Page 17 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

“Dammi un aggiornamento(Give me an update).Hai scoperto qualcosa di più sulla talpa(Did you found out more about the mole)?”

He shakes his head. “Not yet. But I’m still keeping a close eye on every man involved in the operation. It’s only a matter of time before someone acts out of the ordinary.”

Time. I can’t help but think if that’s a luxury we can afford. If Russo is truly involved in this like we suspect, then we do not have much time.

“We may not have much time, Elio. We need to get to the bottom of this.”

What are we not doing right? What am I missing?

He nods. “I understand, Boss.”

My office is silent for a while until Elio speaks again. “Raven.” Elio brings me back to the most pressing issue. “Now that we know she’s not involved, what’s your plan for her?”

Bringing my eyes from him, I place them on the board. Her name is scribbled on the side, along with everything my men uncovered about her. Nothing but an innocent woman who has no idea what she has walked into.

The smart move would be to kill her. I know that. Elio knows that. He’s waiting for me to give the order. She knows too much about my world now, about me. Letting her live is a risk, and I’m in no position to take more risks.

But I can’t bring myself to say the words. “I’m still deciding,” I mutter. “She knows too much, but she’s not a threat.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Non puoi lasciarla andare, capo(You can’t let her go, Boss).Ha visto troppe cose. Estremità sciolte come la su— (She’s seen too many things. Loose ends like her—).”

“Lo so(I know),” I grit, cutting him off.

His expression stiffens. My voice lowers. “I know.”

I don’t need Elio to remind me of the consequences. Raven is a complication I don’t need, not right now. But no innocent life should be at stake. It’s the family’s policy.

Elio watches me for a moment before he leans forward. “A un rischio, capo(She’s a risk, Boss). We’re not in a position to leave loose ends hanging around. If you don’t want to do it, I will.”

Of course he will. It was his willingness to act swiftly and independently that had drawn my attention to him five years ago. He had been an ordinary guard involved in mundane operations until I promoted him to be my right-hand man.

“No innocent life should be at stake.” I return my attention to the board. “But right now, I want you focused on finding the mole.Questa a¨ la nostra priorita(This is our priority).” With that, Elio nods, and turns to leave.

I busy myself with other activities until nightfall, then drive to the mansion. A few guards greet me as I make my way through the entrance and past the stairs.

Usually, I’d go to the dining room, eat and retire for the day, especially if I was hungry. But tonight, instead of heading to the dining room, I find myself walking towards the tunnel— the part of the mansion where Raven is being held. This is not right, I think to myself; still, I continue my way to her place. Perhaps a certain part of me is hungry… for her.

My feet carry me in fast strides as I push open the door that leads there, my steps echoing until I reach the entrance. Tightening my jaw, I open the door and walk towards her.

My heart skips a beat as I take in her form. A few tendrils of hair stroke her face, and her plump lower lip is tucked between her teeth. Though exhausted, she still looks as beautiful as she’d looked that night. Not many women have had this lingering effect on me− none that I can remember, actually.

I intentionally clear my throat and she quickly scrambles up when she sees me.

“So have you finally realized I’m not the one you’re looking for?” she sneers, gripping the iron bars tightly. A ghost of a smile plays on my lips at her posture− tense and defiant. It’s not bad, but it’s a funny attempt at challenging someone like me.

“So have you finally decided to tell the truth?” I take a single step closer but still keep myself out of her arms reach.

She trails and attempts to yank my shirt. “You asshole… how dare y−”

“How dare I what? You need to be more specific for me, Princess,” I interrupt her.

She breaks into a bitter chuckle.

The way her breasts press against the bars of the jail makes it hard to focus. Like this, I can see her nipples standing at attention for me.Fuck.

“Don’t you ‘princess’ me now, alright. I’ve told you I’m innocent. What more do you want from me?” More strands of hair fall onto her face and I’m tempted to tuck them behind her ears.

“What more do I want?” I arch a brow and shove my hands in my pockets in an attempt to avoid doing something I’d regret later on… like pulling her face terribly close to mine through the iron bars and crashing my lips on hers.

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