THE MAFIA’S ORPHAN WIFE

THE WAREHOUSE

The warehouse smelled like rust and old rain.

2:17 AM.

Lanny’s heels clicked on the concrete as she followed Adrian.

Marco was already there, standing by the door with his arms crossed and his face like stone.

"You didn’t have to bring her," Marco said to Adrian.

"She’s my wife," Adrian replied. "She comes where I go."

Lanny swallowed. Her hands were shaking.

She didn’t want to be here. But she also didn’t want to be home alone, wondering if Adrian was bleeding somewhere.

The warehouse was huge. Shipping containers stacked 3 high. The lights buzzed overhead.

And on the floor, in the middle of it all...

3 men.

Bloody. Bruised. Zip-tied.

Lanny stopped walking. "Adrian—"

"It’s okay," he said quietly. "They’re alive."

One of them spat blood. "You think this scares us?"

Adrian crouched in front of him. No gun. No yelling. Just cold.

"This isn’t a warning for you," Adrian said. "This is a message to the board."

He stood up. Looked at Marco. "Take pictures. Send them."

Lanny’s stomach turned.

"Is this... is this because of me?" she whispered.

Adrian turned to her. His gray eyes were dark.

"This is because of them."

His phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered. Put it on speaker.

The voice was distorted. Robotic.

"Adrian. Call off the dog. Or the girl dies."

Click.

The silence after was worse than the threat.

Lanny froze. Her breath caught.

Adrian looked at her. For the first time since she met him, he looked scared.

Not for himself. For her.

"From now on," he said, voice low. "You don’t go anywhere without me."

"I— okay."

"Not to the store. Not to the bathroom. Nowhere."

Lanny nodded. "Okay."

Marco cleared his throat. "Sir, we should go. Before more of them show up."

On the drive home, no one spoke.

Lanny stared out the window. The city looked different now. Dangerous.

Every car behind them felt like a tail. Every shadow felt like a gun.

When they got to the penthouse, Adrian didn’t go to his room.

He went to Lanny’s.

Picked up her bag. Her pillow.

"Come on," he said.

"Where?"

"My room. Just for safety."

Lanny followed him.

His room was bigger than hers. Black sheets. City view. A gun on the nightstand.

He set her stuff down.

"You take the bed. I’ll take the couch."

"Adrian, it’s a king bed. We can both—"

"No." He cut her off. "Rule 3."

Right. Rule 3: No touching.

Lanny laid down. The bed smelled like him. Expensive cologne and something else. Safety.

She heard him moving on the couch. Shifting. Not sleeping.

At 3AM, Lanny sat up.

"Can’t sleep?"

"No," Adrian said from the dark.

"Me neither."

Silence.

Then: "Come here."

Lanny’s heart stopped.

"What?"

"Just... come here."

She slid off the bed. Walked to the couch.

Adrian moved over. Made space.

Lanny sat.

He didn’t touch her. But he was close. Close enough that she could feel his warmth.

"They’re not going to get you," he said quietly. "I won’t let them."

"How do you know?"

"Because I’ve been waiting 15 years to pay this debt. I’m not losing you 3 weeks in."

Lanny looked at him.

In the dark, he didn’t look like a mafia heir. He looked tired. Young. Human.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For not letting me do this alone."

Adrian was quiet a long time.

Then he sighed and leaned his head back.

"Get some sleep, Lanny."

"Yes, sir."

She stayed on the couch.

He stayed beside her.

Neither of them slept.

But for the first time, the fear didn’t feel so big.

Because he was there.

---

Morning came too fast.

Lanny woke up to sunlight and the smell of coffee.

Adrian was in the kitchen. Hair wet. Fresh shirt.

Like nothing happened last night.

Like 3 men weren’t zip-tied in a warehouse because of her.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning."

"Sit. Eat."

Eggs. Toast. Coffee.

They ate in silence.

Lanny watched him. The way his jaw ticked. The way his hand kept going to his phone.

"You’re waiting for them to respond," she said.

"Yes."

"To the pictures?"

"Yes."

His phone buzzed.

Adrian looked at it. His face didn’t change.

"They got the message."

"What message?"

"That you’re mine."

Lanny’s chest tightened.

Mine.

The word should’ve scared her.

Instead it made her feel safe.

Marco called.

"Sir, the board wants a meeting. Today."

"Tell them no."

"They said it’s about Mrs. Virelli."

Adrian looked at Lanny.

"Then we go."

---

In the car, Lanny asked, "What are they going to do?"

"Try to scare you," Adrian said. "Don’t let them."

"And if I do?"

"Then I’ll scare them more."

The Virelli Tower felt different today.

Heavier.

As they got off the elevator, Adrian took her hand.

Just for a second.

Squeezed.

Let go.

"Stay close," he murmured.

"Always," Lanny replied.

The warehouse was just the beginning.

And the board had just declared war.