Page 49 of Married to the Mafia Monster

Fear spikes through me, and I stop dead in my tracks. "What's going on?" I demand, my voice shaking.

The officer who brought me here steps back, and I realize with a sickening jolt that he's in on this. “This way.” My heart races as Ricardo gestures for me to follow him into a small, dimly lit room. The door closes behind us with an ominous click.

"I know Alex lied about you and your father," Ricardo begins, his voice low and menacing. "I know you're married to him. Now, tell me who you're working for and how you managed to corrupt my best employee."

“Wait, is Alex dead or not?”

“Not yet. Who are you working for?”

"I'm not working for anyone," I protest, my voice rising in desperation. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Ricardo's eyes narrow, and he takes a step closer, his presence suffocating. "Don't play games with me, Bella. I know Alex too well. He wouldn't have done this on his own."

"I swear, I don't know anything," I plead, my voice trembling. "I didn't corrupt him. I love him."

A cruel smile twists Ricardo's lips. "Love? That's rich. But it doesn't matter. You're going to die here, and the footage of your death will be sent to your father. Now, where is Alex?"

Tears stream down my face, and I shake my head frantically. "I don't know where he is."

Ricardo's face hardens, and he pulls out a gun, pressing it to my temple. "Where did your father hide it?"

"I don't know," I sob, my voice breaking. "You’re just going to have to kill me." I’ll never share the location with him. If Alex has run off with it, so be it. I won’t betray him, no matter what.

Ricardo's grip tightens on the gun, and I can feel the cold metal against my skin. "You're sure about that?"

"Yes, I swear," I whisper, my whole body trembling with fear.

My heart pounds in my chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I muster every ounce of courage I have left and repeat, “I don’t know where he is or what he’s looking for. I swear.”

“So Alex didn’t tell you what it was?”

“Not one word.”

“I guess he is loyal after all.”

To my shock, Ricardo’s expression softens slightly. He lowers the gun and steps back, a grudging respect in his eyes. “I see why he married you. You’ve got more courage than a lot of men I’ve worked with.

“Lied with a straight face about not knowing where it is. I’ve seen men crumble far easier than you, men who’ve been in the game thirty years. Bravo.”

“You’re not going to kill me?”

He puts the gun away, and the tension in the room shifts. “Just a test,” he says, his tone unexpectedly gentle. “Had to be sure if you’re joining the family.”

I stare at him, disbelief mingling with my anger. “You wanted to know if I can be trusted? By threatening to kill me?”

Ricardo’s face remains impassive. “I needed to see how you’d react under pressure. If you’re going to stay married to Alex, I need to know you won’t crack. You stared death in the face and didn’t snitch. I admire that.”

My anger flares. “That wasn’t right! You can’t just?—”

“It won’t happen again,” he interrupts, raising a hand to placate me. “You now have my permission to stay together.”

I glare at him, my fists clenched. “Your permission? How generous of you.”

Ignoring my sarcasm, Ricardo continues. “Alex has gone to get it. Once he has it, we can resolve all this.” He takes a seat, indicating I should do the same. “I trust you, Bella, so I’m going to tell you what this is all about.”

I sit down, my mind racing with a mix of anger and curiosity. “Go on.”

“You ever seen Trading Places?”

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