Page 44 of Mafia and Gold Digger

My fork clatters to the table. “Wife?You’re married?”

“You women are all the same. Desperate to get your claws into any man, so that he’ll be a meal ticket for you and your brats.”

People are looking at us now, and my face flushes when he says this. “I think it’s way worse when a mandeliberatelyforgets to mention that he has a wife and that he’s a cheater,” I retort, my true thoughts spilling out. “And I’m not after your money. I have a job and can support myself.”

He stalks off, and I console myself by gulping down the rest of my wine. I sink my head into my hands. Jacquetta obviously doesn’t know that he’s married, and it’s not her fault that he’s a complete liar and scumbag.

As I leave, I think this evening can’t get any worse, but the waiter hurries up with the bill which Chase left for me to pay. Two hundred dollars for a bottle of wine and two entrées? Yeah, he’s definitely a scumbag, and I feel like crying as I put it on my credit card. I wonder how on earth I’m going to have enough money this month to pay all the bills, and I know that I’ll need to pick up as many chess games as possible.

But then I tell myself to just focus on how well I’ve been doing, supporting myself and my siblings. I’ve taken on two extra jobs, working mornings at a florist and afternoons at a restaurant, leaving my evenings free to work at the casino. Milena also has a part-time job now, and she helps to look after the little ones when she can, or I’m swapping childcare favors with Addison. I’m just about managing to keep on top of things. Although it’s still tricky because Ria Gioberti’s cousin, Ramona, is a supervisor at the casino and draws up the staff rotas. And despite me asking for only evening shifts and lowering myself to practically beg her, Ramona takes great delight in making things difficult for me. I’ve no doubt that Ria’s influence is behind her cousin’s mean girl tactics. Even though Ria has Ronnie, she still hates my guts.

So, things are far from easy, but the fact the kids are happy means the absolute world to me. I already swore off dating made men after the Ronnie thing, and after this date with Chase, I’m done with dating all men—for at least a while. I just want to focus on myself and the kids.

But this plan isn’t meant to be…

CHAPTERELEVEN

EMERALD

I’m trying to get my mom to go to rehab. One of the girls I work with told me that I should be stronger and just walk away from my mom. But I don’t see encouraging her to go to rehab as me being weak.

Because I’m definitely not being weak when it comes to improving things for myself and the kids. I’m not still living with our mom, just hoping that she’ll get better by herself. Instead, I found a new place for us to live and am trying my damn hardest to make a decent life for us all.

And I want my mom to get better if she can, especially for the sake of Jaspar and Giulietta—although I’m not sure there’ll ever be a time when they’ll be able to go back and live with her again. And that’s totally okay because their home is with me for as long as they need me. I’m never going to let them down, and I’m going to make sure I’m always around for them.

* * *

It’s the funeral of an Imperiosi wife today. She was a family friend, but my mom isn’t able to make it, so I’m attending in her place.

We’re back at the family’s mansion now for refreshments, and everyone is outside, but I’ve got the start of a headache. I wince, rubbing my forehead, trying to massage away the ache. It doesn’t work, and I decide I need an Advil.

Weaving through the crowd of people until I reach the door that leads inside, I head straight for the kitchen. I sigh as I feel the cool of the interior. The sunshine outside is too bright, and I much prefer the dimmed lighting in here.

I move to the kitchen cabinets but can’t find what I’m looking for. With a sigh, I head upstairs to the bathroom. They are bound to have some Advil in there. Opening the cabinet above the basin, I spot the familiar white bottle with its bright label on the top shelf.

Stretching on my toes, I manage to grasp it and pull it down. Opening it, the cap resists for a moment, then pops with a satisfying click. I shake out two pills into my palm and grab a glass from the counter which I fill from the tap. I swallow the pills quickly, chasing them with a long drink of cool, soothing water.

I put the glass down and lean against the counter, closing my eyes for a moment. I take a few deep breaths, hoping the painkillers kick in soon.

When the ache starts to dull a little, I make my way downstairs. As I walk back through the deserted kitchen, I run into Calcedonio Cicconi. He’s an underboss, and I don't know him well, but I've seen him around the casino a lot.

"Well, well, well." He takes a couple of steps toward me. "Looks like we have a lost little lamb here."

“I’m not lost,” I say as I look away from him quickly.

He takes a swig from the beer bottle he holds in his hand. "It's not safe for a pretty girl like you to be here all alone."

I take a deep swallow and take a cautious step around him. I should be safe here, but drunk men can be volatile, so I know I have to tread carefully.

Calcedonio is much bigger than I am, standing at over six foot and stacked with muscle. My eyes are drawn to the scar across his temple that's like a signal for the danger that’s within him. I'm not sure what he's capable of—and I don't want to find out.

I just need to get back outside as quickly as I can without provoking him.

I step around him, keeping as much distance between us as possible.

But his hand shoots out and snatches my arm.

Disgust floods through me at his mere touch.

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