Page 122 of My Mafia King

The sun dives into the water, and I can’t wait to slide in and feel both against my skin.

What an unexpected treat.

I love water, and being here today feels like a miracle, so I plan to enjoy every second of it.

I pick up a towel from nearby, set my things on a lounge chair, remove my dress, and dive into the pool headfirst.

I swim underwater for a few long moments before emerging and filling my lungs with fresh air.

To say I’m ecstatic about how today has turned out to be is an understatement.

That’s how freedom must feel.

I try not to let negativity get to me while enjoying the water and the sun.

Later, I walk to a vending machine and come back with a bottle of ice-cold water, a chocolate bar, peanut butter cups, and a bag of salty snacks.

Pretzels and nuts, mostly.

I lounge in my chair for about twenty minutes, eating snacks and drinking water, having the time of my life before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

DAMASO

“What’s the problem, Boss?”

Vito’s voice vibrates in the room.

I glance over my shoulder.

Gianni walks behind Vito before I shift my focus back to the pool downstairs.

My office is way higher, but even so, I see Carmina soaking up the sun in a lounge chair with an arm folded under her head and a knee pulled up.

She wears a two-piece bikini swimsuit, some combination of dark purple and golden details, and her skin has a nice sheen.

Her dark hair fans out over the back of her chair.

She looks asleep.

I’ve been watching her for the past twenty minutes. Her silhouette cutting through the crystal clear water, her arms moving, her hair fluid.

I thought sending her away and not having her with me all the time would diminish my fascination with her.

Quite the opposite has happened.

But my fascination with her didn’t start today.

If I am to be honest, she captured my imagination the first time I met her, and things became serious after that.

There were ups and downs––of course there were––and I was furious with her. I truly was. But now that I have her with me all the time, I look at her differently.

Last night was eventful, and I had a good reason to send her upstairs. I knew there'd be trouble the second Boris and his men had entered the room.

Whether it was with me or someone else, it didn’t matter.

The Russians are trying to sabotage my business, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.

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