Page 13 of Depths of Hunger

I straighten, stepping into Angelo’s personal space, daring him to disrespect me again. I can’t let this slide. If Angelo doesn’t respect me, no one will. I’m not just anyone—I’m a Giordano, and I’m Renzo’s wife. If I don’t assert my authority now, I never will. “Watch your fucking tone.” My hiss is low and lethal. “You take orders from me, Angelo, not the other way around.”

His face flushes with anger, and he leans in, his breath hot on my face. “Listen, you little?—”

I slap him hard across the cheek, the sound echoing in the foyer. “That’s your first and only warning. You pull that shit again, and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do.”

Angelo staggers back, his eyes wide with shock. He opens his mouth to respond, but no words come out.

“Now,” I continue, my voice fucking frosty, “find someone to clean up this mess. I don’t do housework.”

My insides are shaking, but I keep my expression cold and unmoved. Showing weakness now would be a death sentence.

“You heard her,” my mother’s voice cuts the tension like a knife as she strides into the foyer. The room feels even colder in her presence. She’s all sharp edges and steely resolve. “Deal with the Carabinieri and clean this place up. Renzo won’t want to see it like this when he gets back.” She grabs my arm, guiding me out the front door with a firm grip.

“Well done,” my mother says once we’re outside. The night air is cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the heated tension inside. Her rare praise sends a jolt through me—it’s the first time in years she’s said anything kind. “That was smart, putting Angelo in his place. You’re going to need him. He has to respect you.”

I slide into the backseat of her car, my hands clenched in my lap, trying to steady the tremor running through me. “Why will I need Angelo?” I whisper.

She sits beside me, her expression hardening. “Because he knows the business inside and out, and if you’re going to take over, you need him.”

I blink at her, stunned. “Take over? What the hell are you talking about?”

My mother lets out an exasperated sigh. “I thought you understood. With Renzo in jail, you need to step up as the head of the family.”

I stare at her, disbelief crashing over me. “You’ve lost your mind. Renzo will be out in a day or two. This is ridiculous.”

Her eyes narrow. “I will let your disrespect pass because of this situation but do not push me.”

My nails dig into my palms as frustration boils inside me. “Mother, with all due respect, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Renzo’s marriage to you solidified our family’s position. The Valdici and Giordano union makes us the most powerful in the north. Renzo can’t lead from a jail cell, and his brothers aren’t strong enough to command the other families. That leaves you. You will have to work twice as hard because, as a woman, they won’t naturally respect you, but you can do this, Mia. You don’t have a choice.”

My heart is a sledgehammer against my ribs and every instinct screams at me to run. “This is insane. I don’t know how to run a family. I don’t even know how to be a wife.”

“You will do this, Mia,” my mother insists, her voice cold and unyielding. “Our family’s future depends on you. The future of all the families rests on your shoulders.”

I feel like I’m suffocating, trapped between the weight of her expectations and the looming reality of what she’s asking me to do. I don’t know a thing about running a mafia empire. All I want is to go back to the U.S., to Aunt Isobella, the only person who ever truly cared for me. But that’s not an option. I’ve been dragged into this world, and now there’s no escape.

My mother grips my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes. “Do not fail us, Mia. You are the head of the family now.”

The enormity of it all pressing down on me makes it hard to swallow. I have no idea how I’m going to do this, but I know one thing: I can’t afford to fail. Not with the eyes of every family on me. Not with my mother watching my every move.

The Carabinieri finally clear out, and my mother shoves me back out of the car. Angelo is waiting at the bottom of the stairs, his posture stiff, his expression guarded. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “We need to talk,” I say, my voice carrying a strength I don’t quite feel yet.

Angelo hesitates, then nods. I follow him to his car, my heart hammering in my chest. “What’s going to happen with Renzo?” I ask once we’re inside.

Angelo rubs his temples, looking beat down. “I don’t know, Mia.They’ve arrested him so they must have some evidence. They won’t want to let him out on bail since it’s murder. He might be in there a long time.”

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I don’t have a choice. “Then I am taking over as head of the family.”

Angelo’s head snaps in my direction. “You’re what?”

“Taking over. I’m the only link between the two families. If I don’t step up someone else will, and we’ll lose all power. Tell Renzo when you see him that I will step in and manage everything.”

Angelo stares at me but I don’t care. My mother has left me no choice. I pull on the door handle and get out of the car. I go up the steps and enter the house, my house now. I close the door behind me and lean on it. Less than twenty-four hours ago I was a young bride-to-be. Now I’m the new mafia queen. God help me.

Chapter

Six

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