FALLING FOR MAFIA BOSS

CHAPTER 3

"Kai is upstairs in the private zone,"Matteo announced. "Come."

Sarah tried to stop her again, but Marianna stood firm. "It'll be just a minute, Sarah. I'll be right back," she said stubbornly, and pushed forward. She had to get past him to get to the stairs, after all.

Her companion guided her up the long staircase, past the guards, and into the velvet-clad VIP lounge.

As soon as Marianna was inside the room, the music seemed to get quieter, and the air to thicken.

Kai was on the couch, but his expression changed the moment he caught sight of Marianna, following Mateo inside. For a brief moment, his expression was unreadable and he was clearly dumbfounded.

"You know he doesn't like receiving women here,"Leo said dryly.

Julian crossed his arms over his chest, his expression dark. "God what is wrong with Matteo? This won't end well."

Kai studied her for a long time, saying nothing, and she had the distinct feeling that he was looking her over, taking his time to decide something she had no idea what.

"I want to talk with you," Marianna told him quietly.

He didn't reply to her, only continuing to stare at her. He made her feel embarrassed, with all those beautiful and sharp eyes, and the long, silent pause that made her heart race. She looked down at her hands, suddenly fascinated by her reflection on her palms. When she finally met his eyes again, he stood. He didn't bother asking if she followed him, nor to ask to slow down, but walked to the door and, without looking back, simply exited.

"What are you doing here?" Kai growled, his tone as harsh as steel. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say thank you," Marianna said. "For yesterday. For fixing my shop."

Kai grabbing her wrist towards the quiet hallway. The other men watched them with amusement as they disappeared into the corridor.

Inside the dimly-lit hallway, Kai pushed her up against the wall, his grip on her wrist firm. His lips hovered over hers and, feeling both frustrated and impulsive, he kissed her.

Marianna let out a startled gasp and pushed his chest away from her with all her strength. "No! Stop!" she exclaimed.

Kai pulled away, watching her in confusion. "I came here to say thank you," Marianna said, her voice wavering, but her gaze steady on his. "Not for this."

Kai looked at her for a long time. In the end, he laughed bitterly and stepped back, loosening his grip on her, running a hand through his silver hair. "You really don't understand, do you?" he said quietly. "You think I'm some kind of hero for fixing your toy store, don't you? I'm just getting started, really. Tell me how my world works: I give orders, and people take them. I beat rival gangs, and they bleed. Everyone around me is covered in blood, power and lies. My world, my enemies, my everything is made out of bad things and shady deals. Yours is made of tea leaves and warm bread."

He leaned closer to her again and his voice was suddenly grave, serious. "If you want to stay by my side, my enemies will use you to get to me. You will be hurt or hurt someone else, or both. So take your thanks, turn around and go back to your little world. Forget that you ever saw me."

She took a steadying breath before looking up at him and speaking clearly.

"Maybe you really are a bad guy to everyone else," she said quietly. "Maybe your world really is filled with blood and lies. But you were not bad to me. You saved me when you didn't have to." She looked him straight in the eye. "And that makes you different."

Kai was speechless for once in his life. He had told her everything, trying to frighten her off, but she stood her ground. In that moment, he realized that nothing he would say would convince her to run away. He sighed and gave up.

"Just go home," he said quietly, turning around and walking down the corridor, away from her.

Marianna watched him go, and only when he was gone did she walk back to the main hall.

"Are you okay, Mari?"Sarah asked as she rushed to her side. "Did he hurt you? Say something! Can we go now?"

"Yes," Marianna said quietly.

As they walked back outside, Sarah continued rambling, relieved that it was all over. Marianna said nothing the whole time.

*************************************

"Mari, I'm serious! I could not sleep at all last night," Sarah continued, her eyes wide. "Did you see those guards? The things they said about him in the bathrooms? You promise me you will not do this thank you nonsense anymore! You should have seen his men in the club, Mari! They were scary! Kai is not just some rich club owner, he is dangerous! The people around him are dangerous! You promised me you would not bother him anymore!"

