Married to the Mafia Boss

Dominic

I leave the hotel room and make sure the door closes behind me. I just need five minutes without this stupid woman whining at me. You’d swear she thinks she’s some important Don the way she carries on.

The door opens almost immediately, and I stare at her. My face goes red. “Did I not just say to sit tight?”

“I’m not staying up here by myself while you get food. I’ll gamble or something if you don’t want me near you,” she says stubbornly.

I let out a deep breath and count to five in my head. “You are supposed to stay safe.”

“Didn’t you say I’m safer with you?”

If I were the kind of person who hit women, she’d be knocked out.

I turn and start walking. There is obviously no point arguing with her. I hear her hurried footsteps trying to keep up. I could slow down and take smaller steps, but she can work for her right to irritate me constantly.

We reach the elevator and take it down to the ground floor. I follow some signs toward the casino while Sofia tries to fall into step with me.

“Can you slow down a little?” she asks. “You’re always striding everywhere as though you are in a hurry.”

“I am in a hurry,” I say, “that’s the point.”

We find the casino, and nearby is a place called Bistro58. It looks like it serves good food, so I divert to walk there. Sofia follows, and a hostess comes to us. “Table for two?”

I look at Sofia, then sigh. “Yes, a table for two, please. Somewhere private.”

She leads us to a table in the back, and I pull the seat out for Sofia. “Here.”

She sits with her back to the entrance of the restaurant. I sit opposite her and wait for the waiter to come over.

“Two glasses of a decent red wine,” I say. “And we’ll have two specials, whatever they are.”

“You want me to read you what’s on special tonight?” the waiter asks. His name tag reads Todd.

“No, Todd, just order them. Thank you,” I wave him off.

The waiter leaves quickly, and Sofia looks at me. “What if I don’t want the special?”

“Do you have money? “I ask. “Are you paying for dinner?”

“No, but what if I have allergies,” she argues.

“Do you argue… just for the sake of arguing?” I ask her, then hold up my hand. “Just keep your thoughts inside your head, and don’t let them spill out of your mouth so often, okay?”

“Wow! Sexist much,” she rolls her eyes. “So, when we’re done eating and you go scout, can I go gamble?”

“No, I scout, and you go upstairs to the room and stay there.” I shake my head. “This isn’t a holiday.”

She stops talking and thankfully stays that way when the wine, and then the food, arrives.

The special is a fish dish, and I dig right in. I’ve always liked fish. She doesn’t seem to mind either as she eats, licking her lips.

I sip my wine and look around, keeping an eye out for anyone who may look suspicious. I enjoy the food, though, and now that Sofia is quiet, I’m content in her company.

At least she’s gorgeous to look at. While she’s distracted, I study her face. If I had to be with someone, I’d be with her. I’ve taken on a role in my family, which means I don’t really have the pleasure of regular relationships because everyone needs to see me as a stone-cold killer. I can’t be seen to let my emotions get mixed up in anything.

If you don’t think with a clear head, you’re going to get killed. I have spent years honing my skills, including training with elite military specialists from across the world. I don’t have time for pansy-ass emotions and getting my panties in a bunch.

Sofia looks up suddenly and sees me looking at her. Her eyes widen. “Is there something on my face?”

I shake my head. “No, I was just looking at you. That’s all.”

She looks at me as though I’m the creepiest thing alive, and I realize now that all I want is a cigar. I flag the waiter down and slip him a hundred-dollar bill. “Organize me a cigar, and I’ll tip you generously.”

Todd nods and hurries off.

“Cigar? Really?” Sofia asks. “You can’t smoke in the room.”

“I’m going to be scouting outside for a while. I can smoke then,” I say, wiping my mouth on my napkin. “Hurry up and finish so we can get going.”

Sofia’s shoulders drop. I know she doesn’t want to be cooped up in the room, but it’s the best place for her right now.

Todd brings me the bill and the cigar and places them on the table. There’s a hotel box of matches with it, and I smile. “Thank you, Todd.”

I pay for the meal and tip him a hundred dollars. “There you go, don’t spend it all on a girl. They just break your heart.”

Todd nods. “Thank you so much, sir.”

I stand and offer Sofia my hand. I mean, I do have manners.

I let go of it as soon as she’s up, though. There’s something about touching her that gives me goosebumps. I don’t like it.

I lead her toward the front desk. “You go to the elevator and get upstairs. I’ll scout outside and be up in ten. If you see anything unsettling, run. I’ll find you.”

She nods and walks away. I watch her get onto the elevator and turn to leave the building. As I walk toward the entrance, two men in suits walk in. There are a lot of men in suits in the hotel waiting area, but these two are definitely South American, and the bulges where their guns are holstered are unmistakable. So much for my cigar.

I pocket it and turn around, heading for the elevator. I glance back and see the one thug holding up his phone as though reading something. It dawns on me.

The reason they keep finding us is that they’re tracking her. Something on her is giving her location.

Dammit, I’ll have to get her out of here first, then we can take care of that problem.

I take the stairs to the fourth floor, it doesn’t take me long, and I rush to our room. “Sofia, open,” I call through the door. “And hurry, they’re here.”

The door opens quickly. “How did they find us?”

“We’ll deal with that shortly. Come, we need to get out of here.” I grab my duffel bag and lead her out. I lead her to the other end of the hallway, where there are stairs. We hurry down, but I stop her from exiting through the ground floor entranceway. I lead her behind the stairs to the staff exit. “Through the back,” I say softly.

We make our way through, and there’s a wiry teen standing just outside. “Hey, you can’t be here.”

“Yes, I can.” I show him my gun, and he holds his hands up. “I’m not looking for trouble, kid, just a way out the back.”

He points to another door at the end. “Out there, and to the right is the parking lot.”

I take out a hundred-dollar bill and hand it to him. “Keep your mouth shut.”This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

He hurries away, and I lead Sofia out of the building and to the cars.

I break into a sleek black truck and hot wire it while Sofia climbs in. “What’s on you?”

“What?”

“What do you have on you that you’ve had since they picked you up at your father’s house?” I ask.

She touches her earrings, and I turn her head. “Something has a chip, and it’s tracking you.”

“I’ve been wearing these since I got my ears pierced years ago. I don’t change them out. They’re diamonds from my father.”

They’re small studs, so I doubt they’re big enough. “What else?”

She runs her hands over her body as though trying to remember something. She runs a hand through her hair, and then her face lights up. “The clip.”

She hands it to me, and I put it on the dashboard. It’s got a cheap-looking crystal on it. I smash it with my gun, and it crumbled, revealing the tracking device.

“Who gave this to you?” I ask, tossing it out the window.

“Bruno did,” she says worriedly. “When he arrived with my father, he said it was just a little gift to remind me where I come from.”

“He’s the one who is betraying your father,” I growl, putting the truck into gear. “Let’s get out of here.”