francesco Rizzo had been murdered under the combined efforts of the Falcon and the Romano factions, leaving no successors. Now, Alessandro and Julian were both in a hostile takeover, vying for the most lucrative assets of Rizzo’s properties and select clan members.
Since Central Verona was a neutral territory, they wanted the business in the surrounding areas. For years, Don Rizzo had accumulated a lot of prime real estate, taking out anyone who went up against him. He only trusted his consigliere, who’d also died in the shootout. One thing Othello appreciated about Rizzo was that he had a good eye for business and knew how to hide his criminal activities very well.
Othello knew Don Alessandro wanted to consolidate all the businesses in the East Bridge's financial district, Midtown, and River Front, which had a high concentration of tourists, shopping, gambling, and extortion operations, but most importantly, the ports that controlled what came and went from the city. He also wanted the Old Town; the South Shore was prime for real estate value. The don was willing to give up the East Side and West End properties, even though they were ripe and had more potential than Rizzo had been willing to put into them, which was why Falcon felt Alessandro was giving him scraps.
“I don’t see why the fuck we should settle for crumbs,” Julian growled, slamming his fist on the table. “What the fuck? We did most of the heavy lifting. The financial district should be ours.”
“Watch your mouth, youngin,” Iago snapped. “Know who you’re talking to and show the don some respect, so mind your fucking language.”
Othello hid his smirk behind his hand. He knew how much Iago hated it when others spoke to the don disrespectfully.
Alessandro leaned back in his chair, his expression a mask of calm, but Othello could see the anger in the don’s gaze even from where he sat. “You and your men certainly played a part in offing
“Should I be fucking grateful?” Julian barked.
“You should be on your fucking knees begging the don not to kill you right here and now,” Iago hissed.
Don Julian went to speak, but Othello interjected in a deep and steady voice: “One of our family mottos is never regretting your choices.”
“Family motto,” Julian scoffed. “I’ve heard you lot have a shitload of them. How the hell do you keep track of them all?”
Othello didn’t respond and continued to speak as if the man hadn’t said anything. “We agreed on the property division before we went into this.” He steepled his fingers, looking Julian in the face. “Trying to change the terms now is not only unfair, it’s dishonorable—something I knew your father wouldn’t have done.”
“Don’t you fucking bring my father into this,” Julian snarled.
Othello felt Falcon’s lieutenants’ heated gazes, adding more tension to the room and conversation. He could have cut it with a knife, but didn’t remove his eyes from Julian. However, Othello was unfazed by intimidating looks. He’d dealt with people like Falcon before. Even with his guards covering his back, Othello knew that Falcon was scared of the three of them.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not my father,” he sneered.
“Pity,” Iago said. “He at least knew his place.”
“Look who is talking about his place,” Falcon countered, and the guard behind him sniggered. “Isn’t your place to follow behind Othello’s ass? Everyone knows how worthless you are.”
Iago went to respond, but a commotion halted the words on his tongue. The entire room fell silent as the sound of gunfire echoed through the warehouse walls. The room descended into chaos as the men from both factions drew their weapons and pointed them at each other.
“What the fuck is going on?” Don Alessandro barked, rising to his feet with the aid of his cane. “Are you trying to stab us in the back, Falcon?”
Just then, the doors burst open, and a La Romano Famiglia guard staggered in with a gunshot wound to his side. “Ambush!” he managed to gasp before collapsing.
Othello sprang into action just as he saw the faction leaders exchanging quick, suspicious glances at each other, conveying the same thought.
You stabbed us in the back!
Before Othello or anyone had time to dwell on that thought, bullets flew into the room, and sounds of shattering and splintering wood filled the air. Thinking quickly, Othello shoved Don Alessandro behind him and then flipped the table over, using it as cover.
“Stay down,” Othello yelled, but his voice was barely heard over the sound of gunfire.
