Page 46 of Taken by the Mafia King (Kings of Philly #1)
SERA
I didn’t hear anyone thundering after me when I left Killian’s office, so I decided to use my likely fleeting freedom to explore the house a little bit.
I hadn’t spent much time in any room but my own, save for visiting Tommaso in his room.
I assumed the second level was where most of the formal bedrooms were kept, but the mansion was built in an ancient style that made it impossible to figure out which hallways held bedrooms and which hallways held offices, or sitting rooms, or whatever else someone with money like Killian did with their space.
I tried a few doorknobs, finding most of them locked as I crept through the eastern side of the house.
But then I rounded a corner and found myself in a wide open space that overlooked the backyard.
Couches and chairs were situated in a semi-circle in front of a massive fireplace, and bookshelves lined the walls, stretching to the ceiling.
It was, in all regards, a library.
I pursed my lips as I slowly fanned through the books, but I didn’t have time to stay out in the open like this.
I turned and noticed a door on the other side of the room and went toward it, more out of curiosity than the need to hide lest someone walk out of the shadowed hallways that connected to the library.
To my surprise, the door was unlocked. I opened it wide and stepped inside with a shallow gasp, closing the door behind me.
Olivia had mentioned a cinema room when I first came to Killian’s house, but I’d forgotten all about it.
Plush, microfiber couches that felt like clouds against my hand were arranged on three levels.
Thick, fuzzy blankets and pillows filled a few of the chairs.
In the corner of the room, there was an old-fashioned popcorn machine and a minifridge.
I grabbed a Diet Coke and popped it open as I looked around.
Well, why not watch something to kill the time?
I turned on the popcorn machine, smiling to myself as the air in the room was permeated with the scents of butter and salt.
Then I flopped down with a bucket of fresh, salty popcorn and snuggled deeply in the cushions in the very front row.
There were several remotes sitting on a low table beneath the screen.
It took me a good twenty minutes to figure out how to turn the screen on, let alone find any movies.
Whoever used this room the most really liked documentaries about the World Wars, and other boring stuff. I chose a stupid rom-com I’d seen at least three times before, which would undoubtedly mess up their recommendations for what to watch next, but I was beyond caring at this point.
For an hour or so, I lost myself in the movie, not thinking about anything else.
I was nearly finished with my popcorn and second soda when movement out of the corner of my eye caused me to jump.
A flash of light splayed across the screen before the door closed again.
Tommaso braced himself against the door and snickered at me hiding behind my blanket. “Look alive, Bianchi.”
“You scared me to death!” I hissed as Tommaso slowly lowered himself onto the opposite side of the couch, his face twisted in a pained grimace. I could tell he was in agony just by his coloring and the way he moved.
“What are you watching?”
“Something dumb,” I replied before popping a few pieces of popcorn in my mouth. “I can restart it, if you want?”
“I have a feeling you’re not supposed to be out of your room right now.” He shook his head at me and grabbed a handful of my popcorn.
“What gives you that impression?” I snorted, turning back to the screen.
For a few minutes we watched the movie in silence. Tommaso ate some more of my popcorn, which I hadn’t particularly wanted to share. I could always make more. Besides, I owed him for not alerting Killian about what I was up to.
Eventually, I asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got shot through the chest,” he deadpanned. “Better than I have been feeling, I guess.”
“You’re up and moving around, so that’s good.”
“I suppose.”
“Is it true the whole crew is on lockdown right now?”
“You know I can’t say anything about that.”
I pursed my lips. “Tommaso, can you please just tell me something? For my own sake.”
“What do you need to know? About the raids?”
“I don’t care about that.” I sucked in my breath and blew it out in a whoosh. “Look. I’ve been trapped here for weeks. I don’t know who to trust. I just want to know if there’s a chance someone is coming for me. Do you think there’s a chance a plan is in place to secure my rescue, my freedom?”
Tommaso only stared at me, an unreadable emotion passing behind his eyes.
“I’m trying not to feel hopeless but it’s hard, okay? Every day is harder than the last. I felt like my dad should’ve come by now.”
“He’s not dead, if that’s what you’re asking,” he finally said.
“Then why hasn’t he come?” I rubbed my hands over my thighs and looked up at Tommaso through my lashes.
His phone had slipped out of his pocket and onto the couch between us.
I shifted my position on the couch, fluffing the blanket as I moved so it fell over the device.
I reached for it, my fingers grazing over the case as I continued.
“Does my dad have secrets, or am I just losing my mind? Did he make a bad deal and that’s why I’m here? ”
“I honestly… I can’t say.” His expression was sympathetic, which made me feel a bit bad for what I was doing. But not bad enough to make me stop.
I nodded, forcing a morose expression on my face. But I wasn’t sad at all, not like I should have been. Under the blanket, I slid Tommaso’s phone into the pocket of my sweatpants, praying he had it on silent.
“It’s fine,” I whispered, then stood, balling up the blanket and tossing it back on the couch. “I think I’m going to go lay down for a while.”
“I’m sorry, Sera.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, giving him a sympathetic smile.
“I’ll walk with you.”
I nodded but internally cursed as Tommaso’s phone settled like a dead weight in my pocket. I couldn’t be caught with it in my room. That would raise too many questions. I needed to use it and then leave it somewhere on the second floor so it looked like he carelessly dropped it.
“Sure. But I need to use the bathroom. Is there one down here?”