Page 76 of The Mafia Marriage Contract

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms as the air coils tighter around us, humming with the weight of his anger. “Relax. I went out to get gelato.”

He blinks once. Slowly. Then raises his wrist and glances at his watch with all the drama of someone confirming I’m lying.

“It’s after midday.” He cocks a brow. “You hadto go to Italy to buy it?”

I flash him a sweet, mocking smile. “It was for myhusband.Thought I’d surprise him.”

He folds his arms over his chest. “They all out? Because you came back empty-handed, wife.”

“Oh, sorry.” I shrug, feigning innocence. “Are you upset with me?”

Kingston’s stare sharpens, dangerous and unamused. “Yeah. Marrying me came with rules.”

“And you think I broke one?” I challenge, stepping closer. “What’s next, Kingston? You gonna ground me? Take away my violin?”

His nostrils flare but he doesn’t move toward me or even raise his voice. Because the man is a threat even when he's still.

“You think this is a game?” he asks, low and lethal. “You think disappearing without a word after everything that’s happened isn’t going to set off alarms?”

“Oh, please. I grabbed a coffee. Stretched my legs and forgot about the damn ice cream. Calm down, control freak.”

The muscles in his jaw work as he considers me. “I don’t care if you went out to count pigeons in Central fucking Park. You don’t leave without telling me where you’re going.”

I laugh. “Right. Silly me. I forgot I’m a possession now.”

He slams the glass onto the bar, the sound cracking like a gunshot. “Don’t twist this.”

“I’m not twisting anything, Kingston. You don’t trust me.”

“Do you trust me?” His voice is a whip now. “Because from where I’m standing, you’re running around the city like you’ve got something to hide.”

My pulse spikes. “You’re one to talk. You’ve kept me in the dark since day one. Whispered meetings, encrypted files, men in suits lurking at every corner. What exactly am I supposed to believe?”

“Try believing that I’m doing everything I can to keep you alive.”

His words punch the air out of me, because I believe him. And I’m the one tasked with ending his life.

I cross my arms and look away, trying to steady the chaos spiraling inside me.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” I whisper.

Kingston moves closer, bringing his heat into my space. “Too late to say that shit, Livvie. We’re married.”

I whip my head toward him. “I didn’t choose you, though, did I? We were thrown together and I had to give up everything. What did you have to give up, Kingston?”

He studies me with something unreadable.

“You still hate me,” he murmurs. “After all this time together.”

“I only hate you some of the time.”

“Yet you like sneaking around when I’m asleep… and disappearing without my permission.”

“Your permission?” I snap. “Fuck you, Kingston.”

I turn on my heel, every part of me trembling with fury. But I make it two steps before a hand wraps around my wrist.

“Do not walk away from me, Livvie,” Kingston growls, his grip tightening.