Caught in The Mafia’s Web

Chapter Nine

Greg's POV

I sat at my desk, fingers drumming mindlessly on the dark wood, staring at the ceiling and trying to quiet the storm of thoughts in my mind.

No matter how I tried to push them away, memories of Selene kept coming back, nagging at the edges of my mind.

I closed my eyes and took a long, steadying breath. That was the past, long buried. I had done everything I could to lock it away, keep it where it couldn’t touch me anymore. But still…

Aurora’s face flashed in my mind next—her bold gaze, the way she had stood up to me with that fiery spark, unafraid, like no one had in a long time. I had wanted to wipe that look off her face, but at the same time… it was like I couldn’t

The sudden knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. I sat up straight, letting out a breath, and raised my voice.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and in walked Maxen, looking very furious, with Larry right behind him, his face twisted into something between frustration and fury.

Maxen’s anger was written all over him, in the tight line of his mouth, the hard set of his jaw. I knew him well enough to recognize that he wasn't here just because I called for him.

Before I could get a word in, Maxen started up, voice rising in agitation. “What’s going on with that girl, Don? I mean it. Are you just going to let her get away with whatever she wants now… without any consequences?”

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my chair. “That girl has a name, Maxen.”

“That’s not the point,” he shot back, pacing in front of my desk like a caged animal. I shook my head, letting him rant, watching with a calm expression that only seemed to fuel his frustration. “It’s like you don’t care and you’re just letting her walk all over you! After everything she said, after the disrespect… I can't believe you just let her go.”

I couldn’t help but smile at his frustration. Maxen wasn’t used to me letting things slide, especially not disrespect from anyone—let alone Aurora, who was practically a stranger in our world. And here she was, tearing into me, the Don of all people, with no fear.

Maxen hated that I hadn’t put her in her place right then and there. But there was something about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I didn’t want to crush that fire.

“I have my reasons,” I said simply.

Maxen scoffed, throwing his hands up. “Reasons? Reasons?” His voice was filled with sarcasm, disbelief etched into every line of his face. “Don, we’ve got everyone around here watching every single move you make, waiting to see what happens next, and you’re letting her talk to you like that?”

Larry, who had been watching quietly with a dark scowl and his arms crossed, suddenly stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “Don, with all due respect, it’s not enough of a reason to let that… that b***h talk to you without fear or respect. She thinks she’s untouchable. And if you let her, everyone else will think the same.”

I shot Larry a sharp look, my voice going cold. “Watch your mouth when you talk about her.” He flinched, taken aback, and an uncomfortable silence settled in the room.

I didn’t even know why I had said it with so much heat, but there it was.

Aurora wasn’t just “that girl” to me, and maybe it was that fierce, bold look in her eyes that reminded me of someone I had lost.

But I wasn’t about to admit that to them.

I took a deep breath and spoke, softer this time. “Both of you, just calm down. This isn’t something you need to worry about. I will handle her.”

Maxen’s eyes narrowed, doubt clear on his face. If anything, my calmness only seemed to set him off more. “No offense, but it doesn’t look like you’re handling her at all. She’s doing whatever she wants, stirring up trouble, and you're just letting her.”

“Maxen, I said, calm down.” I felt my voice get harder, a warning edge creeping in. He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand, silencing him. “Listen. I don’t know exactly why I let her go, but I have my reasons. Just… leave it alone.”

He crossed his arms, his frown deepening. “You know what I think, Don? I think she reminds you of Selene.”

The mention of her name hit me like a blow, my chest tightening instantly, a flash of anger boiling up from deep inside me. I felt my jaw clench, my hands curling into fists.

My voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Don’t. Say. Her name.”

Maxen stopped, going dead silent, his face shifting from anger to something else—unease, maybe even fear. He swallowed, taking a step back, as if he could sense the fire in my words, the line he had crossed.

“I mean it,” I continued, my voice cold as ice. “Selene is not something you’re entitled to talk about. Ever. Do you understand me?”

Maxen nodded, stiffly. I could see the tension in his jaw, but he knew better than to push me further.

Larry looked between us in silence, and I could see a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

Well, I let them feel it—the warning, the reminder of who I was, the fact that I didn’t need to answer to anyone. Not even them.

The silence stretched, thick and heavy, and I could feel the tension crackling in the air.

They knew I wasn’t the kind of man to take challenges to my authority lightly. I had earned their respect, their loyalty, but I had also earned their fear. And I wasn’t about to let them forget that.

Finally, Maxen spoke, his voice lower, a hint of restraint in his tone. “I didn’t mean… I just thought you were letting her get too close, Don. That’s all.”

I stayed silent for a moment, letting his words sink in. He was nervous, fidgeting slightly, something I rarely saw in him. I wanted them to feel this—exactly how close they had come to pushing me too far.

“Selene has nothing to do with this,” I said, my voice hard. “Whatever you think, you’re wrong. Aurora is… different. I’ll handle her my way. Do you understand?”

They nodded, both of them. But Maxen, relentless as always, pushed on, his voice thick with frustration. “But Don, do you know what almost happened just a few minutes ago?”

“What do you mean? What happened?” I asked, my patience wearing thin.

Maxen’s voice lowered. “Bianca and your Madre… if Aurora had opened her mouth, they would’ve found out that you kidnapped her. Do you even realize…?”

I didn’t let him finish, slamming my hand down on the desk as I rose to my feet, fury snapping through me like a live wire.

“What?”