Page 67 of Taken By the Mafia King
“I’m not fucking around right now, Sera.”
I stood up straighter. “Neither am I. We’re even now, okay? I saved your life. Letting me use your phone was the least you could do.”
“Are you serious?” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“I am.” I took a step toward him, placing my hand on his chest in a friendly way.
He winced and brushed my hand away.
I hadn’t meant to hurt him. “I don’t want to go back in there and be kept like a prisoner or a child. I’m sorry I broke your trust, but I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. Can you please just let me go for a bit? I want to go outside, to be able to breathe.” I searched his eyes, hoping he’d understand.
“Well, none of that is up to me.”
“But you’re more than alright with it, aren’t you?”
He glared at me but said nothing.
“I scraped by for years to follow my dreams, Tommaso. I wanted to be a teacher so bad. It was all I wanted, and it was taken from me. My friends were taken from me. Everything I ever worked for is gone now.” I choked on a sob then shook my head, refusing to cry any more. “I’m done. I’m sorry I used your phone. I’m sorry if you get in trouble for it, but I had to check on my kids and Emma. Killian might run this little criminal world of yours, but he doesn’t runmyworld.”
“Sera,” Tommaso began, his face undergoing a great shift in emotion as that fury started to wane and turn to some form of pity, but he was interrupted by a silent heavy shadow passing over us.
“What the hell is going on?” Killian asked, looking between us.
A bolt of fear shot through me, but then I realized he wasn’t going to hurt me. “Now isn’t a good time.”
I turned to go, deciding I may as well go back to my room. That was my fate. He took me by the arm and turned me to face him.
“Have you just been walking around free like you own the place?” he growled. “I told you to go back to your fucking room.”
“Let go of me!” I sank my nails into his hand but he held firm, pulling me closer.
“You will not use that tone with me.”
“You’re fine with it when it’s just the two of us, aren’t you?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
His nostrils flared as he let me go. Part of me was thrilled I’d successfully knocked Killian down a few pegs, but I knew that shock was fleeting. He looked like the Hand of Death right now. His face was void of expression but his eyes were murderous. I caught a glimpse of the scar on his neck beneath his shirt collar and remembered all that had happened between our two families. Could I truly bridge that gap between us? Not likely.
At the moment, I had two options. I could run upstairs and lock the door, or keep poking the bear.
“I’m leaving.” I turned to go, but his hand clamped down on my arm again.
“No,” Killian rasped. “You’re not going anywhere. What happened? Tommaso? Would you like to fill me in?”
Tommaso shifted his weight, looking from me to Killian. “She found the theater room. I went in there to finish the documentary I started yesterday and she was watching something, so I stayed for a bit.”
“What were you watching, Sera?”
“Nothing important.”
“Some romantic comedy. She messed up your algorithm for sure.” Tommaso snickered.
“Oh, please. It’s not that big of a deal.” I said, hoping we could leave the conversation at that. I really didn’t want Killian to know about my call to Emma. Not unless he would keep her safe, and I seriously doubted that would be any concern of his.
“What happened after that?” Killian asked, ignoring me completely.
“She started mouthing off about going back to her room, so we had an argument.” Tommaso shrugged like that was the end of it.
I stared at him, somewhat shocked he hadn’t thrown me under the bus about his phone. He didn’t look at me at all, though. He stood as stoic and proud as possible. He was probably only trying to save his own ass, but I didn’t care. We’d both be in huge trouble if Killian found out.
