Page 135 of Crazed

She tilts her head and asserts, "It'll be easy for him to get to us above the club."

"No. I meant my place at Papà's. There's no way he'll have any chance of hurting you there," I contend.

She doesn't speak, biting her lip.

"Don't be nervous. My family will treat you like you've always been ours," I claim.

"How?"

"Do you feel uncomfortable now around Tristano and Pina?" I ask.

"No. Of course not."

"Then stop worrying. I'll take care of everyone. You'll see," I maintain.

"Okay. Umm..." She bites her bottom lip.

I stroke her spine. "What's on your mind, dolce?"

She takes another moment then asks, "Is it true what Pina said?"

"About?"

"You have a dungeon under the house?"

My pulse races faster. The dungeon isn't something anyone should know about or discuss. When Arianna caught me going down to it when she was a teenager, Papà gave me a week of no pay and reiterated to all of us the importance of keeping the dungeon on the down-low. I'm unhappy Dante's drunk ass used to moan to Pina about it.

Still, Katiya is my wife now. All the women in our family know about it and how we deal with our enemies. I confess, "Yes, there is. You can't discuss this with anyone, understand?"

"Of course. Besides, I don't have any friends. You know this," she adds.

Her statement makes me sad. She had her childhood ripped from away her. At twenty-five, she should have a slew of girlfriends and not know anything about the horrors of my world. I tighten my arms around her and claim, "You're young, dolce. Once I kill Leo, these threats will be over. No one will come after you. Every crime family will know you're my wife. Things will be safer for you to start over."

"Start over? What do you mean? I-we're married!" she frets.

"Sorry! I didn't mean us. I just meant that you can figure out what you want from your life outside of being Mrs. Massimo Marino," I relay.

Confusion fills her face. She quietly admits, "I don't understand."

I answer, "Hobbies? A career? Volunteer work? Whatever you want to do. You'll meet people through those things and make friends."

Her face falls. "I guess I won't be working at the library anymore."

"You're upset about that?" I question.

She shrugs. "I've never done anything else. I'm good at my job."

"Yes, you are, but there are many things you'd do well."

She doesn't look convinced.

"Stop worrying, dolce. You don't need to work. If you want to, you can, but it's not necessary. There's plenty of time to figure out what you want. Plus, you're young, and now you have unlimited resources. The world is in the palm of your hand," I proclaim.

"But the library is out," she states.

I nod. "I'm afraid so. But there's something else out there you'll love to do. I promise."

A tiny smile curves her lips. "You seem so sure of everything."

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