Mafia's Devil part 21

“What? No. I didn’t sleep with him!”

“You better tell me, because I just used my sick card on Maksim. That means I can’t use it again for another three months. I have to use it sparingly or he’ll be onto my little act.”

With a tired smile, I sit next to Raelynn. “Thank you for that. Maksim was going nuts, and I saw no other way out.”

“You’re welcome. I know how barbaric my caveman can be. What’s going on with yours? I don’t think Luciano has any business ties with you since it’s your dad that looks after the gun trade, so why is he sniffing after you?”

I’m not sure how much I can tell Raelynn. I don’t know her too well, and although she seems trustworthy, I don’t want to distress her. Maksim will notice and convince her to speak.

“Are you going to give me motherly advice to stay away from Luciano?”

“Of course not, I’m not a prude or as boring as Maksim,” she laughed. “Sleep with him. Those grumpy trolls know how to please a girl. Has Luciano hurt you?”

“Does spanking count?”

“You tell me.”

I shrug. “He’s grumpy alright, but he’s easy on the eyes. The Italian asshole.”

“Hmm. I don’t know. I like my Russian hunk, but do your thing. If Luciano is not hurting you or your family, then ignore Maksim’s temper tantrums and have a little fun.”

There’s a knock at the door.

“Rae?” Maksim calls out.

Raelynn winks at me. “I’m fine, baby. I’m just trying out tampons.”

“Oh. Okay. I will be downstairs.”

“Be down in thirty. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Once Maksim’s footsteps retreat, I let out a breath.

“I don’t know if it’s the time to be sleeping around and creating an entanglement with Luciano. My father is already searching for my suitor.”

“An arranged marriage? What is this, the 1800s? You don’t have to follow through with that.”

“I know.” I touch my jaw and rub it as I think about my father and all he has done for me. Although he’s a criminal, he has always taken care of me. He would undoubtedly marry me off to a young, wealthy, nice guy to strengthen business ties or call in a favor. He wouldn’t hand me off to a cruel man.

I don’t know what I’m going to do. I keep getting people trapped in my schemes. My father is stressed, Maksim is enraged, and Raelynn is being dragged into this too, although she has a family to take care of.

This false alarm separated the two parents from their twin babies. After all they went through, I don’t want to be the next reason why they’re apart.

Maybe I was too confident about this stupid little plot of mine. At best, Luciano would want to sleep with me. But like me enough to marry me? It’s unlikely.

I got way ahead of myself.

My hands clench on my lap as embarrassment and insecurities prune me. I’m deflating, and the adrenaline is seeping out.

“Are you alright?” Raelynn asks.

“Yup. I will be. I guess I’ll just focus on my restaurant again.”

“You need to invite me to eat there one day.”

“Of course. You and Maksim are always welcome, as long as he doesn’t try to shoot my customers.”

“On second thought, I’ll leave him at home.”

We spend the next half-hour giggling until she decides Maksim had been tortured for long enough and goes downstairs.

He asks her if she’s fine enough times that Raelynn looks like she’s developing a real headache.

“So? What did you and dad discuss?”

“I’m hitting Luciano; tearing up a Japanese shipment of his so he gets the clue that I’m done messing around.”

My dad nods as if agreeing, and I know I’ve lost. I don’t think that even Raelynn can save me from this one.

We exchange a knowing look, but I have to try even if I know there’s no hope.

“Can’t you just call Luciano and be civil?”

“Some men don’t listen to words.” With a touch to Raelynn’s back, he leads her toward the door. “I will stay in touch. Goodbye.”

The couple leaves, and as soon as the door closes, I mutter an excuse for my father and run for my phone.

For a long time, I plan what I’m going to tell Luciano. There’s no rush, no thrill. I’m not scheming anymore. I’m planning the conclusion of this adventure.

I don’t call him that night, or the next day. It takes a lot of courage to get him on the line, but he picks up on the second ring.

“Luciano.”

He only breathes gently into the phone, and I swear I feel a gentle breeze at my neck.

“I wanted to say that I think it’s best if we stop interacting. Maksim is hitting your Japanese trade. Take that warning as goodwill. I’ll stop calling and crossing your path. I expect you to do the same.”

“Here you are again wasting my time, Karine,” he chuckles. “I forgot about you already, so if you’re done with your ridiculousness, get off my phone.”

His words bother me. They shouldn’t, but they prove that I haven’t gotten anywhere with him. He wanted a maid, or maybe a warm body to fuck, not a wife.

“Goodbye.” I hang up and squeeze my phone tightly.

I can’t believe I failed my restaurant. I can’t believe I failed at all.

I delete Luciano’s contact number from my phone.

LUCIANO

That damn woman. Who does she think she is to say goodbye to me?

I push my laptop aside and rip the folder containing the information of the candidates that her father chose for her.

“Are you done obsessing over those kids?” my right-hand man asks, eyes still locked on his tablet. He’s the closest I would get to calling anyone a friend.

“It was research,” I argue.

It was definitely an obsession. I’m done following the trail, because I’m in no position to be chasing anyone. Women are the ones that chase me.

“Right. Anyway, we have a collection to make at the Royal Mall. Jeweler there needs to be scared straight to pay.”

“Don’t I have men to do the intimidation for me?”

“No one is scarier than you. This guy is tough.”

Fine. I’m in the mood to roughen someone up, anyway.

I button my suit on and lead the way. Three men follow me, and the ride to the mall is quick. Eyes follow me as usual, but my gaze remains locked ahead.

“But mommy, I want to be a chef.”

I look at a little girl tugging at her mother’s skirt, tears wetting her big cheeks. Her mother is young, her wrinkled as rumpled as her forehead with stress.

“It’s expensive baby.”

They’re standing outside a crystal window that displays children’s toys. At the center is a pink kitchen set.

I slow my stride.

“Please, mommy!” The child’s cries increase when I b-line for them and she sees my scary scowl.

Shoving my fist into my pocket, I take out my wallet and shove a few hundred bills at the mother. “Buy her the toy.”

She nods quickly, looking as scared as the child.

My irritation inflates as I walk away, because I saw Karine in that little girl that wants to be a chef. I saw Karine crying, and it gutted me.

“What was that about?”

"That didn’t happen,” I answer as I stomp away. “Shut up and let’s get this job done.”