Page 144 of Dirty Mafia Sinner

Five minutes later, with my heart in my throat, I board a nearly empty bus. I did it. I’ve escaped him—again. So why am I crying?

The driver watches me with a look of helpless concern. I offer him a smile I don’t feel, then wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and take a seat at the front.

How much sadness can a person endure? My mother, my father, even my undeserving best friend—all gone. I had no control over losing them. This feels different. Trembling, I reconsider my decision. Maybe I should at least hear him out and offer him a chance to explain, even though he denied me the same consideration?

The bus driver’s muttered exclamation cuts through my thoughts. “Cosa sta facendo questo pazzo?”

I glance up to find the bus isn’t moving.

The reason why stands in the middle of the street and blocks the road, arms crossed like he’s daring the driver to run him over.

Our eyes connect through the windshield.

“Drive,” I tell the man, as fight-or-flight instincts kick in, and I’ve already chosen the latter.

The driver honks the horn and gestures animatedly.

Alessandro’s glare could melt steel. I hold my breath as he charges forward and rounds the bus to the side door. Fist tight, he pounds on it, demanding entry.

“Non vengo pagato abbastanza per questo,” the man declares before jumping from his seat and disappearing down the aisle. Leaving me to tame the monster.

“Riley,” Alessandro bellows, his voice cutting through the dull hum of the bus. “Open the goddamn door.”

Slowly, I slide out of my seat and move toward him, facing the storm head-on. “This entire time, you were engaged?”

“Let me explain, baby.” His voice softens, pleading.

I stiffen at the word. “Don’t baby me.”

“I’m not fucking engaged, okay?” Desperation clings to his words, and I fight the pull to give in. “I never wanted to be. I just needed to find a way out.”

“You lied.”

“I kept you in the dark,” he growls. “There’s a difference.”

“Not in my mind.”

We lock eyes through the grimy bus window, tension thick enough to drown us both. Behind us, a horn blares impatiently, but the world outside feels miles away compared to the battle raging between us.

“Open the door, Riley,” he urges, quieter now, raw. “Or do you plan on hashing this out here?”

I bite my lip, hard enough to taste blood. A part of me wants him to suffer, to feel the same sharp hurt he’s inflicted on me. But another part still hopes, and wonders if this is it—the moment when love conquers everything.

Right. Just overlook the fact he’s a mafioso, a cold-blooded killer, and a possessive lover with control issues.

But he’s also the man I love.

I sigh, the weight of my decision settling in my chest. If I open this door, I know my future won’t be painted in rainbows or butterflies.

He presses his hand against the glass, his voice breaking through the fog of my thoughts. “I didn’t want to lose you. I won’t lose you. Capisci?”

The ache in his tone twists something inside me. Reaching behind, I tug the switch, the door creaking open—and sealing my fate.

Before I can process it, he’s there, scooping me up and pulling me into his arms, holding me so tight it hurts.

“Thank fuck,” he breathes, and I let myself get lost in the chaos of him, knowing it’s the only place I truly belong.

EPILOGUE