Page 38 of Mafia Betrayal

Tommy squeezed my neck harder and pinned me to the cabinets. “I’m going to kill that motherfuck—”

I kneed him right in his balls and he doubled over in pain. “That’s for cheating on me.” I dug the heel of my shoe right into his crotch and smirked. “That’s for lying about it. And this”—I slammed all my weight onto him for a second time—“is to make sure you don’t have any kids with that whore.”

He turned onto his side, grasping his testicles, and I grabbed the gun from his waistband and pointed it at him.

“Get out of my fucking house,” I said, jaw twitching.

Tommy crawled to the door like the stupid fucking idiot he was. “You’re going to regret this.”

“I’m sure I won’t,” I said, slamming the door behind him.

I locked it and turned back to Matteo, who stared, wide-eyed, at me.

I cocked a brow at him. “Do you want to be next? Because I’d be more than happy to put a bullet straight through your head right now for knowing about this and not keeping it a secret.”

When he didn’t respond, I clenched my jaw harder. “Then, get ready. I’m leaving at seven tonight for a party at Alice’s.”

“You’re not going. I have strict orders to watch you until your father tells me otherwise.”

My red lips curled into a smirk, and I stuck the gun into my waistband. I was going to Alice’s damn party with or without Tommy’s stupid fucking right-hand man.

25

chiara

Music thumpedthrough the speakers in Alice’s living room.

I picked up the bottle of sambuca and took another gulp. “Fuck Tommy.”

I hated that man more and more every damn day. I was beginning to think that letting him go around cheating on me wasn’t even worth the fucking torture I’d endured. I should’ve killed him already and gotten it over with, but Dad would’ve minded. That fucking bastard was becoming Dad’s right-hand man.

From across the room, I spotted Alessandro. Dim red and white lights lit up his striking features. I took another long sip to drown out the pain shooting up my leg and to … stop thinking about the bastard who didn’t know the first thing about being part of a family. He sipped a glass and walked through the party, gaze drifting around the room as if he was looking for someone.

When his eyes landed on me, he turned my way and smirked.

“You have a free pass tonight.” Alice nudged my shoulder, holding a blunt between her fingers, and directed her attention to Alessandro. “Courtesy of Tommy, who is currently out, fucking that whore.”

One of the familythingsgrabbed Alessandro’s hand and tried pulling him on to the makeshift dance floor, but he walked past her and continued in my direction. I took another sip of the sambuca, addicted to how smoothly it went down and how much more appealing Alessandro was looking tonight because of it. Alice held out the blunt for me, but I shook my head.

Even from across the room of sticky and sweaty bodies, I could smell his licorice cologne—or maybe that was the alcohol. He was coming to me like he had last night.

I closed my eyes for the shortest moment. God, I needed a damn release. I needed more of him.

“My guard won’t leave me alone,” I said, nodding to Matteo standing on the other side of the room. His eyes were trained on me, and he hadn’t torn his gaze away once tonight. “He’s one of Tommy’s friends.”

Alice waved her hand in the air. “I’ll take care of him.” She pushed through the bodies and wrapped her arm around Matteo’s bicep, flirting heavily with him.

And as soon as he looked away, I stumbled toward Alessandro, bumping into the couch, and he steadied me with a hand.

“Feeling all right,reginetta?”

“Feel like dancing,stronzo?” I grabbed his hand and stepped to him, the alcohol making me woozy.

He grasped my hips and drew me close—closer than I’d thought he would. Alessandro might be one of the most dangerous men I knew, but at least he wasn’t Tommy. Tommy was an ass.

He rested his forehead against mine and smirked. “You’re not supposed to be drinking on those meds.”

“Care about me?” I asked, tugging on a strand of his hair.

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