Page 101 of That Time I Accidentally Took Over the Mafia

“I killed strangers,” I blurt out, and Luca flinches. I know he wishes I didn’t have that experience weighing on my shoulders, but it’s done now. “It should feel heavier, but it’s not. Because it was for us.”

“The first time is hard, baby,” Luca says, his voice quieter now.

Jax places a hand on Luca’s thigh, understanding the weight his mother’s death still holds.

“No,” I shake my head. “The weight of this is not the same. They were strangers. Nothing to me. Luca, you had a lifetime of memories with your mother that I don’t have. I have one cup of hot chocolate…”

The memory surges through me, unlocking a chest full of forgotten moments. My father’s voice echoes in my mind.

Il mio tesoro.

My treasure.

I freeze as the memory plays out, my eyes widening as tears form and spill down my cheeks.

“Lenny, what is it, baby?” Luca asks, panicked, cupping my face in his hands.

But I’m trapped in the memory, a prisoner to the flood of emotions.

“Is she having a panic attack?” Enzo kneels beside me, his gentle touch brushing my cheek. “Angel?”

His soft tone slowly pulls my gaze to him, and the room comes back into focus.

“I—” My throat feels dry as I try to speak. “I remember.”

“What do you remember, Peach?” Jax is behind Luca now, kneeling on the bench and holding my hand.

“Everything.”

It’s not as odd, pulling up to my old childhood home, as I thought it would be. If you can even call this place a home. It’s a goddamn fortress—let’s not kid ourselves. I always remembered it as stark, cold, and empty. But it looks much different now, coming back after so many years away.

I didn’t sleep much last night, and when dreams finally came to me, they were restless—full of lightning and a little girl staring at her reflection in a large window. I woke up first and snuck out of the massive bed, fashioned so we could all sleep together.

Enzo found me sitting on the wide wooden deck overlooking the lake behind the lodge. He’s always been an early riser—a workaholic. But I suppose you have to be to run a multibillion-dollar empire.

He sat in the deck chair next to me, and I traded my cold chair for his warm lap. His massive frame swallowed me whole, and I felt like I could just nuzzle into his neck and disappear for the next twenty-four hours.

But the peace didn’t last long. We needed to get ready for the reading of my father’s will and still had an hour’s drive to the Chicago estate.

Jax said a quick hello, then checked the grounds to ensure they were clean after last night’s gunfight. Aside from the massive hole and damage inside Luca’s home, you wouldn’t be able to tell anything had happened. The house has been sealed off, and repairs will begin today.

Enzo brought his team to the lodge, equipped with a rack of clothes for me to pick from, a hair and makeup stylist, and fresh suits for themselves. Black on black on black seemed to be the color palette of choice, so I went with a fitted black gown. The draped front dipped low, hugging every curve perfectly. The long slit ran up to my upper thigh, and when I sat, crossing my legs, the dress fell open on either side of my knees, with the rest of the fabric pooling on the floor.

I touched up my deep-red nail polish, and Luca kissed my ankle as he helped me with my heels.

It was a ridiculous show of force as we pulled out of the long driveway from Luca’s farmhouse to the main road. The timing was perfect. An entourage of black SUVs was already racing down the road. Our limo pulled out behind them, and an equal number of SUVs followed us.

Everything about today needed to be a statement, and it started with my arrival at the Caputo estate. We went over the plans again and again last night, and while I felt ready, at the same time… I didn’t.

I grew up next to crime and mafia dealings my whole life and never knew it. My father was terrifying, and so was the company he kept. I was happy being separate from it.

Now, after running away for six years, I’m diving headfirst into a tank of bloodthirsty sharks.Wonderful.

I didn’t remember the entrance from the road being so large, but there’s no mistaking the Caputo “C” on the crest of the massive gates. The long driveway winds through a forest first, where the security gates are already open for us.

The trees clear, giving way to manicured lawns, and then I see it—the impressive home.

Tall cypress trees line the driveway and decorate the front of the opulent villa. The line of SUVs turns right, following the circular drive. The limo stops in the center, and the guards spring into action.

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