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“I’m sure you’ll manage, Mrs. Hilton.”
“And the way she died,” she tutted, gasping as if only hearing about my mother’s passing tonight. “An intruder with a gun? I told Nicoletta that her neighborhood wasn’t safe, but alas, she didn’t listen. I didn’t know your family was having a hard time. If I’d know, I would have tried to help.”
“Excuse me?” I frowned. What in the hell was this fucking woman talking about? What hard time? “I don’t understand. What is my family having a hard time with Mrs. Hilton?”
The skinny bitch leaned forward, covered her mouth as she whispered. “You know. Money troubles. Is that why Nicoletta didn’t move into a better neighborhood?”
Oh no, the fuck she didn’t!
Taking a step back, I was about to give this cunt a piece of my mind. Decorum be damned when I bumped into a broad, firm chest. Strong hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. Instantly, all my anger fled as I heard him growl lowly. His men stepped on either side of us, cocooning us and Mrs. Hilton, as Maxim bent down and whispered in my ear. “Breathe,Moya Lyubov. This is not the time for bloodshed.”
“There’s always time for blood,” I muttered, but nodded.
“Mrs. Hilton, you look ravishing tonight,” Maxim schmoozed, as he took the evil cunt’s hand and kissed the top of it. “Is your husband here? I was hoping to finalize the sale of the property in Lincoln Heights.”
Mrs. Hilton blanched, then stuttered, “That’s my house.”
“I know,” Maxim smirked. “I need a place in the city to entertain and comfortably house my men. You know, something befitting my status. Plus, I can’t wait to see what Illyria will do with it. She has amazing tastes.”
“You can’t buy my house!” she screeched, causing heads to turn in our direction. “It’s been in my husband’s family for generations!”
Maxim eased me towards Vladmir, who winked.
“I can do whatever I want, you napyschennaya torchashchava pizda.”
Vladmir snickered, quickly covering his mouth, clearing his throat.
“I forbid it. I will not allow some mafia trash near my home.”
Maxim sighed as he straightened his tux jacket. “You forget your place, Mrs. Hilton. Your husband is my associate. He only makes money if I do. If I want your fucking house, then I will buy it. Tell your husband that I will seek a new rail company in the future.”
She gasped, shaking her head. “You can’t do that. You’ll bankrupt us.”
“Have a wonderful evening, Mrs. Hilton,” Maxim turned, taking my hand, leading me away from prying eyes, gossiping harpies and ill-mannered socialites. Once outside, Maxim’s men swiftly ushered us both towards their waiting vehicles.
Sliding across the seat, I bent forward and covered my eyes, trying my hardest to stop the tears from coming. Yet when the door closed, Maxim reached for me, pulling me onto his lap as his arms held me.
And that’s when my dam broke.
Holding me, he said nothing, as I cried for my momma.
I thought I could do it. Attend the event, make small talk, stay the predetermined time socially acceptable before I made my excuses, and headed home before I broke down.
I was wrong.
Instead, I barely held it together. If it wasn’t for Maxim, I didn’t know what I would have done.
“Whereto, boss?”
“The Gold Coast.”
Holding onto to him for dear life, I didn’t know what else to do. Since the attack on the family compound, and my abduction and rescue, Maxim whisked me away to his home in upstate New York. For a few short weeks, he dropped everything to be with me, helping me recover from what I endured at the hands of that sick fuck Capribella. While it was nothing compared to what Layla suffered, my time on the tanker left a lasting impression. When Maxim finally returned me to my brothers, my family sank deep into mourning. Not just for my mother, but the other family we lost that day. Even Layla grieved the loss of her grandfather, Don Victor Alonzo Capribella, the head of the Capribella Family.
I thought for sure that my brothers would question my association with Maxim, but none of them did. Instead, they were so wrapped up in their own grief, by the time the family stepped out of the dismal fog, life moved on.
Not for me.
While my brothers led their own lives, I dedicated mine to my mother and her charities. And now that she was gone, I couldn’t simply disappear and grieve like my brothers.
