Page 61 of My Mafia Queen

“No need to be frustrated. You’ll get there. I’m not holding it against you,” he says, his voice flowing like old cognac.

A shiver claims my shoulders.

His eyes dip.

“Are you cold?”

“I’m good,” I say, making sure my cardigan is closed over my chest.

“You can put my jacket on,” he says, and I take him up on his invitation, lifting it from the back seat and draping it over my shoulders.

I’m not cold, but I couldn’t say no to indulging in the scent of his body tucked in the expensive fabric of his suit.

He puts out the cigarette and drinks water before popping a few more mints into his mouth.

Struggling with quitting smoking is about the only thing he’s struggling with.

With that, we go back to sightseeing. Mostly me, I think.

He is sunk in thought while I can’t take my eyes away from the star-studded sky.

As the moments pass, I relax, enjoying the wind, the silence, and his quiet presence.

Before long, the lights of Reno flicker in the distance.

We head that way before he tosses at me that he’s changed his mind, and we’re driving straight to the shores of Lake Tahoe.

11

CARMINA

As soon asour hostess shows us to our villa a few more cars enter the resort, and those are his people.

Voices echo outside, and he excuses himself and exits the place after telling me to make myself comfortable.

Alone, I’m getting acquainted with our new place. And what a stunning space it is.

A big bright moon paints a silver path across the water, and fragrant pine trees sway in the wind.

A large balcony stretches across the second level, facing the lake and peaks of the Sierra.

Our luxurious bedroom has a king-size bed, two armchairs, an immense bathroom with her sink and his sink, a shower booth, an immense tub, and exquisite metallic details.

The view is breathtaking.

I still have his jacket draped over my shoulders, and now that I’m alone, I can press my nose against the fine Italian wool of his suit and close my eyes, inhale, and smile, indulging in it fully.

It’s like burying my nose in his skin and thinking about a time when he and I could have a real story together.

I stroll across the balcony, stop in the corner, take in the view, fill my lungs with the incense of the pine trees, and listen to the voices outside.

The men are loud and in a good mood, while the people working in the resort carry their suitcases into the villa next to ours. His crew is bigger than I thought, but they won’t bother us in any way.

I spin around and walk inside, lower the lights, turn on the fireplace, and light a few candles before going straight to the closet and removing my clothes.

Later, I run myself a hot bath and slide in without waiting for him.

The water drips as I lean against the porcelain edge, relax, and pin my gaze on the windows.

---