Page 27 of Mafia And Maid

“Let’s get ready to head back out.” Alessio’s words interrupt my thoughts.

“What?” I blurt out

He raises a brow. “The casino. We havethingsto do, Millo.” His eyes lift toward Rosa, making sure that she’s not paying too much attention to what he’s saying. “We had a meeting about it, remember?”

“Right,” I say after a moment’s hesitation, pushing back my chair and standing.

And we waste no more words as we move from the table and down toward the front door. Like my brothers in front of me, I tuck the gun into the back of my belt. We pile into the SUV and clear out all thoughts except for what we need to do next.

“Alright, let’s get this shit over with,” I murmur.

***

I drag a hand down my face as I sag against the seat of the SUV. It’s dark outside, and inside the vehicle, it feels like a lifetime since we had dinner.

I rub my jaw as I jump down from the SUV. Exhaustion pumps through me as I jog up the steps to the front door. On instinct, my gaze darts around the property, watching and waiting.

The electric perimeter around us is fully functional, and there are guards strategically placed in all key locations, but that doesn’t stop me from checking every time I enter or exit the property. It’s a habit. The thought of something happening to my family bothers me more than they’ll ever know.

Alessio pushes me forward. “Move. I’m tired. I need to shower and sleep.”

“Knock it off,” I growl as I move into the foyer, shaking my head. The estate itself is quiet, and I strain to listen to anything out of place. Nothing.

The first thing I notice is that the place is clean—a spotless kind of clean. The kind it hasn’t been since the day the women and kids hightailed it to Italy and the maid quit.

The second thing is the smell. The smell of something sweet takes its place. It’s distracting and aggravating all at once. It smells good, but it also reminds me of Rosa sitting in the SUV.Goddammit.I shouldn’t be entertaining thoughts of her at all.

Alessio brushes past me with a rough shoulder check before stomping up the stairs, leaving me at the bottom. Marco jerks his chin to the corner of the office where a drinks cabinet stands. God, yes, please.

Pouring two tumblers of whiskey, he hands one to me with a scowl.

I know what he’s going to say, so I try to preempt it. “Marco, there wasn’t anyone else.”

But he continues to glower at me.

“You know, we’ve got a terrible reputation with the agencies...”

He narrows his dark eyes at me. “Quit making excuses for your shit choice of maid, Camillo.”

“Aw, Marco, you don’t know what I had to go through. One woman at an agencyactually laughed at me.”

The scowl on his face eases a little, replaced by a murderous intent that’s directed at the old bat who had the audacity to laugh.I wouldn’t like to be in her shoes tomorrow.

We walk side by side into the lounge, but he comes to an abrupt halt in front of me just as he crosses the threshold.

“What?” I murmur.

Marco stalks forward, and I file in after him, my muscles tensed and my fists bunched, ready to defend us all if need be.

“For fuck’s sake. What are you doing in here?” he roars at someone I can’t see until I take another few hasty steps forward.

Rosa seems to have been sleeping on the couch. She leaps up and jumps out of her skin, nearly tripping over her feet. She blinks once, twice. “I-I’m sorry. I was…” Her gaze darts around the room with a wide-eyed look of alarm as if the walls might hold the answer.

Marco’s arms cross over his chest. “I asked you a fucking question.”

Jesus, the smell in here is even better than in the foyer—it smells sweet and delicious.

“I know, sir.” Her gaze drops. “I was just finishing the dusting, sir. I just closed my eyes for only a second, I promise...”

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