Page 32 of Mafia and Gold Digger

My boyfriend is engaged to another woman.

It blindsides me like a bullet in the back. Nausea roils in my belly. Anger and hurt overwhelm me. I’m not sure what’s worse—the fact that he’s marrying someone else or that he’s marrying Ria of all people.

And a knife slices my heart as she smirks across the room at me as Ronnie wraps an arm around her waist with a small smile.

And when he meets my gaze, his eyes flash with what I know is an apology, but I can’t even bear to look at him.

How long has he known about this? And what was that conversation with his mother earlier? Was he planning on keeping me as his mistress after marrying Ria? Is that why he wanted his mother to get on with me?

I can’t remember a time I’ve felt so betrayed by someone. It’s devastating to love someone but then learn they were never really yours to begin with. I came to work in a relationship, but now, I’ve been dumped in front of the whole Imperiosi. Lots of people are shooting curious glances my way. It’s common knowledge that Ronnie and I have been dating for ages. But I can’t get my feet to move so that I can flee from their intrusive stares. It's like I'm on a stage and the whole world is sneering at me.

Addison comes over to me. “I’m so sorry, Em,” she whispers, breaking me out of my reverie as the sounds of the room come crashing back to the surface.

I can’t bring myself to speak. I’m even afraid to take too deep of a breath in fear that my tears will fall if I do.

Because no matter how hurt I am, I refuse to give Ria the satisfaction of knowing she’s hit me where it hurts.

Everything in me wants to run far from here, to escape outside and scream until I go hoarse. But I don’t have the luxury of doing that. Because I need the money from this shift. There are so many bills to pay, plus Giulietta and Jaspar both need new clothes and shoes. They grow out of everything so quickly at their age, and it’s a struggle to keep up with it.

All this situation does is remind me how insignificant I am to others. As far as they’re all concerned, I was only ever someone Ronnie was messing around with.

Addison has set sparkling crystal flutes on a silver tray, and I’m now filling them with celebratory champagne, trying not to let my hand shake.

Ronnie’s ma is standing near the bar now, accepting congratulations from all her cronies, while Ria’s voice rings out from across the room. His ma drones on and on about how the marriage will bring the families together and how the alliance will make the Imperiosi even stronger.

Every word that comes out of her mouth just makes me feel worse, wounding me as reality stabs a sharp stake through my heart.

How can I have been so damn stupid? I should have realized something was up, and I should have seen the goddamn signs.

But the worst thing is that aside from being my boyfriend, I thought he was my best friend. And now I’ve lost both. Because a best friend would care enough to at least warn me.

He suddenly appears at the bar—thankfully, without Ria—and looks at me with his puppy dog eyes. “Em, look…” He rakes a hand through his hair as he sighs deeply. “My family, um, you know…”

I can’t even look at him. I don’t want to see his pity or sympathy or guilt.

Ria skips over next to him, slobbering a kiss full on his lips before shooting an evil smirk at me. “Two flutes of champagne,” she orders in a sickly singsong voice. “After all, I have to celebrate the fact that I’ve bagged the best guy here.”

Even though I absolutely hate her guts and am raging with Ronnie right now, I’m still on the clock and can’t refuse to serve them. Losing my boyfriend is bad enough, but I can’t afford to lose my job on top of that.

I snatch two flutes from the tray and slam them down in front of them, the liquid slopping over the rim of the glasses. I might have to serve them, but I certainly don’t have to look happy about it.

“We’re trying to make the family stronger,” Ronnie says, finally finding his voice. “I didn’t want to hurt you or anything, but…you know how these things go…”

I can’t handle hearing his words, so I turn my back on them and find Addison.

She looks at me with concern etched around her eyes. “Oh hon, is there anything I can do for you?”

“I just need a few minutes,” I whisper.

“Of course,” she says, squeezing my shoulder in sympathy.

I walk off, but I find Ronnie following me, this time without Ria sticking to him like a leech. He grabs my arm and spins me around to face him.

“You could have told me beforehand in private!” My words hurl through the air like an express train about to come off the rails.

“I thought this was the best way to tell you,” he says in a weak voice.

“What, in public, in front of the whole Imperiosi?”

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