Married to the Mafia Boss

Arianna

I wait outside the house near the car. Just because I don’t mind getting down and dirty with the boys doesn’t mean I don’t like to do my hair and nails, and I love spending time with my mom when I do these things. I will say, though, that she takes forever to get out of the house and get going. It must be nice being old and not in a rush anymore.

After I get my hair and nails done, I want to take Tia to the shop to have some modifications done. That’s one thing you learn about cars. When you’re really into them, there are never enough modifications. You’re always looking for the next best thing to put you ahead of the game.

I glimpse Alessandro through the window of his study, talking to Dominic and Carmine, and I study Carmine’s profile. I can’t see him clearly, but I know it’s him. That nose and haircut gives him away, and I wonder what the rest of him looks like.

I wonder what he tastes like.

“Ready to go,” Helena calls as she exits the house. “Cup Cake, what are you staring at?”

I grin at her. “I was just wondering if Alessandro still has any fun or if his life is boring now.”

“That boring life affords us a lot, like these girls’ days out.” Helena pats my cheek. “So even if it is boring, we should be grateful he does what he does for us.”

I think my mother chooses to be naive about the fact that people are murdered and butchered by my brother and his men, that he moves illegal goods and substances around the city, and that he has a hand in many money-laundering schemes.

No, he just works really hard, according to her.

“We need to pick up Sofia,” Helena says as she climbs into the back of the sedan we’re taking. “She could also use a day out.”

“I don’t mind,” I say as I climb in next to her. And I don’t, Sofia is so good for Dominic, and I love talking to her about Argentina. One day I’m going to race the streets of Buenos Aires.

A driver and a guard climb into the front of the car, and soon, we are pulling out of the estate and joining traffic. I look out the window at the passing cars and scenery while my mother clicks away on her phone. I’m surprised that she’s adapted so quickly to smart technology. It’s as though she was born to use it.

A sense of unease envelopes me. I don’t like being a passenger at the best of times. I know how quickly a car accident can happen, and I prefer to be in control.

We pull up to Sofia and Dominic’s home, which isn’t far from ours, and I watch as Sofia comes downstairs and climbs in, sitting opposite me.

“Good morning,” she leans over and kisses my mother’s cheeks first, then mine. “How are we today?”

The driver starts to drive, and I smile at her. “Good, if a bit tired.”

“It’s all that late-night partying and racing,” she says with a small smile.

“One day, I’ll take you driving around a racetrack, and you’ll see how addictive it is,” I say.

Sofia shakes her head. “I’ve been in enough high-speed chases, both on a bike and in a car, not to like speed. Just call me a tortoise.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

We laugh, and my mother looks out the window. “It’s such a beautiful day. We should have lunch at the bistro today after we get our nails done.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, looking out the window. “When we’re done, I want to take Tia to the shop to get some mods done.”

“You spend way too much money on those cars,” my mother says disapprovingly. No one approves of my racing cars, although I think Dominic might do so secretly. We’ve always been closer than I am to Frankie and Alessandro.

We all love each other. Hell, I’d die for them, but Dominic is closer to me in age, and we have always just been as thick as thieves.

With Carmine, I mentally add.

The boy who joined our family when he was twelve and I was eight. The boy who protected me from bullies at school and always had my back when I made up my mind about something.

Suddenly a car strikes us from the side, and the driver yells. The car strikes again, and my mother and Sofia cry out, holding out their hands to keep their balance. I look to my right and see a car with what looks like three thugs with dark sunglasses on. They deliberately swerve for us again, and this time, the driver loses control of the sedan, and we drive into the wall of a building. The guard and driver doors open quickly while the three of us in the back are still dazed.

I hear the first gunshots going off, Sofia screams, but I grab her and my mother. “Get down!” I scream, getting as low as possible and covering them with my arms.

It doesn’t last long before I hear the squeal of tires racing off. Carlos, our driver, opens my door. “They’re gone. Are any of you hurt?”

I examine my mother and then Sofia. “No, just a bit shook up.”

“I’ll call Don Sorvino. He will send someone to come and get you while we deal with the police,” Carlos assures me.

In no time, another sedan is there to collect us, this one with an escort car to protect us from another attack. We go straight home again, and as soon as we reach the estate, Dominic, Alessandro, and my father come down to the car.

Sofia throws herself into Dominic’s arms, shaking, while my mother reassures my father that she’s fine, just a bit shaky. Alessandro looks at my mother and then at me. “You three need to stay here for now while we figure out where this attack is from. You’ll have to do your hair and nails another day.”

I groan, and he looks at me. “What?”

“I wanted to take Tia in for mods,” I say. “Can’t I take a few guards and go do that.”

“Stop being a child,” he hisses immediately, and I can see he means business. It doesn’t make me any less annoyed as he continues, “You were nearly killed with mom and Sofia. You want to mod your car, mod it yourself here at home.”

I don’t say another word to him. I flip my hair over my shoulder and stalk off toward the garage, not wanting to say anything else that may get me into trouble with him when he’s in a mood like this.

I braid my hair and put on some overalls before I jack up Tia and roll under her to do minor checks, ensuring she’s okay for the next race. Alessandro can try to stop me from doing that. Good luck.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” I jump slightly and hit my head on the bottom of Tia.

“Carmine?” I ask. I feel his shoe on my creeper, and he pulls me out to look up at him.

“Did I scare you?” he asks, concerned.

“A little.” I give him a small smile. “I’m probably still a bit nervous from the attack.”

“I heard about that. I want to make sure you are okay.” He smiles down at me. “So, do you know what you’re doing?”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?”