Page 5 of Secret Mafia Daddy

I push at his chest but he doesn’t move and all that happens is that I feel how solid his pecs are. He’s tall and lanky but well-built, just like I remember.

I swallow hard. “Leave me alone,” I say firmly. I can’t afford being here longer with him, his scent enveloping me, the memories of our time together wanting to break free of the vault I placed them in my mind. No way. That can’t happen.

A noise, trashcans being knocked over, echoes through the alley.

I don’t think much of it. There are other people from The Angel milling around the alley, smoking or getting fresh air, even a couple of them throwing up from too much booze.

But Angelo starts, whipping his head toward the sound.

Because he turns, I do, too, and I see a man with a scar across his forehead just before he turns and runs full tilt away.

Angelo curses and lets me go with an, “I’ll see you around, babydoll.”

“In your dreams,” I mutter at his retreating form as I walk back into the club.

I find my friend, Alyssa.

“I’m out of here. You staying?” I say firmly, and Alyssa pouts and takes her shot.

“Why?” she asks. When I don’t answer, she adds, “Fine. I’ll go. But you’re coming out with me again next weekend.”

“Not here,” I mutter, but she doesn’t seem to be listening. We head out to my car and I’m glad I haven’t drunk. No need to call for a ride, I can just drive us home.

When we arrive, Alyssa takes the guest bedroom and I curl up into Chelsea’s bed. She snorts out a snore and then wakes, blinking her brown eyes at me.

“Where you been, Mama? On a ‘venture?” she asks.

I smile. Chelsea is always wanting to go on “ventures” and she thinks every time I leave the house I’m going on some kind of epic journey.

“Not quite,” I mumble, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her nose. “But next time I go on one, I’ll take you with me, okay?”

“Okay,” she says sleepily, burrowing under the covers and closer to me.

No matter where life takes me, I’ll always take Chelsea on all my adventures. I look down at her and wonder if she’s dreaming of pirates and fairies, dreaming of happy endings.

I had dreams when I was little too. Good dreams. Happy dreams.

Life was never supposed to be like this. I was supposed to grow up with my biological parents, I was supposed to fall in love, get married, have two and a half kids and a dog or two. I was supposed to be happy.

Instead, thanks to my mom remarrying after losing my dad, I was pulled into a life I hate. A life of danger I never wanted to bring to my door. I am a mother, but never had the fairy tale to led to that. Just a memorable night and a broken heart to keep me company at night.

I’m not sorry it’s just me and my baby because I know that love means hurt, and right now, I need to focus on getting us out of here and away from a life that was never meant to be mine.

I know the dark side of life and I’m not fooled by fairy tales and happily ever afters anymore, but I hope she never stops believing.

3

ANGELO

I’m frustrated that I lost the silver-eyed girl. Who is she? Every cell in my body screams I know her, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how or where from.

Just talking to her made my heart pump.

Her disdainful attitude shouldn’t have been attractive, but I have to admit she pushed all the right buttons for me.

Thanks to her, I almost lost my target too.

You can’t get distracted, Angelo, I tell myself. Especially not for a piece of ass. But why is she still occupying my mind? And who the hell is she?

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