Page 27 of Mafia Princess

I hear a knock on my door and quickly shut my laptop. “Come in.”

The door swings open and in storms Mason. “Are you alone?” He looks around the room as though I’ve been harboring a fugitive.

“Uh, yes.” I glance at him in confusion. “What’s wrong with you?”

He belly flops onto my king size bed, messing up my sheets. “We got the fuckers who smashed your face up. Seems they were lying about me being in debt with them. I’ve never met the bastards in my life.”

“What do you mean?” He’s piqued my interest.

“Someone else sent them, Maya. You need to be careful.” He looks at me then, the older brother concern shining through.

I pat his hand. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“I’m fucking serious. Listen, these guys aren’t part of some mafia syndicate. They don’t give a fuck who your daddy is. Do you understand?”

“Jesus. Yes, okay. I get it. I’ll carry my gun on me.” I huff in annoyance. The last thing I need is for Papa to get wind of this and never let me leave the house without a bodyguard.

“I don’t like the thought of you going back to Verona. There’s no one to watch your back there. I promised Mom I’d look after you with my life if, needed.”

“Mason. Stop,” I interrupt him. “I love you but you don’t need the burden of looking after me. I’ll be fine.”

“If anything were to happen to you, I think I’d burn the whole fucking world down getting whoever hurt you.” He play punches me, lightening the mood.

“And I’d do the same for you, shit head.” I push at his shoulder.

“Are you going to go through with this arranged marriage?”

“Discussing all the heavy stuff today, are we?”

“Maya, you can’t ignore it.”

“Then why act as though I have a choice, to begin with? I’m hoping that somehow it all fizzles out before the big day. I’ll go through with this stupid engagement tonight, but let’s see how it plays out,” I sigh, the thought both angering me and exciting me. Which is not how I want to be feeling.

“You know Papa won’t take no for an answer.”

“Why the hell does he have to do this? First, it was Enzo and now Milan. Thank fuck Enzo had Summer. I think I would have murdered him.” I smile at the thought.

He laughs, “Enzo isn’t that bad.”

“Promise me that when you take over this family, you won’t arrange your daughter’s life for her.” I glare at him, daring him not to agree with me.

“We’ll both be ruling this family together. All in it together.” He holds his fist up to me as we used to when we were children, and I tap my mine to his.

“All in it together,” I repeat the words.

Oh, dear brother of mine. If only you knew the real me and how much I keep from you so that you’re not mixed in all my shit. If only I could tell you the reasons I do the things I do. I’d half my burden but double my guilt.

I can still smell the distinct cologne mixed with the sweat the fucker was wearing the night my innocent life imploded. He wore a balaclava to hide his face, but I still remember his expensive, polished shoes and his gold Rolex watch. He didn’t smell like he belonged in the mildew-infested room. He was obviously from money and dressed to the nines in an expensive Italian designer suit. The others didn’t wear anything to hide their identities, their faces on full display for me to catalog in my memory. The balaclava one stood at the door as each one of the others entered the room where my mom was held captive. The brutality seeped through the door crack in waves of agony and pain. I tried to help her, but I couldn’t get my legs and arms loose from the tight rope wrapped around them. I struggled on the floor for what seemed like hours as her screams became muffled groans, and that’s when the balaclava one entered. Her screams returned for a while, and then silence fell.

“Maya.” Mason shakes my arm to get me to concentrate on him. “Hello, where did you go?”

“Daydreaming, as usual.” I force a smile and hope he doesn’t push me for more information.

Mason’s phone rings and he answers. “I’ll be right there. Don’t let Tristan do anything stupid.” He jumps off the bed and heads out the door without turning around.

I shake my head at the thought of what my idiot cousins are up to. They cause more trouble than anyone else I know, always doing shoddy deals with people they shouldn’t be associating with.

I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling.

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