Page 33 of Runaway in the Mafia
“Whatever, caveman, but besides your attitude giving me a headache, you don’t have to because I’m done going to the office.”
“What?” both Lia and I asked. My tone was annoyed. Lia’s was worried. Why was she stopping work? Thought she wanted independence.
And she had that headache way before she saw me.
She flipped over and answered my sister, ignoring me. One day I was going to pull her on to lap and slap her ass for her sass. I was so turned on by that thought that I missed her next words.
“What?”
“See what I mean?” She nodded to Lia. “Old. Hard of hearing.” She continued in an exaggerated, loud voice. “I said I’m starting my own business, and my bosses are going to be my first clients.”
“Love it,” Lia screamed with excitement like she’d won the lottery. “How cool is that!”
“You don’t even need to work,” I muttered.
She glared at me. “Why the hell not?”
“Because you are under Mamma’s protection. You don’t—”
“Oh, I do,” she fumed at me. “I. Will. Never. Ever. Be. Financially dependent on anyone. Ever.”
Someone was prickly. Was it a time of the month kind of thing? My eyes skimmed to hers. Past trauma reflected back at me.What the hell had happened?
“Well, we are proud of you,” Lia declared. “Vero, Vitale?”
I ignored her but quiet pride brimmed unwanted within me as she told Lia how she got her papers arranged to start her self-employed business. Forget about asking me. She hadn’t even asked Mamma. Fuck. This woman was smart. That should have been a turn-off. Not make me shift with a semi in my pants.
She had big plans, and as it turned out, not one but three clients already on her portfolio.
“I didn’t know making drawings could get you clients,” I muttered angrily.
She gave me a hurt look before shifting forward and looking out the window.
“I don’t know why you’re so mean, Vitale. Ahana is so freaking strong.”
I glared at my sister in the back seat. Thought she was supposed to be my bloodline, but she sat in my fucking car, dressed in my money, defending the woman next to me. I was proud. I didn’t know what she was running from, but she needed an army to build her up. I was actually fucking happy she got my sister on her side.
“I want to be like you, Ahana,” she declared. “Don’t you, Vitale?”
“Not really,” I grumbled.
I’d rather be inside her.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AHANA
The excitement I’d been feeling fizzled the longer he stayed behind. Lia had told me her brother rarely visited. I frowned at the man in the white button-down, rocking his chair with an unlit cigar in his hand. His glare told me he was livid. With me.
Ignoring the urge to crumble beneath him, I carried on the conversation with Romeo. I had no clue what was coming out of my mouth, but it must have made sense because the words flowed. Just like the burn from across the table.
It felt like I was performing. On stage. Just for him, and he was the displeased audience. I racked my brain to find a cause and came up with the most obvious one. He was regretting stalking me and kissing me. Well, so was I. The kissing part. Stalking was all on him. Or he was just born like this. All fume and spark. If only he could find another target to light up.That would be better, right?
“What’s mycognatalike, Vitale?” Lia asked.
My ears pricked up.Sister-in-law?Duolingo playing up, or my ears were misleading me.
“Yeah, when’s the wedding?” Anna piped up.
