Page 11 of Mafia and Gold Digger

Christ, is the entire female population of New York in love with this man?

“Thanks, Melissa. Really sweet of you to remember. And my favorite flavor too.”

I feel like pointing out that the candles are making the ice cream melt rapidly, but I keep my thoughts to myself. I don’t want to engage in any more conversation with this man than is strictly necessary.

He spoons one of the scoops—with one of the candles—onto my cannoli plate. “You have to try this chocolate ice cream.” Yeah, like that’s my current priority.

He goes to blow out his remaining four candles.

“Wait!” I blurt out.

He pauses, gazing up at me with a raised brow.

“You haven’t made a wish,” I say softly.

He looks at me carefully. “You believe in that, do you? Wishes coming true?”

I shrug, feigning a casualness I don’t feel. “It’s a tradition. Everyone does it.” And with the life I’ve had so far, I never give up the chance of making a wish or being blessed with good luck, always crossing my fingers, not walking under ladders, and even praying to God when I’m really desperate.

He looks thoughtfully at the candles for a few moments before blowing them all out in one go. I wonder what he’s wished for. But I don’t ask. Because everyone knows that then it won’t come true.

He nods at my scoop. “You should blow out your candle too.”

I feel like refusing, but I can’t resist the temptation of getting a wish. And closing my eyes for a moment, I make my wish and blow out the candle.

He smirks at me. “Bet I can guess what you wished for, Emerald.”

“That you shut up?” Fear makes my manners totally fail me.

His lips flatten.

“Do you have no one to celebrate your birthday with? Is that why you’ve brought me here against my will to have ice cream with you?”

He doesn’t rise to the bait. “Got a boyfriend?”

“Jesus is my boyfriend.” I give him my most angelic expression. I’d rather he thinks I’m a bible-bashing nun than actually admit out aloud to him that I’ve got a mobster for a boyfriend.

“Any hobbies, princess?”

“Not really. I’ve always been busy working and with school before that.”

“A goody-two-shoes, then?”

God, this man is as annoying as he’s attractive. “Do I look like a goody-two-shoes to you?”

The way his eyes roam over my body makes my entire body tingle. He oozes power, confidence, authority. But it’s not something that I should find attractive, especially not from a cop.

The sound of his phone ringing splits the air. He takes it out of his pocket to glance at the screen.

“No please, don’t mind me,” I say with a casual flick of my wrist, although I’m praying he answers his phone just so that I can get a break from all the questions.

But his dark eyes flicker back to me as he rejects the call.Just great.

“What I really want to know is why does Ronnie make his girl work in the Imperiosi casino?”

Oh God. He already knows who my boyfriend is. “He doesn’t make me do anything,” I grit out. “I make my own decisions and make my own money.”

“He’s rich enough to buy you anything you want.”

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