Page 41 of The Mastermind (Mafia Rivals #1)

He fell silent but his fury surged like a rogue wave. Had I been in his presence, I would be on the floor by now, reeling from a backhand. Or worse.

‘This impertinence will not go unpunished. You know that, don’t you?’

Even though I knew after what I’d let slip to Cesare there was no chance of going home anyway, my heart still cracked. ‘I know. Which is why I’m taking more time for myself. I’ll come home when I’m ready. Goodbye, Nonno.’

Sofiya was frowning when she took her phone back. ‘What the fuck’s going on, sis?’

Since I couldn’t tell her I’d slept-walked and spilled my guts to Cesare, I chose to answer her earlier question.

‘You were asking what I was thinking?’ I smiled sadly. ‘I was thinking I wanted to live life on my terms. For once. Wasn’t that what you advocated? For me to get some colour in my cheeks?’

A sliver of distress slipped through her expression before she sighed. ‘Yes. But will it be worth it in the long run?’

There was a seeking in that question. Even a hope? I smiled. ‘I hope you find out, Sof. Maybe not in this exact way but… yeah.’

She nodded. Strode across the room and covered me in a long, tight hug.

I was fighting tears when she left as silently as she’d arrived. Still holding back sobs when Cesare rushed in, his eyes darting around the room for the long-gone threat.

‘What did she want?’

‘To deliver a message from Bonafacio. Come home. All will be forgiven.’

He rushed across and yanked me into his arms. As if my uttering the words would magically whisk me away from him. ‘Bullshit.’

I nodded against his chest. ‘I know.’

He pulled away to peer into my eyes. ‘You’re not thinking of going, are you? Because you’re fucking forbidden.’

My smile touched the sides of my soul, then dropped away. ‘I know.’

Unease flitted across his face. He shook me gently. ‘You’re scaring me a little, bedda . What are you thinking?’

‘I spoke to him. Told him I won’t be coming home yet. But… I think we’re out of time. And I’m scared,’ I whispered.

A feral sound left his throat and my arms wrapped tighter around his waist as we held each other. ‘You belong to me, Maddelena. No one else gets to have you, you hear me?’

I squeezed my eyes shut as words I’d longed to hear what felt like my entire life rushed tears to my eyes. ‘I hear you.’

His chest rose. Held. And fell. ‘Marry me.’

I yanked my head off his chest. ‘What?’ Heaven and hell were created and destroyed in my heart in the space of a second.

And even he looked a little shellshocked by his words.

But I still had enough time to live every single fantasy of being Cesare’s wife. The mother of his children. Then I was forced to accept reality. Shake my head free of the fantasy. ‘You don’t mean that.’

His expression morphed into titanium resolution. ‘The hell I don’t.’

He walked me back and I wasn’t surprised at all when I found myself pinned to the wall, my hands above my head.

‘You’re taking this knight in shining armour thing too far, don’t you think?’ I ignored the hitch in my voice that screamed I wanted this too. Now he’d tossed it out into being, I wanted it . With a savage need that went beyond every rational thought I’d ever possessed.

‘You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. Marry me,’ he repeated, serious as a speeding bullet.

On every level imaginable, this was pulling the pins off a million grenades, tossing them into our lives and flipping a nuclear switch on top. Forget decimating families. This was potentially world-ending.

But for three decades I’d done as I was told. Smothered my every want and need in the name of family. Maybe if there’d been a hope that I could chalk this side trip as a little inconsequential me-time jaunt that would be laughed off once I returned to New York, I would’ve thought twice.

But knowing what awaited me? What Bonafacio planned for me…?

This was supposed to be a last hurrah of sorts, to experience the thrilling magic of Cesare’s touch after years of yearning for him. His focused dedication to my pleasure. And yes, those bouts of tenderness I’d never experienced and grown addicted to.

Now I had, I couldn’t see myself letting it go.

‘Answer me, Maddelena,’ he breathed against my mouth, his grey eyes drilling hard and true. Exposing my heart. My need.

‘You’re insane. We’re insane. But…’ I gasped and sucked in a breath and released it. ‘Yes.’

His eyes blazed with volcanic triumph. And pleasure. And deep, deep satisfaction. And I didn’t even care.

Because he was yanking up my thighs around his waist. Pounding me like his sanity depended entirely on achieving his next high. Imprinting his possession like he would die without it. And with each shout of ‘Mine’, I knew I was exactly where I belonged.

Cesare

I asked Maddelena to marry me because I wanted her with a desperation and obsession I was done trying to fathom.

But yeah, as much as I hated to admit it, I was also marrying her because I needed to give her another layer of protection from her family and mine.

From Rafaelle. To make her an Untouchable. Because once the truth came out…

I dragged my hands down my face. I loved him and didn’t want to fight. But if it came down to it, I knew who I would choose. And I sure as fuck didn’t want it to come to that. Ever.

