Page 11 of Abducted By the Mafia Don
“There’s a rumour that I collaborated with Thaxted to have my family killed so I could inherit.”
I encouraged the whispers, and evidently, they reached Taggie. They work in my favour, inflating my already brutal nature to legendary coldness and danger.
And it has the bonus of working for deceiving Thaxted, too. My spy in the heart of Thaxted’s family tells me that he believes I’m indifferent to the fact he murdered what he thinks was my competition in acquiring power.
Taggie makes a small sound like “err” from the back of her throat and won’t meet my eyes.
“It’s not true. I was the eldest son, and would have inherited anyway.”
She bites her lip and toys uncertainly with the hem of her T-shirt. She doesn’t believe me, and I can feel her slipping through my fingers as she judges me as unfeeling.
“I love my family.”
“Of course you do,” she replies quickly. “Did.”
“Do. And I can prove it.” I shouldn’t say this. I haven’t told anyone my plan.
That gets her attention. She gazes over at me, her navy eyes full of curiosity.
“Come here.”
Shyly, she rises and creeps around and at the sight ofher gorgeous body hidden by my baggy T-shirt, I remember why I decided she should remain on the other side of my desk. She’s temptation incarnate, and my cock throbs with need.
But she’s here now. I adjust myself as I lean forwards, moving her attention to my computer. Obediently, she looks, and draws in a shocked breath.
The background on the monitor is a family picture.
“It was taken three Christmases ago. That’s Lorenzo, and Giovanni.” I point them out. “That’s my mother, and my father. My youngest sister, Isabella. My elder sister, Serena.”
“You all look so happy,” she says after a second, sounding wistful.
“We were.”
She twitches towards me, as though to come to comfort me. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.”
“What happened?”
“I think now it was because of a deal my father wouldn’t agree to.” A trafficking deal. One of the few things we all agreed on. I wave my hand, because it’s best not to get into the disgusting details. “I suspect we pricked his pride, and he didn’t forget. It all seemed fine, and everything went on as usual. Then one of Thaxted’s sons became close with my little sister, and she fell in love. He proposed.”
I shrug, as though this part of the story doesn’t hurt more than any other. I’d brought the wrath of my whole family by insisting this was a bad idea. Isabella had been furious with me.
“My family went to Thaxted in force, to consider the proposal. He poisoned them all at the engagement dinner. I wasn’t there.”
“Why not?” she asks, then bites her lip as though she regrets the question.
“I disagreed with the marriage and refused to attend. Instead, I was at a meeting of the then newly-formed London Mafia Syndicate.”
Her eyes are full of sympathy I’m not sure I deserve with hands as covered in blood as mine are.
“With the help of the London Mafia Syndicate, I took over, and rebuilt. Richmond is stronger now than ever.”
She eyes me. “But you keep that photo on your computer where only you’ll see it? You could have a portrait on the wall and everyone would know?—”
“It suits my purpose to have Thaxted and others believe that I don’t care that he murdered my family.”
“Why?” she asks, brow furrowed. “And why wait so long to kill all of Thaxted’s sons?”
