Page 16 of Merciless Queen (Moretti Mafia #1)

Caterina

“What do people use to paint, and why are there so many options within one hobby?” I asked Elizabeth as we looked at the selection at Michaels.

She laughed at me, grabbing a pack of acrylic paint and watercolors. “There are different aspects of painting. You really need to look at more things on the Internet. She’s going to be so happy when she sees all of this.”

“Get whatever you think she’ll like. What books will she enjoy? Your sex books?”

“It’s romance , thank you very much. And she may, but I also don’t think she wants to think about sex right now. I’ll stay with her and talk tonight. You know, have a girls’ night and prepare for your bachelorette party.”

I groaned. “I don’t know why you want to do that when Harlow probably won’t want to be surrounded by anyone—and I hate parties.”

“Too bad. You should have thought of that before you decided to marry her.”

“I’m helping her.”

“Well, helping her with a fake marriage means you have to deal with all the real things that follow. I’m gonna go get some canvases.”

After we spent two hours buying things for Harlow and spending almost $400, we finally returned to the house.

Harlow was in her first therapy session with Serena, and by the looks of it, she was still up there with the woman.

I left Elizabeth with the bags so she could set up the surprise for Harlow.

She hadn’t shut up about it since we got in the car.

As I was walking back to my office, Malachi called me. He only called me if something was wrong. Normally, he sent me a text if it was about the club or hotel.

“What is it?” I asked as soon as I answered the call.

“Two drug shipments were destroyed on the docks. It looks like Vincenzo.”

“Son of a fucking bitch. Okay. I’ll deal with it, and we’ll get more here ASAP.”

“I’ll deal with the mess out here.”

I threw my phone across the desk, feeling a migraine forming in my temples.

Now I was going to deal with angry buyers by the end of the day because I didn’t have their drugs.

I would have to pester Roman for another shipment ASAP before someone came for my head or went to someone else.

One day, I was going to murder Vincenzo slowly, peel his skin back piece by piece and let the maggots eat him from the inside out.

There was a knock on my office door, and I was tempted to tell whoever the hell it was to kick rocks.

Instead, I told them to come in. I was expecting one of my men or even Spencer.

What I was not expecting was Dr. Serena Moore.

She didn’t look thrilled, but then again, she was never thrilled to see me.

“You’re marrying the girl?”

“It’s none of your business, but yes.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Do you realize that she has CPTSD?”

“What is that?” I knew she wanted to yell at me more, but I wanted to figure out what was wrong with Harlow so I could help her to the best of my ability.

Serena narrowed her eyes. “Complex post trauma stress disorder. It can develop from prolonged exposure to trauma. Traumatic stress can alter our brains chemistry, and Harlow has almost a decade’s worth of trauma to process. You playing with her emotions is not something she needs.”

I arched my brow, leaning on my elbows. “Not something she needs or not something you want to deal with?” She didn’t respond, and that answered my question.

Serena tolerated me, but she didn’t like me.

It was probably because of our history, but she was the best goddamn psychiatrist I knew on the eastern seaboard.

I couldn’t help it that she fell in love with a mafia boss.

I had issues, and corrupting the innocent seemed to be my favorite thing to do.

Serena was far from innocent, but she was pure hearted with good intentions.

My father had an interest in her, and I nipped that in the bud.

My methods weren’t traditional by any means, but I got it done.

My father drilled it in my head that love caused weakness.

When he lost my mother, he became an empty shell, until he and Serena started talking and getting close.

I took it personally and knew my father would get hurt again, so I handled the situation before it progressed anymore.

I told her he would never love her, and that he was using her to mend his broken heart.

Was it brutal? Yes, but it got the message across.

Did the two of them look good together? Yes, but I knew he wasn’t in it for love, and she would get hurt.

Serena should’ve thanked me for saving her from heartbreak.

Sometimes I wondered why I let her stay here, and then I remembered she was the only person I trusted with my men and the girls we rescued.

With the situations I saved women and children from, I needed someone that knew how to handle them.

“It’s in name only. You don’t have to worry about me fucking Harlow unless she gets on her knees and begs me.

I don’t see that happening. Do you? I need a wife to get these families off my ass about marriage, and I can protect her.

She’ll be mine to the outside world, but here, she is free to do as she pleases. ”

“She’s delicate. She didn’t talk much during our session.”

“She talks with Lizzy more and sometimes with me. I slept in her bed last night.” I saw her brows shoot to the roof. “She asked me to.”

“Be careful with her. She’s experienced a great trauma.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “I’ll do what is needed. And before you ask, no, I will not sleep with her. I might be a cold-hearted bitch, but I’m not a monster.”

“That’s a contradiction.”

I shrugged. “Okay? I get rid of vile people. I found the man who hurt you when you were a teenager and killed him for you. I found one of the men who hurt Elizabeth. And I will get Vincenzo and slit his damn throat after I sever his sorry excuse for a penis from his body. I’ll let Harlow take the revenge she needs to heal, too.

If it makes me a monster killing bigger monsters, then so fucking be it. ”

“Tread carefully with her. That’s all I wanted to say.”

I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying anything else. “Do you believe she is a danger to herself?”

“I’m not sure. Trauma is a difficult process. Everyone handles it differently. I can say she’ll be fine, but if she gets triggered or has a nightmare, I don’t know. Ten years is a long time to be with a monster.”

“It is. And I will do what I can to make this transition easy for her. I won’t let anyone hurt her. Keep your phone on. If we need to do emergency sessions, I expect you to be ready.”

She nodded, leaving my office. It was annoying how much she got personal with her patients, but she treated them like people and not like clients.

Serena loved her career and being able to help women and children who were hurt like she was.

In this life, there were a lot of people who treated women and girls like they were inferior.

One thing I was strict about in my world was how women were treated.

So was my father. Other families might’ve seen women as property and child bearers, but not us.

A woman was a man’s equal in life, not inferior to him.

The way other families viewed women made me sick, and I was forever grateful for my father and the allies I had who had the same views.

A woman could easily take out dynasties if provoked.

Women were not weak, febrile creatures that men could throw around.

I knew a woman who worked forthe Petrov family in New York—she was a world class assassin for the Bratva.

There was no one she couldn’t find and take out.

She assisted me sometimes when it came to retrieval.

I wanted her help killing Vincenzo, but Roman refused to get tied up in my issues.

Roman was a great ally, but he didn't want to drag his family into another war after dealing with his father’s fallout when the man died.

If he tried to take my life, it would be different, but petty bickering, as he called it, didn’t require his services.

He was an asshole, but I couldn't say I wouldn’t do the same if the positions were reversed.

If Vincenzo wasn’t an issue, I would have a peaceful life.