Page 44 of Mafia Shade's Reluctant Bride
The woman—her name was Hannah—shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat, fingers twisting in her lap. “Slowly. He started small. A little jealousy, a little control. Then, the first time he hit me, he cried for hours after and swore it would never happen again.”
“But it did,” I murmured.
She nodded, staring out the window. “Yeah. It did. Over and over again.”
Lorenzo hadn’t spoken much, but I felt his presence, his energy sharp and on edge. He was analyzing the situation just as I was. Assessing to know what we were walking into.
But I knew better.
By the time we pulled up to the trailer, the air felt unnerving and eerie. It was exactly as I had pictured it: a deadbeat man living in a filthy environment that reflected everything I already knew about him.
The place was a disaster. He was also one.
Overgrown weeds stretched toward a rusted-out pickup truck in the yard. A few broken beer bottles littered the cracked pavement, and the trailer itself looked like one strong gust of wind would knock it clean over.
I didn’t hesitate.
I knocked hard. Hannah stood stiffly beside me and Lorenzo a few steps behind, silent but solid.
The door swung open, revealing Jeremy.
Greasy, unshaven, wearing a stained wife-beater and cargo shorts that looked like they hadn’t seen a washing machine in months. His bloodshot eyes darted between us before settling on Hannah with a sneer.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” he scoffed, crossing his arms. “You bring another stuck-up bitch to fight your battles now?”
Hannah flinched. “Another,” confirming she had already tried to leave, but he hadn’t let her.
Lorenzo exhaled through his nose, a slow, measured sound. I could feel his patience thinning.
I stepped forward. “She’s here for her things. She has chosen to leave quietly. Don’t let her change her mind.”
Jeremy’s eyes flicked back to me, sizing me up. “Yeah? And what if I don’t let her?”
I took a step forward, my arms crossed and my head tilting. “So, Jeremy, is it? Do you know what you are doing right now?”
His sneer deepened. “Yeah, dealing with two annoying bitches in my driveway.”
I ignored the jab. “No, you’re illegally withholding someone’s personal belongings. That’s theft. And since you’ve already laid hands on her before, you’re looking at harassment and possibly domestic abuse charges.”
Jeremy rolled his eyes. “You gonna call the cops?”
I laughed. “Oh, I don’t need cops. But the thing about men like you? You’re dumb enough to think you can play this game and win. So, let me make it simple. She’s taking her things, and we’re walking away. No trouble. Or we can escalate, and I promise you, you’ll be the one leaving here in cuffs.”
Jeremy’s face darkened. His fingers curled into fists.
“Bitch, I swear to—”
Lorenzo moved then, stepping in front of me so fast Jeremy didn’t even have time to react. Before the man could blink, Lorenzo had him by the collar, shoving him hard against the doorframe, his feet barely touching the ground.
I heard the thud of his skull hitting metal.
Jeremy yelped.
“You will let her,” Lorenzo murmured, voice calm. Too calm. “And if I ever hear you so much as breathe near her again, I’ll make sure the rest of your life is an absolute fucking nightmare. Do you understand me?”
Jeremy swallowed so hard I heard it. His bravado crumbled like wet paper.
“L-Lo,” he stammered, suddenly realizing who had him pinned. “Lorenzo Bianchi?”
