Page 45 of Lourdes & the Mafia
“That took you far too long, my kings,” she teases.
“What did you do?” Ramiel demands with quiet authority.
“I helped your little fortune teller find her way out.”
“You had no right,” I growl. I want to lash out and sear the flesh from her body as punishment, to shred her wings with serrated weapons until she’s crying and pissing in agony.
“I have every right.”
“Enough,” Ramiel interjects. “Where did you send her, Ralgoron?”
She smiles, her forked tongue darting out to lick her lips. “Back home.”
Ramiel steps forward, bending so he’s at her level. “You had better hope that she’s alright, Ralgoron. Because if there’s a single hair on her head that’s been harmed…” His lips graze along her dark skin. “…youwill suffer for it.”
Lourdes
“Dimas!”Theshockofseeing him aftermonthsrocks me back on my heels. “What are you doing here?”
The last time I’d seen him was right after the impact of my vision that featured Ramiel. I realized that I deserve better all because a freaking vision guy made me orgasm where my real boyfriend could not. I stood in front of Dimas and told him that I wanted it over. As I did that, I think a part of me hoped or prayed that he would give one last effort to fight for me. He never did. He just stared at me as I told him my decision and shrugged like he didn’t care. That hurt. It hurt more than losing him. It hurt more than all I’d suffered during the relationship. To see himshrugand ask me when I was leaving his house and to take my stuff with me.
Now he stands in my family home, smiling at me as if he’s still a part of my life. As if he didn’t break my heart and make me see my own worth in the span of just a few words. I thought maybe that old pain would return if I ever saw him again. That I’d be hit with the impact of missing him. But having him in front of me now, I feel nothing but confusion.
Why is he even here? I mean, it’s not like we met each other’s families officially. Sure, he came to a few parties, stayed for a while, but then claimed they were too boring for him and left.
We haven’t spoken in months, yet here he stands, staring at me like he used to. Like we’re still a couple.
I wanna slap that look off his face, if I’m honest.
“Aren’t you gonna give me a hug?” he asks as if he has any right to. Meanwhile, my family just stares back and forth between him and me.
I never told them we broke up, and they never asked. Just the thought of confessing the fact that I was single again would have brought on a barrage of comments and advice I never asked for.
“You need to take a cooking class.”
“You’ll be alone forever.”
“You’d keep your man if only you lost some weight.”
That’s the criticism that always stings the most. As if my weight and ability to have a love life are in direct correlation to one another. My titis are the exact same size as me, yet they criticize my every action as if they were so perfect.
No. It was just much better to keep my single status to myself.
I’m sure that the situation I suddenly find myself in is awkward from an outside perspective, though. Hell, I feel awkward just standing there with my shoulders up to my ears. In my attempt to break the discomfort, I stiffly walk over to him.
Once I’m within touching distance, he grabs me, yanking me into his arms. I’m sure he’s being purposefully oblivious to the tightness in the room.
When he pulls away, his smile is radiant and wide. “I’ve missed you,” he says loudly enough for everyone to hear.
I can only grit my teeth at what feels like a fucking invasion of privacy. I lean over, my lips brushing against the shell of his ear. I’m sure the whole scene looks intimate enough to my family, when really, I just wanna punch him in his low-hanging ball sack and burst it like a fucking balloon. “What the fuck are you doing?” I hiss.
Instead of answering, he pulls me next to him with his arm wrapped around my waist.
“I thought we could talk.” His smile is forced in the face of my family, and the words come out from between clenched teeth. He nods at my uncles, acknowledging each one and beaming at them as if he respects them.
And they’re watching like this is a free fucking show.
“Alright, I think this is enough.” I tug the man towards me by the arm. “Um, I’ll leave you guys to it, then? I’m going now, so you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll see you later.”You know, if I’m still fucking alive?I back away, a step punctuating each word, pulling Dimas with me. He follows obediently—big fucking surprise—until we’re outside of my titi’s home. Only then do I glare at him. “What the hell is your problem?!” I keep my voice low, sure that they’re trying to listen to us on the other side of the door.
