Page 73 of Dark Mafia Bride

“He confessed it to me tonight,” I shoot back defiantly. “And shouldn’t you be the one who knows this? You claim you have bodyguards watching over me and my family. How is it that a man like Abruzzi has been tracking me, and they don’t even know?”

“So, what, you’re defending him? He confessed to stalking you, and you’re defending him?” He scoffs, disbelief etched on his face as he takes a sharp turn, the car veering dangerously.

A ragged exhale escapes my lips. I may be furious with Ettore, but he’s right. It’s ridiculous that I’m defending a man like Abruzzi.

“You’re no different from him,” I retort, my voice cold. “You both just killed a man in cold blood.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve seen me kill a man, now would it?” he hisses, his tone sharp as we drive into the high-end neighborhood where the Greco estate looms ahead.

“This is different. You had no reason to kill that man.”

“You’re forgetting that your new boyfriend shot him too...”

We arrive at the towering gate of the estate, and it pulls open before he drives in.

“Enough about that,” I snap, glaring at him. “I don’t want to talk about you, or Abruzzi, or how you both have this sick penchant for murder. All I care about right now is keeping my family safe!”

We pull up to the main house, and before the car has fully stopped, I’m out of it, rushing toward the door. He follows closely behind, his footsteps heavy in the stillness of the night as I rush inside, up the stairs, and into our bedroom.

The silence stretches between us as we enter the house, his presence like a heavy shadow behind me, his steps barely making a sound.

“I’ll have Luca take them—” he starts, his voice steady as he follows me into the room.

“No,” I cut him off before he can finish. I’m not sure I can even look at him right now.

“No?” His voice is sharp with disbelief. “So what’s your plan, then? Leave them with your new boyfriend?”

I flinch at the word. “Would you stop calling him that?” I press a hand to my temple, the headache threatening to split my skull. “I just...I need to think.”

“Bella...”

“Look what happened the last time you promised you would protect them,” I tell him. “I can’t risk that happening again.”

“So, who’s going to protect them, huh? Abruzzi?” His voice grows venomous. “The same man whose only goal is to keep you indebted and vulnerable to him? Who else has the power to actually keep your family safe?”

I want to fight back, but I know he’s right. Dammit. That doesn’t help the frustration gnawing at me.

“Luca will get them,” he says, his tone final. “They’ll stay here, where no one can touch them.”

I exhale, silently agreeing with him. It’ll be more comforting to have my family around, at least until everything is settled and there’s no threat to their safety anymore.

The tension between us is suffocating as I move quickly to get ready for a shower. I don’t even have the energy to make it a long one. I need to escape for just a moment. I don’t know how long I’m in there, but when I step out, I find him watching me intently.

The air between us crackles as his gaze shifts over my face, his eyes dark. Before I can say a word, he steps forward, reaching out and brushing his thumb over my cheek.

“There’s a cut here,” he murmurs, his voice softer than usual, but it still carries an edge.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I instinctively pull away. “It’s nothing. I don’t need you fussing over me.”

But he doesn’t back off. Instead, he steps closer, the force of his presence drawing me in despite myself. “You were in a fire last night, Mirabella. I wasn’t there to help you. The least you can do now is let me treat your cut.”

Something inside me stirs—something deep and dangerous—and for a second, I forget why we’re even arguing. His proximity messes with my head, and when his fingertips graze my skin, a wave of heat floods through me, making my knees weak. The tension between us thickens, and I can barely breathe.

“Fine,” I mutter, barely able to choke out the word.

He leads me to the edge of the bed and gestures for me to sit. I comply, and he disappears into the bathroom for a few moments before returning with a first aid kit in hand.

“Is it really that serious?” I sigh, fatigue weighing on me more than I care to admit.

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