Page 26 of Depths of Hunger

“Shot?” Nico turns toward me. “What do you mean shot?”

The line has now come to a grinding halt and everyone is staring. I quickly step out the door and start down the steps. I’m not going to have that conversation at this moment. I’d kept my being shot a secret. It was easy. Everyone was distraught over Renzo, and Angelo can make a mountain out of any molehill, so I let him tell the story. I don’t think he even registered the fact that I’d been shot. If the capos think I’m weak, they’ll never listen to me. Besides, it was a through and through, as they say. A mere flesh wound.

“Are you ready?” Ralf asks.

I nod. “Take me to the cemetery.”

He leads me across the sidewalk to the limo and helps me in, and then gets in behind the wheel. “Should I wait for Angelo?”

“Hell no,” I snarl. “I’ve had enough of him. Just head over to the cemetery. Everyone will show up eventually.”

Ralf nods as I put up the partition. I lean my head back against the leather seats and close my eyes, trying not to remember what happened. Even though this is a different car I could swear I smell him on the leather. I think about his eyes and his hands. More specifically where they’d been when we’d been shot. It’s mortifying to admit that my husband was touching my pussy and that’s why neither of us heard the car approach.

I’d been so pissed off at him. I wanted to smack his hand away. I wanted to smash his smug face but damn if he didn’t know how to make me wet within seconds. It just wasn’t fair that he was dead. That I never got to have my husband’s cock inside me.

We pull into the cemetery and the rain pings on the roof of the car. Fabulous. Now I’m going to get wet too. Maybe it’s a good thing. Cover the fact that I’m not crying. I’m not going to cry either. I did that before I got married. Back when I thought my life was over. Now, I can see it’s just beginning and, if I handle this well, I can be the queen of my domain. That appeals to me almost as much as my husband’s cock.

I let out a sigh. I need this to be over. I need to ignore the exhaustion and frustration banging on my mind and body. Because once I bury Renzo, the real work begins. I have to fend off all the capos. They’re all going to want to take over. Angelo will help but honestly, the more I think about it, the more I want him gone. So, who else can help me? My mother, of course, but she doesn’t really have the right inside knowledge. She’s out of touch with the business side of things. I wouldn’t tell her that but she is. It’s an age thing. She’s simply aging out.

Cars start to arrive. I see the hearse pass, followed by the familylimo. Maybe Nico and Luca could help me. I know Renzo relied on them for some things, but they never seemed that engaged. Neither does their father. Leonardo has been polite to me the few times we’ve met but he never struck me as all that interested in what Renzo was doing. Like somehow he was above it all. Had more serious things to deal with.

That didn’t leave me with many choices.

The rain let up as I got out of the car. Nico came toward me with an umbrella over his head at the same time Angelo arrived next to me. I walked toward Nico, hoping Angelo would get the hint but, of course, he went with me. He even had the gall to put his hand on the small of my back. I gritted my teeth. I was not going to spend my husband’s graveside service with Angelo next to me, trying to establish his place at my side. This was just another power grab only this time it’s me he wants to get his hands on.

I walk right up to Nico and put my arms around his neck. I can tell he’s surprised because he tenses slightly. It’s not like we’ve been overly friendly before this. “You and Luca stand beside me at the grave,” I say.

He pulls back and meets my gaze. He must have liked what he saw because he nods, and when I drop my arms, he puts his arm around my waist and steers me to the gravesite while holding the umbrella over my head. Luca takes a position on my other side. As we start forward, I see Angelo’s thunderous expression out of the corner of my eye. Too fucking bad. His days are numbered for sure now. I cannot stand the man, and I won’t have him pawing at me.

The priest nods to us and then begins the ceremony. I tune out his words, grateful for the rain that hides me and everyone else under umbrellas. I don’t have to meet anyone’s gaze. They’re all just waiting for a reaction and I am determined not to give them one.

As the priest drones on, I have the feeling that I am being watched. I know everyone here has their eye on me, but this is something different. The weight of the gaze ripples on my skin. I look past the priest further into the graveyard. All I see is headstones and mausoleums, but I know someone is there. I look left. Nothing. I look right and my breath catches in my throat. There’s a man half-hiddenbehind a mausoleum. I swear it’s Renzo. I only caught a glimpse but I would have sworn that it was him.

I wobble and Nico puts his arm around me again. “You okay”? he says in a voice barely above a whisper. It’s actually more of a thought than actual words.

I give a slight nod. I don’t trust myself to speak, my mouth had gone dry.

The priest gestures to me and someone puts a rose in my hand. I have no idea what’s going on as I am still reeling from the sighting. Nico urges me forward, and I take a step and then toss the rose down onto the coffin, which at some point was lowered into the ground. I move back and Nico winds his arm around my back to steady me once again.

Then people come up in groups, drop their flowers and then wander away. I know they’re coming back to Renzo’s house…my house now, but it’s a relief to see them all go. I glance at Nico and then at Luca. Do I tell them what I saw? No. That would make me sound like an idiot and I will probably need their support. I glance around but I don’t see Leonardo.

“Where’s your father?” I ask before I can stop myself. It’s probably better that I don’t ask such questions.

Luca glances at Nico and they seem to communicate somehow because Nico says, “Our father will be at the house later. He’s not one for crowds, especially this crowd.”

What the hell did that mean? I didn’t bother to ask. They wouldn’t tell me if I did. My side is hurting and I have a slight headache. I wish for this day to be over. They walked with me back toward the car where Angelo was waiting.

“Fuck,” I mumble.

Luca narrows his eyes at me. “You have a problem with Angelo?”

Shit. Now what am I going to say? I decide to tell the truth. Maybe they can offer me some assistance. “He…has his uses but he’s becoming a bit overly…familiar.” I hope they understand what I’m trying to say without me going further into details.

Luca and Nico exchange another glance and both men’s faces gohard.Oh shit. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. I can’t have them kill him just yet. I need a good replacement. I’m about to say something to mitigate what I’ve already said when Nico says, “Angelo, you will find another way to the house. Luca and I have things to discuss with Mia. Family things.”

Angelo’s scowl deepens. “Fuck…” he turns to see who is still left. He has to half-jog down the road to catch up with someone.

I let out a long breath. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

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