Page 17 of Bought By the Mafia

“You had a freaking yacht! I thought you had more money than to do with.”

“It was a friend’s. I was a caretaker and guest.”

“If I had known…”

“You had what? Not stolen from me. Not scammed me? You want me to believe that?”

Had I known, would I have not done it? I would like to think so, but the people I was working with would not have let me. “I want you to forgive me.”

“A little too late for forgiveness, don’t you think?”

A pang hit my chest at the sound of those words. Why was I expecting forgiveness from a Morelli, anyway? They aren’t known for their kind hearts and good deeds. Our relationship was fucked from the beginning, and trying to rectify the past was a fool’s errand. “So, vengeance is what you chose,” I said. “Is that what the little petting exercise was about?”

He shrugged. “I don’t make any pretensions about being attracted to you.” He’s never said it outright and hearing him say it flipped something inside me. But he wasn’t done. “I want to have sex with you. That was the only good thing to come out during that cursed time in Greece. I was a fool then, but my eyes are open now and I know who I am dealing with. It’s you who acts like she’s aloof. The little petting exercise was to show you that want me as much as I want you. As for the painting, my mother was the last person I was thinking about.”

“So, it was just about sex only?”

“Yep.”

He was lying, but the opening was now closed and I could not probe further. “Of course. I should have guessed,” I replied.

He straightened back in his seat, and the conversation ended there. Part of me still wanted to show him I wasn’t what he thought of me. I wanted him to know that I wasn’t just a con artist who likes to party and sleep around whenever she’s not swindling people. But the other part, the rational part, knew that whatever I would say would not matter. How would he react if I told him the truth? “Great, but you still stole from me.” That would be true. He pretty much said the same thing in different words. My sin of conning him would not change. It would remain and so would his hatred. And who wanted to be loved by him, anyway? It was a naïve girl’s wish, and I was not that.

The rest of the trip was silent, and we arrived at the apartment a few minutes later. The elevator ride to the penthouse was just as silent and awkward. By the time we entered the apartment, I was itching to say something. I broke the silence after we were left alone and pointed to the painting Mickey had placed against the wall and asked, “Is this your Mom’s painting?” What’s so special about it? “You wanted it so badly you practically threatened Kevin to get it.”

He was a few paces in front of me, and he replied without looking back, making his way towards the stairs. “Is that your way of attempting small talk?”

“I was just curious, that’s all.”

“Stay curious,” he said and went upstairs.

The coldness in his voice said all that was needed to be said. The topic was off limits. And if it wasn’t his tone that said it, the message was in his demeanor. He did not face me as he spoke, but made his way upstairs without turning back. After I was sure he was in his room, I made my way to my own and slept a dreamless sleep.

The following morning came sooner than I wanted it to. Gio was already dressed in a well cut dark blue suit and was sitting by the counter when I entered the kitchen. On the counter, next to a steaming hot coffee mug, was his phone, which he seemed to read on with concentrated interest. He was no doubt reading the paper or something similarly erudite. I couldn’t picture him doom scrolling on social media. I was willing to bet he wasn’t on any sort of social media site.

“Ready for work?” I said. That’s the best opening I could think of that wouldn’t invoke last night’s conversation. He looked up from his phone and a lock of his hair swooped down to his forehead. My insides wobbled. He had no right to look that hot.

“I was. Until now. Pack your bags.”

“I think I’m going to require more than a command if you want me to do anything. Maybe an explanation, followed by a request. You know, something normal people do.”

He sighed. “I do not have the patience to fight with you right now.”

“You’ve gotta do better than that, buddy. If you’re going somewhere, leave me here. I got stuff to do, anyway. I got a store to open, remember?”

“Simona,” he said, raking his hair, “my brother’s woman has been kidnapped, and a war is about to start. You could either give me some grace and do as you’re told for once, and maybe you won’t get kidnapped as well.”

“Your brother’swoman?His girlfriend. The one he was with at the wedding?”

“I don’t know if he would call her his girlfriend, personally I think she’s more than that to him. What’s important here is that we need to take you to a safe place or you’re dead. Do you understand?”

The weight of his words slowly sank in. The war he was talking about last night had come. The reason he married me. Somehow, it didn’t seem real until now. Part of me thought it would never come to this. That everyone was being overly cautious.

“What should I pack?” my voice was strained and shaky. He immediately softened when he no doubt saw the fear in my eyes. In a reassuring tone, he said, “Necessities. One bag. Nothing fancy.”

“A—are they coming here?” I didn’t need to explain who they were, and he seemed to understand. “No. I don’t know. But we need to get you to a safe house, before any of his men who are in this city think of getting to us first.”

“Right. Okay. Let me do that,” I said and hurried back to my room.

---