Page 121 of Mafia and Gold Digger

I rub the back of my neck, staring at the recipe she printed twenty minutes ago.

Jaspar and Giulietta stand on footstools beside me, looking over the paper like they can read more than a handful of the words.

“What else?”

“The cake is only step one,” Milena replies. “We all made Emerald cards today. You can make one too. She’ll love it.”

“I can help!” Giulietta pats my hand as if to reassure me that I’m not alone, and I nod slowly. At least with the help of the kids, maybe I won’t completely suck at this.

“Okay. You’re sure? This isn’t…too cheesy?”

“Nope. Emerald loves this stuff,” Milena carries on. “It’s romantic, and everyone wants to be romanced. Plus, I’m sure you already got her an amazing present.”

“Uh, well, actually…”

Milena sighs, muttering under her breath about having to do everything and shows me her phone screen. A necklace with a small glittering diamond pendant in the shape of a chess queen fills the screen. “If you order it now, it’ll be here in a couple days. Just tell her it’s coming in the mail, so that’s why you haven’t got it already.”

That doesn’t really seem to solve the problem I’m having. It’s not the gifts. It’s the other shit. The touchy feely crap that seems to come so naturally to them all. I don’t know how to let someone in like they clearly do. I let out a heavy sigh.

“You just need to tell her she’s as pretty as a princess!” Giulietta pipes up.

“No, that’s stupid, Giulietta,” Jaspar says, sticking his tongue out. “You should tell her she’s smart. Or tug on her hair. Mrs. Harriet at school says boys do that sometimes when they like girls.”

“Let’s, uh, keep brainstorming, huh?” I suggest, not sure what to make of most of these ideas. “And let’s make this cake.”

I look back down at the piece of paper in front of me. Well, here goes fucking everything. Laying myself bare for Emerald and doing sappy shit like this. All just to prove to her that I can be the man she needs…

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX

SAINT

A few days have passed, and I think I’ve managed to make things up to Emerald after forgetting her birthday.

I walk into my mansion, Leoluca and two captains following me. We have business to discuss, and I lead them to my office

But as I reach the doorway, I come to an abrupt halt. “What the fuck?” I mutter.

I steal a glance at the men and scowl at them as I see amusement dance across their expressions. “Don’t say a fucking word if you want to keep your balls attached to your bodies,” I hiss, but that doesn’t stop them from smirking.

My eyes widen into saucers as I stare at my tasteful, distinguished, book-lined office. Well, that’s what itused to be…

“Emerald!” I holler from where I stand.

She appears a minute later, giving me a full-wattage smile and batting her eyelashes, looking like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “Yes, fluffy bunnykins?”

I glare at her. “What have you done with all my antique furniture? My art deco desk, bookcases, and all the other things?”

“Oh, right, those...” She waves a dismissive hand in the air. “I donated them to Goodwill.”

“You. Did. What?” My jaw drops down. “They were rare antiques.” My voice starts to rise. “Do you have any idea how long it took to source them and how much they cost?”

She shrugs. “I can guess.”

“I can’t believe you just gave them away, but even worse is what you’ve replaced them with!” As the men fail to hold back their snickers, I look with horror at the gold desk, fluffy pink chairs, fur-covered notebooks, and gold pens topped with unicorn heads. “What the actual fuck, Emerald?”

“Do you like it?” she trills at me.

“No, I don’t,” I rage. “It’s tacky, trashy, and a complete travesty of style!”

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