Page 62 of Mafia Kingdom

"Morning," he murmurs, voice rough with sleep.

"Morning," I reply, suddenly aware of our proximity, the intimacy of sharing his bed even fully clothed.

He reaches up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering. "Thank you," he says simply. "For staying."

I should move away, put distance between us, remind myself of all the reasons this—whatever this is—can never work. Instead, I find myself leaning into his touch.

"You're welcome," I whisper.

The moment stretches. Then, Marco's phone buzzes on the nightstand, breaking the spell. He sighs, reaching for it with obvious reluctance.

"Walsh," he answers, his voice instantly shifting back to the clipped, authoritative tone I've come to recognize as his business persona. I watch the transformation with fascination—the softness in his eyes hardening, jaw setting, shoulders squaring. Marco the man, receding behind Marco the mob boss within seconds.

I slip out of bed while he's distracted, heading back to my own room to shower and change. Whatever vulnerability he showed last night has clearly passed with the dawn. Better to give him space than to witness the awkward withdrawal I'm sure will follow.

Under the hot spray of the shower, I try to make sense of my conflicted feelings. I'm still technically a captive here, still separated from Lily, who I have only gotten to call.Hearing her soft voice the other day nearly undid me, but she’s safe, and father is getting better. I keep hoping today will be the day we are reunited. But that won’t happen without Marco’s say so. Marco has become something more than my captor—confidant, protector, perhaps even friend. And the attraction between us, undeniable from the beginning, has evolved into something deeper, more complicated.

I'm falling for a killer. A criminal. A man whose life is so fundamentally incompatible with everything I've ever wanted that it would be laughable if it weren't so tragic.

Yet, I can't bring myself to pull away. Not completely. Not yet.

After dressing in jeans and a simple sweater, I head downstairs, finding the house unusually quiet. Most of Marco's men must be out on business, leaving only the essential security personnel behind. I wander into the kitchen, preparing a simple breakfast of toast and coffee, my mind still circling around the implications of last night's conversation and this morning's intimacy.

My phone rings as I'm washing my mug. Aunt Karen's name flashes on the screen, sending a jolt of joy through me.

"Karen, hi," I answer quickly. "How's Lily?”

The silence on the other end stretches a beat too long. "Everything's fine," Karen says finally, her voice strange, pitched slightly higher than normal. "Just fine."

Something in her tone raises the hairs on the back of my neck. "Karen? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she insists too quickly. "Lily's at school. I just…wanted to check when you might be coming to get her. It's been almost two weeks now."

The guilt intensifies; once again, I don’t have an answer for her. "I know, I'm sorry. There have been…complications." I hesitate, not sure how much to reveal. "Has anything unusual happened? Anyone been hanging around the house or asking questions about us?"

Another too-long pause. "Why would you ask that?"

"Karen," I say firmly, "tell me what's going on. Now."

Her composure breaks. "There have been men watching the house," she admits, voice dropping to a whisper as if afraid of being overheard. "For days now. Black SUV parked down the street. Sometimes, they just sit there. Sometimes they walk past, looking in the windows."

My blood runs cold. "Have they approached you? Talked to Lily?"

"No, not directly. But yesterday, when I took Lily to the park..." Her voice falters. "One of them followed us. Kept his distance, but I knew he was watching. I'm scared, Sasha."

I grip the counter, mind racing. "Listen to me carefully, Karen. Pack a bag for Lily. Just essentials. I'm sending someone to get you both right now."

"What? Who? What's happening, Sasha?" Panic edges into her voice.

"I'll explain everything later, I promise. But right now, I need you to trust me. The men I'm sending—they'll keep you safe."

"Are you in some kind of trouble? Is this about George's gambling debts?"

I almost laugh at the simplicity of her assumption. If only it were something as straightforward as my father's gambling.

"It's complicated," I say instead. "But I swear, I'll explain everything once you're safe. Please, Karen. For Lily's sake."

She agrees reluctantly, and I hang up, heart pounding. I need to find Marco immediately. If Lucas's allies are watching Karen's house, it's only a matter of time before they make a move against Lily.

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