Page 108 of Claiming the Mafia Queen

But it’s no use.

“Fuck you!” I hit him in the chest. Not once, not twice, but three times.

I would do anything to have him back.

The tears are alive. They’re hot and they’re flowing.

I fold myself over my husband’s corpse and scream some more. The last time I cried was for Gabriele.

Both men…dead.

Gone.

I can’t even remember it hurting quite like this.

I knew it hurt when Gabriele died…But I didn’t know it could hurt like this…

My eyes sting, chest pounds. I feel like my entire body is on fire. I writhe on the bed and hold on desperately to his body.

“Aria!” I hear Luigi shout. “Aria!” His hands are on me.

“Get the hell off of me!” I squeal angrily.

My brain is on autopilot. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know what I’m saying. I just know I don’t want anyone around me.

I don’t want anyone to fucking touch me.

I’m sure they’re all panicking.

But, I don’t care.

Let them.

Some of them hear me calling him an asshole…

Screaming at him…

The rumors start.

But let them talk.

That’s right…I’ll be the bitch that killed her husband. If that’s the story they want to tell, so be it…I won’t lie. But I also won’t tell the truth.

I know what I know…And I had to do what I had to do…

Edoardo asked me to keep the secret, and I’d keep it a hundred times over for him. He didn’t want the world to know he was sick.

The funeral came and went. When everyone was gone, I sat here… eyes fixated on our family photos. No one is going to stand in my way from being the best damn Queen in the world. I am going to take the world by the balls and control as much of it as I can.

I have no idea how long it’s been. I’m still sitting here.

Had it been minutes? Hours?

I can remember them distinctly calling for me, but I didn’t want to listen. I watched as my kids were ushered out… but I couldn’t follow. My legs wouldn’t work.

I was just quiet and dazed…hoping it was all just a dream.

But the worst had just begun…

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