Page 53 of Mob Princess

He held out his hand.

I followed where his hand was ushering me to, and my stomach dropped to the floor. He slipped my arm away from his and stood behind me, giving me an unobstructed view of what was happening. Israel was still with Alice, all right. At the end of this hallway, through a set of double doors. I saw them out on some sort of patio, sitting and drinking and smiling. He looked down at her and laughed a laugh I’d never heard before. And when her head fell back with giggles, I felt a piece of my soul break off.

“Israel?” I asked softly.

I knew he couldn't hear me. Not above the laughter he was sharing with this woman. I held my hand out, catching myself against the wall as the two of them continued to laugh. Israel said something, and Alice snorted. She threw something back, and his shoulders shook. The sight was sickening, and I wanted no part of it.

So, I turned around and closed my eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Giovanni said, but his tone lacked apology.

My eyes whipped open. “No, you’re not.”

He nodded. “You’re right. I’m not. Despite what those two have been through, they were always well-suited for each other. Hell, I didn’t even know Israel was over her until he agreed to marry you.”

I blinked. “What?”

He snickered. “Yeah. Israel had it bad for her. I mean, her name was Alice Shaeffer back then. But now that we know she’s the daughter of Carmela Esposito? Well, that simply makes her perfect.”

I swallowed down my own vomit. “I have to go.”

“You sure you don’t want to—”

I shoved my hand against Giovanni’s face, stumbling off balance. I felt him grip my wrist, and I fumbled on my feet, but not before I jammed the crook of my thumb and my pointer finger directly against his throat. “I know you set this up. I know you and your father are cut from the same cloth, you disgusting piece of shit. You don’t give a damn other than overthrowing Israel and taking his spot. But I have a little surprise for you.”

Giovanni held his throat as he tried to catch his breath.

“Your brother already knows that,” I whispered.

I gathered my dress and walked off as I clutched my purse. I walked straight past the entrance to the ballroom and started for the elevator, ready to get to my room. I wanted nothing more to do with this night. I refused to be paraded around a second longer. I loved Israel, that much was for certain. So, if what he wanted was Alice, then I’d let him go.

But that was a conversation he and I would have.

Not a conversation that would be had for us.

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