THE MAFIA’S ORPHAN WIFE

ONE RULE BROKEN

Morning came too fast.

Adrian was already gone when I woke up. The assistant told me he had "business."

Translation: He was probably killing someone.

I was stuck in the house. Again.

I hated it.

To distract myself, I went to the library. Floor to ceiling books. It was beautiful.

That’s where I found it.

A file. With my name on it.

`LANE CARTER - BACKGROUND CHECK`

My hands shook as I opened it.

Photos of me as a kid. In the orphanage.

School records. My therapy notes.

Even the police report from when James hit me 6 months ago.

He knew everything.

"Looking for something?"

I jumped. Adrian was in the doorway.

"Is this why you picked me?" I held up the file. "Because I’m broken? Because I have no one?"

He walked in and closed the door. "I picked you because you’re strong. And because you had nothing to lose."

"That’s not an answer."

"No," he admitted. "It’s not."

We stared at each other. The air was thick.

Then his phone rang. He ignored it.

"Rule 1," he said suddenly. "No touching."

I nodded.

"Rule 1 is stupid," he said, and before I could react, he closed the distance and brushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

His fingers lingered. Warm.

My breath caught.

"I’m not supposed to do that," he whispered.

"Then don’t," I whispered back.

He did it again.

For 3 seconds, we weren’t the Mafia King and the orphan girl.

We were just... two broken people.

Then the moment broke. He stepped back like he’d been burned.

"Forget that happened," he said, voice rough. "Business meeting in one hour. Wear the black dress."

He left.

I stood there, heart pounding.

Rule 1: Broken.

And the worst part?

I didn’t regret it.