Page 1 of Twisted Vows

CHAPTER ONE

Nobody smart plays fair.

Ari

The wild child of the Mafia. The rulebreaker. The one who never learns.

These are the labels people throw at me like punches.

Rebellion is the only thing that makes me feel alive in a world where I’m nothing more than a pawn, and unfortunately, the safety net I’ve counted on is about to leave.

Hearing the echo of heavy steps on the stone tells me it’s happening much sooner than I’d like.

I turn, finding Fausto at the top of the stairs, his usual smirk softer. Even after all these years, it’s hard to reconcile that boyish face with the strength and brutality that lie beneath it.

“You sure you’re ready for this fancy promotion?” I ask, folding my arms.

“Yeah,” he says gruffly. “Now that I’ve fully recovered from the bullet I took for you, it’s time for the next step.”

Ignoring the tightness in my throat, I focus on the sound of an SUV thundering down the drive. “It’s a shame the kidnapping was a bust for both of us.” I bite the inside of my cheek. “One minute, we’re having a perfectly normal day, and the next, you’re being shot while the Cartel monsters drag Abby and me off to a warehouse.”

“Didn’t you kill one of those Cartel monsters with nothing more than the knife in your ring?”

“Of course,” I reply, forcing a smirk. “It would’ve been shameful if I stood around like a helpless princess from a Disney movie.”

He shakes his head. “At least you got a couple of months of freedom out of it.”

“And you got a promotion.” My fingers twitch at my side. I want to grab his arm to stop him from leaving. “It was fun, right?” I swallow the emotions that won’t do me any good. “All the stuff we got away with.”

“We’re lucky to still be alive.” He clears his throat. “Since I’m not gonna be here to pull your ass out of the fire, be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I know the drill,” I wave him off, ignoring the sting of abandonment. “Don’t cause a scandal, keep my head down, blah blah.”

“Seriously,” he places a hand on my shoulder, grounding me. “You were lucky with the kidnapping thing. Shit like that doesn’t always work out so good.”

“I know.” Looking down, I swallow my sadness. “Hey, do you want me to send donuts from Dunkin? Maybe the ones in Chicago aren’t as good as the ones here.”

“Nah.” He pats his stomach. “I gotta be in fighting shape.”

“Fair enough.”

“Take care of yourself, Ari.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Remember, you don’t gotta break things. Maybe start a hobby or something so the boredom doesn’t set in.”

“I heard knitting is popular.”

“The sharp needle thing might not be such a good idea since you flip on a dime.”

Ignoring the jab, I feel the unmistakable burn of tears behind my eyes. “Who’s gonna keep me from running headfirst into disaster?”

Fausto’s hand tightens just a bit. “You’ll be fine.” He pulls me into a quick hug, and I barely have time to hug him back before he heads down the steps and jumps into the waiting car.

Resisting the humiliating urge to beg him to stay, I twist my fingers together and listen to the gravel crunch under the tires as it speeds down the drive.

Fausto’s been the only constant in a world where everyone has an agenda and for a moment, the silence presses in around me.

I take a deep breath, pushing the loneliness down and swallowing it whole.

But the weight doesn’t go away.

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