Married to the mafia boss Series

LIANA

I wasn’t a damsel.

My brother Michael used to tell me, don’t wake up planning to be mediocre. That attitude had served me well in life. It got me into a great university, and it made me smash the girls’ high school swim meet records. My accomplishments might’ve been small compared to Vinn’s, but I wasn’t as helpless as the idiot believed.

After our argument, I’d fled to the laundry room. My chest burning, I’d yanked open the dryer. A bundle of clothes had tumbled into the basket. I’d separated the green apron from a shirt, and a business card fluttered out. The name printed on top had sucked in my breath.

Killian

Call me. Anytime.

My heart pounded with a reckless impulse. I wanted to dial the number right there, but I needed time to think it through. Once Vinn left the house, I researched for hours and came up with a plan.

Then I arranged a meeting.

I sat in a booth far from the windows and tempting sunshine. The dive was in my old neighborhood, close to the café where Killian had almost abducted me, and packed with college students.

Before long, a guttural roar shook the floor. Killian arrived in a flash of chrome. He descended from the bike and lifted the helmet from his head, easily the most exotic thing in this bar with the leather, his golden beard, and wild hair. Girls turned their heads as he strolled inside. He bantered with the bartender before taking his drink. Then he joined me, sliding over the vinyl.

I forced a grin. “Thanks for coming.”

“Of course.” Killian stirred his cocktail. “Couldn’t resist when I heard your voice.”

Here we go.

My smile flickered. “This isn’t a date.”

He gave me a black look. “So you’ve mentioned.”

“Let’s be very clear. I’m not here to cheat on Vinn or do anything he’d consider a betrayal.”

“Like ditch the bodyguards to meet me in secret?” Killian’s blue gaze twinkled as he revolved his straw. “You’re in denial, babe.”

I gritted my teeth.

During the phone call, I was firm. I was not interested in Killian, but his demeanor made it obvious those words had gone in one ear and out the other.

He touched my elbow. “You’re that desperate to leave him?”

I pulled out of reach. “This isn’t about my relationship with Vinn. This isn’t even about me. I want to negotiate Anthony’s safe return.”

The only thing that’d make all of this disappear was Anthony. If he returned, Nico would stop endangering Vinn’s life, and we could go our separate ways. We wouldn’t have to keep up a charade that was slowly killing me.

“I see.” He plucked the cherry from his drink, squeezing the bright red flesh. “You think all your problems will go away once he’s back. Right?”

Yup.

I clenched the table. “Will you do it?”

“Sure. Break up with Vinn.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Why? Because he’s so warm and fuzzy?” Killian snapped his fingers at the black-haired waitress in cutoff jeans and pointed at my empty glass.

“Why are you so stuck on me?”

“Because I’ve watched you for a long time.”

You mean stalked.

I waved at the ladies sitting at the bar. “Take a look around. Plenty of college girls to choose from.”

“What do they have to offer me besides a mountain of student loan debt?” He snorted as the waitress slid another vodka tonic over the table. “You’re worth five million of them. You’re leverage, the start of a new alliance, and pretty decent arm candy.”

I supposed that was a compliment.

He seized my cup and sipped.

I glared at him, resenting how he took without asking. “What if I did something for you?”

His gaze dipped to my cleavage. “Like?”

“There’s a warrant out for your arrest on a felony arson charge. You missed your arraignment on the twenty-third. You also have a court date for next week for a pesky armed robbery.”

He smiled. “That case is built on probable cause. I’ll get it thrown out.”

“I’m not sure you will. Judge Gilstrap is a friend of ours. You know what he hates? Violence against women.”

He raised a brow. “I haven’t done anything to you.”

Yet, his tone implied.

“You kidnapped me in front of witnesses. You dragged me to your bike, took off, and I barely escaped with my life.”

“That isn’t what happened.”

“That’s your side of the story.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m glad you’ve caught on,” I sneered, yanking my drink. “Isn’t

Massachusetts a three-strikes state? It’d suck if I filed a police report. Who knows what Judge Gilstrap will make of that information? He’ll probably deny you bail, which means you’ll be stuck in jail until your trial. There’s a pretty big backlog these days, so it’ll get pushed back. Considering your extensive rap sheet, the judge might feel compelled to give you the maximum sentence.”

Killian’s mouth curled into a devious smirk as he tapped the table. “You’re a crazy cunt.”

