Page 37 of The Mafia's Captive

“Don’t count on it,” I hear Dante say, and then they’re out of earshot.

The inside of the house is just as grand as the outside. Everything is expensive and flashy, but not too much to be garish. It’s as every bit like the owner if the little I’ve gathered about him is anything to go by. I make my way to the bathroom, touch up my makeup, side step a couple of girls rushing in to throw up, and return to the party.

“Corina?” The music is loud, but not enough to drown the familiar voice. I turn in its direction and my worst fears are confirmed. It’s Hugh. What’s worse, he’s not alone. He’s with her. I know her alright. She’s the woman who was riding his dick when I walked in on them. It’s hard to forget that curly brown hair. She blushes when she recognizes me. At least she has the decency to be embarrassed.

“What are you doing here?” His question sounds like an accusation. As if he doesn’t think I’m too low on the totem pole to enter a place such as this. I recall our breakup conversation. “I’m a high value man,” he had said, “and I need a high value woman. You’re not it.” The wimp, small dick, two-minute man, had the gall to say that to me.

“I’m here with a friend.”

“Oh?” He seems confused at first, and then understanding dawns on him. “Oh.” He must think I’m a bottle service girl. I want to roll my eyes.

I throw a punch of my own. “What brings you here? This doesn’t seem like your scene.”

“I got a new job. I’m working at the Silver Palace now. It’s my boss’s birthday, he invited me,” he smirks. “Surely you must know this is Alessandro Giordano's birthday party, right? Or did your handler not tell you?”

“Yes, I am aware.” Fuck this ass of a man. I want to get as far away from him and his sad new girlfriend as possible. “It’s been nice seeing you.”

“You know, it’s sad to see you stoop so low. If you have money issues, I could have helped you if you asked.”

“So low? Why do you think I’m here?”

“Come on. I think we all know why. All you casino girls are the same. It’s tough competition chasing men in this city, especially someone like you.” I clench my fists to restrain myself from punching his square face. I have no idea why I even thought a repulsive guy like him is handsome.

“For your own information, I was personally invited.”

His smirk grows even wider. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.” I sound like I’m trying too hard to convince him, and I hate it. I want to get out of here and away from him.

“You should—” His gaze flicks away from me to behind me. “Mr. Morelli.”

I feel Dante’s hand wrap around my waist, and I welcome it. He comes to stand beside me. “I was wondering what was taking you so long,” Dante says. “I didn’t know you were with friends.”

“Dante meet…” Dante is ahead of me, “Hugh, I understand,” he says to him, “The ex-boyfriend.”

“You two are…”

“Dating,” Dante says confidently and pulls me in against him. “I’m the new boyfriend.”

12

She looked so pathetic I had to save her. At least that’s the excuse, I told myself. It’s not at all because of the jealousy I was feeling the entire night. The impulse to punch all the leery men who were glaring at her while she was dancing. Nor was it the jealousy I felt when I saw her talking to him. I made my way to them without thinking. And when I got closer, it wasn’t the rage I felt at hearing what he was saying to her. No. Not that. But the shock on his face right now is enough satisfaction for me to continue. “I was looking for you,” I say to her. She too, is frozen. I lean in whisper, “Shocked that I came to your rescue? Now let’s leave them, while they’re still stunned.” For good measure, I kiss her ear, making it seem like I was whispering little sweet nothings and lead her back to the gazebo.

I look back at the other couple. What she saw in him I have no idea. He is handsome, yes, but in the most generic way possible. There’s nothing about him that stands out. He looks like a thumb. A very dull thumb.

“Thank you,” she says. “You remembered he was ex-boyfriend?”

“I know a lot about you. Why did you break up?”

“I caught him fucking that woman he was with. How much do you know about me?”

“A lot. But not enough, it would seem.”

Her eyes narrow. “Is that why you no longer think I’m your spy? Because you finally know that I was only dating a person from Saccone holdings.”

“That’s part of it.” It was the whole, but she didn’t need to know that I had initially received bad information. That would need to be rectified. As we enter the gazebo, I say, “Now I know you’re only just a thief.” She glares at me, but like a guilty person, she has no response. Of course she doesn’t. “Why did you do it? Save me, I mean. When you act like you didn’t want to.”

Because I felt compelled to and I don’t understand it. “Because you’re here as my woman and no one disrespects my woman.”

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