Page 142 of Crazed

There's no way Papà or my brothers would ever attempt to stand in my way. As soon as I deal with the Feds and return from the club, I'm insisting Papà put all of our resources on taking him down. Leo's about to learn what happens when you fuck with a Marino.

28

Katiya

When the clockhits ten in the morning, I open Massimo's bedroom door. I don't know where he is, but I've been up for the last few hours. I must have fallen asleep as soon as I got out of the jacuzzi and my head hit the pillow.

My stomach somersaults as I step into the hallway. I attempt to retrace my steps from last night, but I'm unsure if I'm going in the right direction. Not that I have any clue where I should go at this moment; the house is huge. I'm aware his family probably still doesn't think too highly of me, and I don't know where Massimo could be hiding.

Why hasn't he come back to the room?

Did he speak with his family, and they changed his mind about me?

Is he intentionally staying away?

The pit in my stomach grows with every step I take. Plus, the long corridor doesn't help. Its gold-and-maroon walls should feel warm, but everything about it screams money, serving as a reminder that this isn't my house.

Perhaps our nuptials were too good to be true?

No. Massimo is committed to me. He wouldn't have married me if he weren't.

His family wasn't there to change his mind.

He's a stronger man than one who listens to others.

I turn the corner, and the staircase comes into view. A touch of relief erupts, even though I still don't know where I'm going. I make my way down it and step off the landing, continuing past an office and several sitting rooms. I get to another corner and run smack into Angelo.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" I blurt out. I step back and almost slip.

He swiftly circles his arm around my waist. "Whoa," he says, then pins his dark, brooding eyes on mine.

My pulse skyrockets. I breathe a few times, trying to figure out what to say.

"You have to be careful on the marble. It's wet and slippery when that sign is out," he states, pointing behind me.

I glance several feet behind me at the glaringly yellow sign, feeling stupid I didn't see it. "I'm sorry. I—"

"Missed it. Yes. It's easy to do," Angelo claims, the corners of his eyes crinkling softly.

I nod, adding, "Well, thank you for not letting me fall."

He releases his arm from me and claims, "Marinos don't let other Marinos fall."

Silence fills the air. I rack my brain about how I should respond, but I can't seem to form any coherent sentence. All I see is Angelo's intimidating stare assessing me. I'm undecided if he's angry or okay with our marriage.

He breaks the tension, declaring, "I'm sorry I missed the ceremony."

"You are?" I blurt out, then reprimand myself for questioning him.

His lips twitch. "Of course. I prefer to welcome my new daughters-in-law into the family before they say their vows."

More anxiety floods my chest. I reply, "I'm sorry. It just…it just happened."

His eyes turn warmer. I can see resemblances he shares with all his sons and even Arianna. It calms me a bit. He asserts, "Yes. Well, I know my son. When he gets something in his head, there's no stopping him. He does it on his timeline."

I smile, still not trusting my words to be the right ones.

Angelo surprises me again, reaching around me and giving me a fatherly hug. Something about it pulls at my emotions. I blink hard to stop the tears from falling.

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