Page 133 of Broken Mafia Prince
“You know, Isa,” I say softly, “you can always talk to me about anything.”
She offers me a strained smile. “How do you plan on being here for me from all the way across the world or whatever place you’re going to?”
I flinch. “I’m not just going to disappear from your life. We’ll call and text and keep in touch.”
“Or you’ll get so caught up with him that you’ll forget anything else exists.” Before I can argue, she continues, “I’m not saying it’ll happen on purpose, but let’s be honest with ourselves—things will definitely change when you’re gone.”
There’s silence between us for a while. In the quiet, my head roars with a million thoughts. She’s right, though, about things changing when I’m no longer close. And she’s also right about me getting caught up in Raffaele. It’s already happening now—the way my mind goes blank of everything else when I’m around him.
“You’ll watch over Father for me, right?” I ask in a small voice.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving him. What happened to him being the only family you had left? Two years ago, youabandoned Raffaele for your father, and now it’s the other way around.”
I let out a humorless bark of laughter. “Well, that was before I realized how little my father cares about me or considers me as a person. If he was so eager and thoughtless to try to sell me into a marriage, then I’m not going to worry about him at all. I won’t stay here and wait for him to find someone new he can auction me off to.
“For once in my life, though, I don’t want to think about someone else. I don’t want to think about duty or about making my mother and sister proud from the grave. I want to selfishly take and do what I want. I want to go away with Raffaele and live a life that will please me and me alone.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Isa murmurs.
“I won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I don’t.” I shrug. “True. But Raffaele loves me. He really does.”
Her eyes widen. “H-he said that?”
I nod excitedly. “Yes. Just before he asked me to marry him. Did I tell you about the proposal? It was the sweetest thing.”
She looks baffled. “Wait, we are talking about the same Raffaele, right? Raffaele Gagliardi? Tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed, badass mafioso?”
I throw my head back, laughing, and she slaps a hand over her mouth, muffling her giggles. Our eyes meet, mirth shining in them. The truth is, I’ll miss my life here too, but I know that staying isn’t an option for me anymore.
“When do you leave?”
“I don’t know yet. Raffaele needs to prepare a few things, but most likely, it will be in the next couple of weeks.”
“I’ll miss you,” she says softly. “I think the main reason I’ve been so bothered about this whole thing is that I’m terrified tolose you to him. It’s always been you and me, and well, I think I’ve gotten so used to it that I thought that’s the way it would always be.”
I step forward and wrap my arms around her. “You’re going to make me cry, and my mascara isn’t waterproof.”
“I’ve been telling you to buy a waterproof one,” she chastises.
I laugh. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“I love you, Giulia. Promise me that at the first sign of trouble, you won’t hesitate to reach out. I know you like to act tough and take care of everything by yourself, but I want to remind you that you have me. Yeah, I may not be able to shoot from thirty yards away or drop-kick someone, but I have more money than I know what to do with, and if I can’t get you out of trouble with all that money, then what use is it?”
I sigh into the crook of her neck. “I love you, too, Isa. Don’t worry about me. Raffaele promised me?—”
A deep voice cuts through the tension. “Talking about me, ladies?”
Isa and I turn in unison as Raffaele approaches the table. My heart flutters at the sight of him—tall, dark-haired, effortlessly composed. The way he carries himself with quiet dominance sends a thrill through me.
I can’t help but smile as he steps closer, my body instinctively leaning toward him. His presence is intoxicating, and as he reaches for me, pulling me gently into his embrace, the rest of the world fades away.
I barely notice Isa stiffening in her seat as Raffaele’s hand settles against the small of my back, his fingers pressing possessively against my skin. He leans in, his lips brushing against my temple as he murmurs something just for me.
For the briefest moment, Isa’s expression changes—something flickers across her face, too quick for me to name. She quickly looks away and reaches for her coat.