“Not as crazy as I’ll be if you don’t do what I want. I could make your life difficult, or I could put in a word for you with the judge.”

His stare drilled into me. “I’ll kill Gilstrap, and then I’ll come after you.”

“No, you won’t.”

“You won’t. Doing this puts you in the crosshairs of every biker in Boston.” He chewed a chunk of ice, his voice hardening. “We’re done here.”

He inclined his sleek head and kissed the air between us.

I grabbed his wrist. “I’ll do it.”

He glanced at my hand. Then he wrenched my arm and yanked. I collided with him, close enough to smell his leather cut.

“Negotiating is one thing, but threatening me? You’re playing a dangerous game.”

Beads of sweat formed on my lip. “I can help you.”

“You can get on your knees.”

I tore from his grasp, stumbling from the booth.

He caught me to stop me from falling but didn’t pull me toward him. The words stuck in my throat as he released me. He winked before striding out.

I didn’t breathe until he’d climbed on his bike, and then my shoulders curled forward.

Fuck.

Now what?

I rubbed the marks he’d left on me. Going to Killian had been a risk. I’d hoped he’d take me seriously, but he didn’t think I’d follow through. I wouldn’t immediately run to the police. Retaliation was a big concern, but it wasn’t like Vinn had many moves remaining.

Lugging my bag from the booth, I nudged through the college crowd and burst into the sunshine. Then I twisted my hair into a knot, shoved a baseball cap over my head, and slid on my backpack. I bowed my head, strolling to the subway as rush-hour traffic breezed along.

A man in a suit slipped from a car. He stepped onto the sidewalk and froze, his frame blocking the way.

I walked around him until a strong, jacketed arm circled my waist. My body recognized Vinn’s touch before a deep growl erupted from his chest. He dragged me, fingers biting into my flesh.

Flames blasted from Vinn, overwhelming the summer day’s heat. Veins popped from his forehead, his demeanor so threatening that passersby scattered.

“Fuck’s sake, Liana. You better have broken it off with him.” His terrible voice shot fire down my spine.

I gaped at him. “Who?”

Vinn clenched his teeth so hard that a muscle jumped in his jaw. “The man you met behind my fucking back.”

Wow.

“I wasn’t-”

“Get in the damned car.”

Stunned, I allowed him to pull me inside the parked Lexus. I sank into the backseat as Vinn slammed the partition.

“How did you find me?”

“You are not good at covering your tracks.” His tone rolled with cold contempt. “Plus, the bartender called me. I have eyes everywhere, especially when it concerns my fiancée.”

Great.

He seized my backpack and ripped out my phone. He thumbed through my texts, and when he found nothing, he swiped to Recent Calls.

Oh shit.

“A five-minute conversation right before you left the house,” Vinn taunted. “This is the guy.”

Fire shot up my throat.

“Who is he, some frat boy? He still in there?” He tapped the window, mouth curling. “I’ll drag you in there and make you point him out.”

“You don’t want me to do that.”

“Now I’m really curious.”

His thumb hovered over the screen.

“Vinn, don’t.”

“Afraid of what I’ll do? You should be.”

I’m scared for you. “Do not press that button.”

He stabbed the number.

I lunged for the cell, but Vinn lifted it out of reach. The call connected, and Killian’s purr filled the car.

“Ready to dump Costa? Or are you offering me a blowie?”

A bleak silence settled between us.

“Liana, you there?”

I cringed, hands on my ears, staring at the floor as though looking for a hole to swallow me.

“Need me to come back-?”

Vinn ended the call, cutting off Killian’s drawl.

Then I finally summoned the courage to lift my head.

Vinn stared at the phone like it was a diseased organ. His lips whitened. He slipped my cell into his pants, slamming his fist into the partition.

The car lurched forward.

Oh my God.

My pulse raced. “Vinn, it’s not what you think.”

“Shut up, Liana.”

I white-knuckled the armrest.

Vinn clenched his jaw the whole way home, no doubt imagining ridiculous scenarios with Killian. Once we reached his building, Vinn yanked me out of the car, guiding me by the wrist like an errant child. We left the elevator, and he shoved me inside the apartment.

“You think Anthony’s been on a fifteen-month vacation?” he screamed as he slammed the door. “They’ll do the same with you. They’ll auction you, sell you into slavery, and force you to fuck disgusting men. Is that what you want? Tell me. I’ll tie you up and show you what you’re in for.”

