Page 39 of Mafia Star

“What?”

He’s rubbing my back, but he tries to push me back when he realizes what I said. I shake my head and burrow closer. I drop my bags on the floor and wrap my arms around his waist. I freeze. It’s like slow motion when I lean back. I know what I just felt at his lower back when my arms slid beneath his suit coat.

“Who followed you, Beth? Where are they?”

I blink, then gather my wits.

“There’s three of them. One of them is two buildings to the left.” I point. “And two more were about to cross the street.”

Marco looks over my head and gestures his toward the door. I watch four guys hurry outside. He bends and grabs my bags, then I squeak when he sweeps me into his arms. It’d be fucking Officer and a Gentleman romantic if this weren’t such a fucked-up situation. He carries me to an office and punches in a code. I hear it unlock before he pushes down on the handle. He hoists me a little higher, so he can put my stuff on the desk, then he sits with me on his lap.

“Tell me what happened, piccolina.”

“In a moment. Why do you have a gun, Marco?”

His eyes bore into me, but he says nothing. I wait, but I know he won’t be forthcoming.

“Marco, answer me. I’m serious. Why the hell do you have a gun in broad daylight?”

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.”

My chin jerks back. I guessed what Chelle was getting into when she said she was with a Mancinelli. It was all silently confirmed at the reception. But it’s now smacking me in the face that I’ve wound up in the middle of it, too.

“Those men followed me because of us.”

“Yes.”

“How do they— Do they know?—”

“I can’t give you an answer to how they know or if they know about the club because I don’t have one yet.”

Yet.

Is he going to use that gun to get it?

“Beth, I’m not going to walk out and shoot someone.”

Am I that transparent?

“Lean back and let me hold you while I collect my own thoughts. Someone following you is rattling me.”

He eases me against his chest, and I can hear his heart’s racing. As fast as his heartbeat is, it’s soothing to have it under my cheek. I put my palm next to my face. His left hand wraps around me to stroke my arm while his right hand strokes my back. He kisses the crown of my head. I sigh and melt against him.

“I knew I just had to get to you, Daddy.”

I don’t know if he heard me because my voice is so faint.

“I will always protect you, piccolina. Always come to me.”

There’s a knock on the door, and I curl into him.

“Avete qualcuno?” Do you have someone?

“No.”

“Ti troverò più tardi.” I’ll find you later.

“Marco?”

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