Marianna stood by the sink, cleaning her tea cup. She turned around and smiled at Sarah with a perfectly innocent look on her face.

"I know, Sarah," she said sweetly and quietly. "You're right, I will not bother him anymore. I promise."

"Thank God," Sarah sighed heavily, sinking against the counter. "I was really scared you would do something crazy."

Behind her back, Marianna crossed her index and middle fingers together tightly.

"I will not bother him anymore," she thought to herself. That was not a lie. As for completely forgetting about the silver-haired man who saved her life, and whom she was sure saved her specifically, not by chance... Well, that was not going to happen either.

By afternoon, the lunch rush at Marianna's diner was in full swing, but she was far from paying attention to the diners. She stood by the counter, absentmindedly cleaning the same spot for the third time. Her thoughts were with Kai, with the way he had battled without hesitation a moment ago, paid for her ruined diner before sunrise, and almost kissed her in the hallway of the club.

'He told me to leave him alone,' she thought, watching the steam curl upwards from the grill. What could a man like Kai want? More money? He had plenty of that. Nice clothes? He had those too, tailored to perfection. What else did a rich and powerful man like him desire?

Marianna realized with a start that she knew exactly what he wanted. Cooking was her passion, the one thing she did better than anyone else. People came from miles around to taste her home-cooked food. If words failed her, maybe she could show him what she was feeling in another way.

Marianna went back to the kitchen and prepared a dish fit for a king. She selected the freshest vegetables, seasoned the choicest cut of meat with care, made a hearty dish that would fill the heart and satisfy the stomach. She placed it in a neat little package, fastened it with a ribbon, and tucked a small note beside it.

'Kai,

You told me to leave you alone, but I couldn't just walk away, knowing you took care of my diner and protected me from those men. Thank you for everything.

Marianna '

Marianna looked at the bundle proudly, tying her apron around her waist. Then, the reality of what she had just done dawned on her.

Wait... where exactly did he work? She couldn't exactly ask Sarah, the girl would tie her up in the closet before telling her anything. Marianna was still wringing her hands around the edge of the counter when the familiar sound of the bell above the door chimed.

Two imposing men in dark jackets walked in and took their usual seats in the corner. Marianna knew them; they worked for Kai. They were the guards who had been in the club the other day.

"Morning, fellas," Marianna said brightly as she walked over to the table with a pot of coffee in her hands. "The usual for you gentlemen?"

"Yep, thanks Marianna," one of them, a burly man named Marcus said with a small smile.

As she poured them each a cup of coffee, Marianna paid close attention to what they said.

"Boss wants the South Side reports by three," the second guard said, rubbing his eyes. "We have to head back to the office right after this patrol."

"Yeah, the traffic near the district is going to be a nightmare," Marcus groaned.

Marianna's ears perked up at that.

As the men finished their food and left a generous tip on the table, Marianna was already making plans. Following two of Kai's men was not something she would usually do, but the determined little part of her soul seemed to have taken over. She flipped the sign above the door to 'closed', locked it and slipped out with the bundle of food in her hands. She kept to the shadows as she followed them down the street, watching carefully.

They walked for a few minutes before turning down a street that was decidedly less homey than the ones she usually saw in her part of the city. Marianna quickened her pace until they reached a glittering business district in the heart of the city, where men and women in designer suits walked by with leather briefcases.

The two guards entered the lobby of an impressive, 80-story building with glass walls. Marianna gaped at the sight before her in astonishment. She had expected a rundown warehouse or some underground facility, but this place looked more like the corporate headquarters of a Fortune 500 company.

Marianna swallowed hard. "Okay, Marianna, think," she whispered to herself, clutching the hot bag of food to her chest. "You can't exactly walk up to the front desk in an apron." She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a simple black cap and a canvas tote. Quickly, she tied her hair up in the cap and put on the bag.

Marianna steeled herself and walked up to the front desk, where a receptionist with sharply tailored clothes looked up at her.

"Delivery for the top floor, please," Marianna announced.

The receptionist narrowed her eyes at her in disgust. "The

top floor? Mr. Kai does not usually order outside food."