Page 83 of Knocked Up by My Dad's Mafia Boss

The smell makes my stomach growl audibly. “You don’t have to–”

“I’m doing my job.”

“You don’t work for me.”

"Maybe not, but you’re living in this house, aren’t you?” Her words are matter-of-fact, and I can’t help but chuckle.

A gale of laughter and a big splash comes from the pool area and Maria smiles. “I’m so glad Miss Samantha is feeling better. That flu almost took her out.”

“The flu?”

“She was sick as a dog for a week, didn’t you know?”

I go silent. She wasn’t sick. She was upset, and it was all my fault. But it’d only taken her a week to get better. How long will it take me? I can’t imagine feeling like this forever. It might actually killme. Always thought I’d go out with a bullet in the back of the head. Not slowly, painfully, from heartbreak.

“I haven’t been feeling well myself.”

Maria looks at me, straight through me. It’s stupid to lie to her. She already knows, has known since Samantha and I first started this thing. “I’ve noticed. Something tells me it’s related.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you being careful?”

I clear my throat. “More careful than I’ve ever been before.”And it’s fucking killing me.

“Careful isn’t always the best option.”

“It’s the only option.”

She tilts her head. “Is it?”

The microwave beeps and I’m grateful, because I don’t know how to respond to that.

She hands me the bowl, putting a cloth on the bottom so it won’t burn my hand.

I dig in, occupying my mouth so I don’t have to speak, and Maria watches me, as if making me clean my plate. It’s rich and delicious, and I finish it quickly, standing in the kitchen.

She nods, smiling, and takes the bowl out of my hands, washing it before putting it away and grabbing her purse.“I’ll be back tomorrow. Elio gave me the night off. It’s my anniversary.”

“How long?”

“Twenty-one years.” She smiles.

“Congratulations.”

“It wasn’t always this easy, you know. Relationships are hard. They take work. Compromise.”

“Sacrifice.”

She frowns. “Not sacrifice. Not if you do it right.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I just nod. She walks out the door and I finally let out a long breath. I feel better now that I have something in my stomach, so I start to head up to my room. I walk past Samantha’s door. It’s slightly ajar.

I shouldn’t look.

I peek inside anyway.

Reese sits on her bed, looking up at her with a fond smile. Samantha’s trying on outfits while Sofia rifles through her closet, doing a little spin while Reese praises her. Suddenly I don’t feel better at all. I want to rush in there, grab him by the shirt, throw him up against the wall. Tear his fucking head off.