In all the commotion, he’d lost sight of Iago, who he was certain was next to him when it all happened. Putting his worry for Iago aside, he focused on getting them out of there alive. Using the table as cover, Othello remained standing, aiming his gun, and fired at any moving target. Bullets were coming and going from all directions as both factions took cover, unsure of who they were fighting against. Amid the chaos, Othello felt a searing pain tear through him, causing him to clutch his chest, stumbling back and struggling for a second to stay on his feet.
“Boss, you’re hit!” Tallen, one of his most loyal soldiers, shouted, rushing over to him.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, he waved off Tallen’s worry. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” He pushed Tallen next to Alessandro. “Protect the don. No matter what happens to me, get him out of here alive.”
Tallen nodded, and Othello turned his focus back on the shitstorm happening. He was no doctor, but he could tell his wound was serious. The table had been a good cover for the moment, but it wasn’t foolproof. If whoever shot had perfect aim, they would have hit his heart. He didn’t want to think that someone was gunning for him because that would make no sense when everyone had bullets flying full speed at them. Othello was just happy that the don hadn’t gotten hurt. His other worry was Iago. He prayed his friend was still alive.
Sweat drenched his body, mixing with his blood-soaked shirt. He stumbled when he felt another burning sensation in his side too close to his ribs, causing him to stagger a little and hit his head on the table so hard his vision blurred, and he could feel blood running down the side of his face. But it didn’t stop him from firing his gun until it ran out of bullets. He hurriedly fumbled for a fresh magazine.
During the confusion, Othello couldn’t help but wonder what faction the attackers were from. How come they have so many fucking expendable men? Just as the thought crossed his mind, there was a loud whistle that cut through the gunfire, and the attackers began to withdraw as if they had accomplished their objective, which was unclear to everyone, but their damage didn’t go unnoticed. The warehouse looked like a war zone.
The warehouse suddenly fell into an eerie silence. The air was thick with smoke, and the stench of blood, along with the groans of the wounded, interrupted the stillness. Othello stumbled once more and knew he was going to hit the ground hard this time. But he was saved when an arm wrapped around his waist, allowing him to lean on someone.
“Hold on, Son,” came Alessandro’s deep voice next to his ear. “Someone come help us!”
Othello looked at the older man and smiled, hoping to ease the worry etched in the don’s eyes. Othello wanted to say something, but his knees weakened and buckled, bringing him down despite the don holding him up.
“Boss!” Tallen rushed over, knelt next to him, and pulled his shirt open, hissing. “Fuck, boss, it’s...”
“I know,” Othello gasped. He didn’t need to hear how bad it was. The bottom line was that he was fucked.
Tallen pulled off his jacket and pressed it to his injuries, making him wince.
“Hold on, Othello, we’ll get you some help soon,” Alessandro said, patting him on the shoulder.
Othello looked at Don Alessandro, feeling his strength waning, but he needed to know. “Who...were they?” he panted, gritting his teeth since it was hard to utter a word.
“I don’t know yet,” Alessandro replied grimly. “But we’ll find out.”
Othello tried to move, but Tallen stopped him. “Boss, don’t move.”
Just then, Don Falcon approached them with a slight limp.
“This wasn’t us, Romano,” Falcon said. “We were just as blindsided by everything as you guys.”
Alessandro sighed, giving a slight nod. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now, we need to get our men to safety.”
Othello listened to both dons come to an uneasy truce, but he kept looking around for Iago. Grabbing Tallen’s arm, he got his subordinate’s attention.
“What is it, Boss?”
He was about to ask about Iago when the man’s deep voice rang out in the room, putting Othello’s worry to rest.
“Don, we need to go. The cops are coming!” Iago informed them, rushing to their side. His eyes widened when he saw Othello. “Fuck, O, what the hell, man? How did you get shot?”
Othello would have cracked a joke at the moment, like saying it was part of the job to protect the don, but he was in too much pain to speak. Seconds later, the don gave out a few orders just as they heard sirens wailing in the distance, letting them know they didn’t have much time before they got there. Othello could only hope his injuries didn’t slow their escape.
“Tallen and Iago, get Othello to the car. Marco, clean up his blood. Leave no trace that we were here,” Don Alessandro commanded just as Othello started to go in and out of consciousness.