Glancing over to make sure she was still sleeping, I stepped out onto the terrace, shut the French door behind me and hit the dial button.

Luckily the US-Brazil time difference was just two hours so I could kill the proverbial two birds with one stone. I grimaced at the metaphor and tightened my hold on the phone as my grandfather answered.

‘The last time I checked I was still head of this family, true or false?’

I gritted my teeth. ‘True.’

A pissed-off grunt. ‘So explain to me why I gotta chase you around like a schmuck offering a three-dollar shoeshine?’

‘There’s been a development, Nonno.’

‘Oh, I know that much, nupito . You’ve developed a serious case of what-the-fuck-itis, is what you’ve done. I don’t even know where to begin. I mean, of all the places to stick your dipstick you choose?—’

‘Nonno,’ I interrupted before he used slurs I’d have no choice but to call out. Because nobody insulted my woman on my watch. ‘My involvement with Maddelena isn’t why I called. Well, not entirely.’

Orazio cursed under his breath. ‘I’m listening. And this better be good.’

‘I’m patching in Rafaelle. You both need to hear this.’

I sensed his heightened tension, but he waited as I dialled.

Rafa had missed the last two races, citing having his hands full dealing with the Turks, who kept demanding more and more shipments from us.

The money was good but we were having to bend over backwards to accommodate their level of need.

Yalcin was also hella sore over having his consignment cut.

And yeah, I’d been secretly glad not to deal with Rafa on a day-to-day basis.

That was all about to change.

‘You’re calling me after a race win, frate ? The only reason you’d do that instead of being balls-deep in?—’

‘Rafa, Nonno is on the call. Behave.’

Dead silence for three seconds. Then he cleared his throat. ‘Hey, Nonno.’

‘Rafaelle,’ Orazio impatiently acknowledged his grandson. ‘Tell us why you called, Cesare.’

‘I’m flying back tomorrow. I need you both to meet me at my place. Bring Pops too.’

‘Why? You better not have done something stupid?—’

‘Maddelena was there the night Mama died,’ I interrupted. ‘Other members of her family too.’

Dead silence turned deadlier. Longer. The breath locked in my throat screamed for release.

‘What did you say?’ Rafa whispered, the words like ice daggers.

‘I… We will explain everything tomorrow. Six o’clock. My place.’

‘You don’t get to dictate where and when,’ Orazio snapped. ‘Bring her home. We’ll have the meeting here.’

‘With respect, no.’

His shock slammed into me from thousands of miles away. Rafa’s too. But I held my ground.

‘How long have you known this?’ Rafa demanded.

The question I was most dreading. I squeezed my eyes shut. ‘A little while.’

‘Since your little trip?’ he pressed.

‘Doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, six o’clock. Sì ?’

Neither objected, but they didn’t say anything either.

I hung up with the stone churning in my gut. The cat was well and truly amongst the pig?—

A sharp cry had me striding back inside.

‘No! Giada, no! Give me the gun. Run, Giada.’

The words congealed my blood, turned me inside out as I tossed the phone away.

On the one hand I absolutely loathed hearing them.

Having to relive the night my mother died.

On the other, it killed me that she was haunted.

That her fucker of a grandfather had put her and her sisters in the position in the first place.

It made me want to hunt him down and drag him into a very, very deep hole filled with molten tar.

‘Run, Giada!’

Rushing to the bed, I flipped her over. Her eyes were scrunched shut, her breath choppy as she neared hyperventilation.

‘Wake up, Maddelena.’ I cupped her chin but she resisted, almost wrenching from my hold. I held her still, brushed a kiss over her mouth. ‘You’re having a nightmare, bedda . Wake up,’ I ordered.

‘Please! Go!’

The naked terror in her voice chilled my heart, her struggling nearly toppling me off her.

Fuck it.

Yanking down my boxers, I freed my cock, pumped it twice and slid inside her.

She stilled immediately, her eyes fluttering open. ‘Cesare,’ she whispered.

‘ Sì , it’s me. You were dreaming.’

She was awake now. And as much as it killed me, I moved to leave the haven of her pussy. But her legs flew around my waist, her heels digging into my ass.

‘No. Stay. Please,’ she begged.

I thickened inside her because, yup, I was a fucking bastard. A horny one, too. ‘You sure?’

She nodded. Slid her tongue over her lower lip, making me harder. She felt it and trembled delightfully. ‘I wish every nightmare ended this way.’

I couldn’t help it; I laughed and kissed her gorgeous lips. ‘Yeah?’

‘Hmm. Definitely.’

‘While I’m happy to oblige, I would prefer you didn’t have them at all.’

Her eyes dimmed and she exhaled. ‘Me too. But you’re here. And I want nothing more.’