Page 62 of Betraying the Mafia Boss

It takes an hour to reach the monstrosity that looks like an abandoned hotel. It’s where the Cosa Nostra secret meetings are held. My brothers and I exit the car the car and walk inside the hotel.

Contrary to the faded exterior, the interior is well decorated. I can tell by how neat it is that this is not an abandoned building. Someone takes care of it.

The red marble floors are sparkling, catching the glow of the chandeliers overhead. There are portraits of past Cosa Nostra leaders on the wall and my father’s picture is one of them.

I come to a stop in front it, clamping my hands together and bowing my head as a form of respect. My brothers do the same behind me.

I’d always thought I’d moved on from my parents’ murder until this moment, but seeing my father’s picture fills me with rage. Elio killed them, and he’ll pay for it with his own life.

He’ll pay for everything he took from me.

Marcus places his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go inside,” he says, his voice low. Sad.

I nod, giving my father’s portrait one last look before I follow my brothers into a dimly lit room. Men in black suits surround a table, each of them holding a gun. I recognize Dante and he smirks when we look at each other. Arrogant bastard.

I don’t pay much attention to what’s going on until one of Dominic’s men pull a man into the room and toss him on the floor.

“He’s one of Elio’s men,” Dominic says. “We captured him after the warehouse was attacked. We tortured him and he still refuses to speak. End his life.”

Another guy steps forward and holds a gun out to me. I don’t think twice. I pull the trigger.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Isabella

It’s my first breakfast with everyone in the Romano family and it feels strange.

The dining room is the type of luxurious I’ve only ever seen in movies. The table is long with enough seats for twenty people. The crystal chandelier gives off a warm golden glow that reflects off the fine china on the table.

And this doesn’t look like breakfast for a normal family, it’s a feast.

Everyone is passing food around the table and there are maids standing behind to clear out whatever plates are not needed and bring in more food. Everything is appetizing, but I can’t bring myself to fill my plate. I would rather remain in my room upstairs and bury myself under a blanket.

Vincent’s eyes lock with mine, and a worried expression causes his forehead to wrinkle. “Are you okay?” He glances at my plate and then back at me. “You’re not eating.”

“I’m not hungry.” Everyone at the table snaps their heads to me and I quickly add, “Morning sickness.”

It’s a lie. I’m not eating because I heard Vincent leave the room last night, and I overhead their conversation about him getting initiated. I wonder when he was going to tell me about that.

Vincent takes an empty plate from the center of the table and fills it with some sliced apple, bacon, and scrambled eggs. He rises to his feet and passes the plate to me. “You have to eat something.”

I want to turn it down, but a quick glance at Dominic and Marcus makes me fake a smile and dig a fork into one of the apples. I’ve spent a couple of days with the Romano’s already, but I still can’t get used to the fact I’m living with two of the cruelest men in New York.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.

The silence is foreboding, and thankfully Elena says something to break it. “Have you shopped for baby clothes yet?”

I turn my head to her. I’m uneasy she’s bringing that up with Dominic and Marcus around. She probably doesn’t get the fact that those men scare the shit out of me. “Sorry?”

“Have you shopped for baby clothes yet?” she repeats. “You should start now. The third trimester is exhausting. Trust me when I say you won’t have all the time in the world to shop then.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear and huff out a nervous laugh. I think my blood pressure is rising. “Isn’t it a bit too early to do that? I don’t even know the gender yet.”

Her eyes widen in shock. “Have you at least registered for prenatal classes?”

I try to avoid Vincent’s gaze. “No, I haven’t time for that.” One minute I found out I was pregnant and had to come clean to Vincent, the next Elio’s men were shoving me in their car like I was a sack of potatoes. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I then had to move in with the Romano’s.

“How about we have a girls’ day out at the weekend?” Elena takes her attention to Jane. “What do you think?”

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