Tired of Being Second in My Mafia's Boyfriend Heart

I lay there on the cold gravel, the weight of everything crushing me like a ton of bricks. The sting from my knees and wrists was nothing compared to the pain inside. I had thought Lewis was my future. I had thought today was going to be the beginning of something new, something beautiful. Instead, I was discarded—worthless in his eyes.

The night air bit into my skin, but I couldn’t find the strength to move. How could I? The man I loved, the man I believed would protect me, had been sitting on the beach, wrapped up with her, Candice—his "childhood friend"—watching fireworks as if I didn’t even exist.

I blinked back the tears that blurred my vision, struggling to breathe against the rising panic. What am I going to do now?

The sound of tires crunching on the gravel road reached my ears, a distant hum at first, but then growing louder, closer. I lifted my head weakly, the headlights blinding me for a moment as the car approached. It slowed down, stopping just a few feet away.

My heart leapt into my throat as the driver’s door opened. Was this a stranger? Another threat? Or—had Lewis come to his senses? I had no time to think as a tall figure emerged, silhouetted against the dim light. But when he stepped forward, my breath caught in my chest.

It wasn’t Lewis.

It was Levi—Lewis’ half-brother.

A chill ran down my spine as I took him in. Levi Gudecelli. The notorious black sheep of the family. Ruthless, cold, and cunning, he was everything Lewis wasn’t, and worse yet—he was Lewis’ rival for the mafia throne. I had heard stories about him, about how dangerous he was, how his ambitions had caused rifts within the Gudecelli family. I had never been close to him, never wanted to be.

But now, here he was, standing over me, his gaze unreadable in the faint light.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” His voice was smooth, almost mocking, as his eyes swept over me, taking in the state I was in—dirty, bruised, and utterly broken. “You look like you’ve had a rough night, Stephanie.”

I swallowed hard, trying to push back the rising panic. I didn’t know what he wanted, but in that moment, I realized I had no choice. I was desperate. I needed help, and Levi was my only option.

“Please,” I croaked, my voice hoarse from the strain. “Help me. I don’t know what else to do.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. “Help you? And why would I do that?”

My mind raced, grasping for anything—any reason to make him care. “I… I’ll do anything,” I blurted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “Just… get me out of here. I don’t have anyone else.”

Levi studied me for a long moment, his expression impossible to read. Then, slowly, he crouched down in front of me, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous, something that made my stomach twist in knots. “Anything, huh?” he mused, his tone low and dangerous. “You do realize who you’re talking to, don’t you, Stephanie?”

I nodded, barely able to breathe. “I know. I… I don’t have a choice.”

He chuckled softly, reaching out to tilt my chin up so I had no choice but to meet his gaze. “You’re in deep now, aren’t you? Lewis left you out here, didn’t he? Left you for dead while he’s busy playing nice with Candice.” The way he said her name, with a hint of venom, made my blood run cold. He knew. Of course, he knew.

“He doesn’t care about me anymore,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “He never did.”

For a moment, Levi’s smirk faded, replaced by something darker. “That’s the thing about Lewis,” he said, his voice a low rasp. “He’s weak. Always was. Too busy being the golden boy to notice what’s right in front of him.”

I bit my lip, barely holding back the sob that threatened to escape. Everything Levi said was true, and I had been blind to it for so long. I had believed Lewis’ lies, his reassurances, all while he drifted further and further away from me.

Levi’s hand dropped, and he stood, towering over me once again. “Alright, Stephanie,” he said, his voice suddenly colder, more businesslike. “I’ll help you. But understand this—you’re mine now. If I save you, you owe me. And I don’t deal in small favors.”

I shivered at the intensity of his words, but I had no other option. If I didn’t take his offer, I would be left here, discarded, just like Lewis had discarded me. “Okay,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just… don’t leave me here.”