Page 124 of Mafia Kings: Dario

Gradually I stopped feeling guilty for what I was doing…

Until Filomena brought it all crashing down.

* * *

I hadn’t seen the old woman for days. It was like she was avoiding me.

At first, that bothered me… but I was so enraptured with Dario that I forgot about everything else.

Then I came back to my room after breakfast one morning and found her stripping the sheets off the bed.

The cold hand of fear clutched my heart when I saw her, but I forced myself to say good morning.

She didn’t answer, nor did she look at me.

“I haven’t seen you the last few days,” I said.

She still didn’t answer.

Rather than force her to talk to me, I turned back towards the door. “Well, I’ll just let you finish what you’re doing – ”

“Why?” the old woman asked quietly.

I glanced back at her, but she still wouldn’t look at me.

“Well, you’re busy – ”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” she said. When she finally turned to look at me, there was immense disappointment in her eyes. “What would your sainted mother say, God rest her soul?”

I trembled as I asked, “About what?”

“About you becoming amafioso’swhore.”

I was shocked into silence.

“Or your father?” the old woman continued. “How ashamed would he be if he knew?”

I couldn’t stop the memory of my father pleading with Dario:

Don Rosolini… Alessandra is a good girl… she goes to mass every Sunday… she’s a virgin, padrone…

“Do you think he wants you spreading your legs like a slut?” she asked.

“You don’t get to speak to me like that,” I snapped, my voice shaking.

“Someonehas to. You’ve forsaken all common sense – given yourself to a murderer who will throw you away like a used tissue when he’s finished with you.”

“He won’t – ”

“Hewill.He will, child, he will,” she said, and her face suddenly looked pained. “I know you don’t want to believe it. You’re young, you’re innocent, you’re in love…”

I flinched.

I hadn’t ever said it – I hadn’t even allowed myself tothinkit –

But it was true.

Iwasin love with Dario.

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