Page 20 of Mafia Princess

Rap.

Rap.

Rap.

This time, it sounds closer but with more of an echo.

“Maya, answer the fucking door.”

I blink as I come to. I attempt to speak, but the agony that jolts through my jaw stops me. I open my eyes and I’m staring at my shoes, all lined up neatly by the wall near the front door. At least the fucking bastards had the decency to turn me on my side so I didn’t choke on my mix of spit and blood.

I push up on one hand. “Fuck,” I hiss.

“Maya.” Luca’s voice is desperate.

“Give me a minute,” I growl in response. I find the more I grit my teeth the better I am at dealing with the pain. I’ve been in worse condition before. I’d had my ass kicked so many times when I first started at the fights that even I thought I’d end up in ER.

“Hurry the fuck up or I’m going to kick the door in.”

I manage to crawl onto my hands and knees, stopping for a few deep breaths before I climb my way up the wall to stand. Another pause for some deep breaths. Hmm, the fuckers didn’t do as bad a job as I first thought. Weak pussies.

I turn the lock and realize they must have locked the door after them as they left. The mind boggles. I open the door, and Luca’s face drops, his ashen color spreads from his forehead right down to the base of his neck.

“Who the fuck did this to you?” he growls through clenched teeth and rushes in. His hands hover over my face, scared to touch me in case he hurts me.

“Some Irish fuckers. Three of them. I’m okay though, they only roughed me up a bit.” I grab his hands to stop him from fussing.

His eyes scan my face, taking in the injuries. He knows all too well not to ask questions. It’s our first rule with this thing we’ve got going on. No questions about each other’s business. I must look like a rainbow of colored bruising by now. I stretch my jaw and the pain is bearable.

“I’m running you a bath. Don’t fucking fight me on this.” Luca storms past me and heads for the bathroom.

I sigh in defeat. I don’t like being looked after, and he knows it. I never let anyone do shit for me. I take care of myself, and I’ll be damned if I ever let this shit happen again.

I stalk over to the bathroom door and lean my aching body against the door frame. I watch as he searches in the cabinet and finds a glitter bath bomb, looking like he struck gold, and drops it into the steaming bath. The contrast of a tatted up dangerous man holding a pretty glittering bath bomb makes me smile. He is the light and dark of this world.

Get the fuck in and shut the fuck up.” He turns to me and grins like he’s secretly happy he’s torturing me.

“Only this one time. Got it?” I poke him in the chest.

“Never again.” He kisses my forehead and leaves me to undress in privacy.

I’m glad he didn’t stay in the bathroom to watch me. My stomach and ribs are painted in purple and blue bruises. I climb into the bath and sink until the water is up under my chin. The water is soothing, and I close my eyes to breathe in the bubble gum scent from the bath bomb. This glitter is going to be a bitch to clean up.

“Knock, knock.” Luca pushes the door open. I’m not sure how long I’ve been soaking in here, but it has soothed my aches.

I open my eyes to see him standing there butt naked apart from my barbie apron I wear while baking. My mom bought it for me for my eighth birthday. I remember baking cupcakes with her every weekend after that.

“I brought you lunch.” He saunters in with a plate of pancakes with sprinkles.

I snort laughing and it hurts my face, but I can’t help it. “You look ridiculous. Why are you naked?”

He twirls on the spot, his torso and arms covered in tattoos and his sexy ass on display. “I think I look cute.” Luca places the food on the edge of the bath.

“You look ridiculous.” I move until I’m sitting up and take the plate. I cut off a large piece with the edge of the fork and shove it in my mouth. “Mmm, not bad,” I mumble through chewing.

“You’re such a lady.” He splashes the water at me.

“Hey, you’ll get glitter in my pancakes.”

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