Page 96 of Mafia Don's Twisted Proposal
“But when you arrived and I saw you, I knew I was wrong. As happy as I was to meet you, I’ll admit I’ve struggled these past couple days with the knowledge that my wife lied to me for so many years. More than half our marriage, she kept the secret of you from me.”
His eyes go distant, lost in memories of pain I can only imagine.
“I was crushed when I thought you were stillborn. I tried to pretend to be strong for Sofia, but I think if I’d been open with her about how I felt losing our little girl, she would have come clean. That being said, I’ve realized I’m glad she didn’t.”
Mia jerks in surprise, and I wrap my arm around her.
“You don’t regret missing my childhood?” The hurt in her voice burrows under my skin and stays there.
“I see it as the necessary sacrifice it was. Your mother saw things I didn’t want to see. She always had a problem with the way women in our cartel were traded away for alliances and used as pawns. Sofia herself was forced to marry me, but that worked out because I fell in love with her. Not all women in her situation are that lucky. Over the years, Sofia influenced me to make changes to the way things are done. Now, all your brothers are married to women they chose.”
“I wish I’d had a chance to know her,” Mia says, sadness threading through her voice.
“She would have adored you. I’m sorry you were sent away, even if it did ensure you had a better life. I think my biggest regret will always be that my own careless attitude toward women in the past caused me to miss out on the first twenty-six years of your life.”
I can see this affects Mia deeply, so I take her hand, offering silent support. She sniffles but doesn’t cry.
Thank fuck. Her tears kill me.
“I forgive you,” she says, and all tension drains out of Miguel. He doesn’t even glare at me anymore. “But I have to ask—did you mean what you said? About doing anything for me?”
“Yes.”
He doesn’t hesitate. I might actually come to like this man.
“I want you to form an alliance with Lorenzo.”
The silence is thick enough to cut with a knife. Miguel looks pissed at me again, but I didn’t put her up to this.
“Mia, baby, you don’t have to do this,” I tell her. “I know I put the alliance before you in the beginning, but I don’t want that anymore.”
“I know,” she says, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. We both ignore Miguel’s grunt of displeasure. “Please, Dad. My life is with Lorenzo in Las Vegas. I’ll be living there among the Andrettis, and if they lose in their fight against the Bratva, what do you think will happen to me?”
Miguel’s eyes darken before he shifts his gaze to me. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, and my heart races as I consider what’s at stake. If he refuses the alliance, I’ll respect his decision for Mia’s sake, but I’m not sure what my next move will be. I want to end this war with the Bratva quickly and decisively.
Miguel studies me for a long moment. Finally, he thrusts out his hand.
“For Mia.”
I grip his hand firmly. “For Mia.”
Mia beams as she watches us form a solid alliance. Over the next half hour, we hash out the beginning of our plan. There’s so much to discuss, and it’ll take time, but for now, Miguel is sending men to Vegas to help us begin pushing back against Kozlov. He’ll learn the hard way not to fuck with the Andrettis. This alliance will allow us to move against the Bratva with brutal force.
Things are going to change in this war. I’ve accomplished what I set out to do months ago.
But it’s funny. When we leave the compound to head home, I’m more satisfied with having Mia at my side than I am with the knowledge that I’ve secured help in our war against the Bratva.
When I first learned that Mia existed, I thought the alliance was all I wanted, and I set out to make it happen. Now I know the real reward for my efforts is this woman’s love. She’s breathed new life into me, changing my life in ways I never expected.
Is it any wonder that I’m obsessed?
EPILOGUE
Mia
Three MonthsLater
The sulfur dioxide hits me first—like someone’s been lighting matches in Satan’s kitchen—but I’m grinning like an idiot anyway. Because I’m standing at an overlook watching an active volcano erupt, and this is exactly the kind of stupid, thrilling shit that makes me feel alive.
