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I hate having to walk on eggshells around Javi so I don’t piss him off and get killed. I hate playing second in commandto Leo since he holds more power and respect in this city than I do. I hate that I have to go on a fucking run now when that’s the last fucking thing I want to do. I’m the goddamn head of the family and I’m being made to do a foot soldier’s job just to prove something to this asshole.

“If there’s nothing else to discuss tonight,” Leo says, “then we’ll talk again after the shipments make it to their destinations.” We all stand and shake hands. “Until next week.”

Leo and I walk out of there and into our respective waiting SUVs, and I get a text from him straight away.

Leo:Tell your driver to head to Giorgio’s and have your brothers meet us there.

Me:Okay.

I text my brothers and then sit back and close my eyes as Vince starts driving, my thoughts going straight to Mia. We’re still not talking, and I don’t know how to start again.

She hasn’t left me any notes. She hasn’t texted me. She hasn’t uttered a single word to me.

To be fair, I’ve been coming home after she’s already gone to sleep and leaving before she wakes up, but that’s because I’m trying to be good. I’m trying to give her space. I’m trying to not push her too hard, too soon.

At least, that’s what I want to believe I’m doing.

Chapter 18

Mia

Santino has been avoiding me all week and I can’t take it anymore. He needs to man the fuck up and stop avoiding me. I want to talk to him, but he seems to have a knack for leaving before I wake up and coming to bed after I’ve already gone to sleep.

Tonight, that all ends. I’m going to wait up for him and he’s going to talk to me.

That’s easier said than done, though, since it’s past midnight and I’m exhausted from pacing the apartment all day, going over what I want to say to him.

I’m watching a movie in bed and my eyes fall closed without me realizing it, then open again when Santino finally climbs into bed. I peek at the clock and see it’s after two in the morning.

I turn over to face him. “You’re avoiding me,” I say, my voice groggy from sleep.

“You’re awake?”

“I tried to wait up for you but I fell asleep. Now you’re coming to bed in the middle of the night to avoid me?” I’m afraid to ask where he was or what he was doing this late.

“I had a meeting tonight. It went late.”

“A meeting until two in the morning?”

“No. I went to eat with my brothers and your family afterward.”

“Are you going to keep avoiding me?”

“Mia,” he sighs, and I hate that he doesn’t call mefarfalla. I miss it. I miss him. I have no idea why, but I do. He’s the one who wanted me so badly and made me believe I was important to him, and now he’s backing off. He’s gone all day, every day, leaving me alone in this stupid place that doesn’t feel like home to me. Not that my other home felt like home to me, either.

“If you’ve changed your mind about me, and us, then tell me. We’ll get an annulment and be done with it.”

“Are you being serious right now or are you still sleepy and delusional?”

“I’m wide awake, Santino.”

“Then listen carefully, Mia. I told you I was serious about you, us, and this marriage. I thought we had taken a step forward on our wedding night, but then you made your feelings clear the next morning. I’ve given you space and time without me. Is that not what you wanted?”

“You’re such an asshole,” I hiss out, and he laughs. He actually laughs.

“Now I’m an asshole for giving you space when you told me you regret everything we did? I was giving you time to sort out your feelings towards me, but you’re still angry, so what should I surmise from that?”

“God, you’re such an asshole!”

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