Page 99 of Mine Again (Mafia Bride #2)

Chapter Ninety-Eight

Isabella

M aximo’s estate comes into view, sunlight glinting off its stone walls. A line of figures waits on the front steps, their silhouettes sharp against the bright afternoon.

My heart lurches when I recognize them.

Mamma and Aldo stand close, his arm draped around her shoulders. Their relationship has clearly deepened, and I couldn’t be happier for her.

Mia, Sienna, and Ari are huddled together, their faces lighting up the instant they spot the car.

I push the door open before it even stops. My legs are unsteady, but I run anyway.

“Isa!” Mia’s cry splits the stillness as she barrels toward me, arms crushing me against her.I hold on, her familiar scent grounding me.

Sienna presses in next, tears streaming down her cheeks. Of the five of us, she’s always the first to show her emotions.

“We thought—” Her voice breaks, and she can’t finish. She only hugs me harder.

Ari latches on at my waist, fierce and protective. “Don’t you ever do that again. ”

And then my mother’s hands are cupping my face. Her fingers shake, but her eyes are steady and shining with love.

“My Isa,” she breathes, pressing a kiss to my forehead the way she has since I was a child.

Sobbing into her shoulder, I bury myself in her warmth. “I’m sorry, Mamma. I’m so sorry. I never wanted to worry you.”

She hushes me, rocking me gently. “No more apologies, amore. Just breathe.”

For a long moment, I let them all hold me, sunlight spilling over my skin, their arms anchoring me when I still feel weightless, as if I might drift away.

Behind us, Luca and Aldo stand a step apart, deep in conversation. No doubt, Luca is filling Aldo in on what happened.

Mamma finally lets me go, her hands lingering on my cheeks like she can’t stop touching me.

Then Mia suddenly pivots and throws herself at Luca. He stiffens on instinct, eyes flicking down in surprise as she clings to him.

“Thank you for bringing her back,” she says fiercely.

Before he can respond, Sienna darts in, wrapping her arms around him too. “I knew you would.”

Ari hesitates, then squares her shoulders and hugs him as well, her words muffled against his chest. “Thank you,” she whispers.

For a second, Luca looks uncomfortable, unsure what to do with my sisters piling on him, their gratitude overwhelming. His arms hover awkwardly at his sides.

The sight makes me laugh, my chest easing more after the stress of the past few days.

“Just hug them back, Luca,” I tease.

Slowly, he does. One arm goes around Mia, the other settling on Sienna’s shoulder, and his hand ruffles Ari’s hair. His posture softens, the discomfort fading as he lets their affection warm him.

And when he finally glances at me over their heads, I see it. He might not be used to this kind of welcome, but he likes it… more than he expected .

Aldo clears his throat, smiling gently. “Shall we go inside?”

He guides us toward the dining room, where sunlight spills across the long table.

Mamma heads straight for the refreshments, handing me and Luca glasses of sparkling water. “You both probably need this.”

That’s when Maximo arrives. His presence fills the doorway as if he owns the room, and of course he does.

His gaze goes straight to Mia, but she purposefully ignores him. Amused and unbothered, he walks over to Luca, and they head to a corner of the room to speak. Aldo joins them, a whiskey glass in hand. Their voices are low, but I still catch fragments.

“Hale’s secured,” Maximo says, clipped and businesslike. “I’ve spoken with the chief of police. They’ll collect him whenever you’re ready.”

Luca doesn’t answer with words, only with that look I know too well. Cold. Final. A promise of something yet to come.

And I understand. Hale won’t be handed over until Luca takes what he’s owed.

Fine by me.

Hale tried to destroy us, to rip apart the life we were building. If Luca wants revenge, I won’t stop him.

“He also spoke to the Feds. They’re going through the evidence Uberto sent, but it’ll be a while before they can confirm you’re in the clear and go hunting for Hale. The chief can hold him for kidnapping in the meantime.”

“No, not enough. He could make bail. We keep him until he hits the most wanted list.”

Nudging me playfully, Mia sidles up beside me, no doubt to eavesdrop too. She’s perfected the art. Growing up, if we wanted details about what was happening, Mia always had them before the rest of us.

When Maximo isn’t looking, her gaze slides over him in the tactical gear he’s still wearing. She lingers a beat too long. The spark of desire is undeniable .

An annoyed sigh slips out, and she shakes her head, seemingly scolding herself. I’m pretty sure I catch the words ‘ absolutely not’ under her breath.

When she notices me watching, I lift a teasing eyebrow. Her glare is immediate, but it doesn’t hide the truth. My sister isn’t immune to the powerhouse that is Maximo Marcos.

Said powerhouse strides over once he’s finished with Luca and Aldo, his eyes locked on Mia as if there’s no one else in the room. A cocky grin plays on his lips as he takes her hand, lifting it with deliberate care, and brings it to his mouth for a slow kiss across her knuckles.

Mia yanks her hand back like it burned, a flush creeping up her cheeks.

“I’ll see you tomorrow for our engagement photos,” Maximo says, amusement glinting in his eyes.

Mia blinks. “What engagement photos?”

Wow, Maximo really isn’t wasting any time.

“Not your sister’s, obviously,” he says, tilting his chin toward me. “She’s already married, or so we’re told. I mean ours, Mialina. Our engagement shoot.”

Mia grimaces. “Isa just got back.”

“Exactly. And we had a deal.” Maximo’s gaze locks on her, challenging her to defy him.

Mia’s lips curve into a dazzling smile that’s far too sweet to be real. “I’ll be there.”

Maximo throws his head back and laughs, the sound booming through the room, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Oh, my little rebel. We’re going to have so much fun together.”

He presses a kiss to the side of her head before strolling out, leaving Mia fuming.

“Argh, I hate that man,” she huffs, stomping out of the room, pointedly in the opposite direction of Maximo.

“Mia,” I call after her, but she doesn’t slow.

It’s obvious she doesn’t hate him. That’s what bothers her most of all. This is going to be interesting.

Luca’s hand finds mine, steady and sure, and he draws me gently against his side.

“We’ll catch up more tomorrow,” he tells my family. “Right now, Isa and I both need a shower and rest.”

No one argues. My mother presses one more kiss to my cheek and Luca’s before letting us go.

Luca leads me through the house, upstairs and toward the guest room he’s been using.

For the first time in days, I believe we might finally be able to breathe.