Page 22 of My Mafia Queen

“Yeah… Probably. But that has nothing to do with him wanting you.”

“He doesn’t want me. He’s pissed I dumped him and left for Las Vegas.”

“That usually does it for men like him.”

“Yeah… I don’t know.”

Crossing my arms over my chest and chewing on my lip, I seriously think about his motivations and what had prompted him to follow me.

“He hated that I’d made my own plans,” I suggest.

“Yup,” she agrees.

Our eyes lock.

“He must’ve thought I was really stupid.”

“That happens often, too. He got word you were shopping for a car, and he knew your struggles. He knew it wasn’t only because you wanted a new car. That made you suspicious in his eyes.”

“Yes. It did,” I say, reflecting on what happened afterward.

Las Vegas.

Damaso.

Beau getting beat up.

Of course, he’s mad and wants revenge.

And wants the worst kind of revenge.

“That’s why I need to leave tonight,” I say. “I’ve been back for a few hours, and it’s chaos. And my father is not even back. Speaking of which… I need to go,” I say, pushing to my feet. “I’ve asked someone to fix the door, and he’ll be there in an hour. I need to get a cab.”

I flick my gaze to the floor upstairs.

I don’t want to wake Tina. Hopefully, I’ll be back, but predicting what happens next is hard.

“If, for any reason, I can’t come back before I leave, tell her…”

She cuts me off with a clipped gesture and rises to her feet.

“I know what to tell her. Don’t worry about us.”

Her words make me feel a little better.

“Okay. Thank you so much,” I say, and we hug each other.

Later, a cab picks me up, and I’m headed back home.

What a day.

* * *

CARMINA

It’sdark outside by the time the man fixes the door to my father’s house.

I hand him some cash before he climbs into his truck and pulls out of the driveway.

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