The Men Who Abandoned Me Watched Me Marry a Mafia King

With tears already brimming, Lizetta asked me, "Can I stay in your house? What I mean is, since you're allergic to cats, you probably haven't had time to tidy up anyway. Why don't you let me stay here?"

Just then, Tommaso and Geffri, who had been trading blows like two soldiers settling a grudge in the back of a social club, stopped and turned to look at me in unison.

"You know, Lizetta has a point. Would you mind staying somewhere else for a few days, Gioia? We'll cover all the costs."

I considered it for a moment before suggesting, "Why don't I just sell the place to Lizetta instead?"

It seemed Tommaso and Geffri thought I didn't want to let Lizetta stay. They were immediately twisting it back on me, reminding me of how she had once saved my life, as if that debt sat over my head like a marker called in.

The onlookers who didn't know the full story joined in, the way men in a crowd always side with the one crying. They told me to pay the favor.

To pressure me into agreeing, both men counted out three hundred thousand in tribute right there in front of everyone. "It's only for a few days. Consider this rent, okay?"

At this point, refusing in front of the ranks would have cost me more than the house. "Fine!"

The three of them immediately cheered, clasping hands as if the brawl had never happened.

I didn't bother watching them celebrate. I went home to pack my bags.

On my way back, Lizetta sent me a message. "Gioia, I think that amount should be enough to buy your house outright, right? Why don't you just sell it to me?"

What she suggested was exactly what I wanted. I had no plans to come back once the alliance was sealed in Ansel City, so I needed the asset off my hands anyway.

Lizetta was thrilled when I agreed and begged me not to breathe a word to Tommaso or Geffri just yet. Of course, I was more than happy to keep that quiet.

Looking around the held ground that had been my family's, I realized that apart from my parents' things, there wasn't much I needed to take.

The next day, when Tommaso and Geffri brought Lizetta back, the men I'd hired to clear the place had already hauled out everything I didn't want. The two of them didn't look pleased at the near-empty rooms. "Gioia, we only asked you to lend the place for a few days. Do you really have to guard it like there's a thief in the family?"

"You're reading too much into it. I just cleared out what I don't need, to make room for Lizetta," I replied calmly.

The explanation seemed to settle them, at least a little. "Well, fine. We'll replace the furniture later."

Lizetta, who had been watching me with nervous eyes, finally relaxed when I agreed and said nothing more.

I smiled, told the two of them what they wanted to hear, and pushed my suitcase toward the door.

They insisted on walking me down, and I couldn't refuse without making it strange, so I let them.

Just as I was about to step into the elevator, the fire alarm tore through the entire building. The next second, the power cut out and the hall went black.

Tommaso and Geffri immediately closed ranks around Lizetta and steered her down the emergency stairs.

Smelling smoke, I gripped my suitcase and made for the emergency exit as fast as I could.

The heavy case made the stairwell impossible to manage, and I nearly lost my footing when someone shoved past me in the dark. Then a hand caught me, and I fell into a warm, solid embrace.

"Watch your step. Are you all right?"

The man's deep, low voice brushed past my ear and sent the blood rushing to my face. I tried to pull my hand free, but he held me steady, putting his body between me and the crowd pressing through.

We reached the ground floor and he let me go. My face burned as I thanked him.

He looked at me, unhurried, taking my measure. "There's no need to be so formal with me. After all, we're practically famiglia."

Startled, I glanced up and found myself staring into eyes dark as obsidian.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lorenzo Vitale," he said.

My heart skipped. So this was the man my uncle had chosen to bind me to.

But hadn't my uncle said Lorenzo wouldn't return until tomorrow, the same day we were to seal the alliance pact?

Reading the confusion on my face, he smiled. "When word reached me that you'd agreed to the union, I wrapped up my business early and came back. I couldn't wait any longer to meet you."

His voice, rich and unhurried as a cello, paired with that gentle, indulgent smile, struck something behind my ribs.

My eyes moved over him more than once, and the longer I looked, the faster my heart raced.

Damn you, Don. Why didn't you put a photograph in front of me sooner? This man was everything I'd ever let myself imagine.