THE MAFIA’s PET

JUST MY LUCK

“Go to your room,” he ordered angrily.

I scoffed. “Do I look like a kid to you?”

“Don’t… test me, Lucia.”

I rolled my eyes and walked off.

Back in my room, I kept going through the folder over and over again until exhaustion swept over me.

I don’t know how long I slept before my stomach started grumbling.

I dragged myself out of bed and headed straight to the kitchen.

I only meant to grab a sandwich.

After that, I started touring the house until I got to the living room and found Antonio sitting there, on his phone.

I cleared my throat.

“Uhhm, what’s the plan?”

“Pardon?”

He didn’t even look up from his phone.

“Am I just going to stay in your house from morning till night, doing absolutely nothing, until the end of my days?”

“No.”

I waited for him to say more, but he just kept scrolling.

“Okay?” I prompted.

He finally lifted his eyes, slow and irritated, like I’d interrupted something important.

“What?”

I stared at him. “You can’t just say no and expect me to magically understand what you mean.”

He put his phone down on the table, leaned back in his chair, and looked at me.

“Well, since you decided to go and meet Matteo without thinking for a second about the consequences, you’ve managed to make yourself a target. And somehow, you’ve also managed to expose me in the process.”

I opened my mouth.

He raised a finger.

“Don’t.”

I shut it.

Barely.

“Because of your little stunt, I can barely trust you to stay out of trouble on your own,” he continued. “So I’ve decided you’ll be coming to work with me every day.”

I blinked.

“Work?”

I folded my arms. “And what exactly am I supposed to do? Sit in your office and admire your face all day?”

His lips twitched.

“Trust me, sweetheart, the last thing I need is you staring at me while I’m trying to work.”

“Good. Because I have absolutely no interest in staring at your—”

“Watch it.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that when you know I could hurt you.”

I muttered something under my breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“You’ll be working as my personal assistant at Dante’s Group.”

I stared at him.

“Wait. Hold on.” I pointed at him. “You run that company too?”

“Obviously.”

“Oh, I see. That’s where you hide under the pretence that you’re not a murderer.”

He gave me a sharp look.

“Watch it.”

“Or else what? You’ll shoot me too?”

“Pretty soon, I might,” he spat.

“Well,” I said eventually, straightening up, “that’s good to know. When do I start?”

“Monday.”

I nodded slowly. “Monday.”

“But I don’t have anything to wear.”

“Not a problem.”

“Alright, then. I’m… off to bed.”

“You never did mention how you found out I met with Matteo,” I said, turning around.

Antonio got up from his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

“With my status, sweetheart, you should know I always have my ways. Good night, Lucia.”