Page 38 of Texting My Mafia Boss

I clean myself, then return to bed.

Ettore: Me too.

Mara: We shouldn’t do that again.

Ettore: I know we shouldn’t.

I put my phone on the bedside table and try to get some more sleep before I have to wake in a few hours.

The next day, Bastian Calvi, Ruggero’s nephew, is waiting for me outside my office. He leans against his car in the no-parking zone, gesturing to me. I approach with Mark at my shoulder. I nod to the approaching security guard, so he knows to back off.

Bastian looks baby-faced and ridiculous as he tries to affect a swagger of authority. His usual collection of goons sits in the car, grinning in my direction. I pretend not to notice, because that would mean taking action against them. The alliance between our Families feels more at risk than ever with all this bravado.

He walks toward my building, away from the flow of pedestrians and his car.

“Morning, Ettore,” he says.

“Morning,” I reply tightly, thinking I’d much rather be with Sylvie and Mara than dealing with this kid.

“I’m here to explain that my uncle had nothing to do with the little mix-up about the meeting yesterday. I was the one who arranged it.”

“The mix-up being that you tried to force me to go on a date with your cousin,” I say coldly.

“I was trying to put the Families first, as I’m sure you can understand.”

My hand twitches. I want to slap the taste out of his mouth. I’m tempted to accuse him of wrecking my store. But without proof, it will only cause problems. Mark is currently chasing leads, trying to connect Detective Tuffin – the one with the disappearing act – to any of our enemies. Or friends.

“Please.” He places his hand on my chest. “Accept my apologies.”

I take several steps forward until I’m crowding him against the wall. I can tell he doesn’t like this, but he can’t do a damn thing about it.

“If you weren’t Ruggero’s nephew, I’d have your hand,” I growl. “Stay out of my business, or your name won’t mean a fucking thing.”

“Take it easy,” he says tightly. “We need an alliance. People are getting anxious.”

“Plenty of Families survive without marriages.”

“And always,alwaysthey go to war. That’s not how we’ve done things. We’re smarter than that. Think. If not you?—”

“If you mention my daughter, I’ll kill you here on the street.”

He pales in terror. “I—I wasn’t going to say anything about your daughter. What the hell?”

He’s lying… isn’t he?

“What were you going to say, then?” I growl.

“I won’t stand here to be insulted.” He pushes past me, walking toward his car.

“What were you going to say?”I roar.

“Boss,” Mark says tightly, gently touching my arm when he realizes I’m going to follow. And spike him on the concrete. “Not here.”

I curse and stride into my office, my head spinning.

CHAPTER 15

MARA