Page 59 of Mafia Darling

“Oh, Frankie,” Emma said with a sigh, hand on her heart. “It’s beautiful—and sentimental.”

“The diamond could be bigger.” Gia slipped the band on her finger. “It looks good on me, though.”

“Give me that back,” I said, taking my ring off Gia’s finger. “The diamond is the perfect size. I’m not a Kardashian, for fuck’s sake.”

“Why aren’t you wearing it?” Emma asked.

“Because.” I flopped onto the bed. “I haven’t decided my answer yet.”

“You’re having his child. You need to marry him,” Emma said. “Even if just for the baby’s sake.”

“So romantic,” I drawled.

“Do you love him?” Gia narrowed her keen gaze on me. “Like, really love him?”

Did I want to answer that? I stared at the ceiling and thought about it. How could I love a man who had hurt me so terribly? What was wrong with me that I still craved his touch and his dominance?

I couldn’t begin to explain it. All I knew was that I did.

I nibbled on my lip. “Yes, I do.”

“Then get your shit together and marry him,” Gia said. “For yourself and your kid.”

“Easy for you to say. Marriage means forever. I never expected to stay here forever.”

“It means forever for him, too,” Emma added.

Gia’s phone dinged. She unlocked it and began texting someone. “I get it, but if you can’t bring yourself to walk away, then let him put a ring on it and reap the benefits.”

Hmm. Maybe they were right. I had a lot to gain from a marriage with Fausto. Money, status, protection . . . him. You do belong to me. And if you agree to this then I belong to you, as well. I wanted to belong to him so badly, I just didn’t want to get hurt again.

Last night in the gym, Fausto’s anguish and regret had been real. If Giulio and Zia were to be believed, Fausto suffered the entire time I’d been at the beach house, not to mention after I’d been kidnapped.

“You are the worst at making decisions,” Gia said as she studied my face. “Life is too short, Frankie.”

“You are terrible at making decisions,” Emma added. “Which is why Gia and I always picked where to go out to eat in Toronto. You like when someone else decides.”

Did I? Was that why I was drawn to Fausto’s bossiness?

This time he was letting me decide, though. It must’ve been killing him. He wasn’t a man used to waiting. Instead he made quick decisions and lived with the consequences.

Even when he got it wrong.

I stared at the ring. I wanted him and I loved him. He loved me, too. The contract would protect me and the baby, should anything go wrong. There was nothing to stop me from taking what I needed, even if we split. The money was mine.

I am giving you everything.

I think I was finally ready to accept it.

Looking at my hand, I slipped the ring onto my finger. I loved the way it looked. Even better was the way it felt—like ownership. Fausto’s ownership.

Yes, I was fucked up. But he was, too.

“It looks good on you, Frankie,” Emma said, nudging my thigh with her foot. “And I can tell you like it. Your face is beet red.”

Was it? I pushed my hair out of my face. “I have to go. I’ll see you both in the morning. Zia makes the most amazing pastries. You’re going to love them.” I kissed each of their cheeks. “Get some sleep.”

“Wait, don’t go yet,” Gia said. “I want to talk more about this dungeon. Is it, like, a real dungeon with cells and chains? Or is it more like this?” She held up her phone and showed me a photo of a sex dungeon.

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