Page 67 of My Mafia Queen

Somehow, I feel bad that they have ended up in this vase, their roots and stems ripped away from the ground.

Life is imperfect, and there is a price to pay when you want to live your moment of transient glory.

And what a glory it is for these flowers.

Still mesmerized with them, I push my chair back, rise to my feet, and walk into the bedroom.

From inside my travel bag, I retrieve my camera before going back to the terrace.

I check a few angles and press the shutter several times.

I do them justice, catching them at the height of their beautiful existence, giving them the ultimate gift of immortality, and also lodging the memory of them in my mind.

They’re so fascinating that I look at them even after I put my camera down and pick up my cup of coffee.

Life can be good in unexpected ways, yet all it takes is a split second, and all of it goes away.

Speaking of that.

I move my eyes to the golf course and spot a few men.

One of them looks like Damaso.

He’s hard to miss, and just to be sure it’s him, I use my camera and zoom in until the image is crisp.

It’s him with a few other men.

They are guests like him. Or whatever. Those are not his bodyguards.

He looks dashing in his fitted light blue polo shirt, white pants, gloves, golf shoes, and sunglasses.

His tan stands out, as does his mesmerized smile.

He is a force of life, and people orbit around him.

As he shifts his position and turns his back to me, my eyes drop to his butt. I surely can’t believe I had my hands on those hard muscles. The memory of last night comes back to me, awakening delicious sensations that make their home below my waist.

I missed having him inside me again.

And that’s how it all starts.

That’s the beginning of the end.

13

CARMINA

I pullat a couple of lashes that are stuck together, and then I straighten my back, take a step back, and look in the mirror.

White.

Hmm…

The color of my dress looks good on me. I’m certainly inspired by his sexy fitted trousers.

My skin is not as tanned as his is, but I hold my own in that department.

I don’t even know if we’re going out today, but I could wait for him downstairs.

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