Page 95 of My Mafia Queen

“I wanted to know how you felt about it,” I say, no longer looking at him, my eyes rooted on the lake.

He moves into me and kisses me before murmuring words in my ear, his low, vibrating voice wracking havoc in my brain.

“It was never about me. It’s always been about you. I can take care of myself,” he says, and my chest tightens a little.

A few moments pass before my pleasure starts spiraling up, and emotions swarm my chest.

“You know… No one has treated me so well, Salla. And if one day, we need to break up, I’ll be crushed.”

He doesn’t stop.

“I know. And that’s why I said what I said. I’d hate for that to happen to us.”

With that, we never talk about our feelings and future again.

We both come and fall asleep.

And in the morning hours, we go from sleep to tasting pleasure again without ever mentioning our conversation.

19

CARMINA

Monday afternoon

“He what?”I say, concern flooding my voice as I talk to Jen on the phone.

“He’s coming home and wants to talk to you,” she says.

Perched up on a stationary bike in the gym, I stop pedaling.

“What do you mean he wants to talk to me? Who said that?”

“Stella.”

“Wait… Wait. What exactly did she tell you?”

I dismount the stationary bike, grab a towel, and run it over my brow before lowering myself on the bench and mechanically drinking water from a bottle.

I put the cap back on while she talks.

“She called your aunt last night and told her your father was coming back and wanted to speak to you. I talked to Stella myself today. Someone had tipped your father off about you hanging out with some bad people. Other things might’ve been suggested as well.”

I can’t breathe.

“What things?”

“Whoever tipped him off––”

“Anthony. Beau Anthony had tipped him off, “ I cut her off. “He’s the only one who can do something like that.”

“Yeah… Well, whoever had tipped him off had also said something about you selling your body for cash.”

“How dare he do that? What a fucking dick.”

No answer comes from the other end of the line.

“He’s accusing me of what he’s threatened me with?”

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