A dark thrill rippled through me.

“Vinn, calm down. You don’t even know why I was there.”

“Because I refused brunch with you,” he snarled.

“My God, Vinn. As if I’d be that petty.”

Words failed me as he flung my cell on the marble. The screen smashed. He stomped on the case until it resembled a hunk of shattered glass. Then he fished out the SIM card and crushed that, too.

“Hey!”

He stabbed the air with a finger. “From now on, I vet everyone in your life. I can’t trust you. You’re a liability.”

“I was just trying to help you!”

“Give me a break. You went behind my back and met with Killian.” He kicked aside the trashed phone and headed for his walk-in closet. He palmed a false wall, yanking a gun from the hiding space.

A sliver of panic darted through my heart.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

He packed a box of shells in his jacket, suiting up like he was invading Poland.

“Don’t do this.” I clutched his shirt, my eyes hot. “Don’t risk your life over a stupid misunderstanding.”

“That piece of shit knows exactly what he’s doing.”

He shoved a knife into his ankle strap and stormed at the door.

I stared at Vinn’s retreating back, my body consumed with fire. It was all I could do not to fall apart. I caught up to him and seized his arm.

“Vinn, stay.”

“He’s taking you from me.”

The force of his words crumbled a wall inside me.

“I belong to you, not him.”

A flicker of heat flashed through his ice.

I flew into his chest and grabbed his neck, the pressure on my lungs excruciating. I threaded my fingers through his hair. I buried my burning face in his shoulder and kissed him. I yanked at his dress shirt, desperate to prove my feelings. I’d have to give him a reason not to go-a piece of my pride to soothe his. I tugged until he yielded an inch. I pressed my mouth against his, sucking his lower lip.

His breathing quickened, but he didn’t reciprocate. Usually, Vinn didn’t hesitate to take control of me. He’d crush me in his embrace and rip off my clothes if I let him, but suddenly he refused to yield.

“Vinn, I only went there to help you. I’ve had a crush on you since I was four.”

“That’s touching.”

“It’s the truth!”

A dark smile carved into his cheek as he straightened, his imperial frame towering over mine. “You are such a liar.”

My spark of hope vanished.

“I’m not lying.”

“I caught you trying to leave.”

His palm lifted to my face and stroked me. He was like marble pressing into me, the coolness sinking into my chin. Normally, his touch warmed me like the sun, but cold shivered down my spine instead of excitement. I was wet for him because his attention was on me, but my desire was toxic.

Ill-fated.

I clenched my jaw to kill the shaking. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Shut the hell up.”

“Why would I lie?”

He lowered, hissing into my ear. “Because you’re in love with another man.”

Shit.

It was my fault he believed that in the first place. I’d only provoked him out of a selfish need for vengeance. My stupid lie had gone way too far.

He cupped my face and leaned in, brushing his lips across mine. His whisper breezed my mouth.

“Stay. Here.”

“Vinny-”

His fingers tightened, catching my breath before it escaped. “Don’t call me that ever again.”

The pulsing knot inside me demanded me to argue.

How many times had I visited him in the hospital and rehab? I cared about him. How did he not know that in his marrow?

I had to prove it.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Witnessing him in this state twisted my guts. I’d jabbed a knife between his ribs, and he’d bleed to death if he went outside. If I let him go, there was a good chance he’d do something reckless. He would die like Daniel, who was ruled by his emotions. Daniel did whatever he felt like, and that attitude had gotten him killed.

A horrific image of Vinn in a coffin burned me like acid. Desperation clawed my throat as I dug into his back. I sank my nails into him, determined to stop him.

“Vinn, let’s talk.” I shoved myself in between him and the door. “Vinn, wait.”

“Out of the way.”

“Let me prove it!”

“What?”

I detached from the wall, sliding my arms around his waist. I tried to squeeze ten years’ worth of affection into his stiffening body.

It was a one-sided hug, but Vinn’s smoldering gaze didn’t make me feel unwanted. Something of the boy he was flashed through his ebony pools. I anchored my hands on his shoulders. My lips pressed into his cold cheek.

“You want to convince me?” he said gruffly.

“Yes.”

Vinn considered me, eyes slanting. “Kneel.”

“W-what?”

“Get on the fucking floor and kneel.”

His tone froze me like the ocean in winter.

“Vinny.”

“I’m not your Vinny.”