Page 10 of Mafia Beast

“Yeah. I think it’s just work stress. We’re trying to pull off something big.” I take a sip. “I guess it’s taken its toll.”

“Work stress? I call bullshit. You were an Air Marshal in the past, a very high stress job you seemed to manage just fine. You haven’t had a single issue since you started working for the family. If anything, I’d say you thrive in intense situations.” Aiden gives me a hard stare. “I think it’s something else that has you messed up.”

“Yeah? And what would that be?” I ask.

He raises his brows. “Your funk wouldn’t have something to do with a pretty little widow in the family, would it?”

I give a grunt.

He laughs.

“I came here tonight specifically to meet women,” I say.

He nods. “Great idea. Have a piece. Indulge in a little distraction. But when the sun comes up and that woman is in your bed, you know who you’ll be thinking about. Your flowery little widow.” He takes a sip. “Is it really worth the hassle?”

“To get laid?” I shrug. “Maybe.”

“Whatever. We need more whiskey.” He gives my back a good-natured slap as he gets up to go to the bar for another round.

As if on cue, a tall, beautiful brunette slides into Aiden’s open seat. Her eyes sparkle as she turns them on me. “Hey there. I couldn’t help but notice you from the other side of the room.” She reaches out, resting a hand lightly on my shoulder. “You’re just so…” Her gaze travels over the full length of my body, taking a moment to settle on my crotch before making its way back up to my face. “Big.”

“Yeah. They make ‘em bigger where I come from.” I look for Aiden. Where’s my whiskey?

Her hand travels from my shoulder over my bicep. I feel like a piece of meat at the butcher that she’s eyeing, sizing up, deciding if I’m the cut of meat she wants to take home for dinner.

Charlie would never be so forward. Her cheeks blush just trying to say any word that has to do with sex out loud. I want to laugh, thinking of how she had to whisper the wordmasturbatedinto the phone last night.

I give the woman a pleasant enough smile. “My friend’s waiting for me at the bar. Nice to meet you.”

She gives a disappointed pout. “I’ll be here all night in case you change your mind.”

I grunt noncommittally at her.

I stand at the bar with Aiden, shooting the shit and sipping on whiskey. I don’t usually drink. These whiskeys are the first I’ve had in a year. I think I’m drunk. I call it a night and head home. Crash on my couch, the same one I jacked off on earlier while talking to Charlie. I pick up my phone.

It’s after midnight. I want to drunk dial. I want to hear her voice.

She’s made it clear—she wants nothing to do with me. I have to move on. I have to stop calling her.

But I want to. I need to.

I pass out trying to decide.

I wake to the ringing of my phone. The sun blinds me as I open my eyes.

“Nikolaos?”

“Yes?”

It’s one of my men from the Village. “You told me to call if I heard anything about her, had any news.”

“Yeah?” I sit up, rubbing the whiskey-induced sleep from my eyes. “What have you heard?”

“Are you sitting down?”

“Yes.” What’s he on about? “Why?”

“Because what I’m about to tell you is going to change your world.”

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