Page 13 of Mafia Boss's Fake Fiancée

“Do you like it?” Salvatore’s grandma, Claudia, asks.

“I do, of course,” Salvatore says.

“I can’t believe you put those plastic atrocities on the tree when we have so many ornaments that have been in our family for generations. They were in a box in the closet in my room. Did you even do any of this on the eighth of December like you were supposed to? Or was it a last-minute effort just before we all got here?”

If my brother Enzo was Claudia’s grandson, she’d be furious. He’d forget about the whole tree. If he even remembers to decorate, it’s on Christmas Eve. Unless someone else does it for him.

“It’s not one of those plastic trees, so no, I didn’t have it up on the eighth because it wouldn’t look this nice by now, and no one was here. I didn’t know where the ornaments were. If you had told me, I would’ve used them instead. Did you get any sleep?” Worry fills Salvatore’s eyes. “It must’ve taken you the whole night to do this.”

Claudia waves her hand in dismissal. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

“You should’ve come to me. I would’ve helped you.”

“I bet you hired someone to put up those ornaments. When was the last time you decorated your own Christmas tree?” She crosses her arms.

“Granny—”

“Don’tgrannyme. You know I’m right. Now let’s open the presents. Where are Domenico and the children?” She furrows her brow just as two kids race into the room. “Do you know we used to open our presents after midnight? But then your grandpa said it was too late for the children to stay up, so we switched to mornings instead. We used to go to mass too, but now we can’t because it’s not safe.”

“Don’t run!” The kids’ mom—I think her name is Lucia—rushes after them.

Suddenly, the room is filled with people, and I move away from the Christmas tree. Salvatore hands me a box wrapped up in golden paper. Everyone’s eyes—except for the kids, who are busy opening their presents—are on me.

I put up a big fake smile on my face as I unwrap it. When I open the box, my eyes widen. A silver necklace, bracelet, and earnings ornamented with black stones. Wow. It’s all actually pretty. I like it.

“Is that obsidian?” Lucia asks.

Salvatore nods.

“Beautiful,” Lucia says and glances at her husband as if she wants to tell him he should’ve bought something like that for her.

“It is,” I say and meet Salvatore’s gaze. “Thank you.”

I hope he didn’t lie when he said I could keep my presents, because I’m so keeping this. But it’s not the only present for me.

Salvatore approaches me with another box. “This one’s supposed to be from my family, but since they don’t know you, and I do...”

I take the box and open it. A smile spreads across my lips. A fluffy pink diary and a pen with a unicorn.

Judging by the puzzled look in Claudia’s eyes, there’s no way she would’ve picked a present like that, but Salvatore knows me. Maybe a little too well. I don’t know if I should be happy he’s been paying attention or creeped out.

“I love it.” I give him a smile.

“Adriana, where’s your engagement ring?” Claudia stares at my hand.

Well, damn. Salvatore and I forgot about that, didn’t we?

“It had to be resized,” Salvatore says. “It’ll be done in a week or so.”

Claudia shakes her head, but then she picks up a black box and offers it to Salvatore, who takes it.

“I told you, you didn’t have to get me anything. I have everything I want,” he says.

“Nonsense. Open it. You’ll want this one.”

His brow furrows as he opens the box.

It’s a gun. Silver. Pretty.

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