THE MAFIA’S ORPHAN WIFE

AFTERMATH

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

It’s been 48 hours since the yacht. Since the coast guard. Since the sirens and the guns and the moment I chose him over freedom.

And everything felt different. Wrong. Right. I didn’t know.

Adrian hadn’t left my side. Not really.

He worked from the library. Had meetings on calls with people who probably feared him. But he was here. In the house. Down the hall.

I’d wake up at 3am and hear him pacing. I’d hear the door to my room open, a pause, then close again. Like he was checking.

The staff was whispering. I heard them in the kitchen when I went to get water at midnight.

"Did you see the news?"

"Mr. Moretti almost got arrested."

"Mrs. Moretti defended him. On camera."

"She’s brave. Or stupid."

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. "Mrs. Moretti."

It still sounded fake. Like a costume I put on.

The first morning after, Adrian asked me at breakfast. "Are you okay?"

For the 5th time.

"I’m fine," I said, pushing eggs around my plate. I hadn’t eaten in two days. My stomach was in knots. "Just tired."

"You don’t have to be strong all the time," he said quietly. He wasn’t eating either. Just coffee. Black. "After what happened. With Victor. With James. You can fall apart. I’ve got you."

The words hit me harder than the gunshots did.

When was the last time someone said that to me? When was the last time someone meant it?

"Victor’s in jail," he continued. "Federal charges. He won’t see daylight for 20 years."

"And James?" I whispered.

"Gone," Adrian said. His jaw ticked. "Out of the country. As of this morning. My contacts made sure. He won’t bother you again. Ever."

I should have felt relief. I should have cried with happiness.

But I just felt... empty. Like I’d been bracing for a fight for so long that peace felt dangerous.

That night I couldn’t sleep. The bed felt too big. The silence too loud. Every creak made me jump.

At 2am I gave up and went to the library. Adrian was there. Of course he was.

Desk lamp on. Laptop open. Files everywhere. He looked exhausted.

"Nightmare?" he asked without looking up.

"No. Just thinking."

He closed the laptop and rubbed his eyes. Then he patted the seat next to him on the leather couch. I sat, pulling my blanket around me. I was still in his t-shirt and sweatpants.

For a while we just sat there. The fire crackling.

"You saved me," he said quietly. "On the yacht. You could have walked away. Taken Victor’s deal. 500K. New life."

"So could you," I said. "You could have let Victor take me. Cut your losses. Find another wife for the merger."

He turned to me, eyes dark in the lamplight. Serious. "I don’t cut losses. I don’t let go of what’s mine."

The air between us got heavy. Thick.

"Lanny," he whispered. My name sounded different in his voice. Softer. "I think I’m falling for you."

My heart stopped. Completely.

I couldn’t breathe.

"Adrian..."

"Don’t say anything," he cut me off, standing up suddenly. He looked panicked. Like he regretted saying it. "Don’t ruin it. Don’t say it back if you don’t mean it. Just... think about it. Please."

He walked out, leaving me alone with the crackling fireplace and a heart that wouldn’t stop racing.

I sat there for an hour.

The Mafia King just

"I’m fine," I said, pushing eggs