Page 74 of Claiming the Mafia Queen

"What happened to Aria?” I demand again, my voice likely giving me away.

That’s most definitely the wrong question to ask. He scowls, and looks back under his car’s hood. He knows why I’m asking, though. He has to.

He’s pillaging through tools on the cart next to us, avoiding eye contact.

I look up at him. I watch as he continues to mess with them. His movements are hurried; scattered. “Josh…” I trail, pleadingly. And he looks back at me patiently. His expression is caring.

“I don’t understand…” I say.

“She called me to tell me she knew you left Chicago..” He sighs. “She told me that if I cared about you, I’d keep you away while she did what she had to do…”

I wonder how she knew. I wonder if she cared or wondered why I did what I did…

Did she even care enough to wonder?

I was hurt more than I ever had been, as worry and dread fill me to the brim. “How long ago did you talk?” I ask, my breath hitching at my throat.

“Two days ago…”

I’ve never felt completely broken before now. I’ve never been confused before now. I thought leaving Aria’s penthouse was bad. I thought leaving Chicago was bad.

This?

This is worse.

“I-“ I try to speak, but nothing comes out.

I feel like a disgusting piece of shit. Why did I leave?

I abandoned Aria to keep her safe. But it turns out, I just left her even more vulnerable.

My hands clench together as my head pounds in dizziness. “Ah!” I groan before throwing the wrench in my hand at the tool chest. “Fuck!” My heart’s drumming against my chest cavity with everything it’s worth. Sobs wrack my body with an intensity I’ve never known. I haven’t cried in years…

And now the floodgates were open.

I pull my knees to my chest.

Josh looks at me, frozen in fear and panic.

I’m not going to pretend to keep it together. I don’t want to break down, but I can’t hold back. Not now.

At best, she’s captured.

At worst, she’s already dead.

What about everyone else? What about her kids?

Before I can say anything, he comes over to me on the floor and extends his hand. “You got too personal…” His words cause my anger to seethe and the demon inside me to rip and claw toward the surface. “And Madam Rosa’s pissed..” He sighs. “Was the snatch at least good?”

I accept his hand, but as soon as he pulls me up, I launch my fist into his jaw. “You fucking idiot!” I roar.

He’s taking hurried steps away from me, holding his face.

“Aria…” he growls. “Isn’t dead!”

My mind is playing tricks on me.

It has to be.

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