Page 25 of Mabilia

“Exactly that. I don’t bet anything I’m not willing to lose. And Mabilia… I’m not losing her.” I shake my head.

“What’s it going to take to get you to leave my daughter alone?” Mr. Petrov asks.

“Me dead, probably.” I shrug. I want to get up and walk out. This isn’t a game I want to play.

“That can be arranged,” Mr. Petrov says, his tone serious.Lethal. And I have no doubt he’s already plotted the million ways he wants to end me.

“Look, I don’t mean any disrespect, but I really care about Mabilia. I’m not prepared to let her go. Whatever you feel like you have to do to me, I get it. I do. I won’t like it. I have no doubt about that. But I guess if I had a daughter, I’d likely want to do all the same things you want to do to me,” I tell Mr. Petrov.

“You’ve only known her for two days,” he says. “You don’t actually know her enough to like her that much.”

“With all due respect, sir, Mabilia is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. I know that she doesn’t have a favorite color. I know that her favorite zoo animal is the snow leopard. I know that she’s kind, although she likes to put on a tough exterior to make you think otherwise. I know that she loves her family fiercely, and as much as she complains about her younger brothers, her eyes light up when she talks about them. I know that she’s free-spirited, a little on the wild side, and hates being told what to do. So much so that she’ll do the opposite just to prove that she can.” I take a breath before adding, “I know her enough.”

“Okay,” Mr. Petrov says. “You should also know what will happen to you if you hurt her. Because I’ll rip your heart out of your chest, cook it in a stew, and feed it to your loved ones.”

“If I hurt her, Mabilia will rip my heart out herself,” I tell him.

“I taught her that.” Mr. Valentino smiles proudly.

“So… are we playing? For money?” I ask.

“Keep your money. I don’t take candy from babies.” Mr. Petrov stands, Mr. Valentino follows him, and then they simply walk out. Without another word.

“Fuck me,” I hiss, running a hand through my hair. I just came face-to-face with not one, but two mob bosses, and I’m still breathing. Not exactly how I thought my night was going to go.

Chapter Seventeen

When I walk into the dining room for breakfast, all talk stops and all eyes turn to me. “What?” I ask in Russian.

“Nothing. Good morning, printsessa,” Papa says.

“Bell, come sit. You need to eat. You’re too thin,” Nonna tells me.

“I’m only eating 'cause I’m hungry,” I reply to my grandmother before kissing her cheek. Even as I sit, I can still feel everyone’s attention on me. “Okay, what’s going on? Did someone die?”

“Not yet.” Lex chuckles in that evilI’m going to take over the worldway he does.

“Invite Tommy over for dinner tonight, Mabilia. I need to meet him,” Mom says. She picks up my plate and fills it with food. And that’s when I know that whatever is going on, it has to do with Tommy.

I look straight at my father and then my grandfather. “If either of you did something to him, I will never forgive you.”

“He’s fine. For now,” Papa says.

“What did you do?” I ask him.

“Nothing. We went to a poker game,” Nonno tells me.

I groan out loud as I pull my phone out of my pocket and send Tommy a text. I can’t believe they did this. I have no doubt they went there to intimidate him.

Me:

I’m sorry. I had no idea my father and grandfather were going to do that.

Me:

I understand if you don’t want to talk to me anymore.

“If you’ve scared him off, I’m going to be pissed.” I narrow my glare at my father.

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