Page 125 of Mafia Kings: Dario

Which was why Filomena’s next words cut like a knife.

“But you don’t know men like I do,” she whispered. “Especially notthesemen. They take what they want and they don’t care who they hurt. They certainly don’t care about a young woman’s virtue or what they might do to her heart.”

My father’s words echoed in my brain:

Sir, your reputation precedes you… you are a worldly man… and you reap where you do not sow. My daughter is an innocent…

Filomena’s voice grew ominous. “Or what they might do to hersoul.”

“N-nothing’s happened,” I said.

It was the most unconvincing lie I’d ever told.

She laughed bitterly. “I change your sheets every morning. You think I can’t tell you rutted in them like animals the night before? And I know who the animal is. He guards his territory like a wolf; none of the other monsters in this house would dare cross him. That’s how vicious he is.”

She walked over to me and grabbed my hands, imploring me. “Child… he doesn’t care about you. He’ll use you for a moment’s pleasure, and when his interest fades, he’ll cast you out… or worse.”

“Get out,” I said as I jerked my hands away. My whole body was shaking. “Getout.”

She looked at me with eyes full of pain. “You can complain about me to your lover, which will probably get me killed. At the very least, banished and left to die penniless. I don’t care. I was a mother once. You are like the daughter I never had, and it is because of the love I have for you in my heart that I tell you – ”

“Shut up,” I whispered, terrified of what she would say next.

“He will never marry you,” she said softly. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. You will be nothing more to him than a whore. When he’s finished with you, he will throw you away… and he will laugh that you gave yourself so easily to him.”

Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room.

41

Filomena’s words haunted me.

I tried to forget what she’d said –

But memories came rushing back, all of them tinged with violence and sin.

Dario showing up in my father’s café with his enemy’s blood still pooled on the floor.

How he had beaten the man outside the church nearly to death with his bare hands.

The way Dario had first ‘punished’ me, touching me until I came…

Addicting me to him, then leading me farther down the path of sin until I gave my virginity to him…

Until I gave myheartto him.

To amafioso…a murderer.

Was he all bad?

No. Definitely not.

There was kindness in him.

He had saved me from my attacker at the church –

But I would have never been in danger if Dario hadn’t kidnapped me in the first place.

Were his brothers all bad?

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