Page 26 of Mafia Virgin (The Kings of Italy)

I looked down at my phone.

I can’t answer any more questions. I have to sleep now. I’m exhausted.

GIGI

Ugh. Text us when you’re up

FRANKIE

I’m going to need regular updates sis

Of course! Love you both. Talk to you tomorrow.

Never mind that it was already tomorrow here.

I stretched my arms and tried to put my sisters out of my head. I couldn’t involve them in this mess. Giacomo and I would figure something out.

Giacomo. My husband.

It was an absolutely wild thought.

At least he wasn’t a liar. I guess that was one good quality. He told me where he went last night, what he’d been doing. I couldn’t complain—it wasn’t like this was a true marriage—and he’d been honest about it.

He seemed like that kind of person, someone who told the truth whether other people wanted to hear it or not. My twin was the same way. She always said it was better to offend someone with the truth than to coddle them with lies.

I opened my phone again and checked the security app in my father’s room. He was sleeping, the room dark and still. Gloria kept a monitor near her bedside in the guest room so she could hear if he needed anything.

The rise and fall of his blankets soothed some of my worries. Papà was alive and safe. For now.

Unfortunately, Virga’s men were watching, as well. God, I hated that.

I forced myself out of bed. My life wasn’t going to un-fuck itself if I slept all day. After breakfast I needed to deal with my classwork. The term had just started and I couldn’t fall behind, otherwise my grades would never recover.

I got dressed and went downstairs. I wasn’t a coffee drinker, unless it came frozen with caramel and whipped cream. I much preferred to wake up with a mug of hot tea. Boring juice, as Gia called it.

The kitchen was empty, the morning light streaming through the windows. It was just after eight o’clock. I normally got up around six thirty, so this was late for me. I wondered what time Giacomo usually woke up.

After searching through cabinets and drawers, I found a mug and a box of old tea bags. Sal limped into the kitchen. “Buongiorno, signora.” He looked disheveled and his t-shirt was on backwards.

Clearly I’d woken him up.

“Allora,” he said, coming over to the microwave. “Let me do that for you.”

“Thank you, but I’ve got it. Why don’t you sit down?” I took his arm and gently led him to the island. “Then you can talk to me as I make tea.”

“I apologize for not getting up sooner, signora. Giacomo isn’t usually awake until ten or eleven, so we aren’t big on mornings here.”

I practically forced him onto a stool. “I don’t expect you to wait on me, Sal. I’m not a great cook, but I can make tea.”

“But—”

“Don’t argue with me. Besides, I like having things to do. What can I get you? Tea? Caffè?”

“You shouldn’t wait on me, signora. That wouldn’t be right.”

I started heating the water in the microwave. “I’m not waiting on you. I’m offering.”

His shoulders relaxed and he gave me a small smile. “You are very stubborn for such a tiny thing.”

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