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Good,he replies.When this Russel crap is sorted out, we’re going to be together. Properly. You’ll be my mafia queen. You’ll always be at my side.
Me, a queen?I smile.I never thought I’d hear anybody say that.
You’re a kind, funny, sassy, beautiful, sexy, curvy, perfectly plus-size queen. Get used to it.
Perfectly plus-size?I write.That’s something else I NEVER thought I’d hear.
There’s something I don’t want to hear, beautiful—any negativity about your size. It was one of the first things I noticed about you. Your curves are perfect. Your thick, gorgeous legs. Your chest. Your wide hips and every single curvy part of you drive me wild. Never, never fucking talk badly about that. Understand?
More tingles move through me. I’m done being guilty about the way he makes me feel, the flurry of lust, the heat. So what if this has been the most eventful, stressful day of my life? This, right here, is real.We’rereal.
Thank you for saying that,I reply.It means a lot.
It’s true. I’m sorry, angel. I’ve got to go now. Business, but I’ll see you soon.
Be careful.
I will. I’ve got a whole lot to live for now.
I love you,I type. Then I hover over the send button and quickly delete the message. That might be a step too far. Though, would it, after everything we’ve shared, this instant connection?
Screw it. Typing it out again, I clicksend.
Then it’s like fate gets involved. A moment later, I get a notification. The text failed to send. My signal has just dropped out. Call me superstitious, but maybe that’s a sign. I quickly unsend the message, meaning it won’t try to resend when the signal returns.
I lie down, too restless to sleep, my mind filled with vivid dreams about the future. Before, they were fantasies. Now, it’s real. There’s light at the end of this. There’s hope. There’s love. There’s family. When you get right down to it, that’s the most important thing.
CHAPTER24
Elio
“His boys are going to get suspicious soon,” Luca says as we sit on the balcony, looking overourcity. The large lights of the stadium construction have started going up on the outskirts, a project we never should’ve gotten involved with without proper vetting. “We’re going to have to drag the information out of him. Once we learn where he’s saved the video and any copies, we can end the bastard.”
“I’ll do it,” I growl. “After what he did to my woman.”
“Is there a reason you’re smiling?” Luca snaps.
I flatten my lips. “No.”
“You sure about that? We just learned Mom cheated on Dad. There’s a fuckingsex tapeof her out there.”
My brother doesn’t understand that while parts of my world are falling, others are ascending as if on an angel’s wings. Others are pulsing so damn brightly.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “I can’t think why Mom would do that.”
“Did you ask her when you gave them a ride?”
“No, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. We need to focus on the business at hand. We can hear her justifications later.”
“Justifications, not reasons… interesting word choice.”
“Is there an acceptable reason?” I snap.
“I’ve cheated,” Luca mutters. “I’ve had girlfriends who have cheated, too.”
“You’ve never been married. Once a person takes that oath, it’s for life. I don’t give a damn what ups and downs you have. You stick to the path. Loyalty, honesty, family… That’s what a marriage means.”
Luca sighs. “I’ll try to talk to her soon. I feel like a kid who’s just learned Santa isn’t real. Everything’s been pulled out from underneath me.”
