Page 45 of Bound to the Mafia King

It took Andres a moment to seep that information into his brain. When it all finally clicked, I watched his face go from shocked to confused and then angry.

“Are you crazy?”

I simply looked at my brother.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Tell me you didn’t fuck her.”

His eyes flared. His wife stood behind him, seething in her own anger. I knew that they would be mad, considering they were her wards. They had promised her brother he would find her back as pure as he had left her.

“I can’t tell you that, Andres.”

“You bloody, selfish asshole!” Savina stormed toward me, but her husband held his arm out and pushed her back. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”

“She is engaged to a psycho killer man who gets mad if you step on one blade of his grass. Are you out of your mind, Valerio? You’ve done a lot of stupid things over the years, but this has to take the cake. Could you not find any other pussy lying around?”

My anger flashed and heated my skin. “She’s not some little fuck thing. I actually want her.”

“You barely know her!” Savina lashes out in red hot anger. “You just put the entire family in jeopardy because you can’t keep it in your fucking pants? Really?”

“This isn’t just about sex for me. I want her more than I have wanted anyone or anything in my life before. You of all people should know what loving someone feels like.”

She pointed her sharp finger my way. “Don’t you dare compare my marriage to your lustful prospects.”

“She’s not some lustful conquest for me! She is everything! She saved my life!”

The room fell silent. Neither one of us spoke. They allowed my words to hang in the air as they started putting the pieces together.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Andres looked at me in bewilderment. “The woman that you said saved you in the accident. That was her.”

Savina’s face remained passive. She already knew as I had expected. She would have never spoken to me about her in the gym had she not done her own digging.

Andres looked at his wife for confirmation, and she simply gave a curt nod.

“Sav, you knew?” The hurt in his eyes was evident. “What the fuck,amore?”

“I wasn’t sure until I saw him look at her at the gala. He kept staring at her like she was the sun, and he revolved around her.”

He stared at his beloved wife for a minute or two. He was hurt that she didn’t confide in him. “We will speak about this later, but you, brother, you can’t be with her. She is a promised woman. You know our customs and laws. She does not belong to you.”

“Yes, she does. Just as I belong to her.”

“Are you out of your mind?” He stepped toward me with a vicious determination. “Must you always be so reckless and careless? Must you only ever think of yourself? You will ignite a war that I will be forced to clean. I have children now, Valerio. You have a nephew and a niece whom you swore to protect. I cannot keep cleaning up your mess and protecting you.”

This is for your brother…

You must honor the code…

You must take your position…

My father’s voice rang loud in my head. It bounced off the walls of my skull and penetrated deep into my psyche. For years, I had taken the burden so that he didn’t have to bear the bruntof the hit. I was his shield and sword. He used me, and I shielded him.

“Protect me? You didn’t protect me, brother.” The anger that shot from my tongue came with sharp and hard precision. “I braved the storms alone so that you could sit on the damn mountain top. Do you want to know why you get to sit on your throne? It’s because of me.”

“Are we forgetting the years you nearly drew us to war time and time again? I kept us safe. I led us correctly and cleaned up the mess you made. You fucking slept with Vincenzo’s daughter! I have always protected you.”

That’s what caused the final snap in me.

“I’ve spent my entire life protectingyou!” My voice roared. “I took the brunt of it all with dad because he wanted you to never worry of the true darkness of the business. You think that you saw evil? I’ve dined with it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for years. You get to sit here on your throne while the rest of us work hard so your Empire doesn’t crumble.”

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