Page 15 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

Enzo shifted his weight, looking like he was about to launch into a well-prepared rebuttal. But I cut him off. “Listen, I know you’re capable of balancing both. You’ve proven that more times than I can count. But this isn’t about capability. It’s about focus. All of it goes toward my father now. We have to be willing to make sacrifices.”

He met my gaze, clearly frustrated. But he also saw the determination in my eyes. “You realize what you’re asking for. It’s going to be a loss. Significant.”

I shrugged. “I’ll take the loss. The sooner we bring down Don Carlos, the sooner we’ll make up for it. Besides, I need you more than ever right now, and I trust you’ll figure it out. Focus, Enzo. No distractions.”

He grumbled, glancing away as if searching for the right words to argue back. He didn’t.

“You can count on me, Raven,” he conceded, giving me a half smile.

“I know I can.”

I closed the door softly behind me after telling Enzo goodnight. A glance down the hallway led me to Alex’s room, where I heard the familiar giggles and Dahlia scratching a pretend paw on the floor and making funny barking sounds. It was a game where he and Dahlia would pretend to be different animals, and I guess today, she was pretending to be a puppy. A smile spread across my face as I leaned against the doorframe, taking in the sight. There was Alex, crouched down on the floor, face-to-face with Dahlia, and he was absolutely beaming. It was rare to see him like this, so animated, and every time I did, my heart swelled.

Alex turned, and his face lit up even more when he saw me.

“Mom!” He scrambled up, running over to me, holding onto my hand with his small fingers. “Can you tell me the story again?”

It was his favorite, the fairy tale he’d practically grown up with. It was the one about his father, the masked stranger who’d saved me from the ‘big bad monster.’ And each time he asked, I couldn’t bring myself to say no, no matter how many times I’d told it.

“Alright, get comfy,” I said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. We both climbed onto his bed, with Dahlia curling up at the foot, her big brown eyes peeking up at us as though she wanted to hear the story, too, but she gave me a smile right before leaving.

I looked down at Alex, his eyes wide with anticipation. “Once upon a time,” I began, watching his face light up, “there was a beautiful, brave girl—”

“Was it you, Mama?”

“Yes, it was me,” I answered with a little laugh. “And this girl was in a very dark place, somewhere no one could find her. She felt alone and trapped. But then, one day, a mysterious stranger appeared. He wore a mask to hide his identity, but his eyes…” I paused, running my fingers through Alex’s soft hair. “His eyes were warm and kind, just like yours, and he gave her a gift—a chance to escape.”

Alex tilted his head. “But why did he have to leave?”

I sighed, feeling the familiar ache in my chest. “He had to go and save others, Alex. He couldn’t stay. He was needed elsewhere.” I smiled, although the memory felt bittersweet. “But he always promised he would watch over us, even from afar. Just like the stars do at night.”

Alex was quiet, but his eyes sparkled. “Do you think he’s watching us right now, Mama?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. He’s watching and making sure you’re safe and sound. And he’s probably very proud of how strong and brave you are, just like he was.”

Alex beamed, snuggling against my side. “I wish he could come back,” he whispered, a glimmer of sadness in his voice.

I felt my heart catch, and I kissed his forehead, pulling him closer. “Sometimes, the people who love us the most have to go somewhere else to do important things. But that doesn’t mean they’re not with us. He’s in here.” I tapped his chest gently, right above his heart. “And right here, every time you look up at the stars.”

Alex went silent for a few moments, absorbing the words in that way he had, serious and thoughtful beyond his years. Then, hereached up and touched his own cheek, glancing up at me, an uncertain look in his eyes.

“Mama, do I look like him?”

The question took me off guard. I looked down at him, truly seeing him for the first time in a way I hadn’t—his little face, his eyes, those features that seemed like they’d been there forever but had somehow grown right in front of me. A smile tugged at my lips as I looked into his warm, deep brown eyes—the same color as his father’s.

“Yes, you do,” I answered, feeling my throat tighten a bit. “You have his eyes, so much like his. Warm, kind…” My voice trailed off as an image floated into my mind—the stranger’s eyes. And then, strangely, Sergio’s. They were the same color and intensity. A peculiar thought crept up on me, one I tried to brush off.Was I just seeing what I wanted to see? Was I somehow creating connections that didn’t exist?

I blinked, clearing the thought. I looked back at Alex, who had a small smile on his face as if proud of something he couldn’t yet put into words.

“You have his eyes,” I whispered.

CHAPTER SEVEN

MIRELLA

I closed Alex’s door softly behind me, still feeling the warmth of his tiny hand in mine and the weight of his innocent questions lingering in my mind. A part of me felt lighter after telling him that story, but the other part? It felt... heavier.

The thought of Sergio crept back in, unwelcome and unsettling.Why am I even thinking about him?I shook my head as if I could clear the idea with a simple gesture. I had too much on my plate to get distracted by the past.

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