Page 9 of Betraying the Mafia Boss

“Isa,” a voice squeals from the foyer. Her friend is hopping happily in our direction when I look. Her face would split apart if she smiled any wider than she already is.

“Hey, Naomi.” Isabella doesn’t sound happy to see her friend. She fakes a smile, but it vanishes quickly as she stares at the Crocs she’s wearing.

Naomi walks into the elevator and loops her arm through Isabella’s. She whispers something to Isabella who nods.

“Aren’t you two coming in?” Isabella asks, her gaze pinned on me.

Luca rolls his eyes at them, then strides into the elevator, intentionally colliding with Isabella. Him and his childish tantrums.

The door to the elevator closes and we’re whisked to the ninth floor.

“Mr. Romano,” one of the kids in the pediatric ward calls out when I step in. She bounces off her bed and runs to me, wrapping her small hands around my legs. “Good morning, Mr. Romano.”

I pull away, then squat so I’m almost only as tall as she is. My nieces love it when I’m their height so I learned this trick from them. “How are you doing today, Leila?”

Leila is five. She has stage three skin cancer and she’s the daughter of a single mother who runs a small restaurant downtown. She’s a sweet little girl.

“I’m fine. Can I tell you a secret?”

I pat her beanie and smile. “Sure.”

She leans in and covers my ear with her hand, then she whispers, “My new friend said I can go home if I eat my veggies.”

“So did you eat them?” I whisper back. She said it’s a secret.

She nods. “I ate them all, and Mommy smiled watching me eat them.”

“Woah. You’re such a good girl, Leila. Your mommy must be so proud.” I raise a thumbs up to her. “I’m a little hurt though, I thought I was the only friend you had.”

She giggles, her little voice resounding in the ward. “Don’t worry, Mr. Romano. I like you more.” She gasps. “Oh, I forgot. She said I could also marry you when I grow up. because you’re a good person.”

“Did she? Who is your new friend?”

“She’s standing beside you,” Leila answers. Most of her teeth are missing, I find it cute whenever she smiles at me.

“Behind me?” Isabella is staring down at me when I twist my head. She has a breathtaking smile spreading over her face, but I know that smile is not directed at me. It’s for Leila and I’m a little jealous.

“Hey,” I say, standing to my feet and shoving my hands in my pockets.

“Hey,” she replies. She walks to Leila and pats her on the head. “How are you doing today, sweetie?”

“I feel a lot better thanks to Mr. Romano,” Leila says. “I was just telling him you said he’s a very nice person.”

“Okay, that’s enough. Go play, Leila.”

Leila nods, waves at me and runs off to her room.

“Just so you know,” Isabella tells me after Leila has left. “I only told her that because she’s a kid.”

“What would you have said if she wasn’t a kid?”

Isabella rolls her eyes. “Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

I inch closer to her. I’m so close I’m towering over her. “Believe me, I do.”

“I’m not going to tell you.” She turns around and walks away.

A smile plays on my lips as I watch her leave. Isabella seems like the type to play hard to get and for some reason, I really need to hear what she thinks of me.

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