AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Possibly." Karma holds my gaze, "Either way, you need to be on alert with him."
"You are beginning to worry me, Karma," I run my fingers through my hair. "I understand what you mean when you say I hurt his ego. It’s only after I blurted out the proposal that I realized what I had done, and it was too late by then. But surely, once we are married, he’ll come around?" I take in her features—the way her brow is pinched, the worried look on her face.
"You really think he’s going to get back at me for this, don’t you?"
"Yes," she lowers her hand to her side, "but if you watch out for it, there’s no reason you can’t turn the tables on him."
"Okay, stop," I rub my temple, "you are beginning to give me a headache."
"I know it’s a lot to take in, but if you are forewarned, you can use it to your advantage."
"How do I do that?"
"Defeat him at his own game," she replies.
"What game is that?"
"Whatever it is that he initiates with you."
"That’s not very helpful," I try to laugh but the sound comes out strained.
"I don’t know him very well," Karma says in a soft voice, "not as well as you do."
"Which isn’t saying much." I twist my fingers. "How do I even begin to figure out what he’s up to?"
"Oh, if you pay close attention, I am sure you will see the signs, and once you know where his mind is at, I am sure you’ll find a way to keep ahead of him."
"You have more confidence in me than I do." I laugh uncertainly.
"You can do this," Elsa says with vehemence. "If anyone can figure out a way to survive, it’s you."
I turn to Cass, "What do you think, Cass? You’ve been silent all along."
"I am worried." Cass narrows her gaze on me, "I won’t bullshit you by saying otherwise, but I also know you are smart enough to beat him at his own game."
I scowl, "So you do think that he’s going to try to get back at me, as well?"
"I would be surprised if he didn’t," she admits. "But we have your back," she turns to the other women, "don’t we?"
"You bet," Elsa replies.
"We’re here in your corner," Karma adds. "If he does anything, and I mean anything, to cause you grief, you pick up the phone and call me, and I’ll make sure Michael reins him in, okay?"
"Okay," I blow out a breath.
"Good." Karma tilts her head, "Now about that dress... What color were you thinking?"
21
Axel
I am getting married. What the bloody fuck? I am getting married. How the hell had that happened? Oh, I know, it has something to do with a curvy, green-eyed sprite who’d dared to ask me to marry her in front of those…those men. Men who are my brothers, but who had abandoned me and my mother as surely as their father had. So what, if none of them knew of my existence? It’s their father who sent my mother away in exchange for assets that would further his business.
My mother had been the only daughter of the head of theCamorra, arch rivals to theCosa Nostra.She had fallen in love with my father, despite the fact that he was married. She had moved to be with him, despite the fact that her family would never accept her back. By the time she was pregnant with me and my brothers, she had realized just how abusive he could get with her.
After my brothers and I were born, she wanted to leave my father. In response, he had negotiated with my mother’s father for her return. He had insisted that she leave the children behind, but she had refused. Finally, he had agreed to let her take one of the triplets—me—along with her.
She had left, and when her family had disowned her, she had decided to strike out on her own. No small decision for a Mafia princess who had been brought up in the lap of luxury. She had moved to London, and with no skill to support herself, she had turned to the world’s oldest profession. A cliché maybe, but my mother had been determined to survive without the help of her family. She had also been insistent that I go to a good school. She had worked herself to the bone to ensure that I had the best education available. Pun intended.
