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Our House
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Taken by the Mafia King Why Not?
TommasoThe weather had finally grown warm enough for Paige and I to eat on the patio, so we took the chicken masala Miranda had made out there to enjoy the last rays of sunset. I glanced at her. She’d been fidgety since she came down, but not the same kind of excited fidgety I’d seen when we left the house. Something had changed, and I didn’t know what yet.“I heard from Marybeth,” I said. “The owners were so impressed by our all-cash offer that they’re even willing to trim closing.”She smiled limply and spooned up a bite. Her oversized sweater sagged off her shoulder, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of skin barely hidden by her hair.I sipped my wine. “How was the rest of your afternoon?”“Busy,” she said, distraction edging her voice.I raised an eyebrow.She sighed in a huge whoosh of air, and I knew I had her.“I just came home, and I wanted to spend all afternoon on the shelter, but then Chris needed me for something urgent.” She shrugged and poked at her food. “And I just didn
Taken by the Mafia King Clarity
PaigeI lay in my bed, staring up at the mural I’d grown so used to on my ceiling and trying not to lose my goddamn mind. Why did I say anything about marriage? Why did Tom have to look so absolutely, unshakably certain when he said we should? How could I possibly go to sleep knowing that?I turned over and punched my pillow into a new shape. I’d grabbed Tom’s wrist as I left the dinner table and asked him to sleep in my bed tonight. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I’d freaked out because I didn’t love him. I really, really did. But marriage?Thankfully, he had some mob deal or other tonight, so I had the bed to myself at least until he finished that. If he were here, I just knew he’d sense my confusion and try to keep talking about it. But every time Tom talked, he made these huge, sweeping promises that I had no idea how he was ever going to keep. Marriage. Supporting us both. Giving me access to all his bank accounts and never turning back.If I kept thinking about him
Taken by the Mafia King Big idea
Paige“So?” I said. “What do you think?”Tom nodded slowly, his eyes on the road as we drove to therapy. “I think it’s a great idea, honestly.”I tapped my feet against the floor, out of time with the music pouring softly from the speakers. Emotion coursed through my veins. Nerves? Excitement? A dizzying mixture of both? I couldn’t quite tell.“I’m just worried about the money.” I stared out the window. “The house was already a lot, and now this—”Tom grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I will make sure the money’s not a problem.”We pulled into the parking lot of Lauren’s office, and I sucked in a deep breath. When Tom promised to work hard enough to erase a problem, I had no trouble believing him. I just didn’t know if I could actually make my ideas make sense to anyone else. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like basically the best idea I’d ever had, and I didn’t want to do anything to mess it up.The walk from the car to Lauren’s office disappeared in my jitters. Tom sque
Taken by the Mafia King Sunrise
TommasoI paced back and forth in front of the line of chairs by Lauren’s door. I couldn’t hear anything, as always, but I’d never really wanted to before. When Paige told me she wanted to bring Lauren in on the shelter project, I saw her vision immediately. Lauren was a bulldog on the phone with me, refusing to give up anything that would compromise Paige, but by the way Paige described her, she was a sweetheart in session. I couldn’t imagine someone more perfect to round out the shelter.Of course, just in case Lauren said no, I’d spent the first half of the session gathering a list of other female therapists with mob connections. It was a short list, at least inside the city, and none of them had the trauma specialization that Lauren did, but Paige was going to need someone with her. The mob connections were just so the women asked fewer questions when the rescues came in. I knew Paige wanted her own thing, away from the life, but I needed to keep both of us safe.The door opened b
Taken by the Mafia King Not Quite Done
PaigeThree Months Later…I swiped sweat off my forehead and stepped out of the blistering August heat into the air conditioning of Raphael’s Angel Haven. Upbeat pop music blared from the stereo under the television in the common room, and a few of the women danced and laughed. Becca, who’d just left an abusive boyfriend, grabbed Asha, a newer member of the group who’d just moved in off the streets, and after a bit of hesitance, Asha joined the dance.I grinned. Somehow, in just a few months, I’d actually managed to put together the women’s shelter. When we cut the ribbon a couple of months back, I’d finally unveiled the name to Mom and everyone else. Mom cried, of course, and she’d only cried harder when I explained that I wanted these women to have Dad looking over them, just like I always did growing up. I blew a kiss to the picture of him I’d hung on the front wall and started heading back to make sure everything was running smoothly.Heavy footsteps clomped down the stairs, and I
Taken by the Mafia King The Real Boss
TommasoI followed Paige to her office where sat behind her low-slung, light wood desk, and I couldn’t help marveling at her in the summer sun. She’d regained all the weight she’d lost during her captivity, and her soft, round cheeks had picked up a sprinkling of freckles over the few beach trips I’d managed to coax her away from the house long enough to take. She’d given up her oversized sweaters for slouchy crop-tops and shorts that she said allowed the women here to see her like one of them rather than the mean house manager, but she carried herself with a confidence that told everyone she passed as exactly who held the power in the room.I dropped into the light green chair on the opposite side of the desk and smiled. “You know, these days, it feels more like you’re the don and I’m the capo.”She laughed. “Here? You think this is the sort of office I’d have as a don?”I glanced around the light, sun-drenched space. It looked like no mafia office I’d ever seen in my life. “I think
Taken by the Mafia King Mile High
PaigeI climbed out of the car I’d learned to drive over the last few months, a little red coupe Tom insisted on buying me because it matched my hair, and headed up to the door as the sun set behind me. After my meeting with Tom, I’d spent the rest of my day running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to get everything in order for an influx of women in only a couple of days. Lauren had too many clients to help too much, but she put together a list of potential new therapists, and everybody else pitched in where they could. I was pretty sure we could handle it.The door opened in front of me, and I startled back a step. Tom stood there with two overnight bags in his hands.“What—”“We have to head to the airport.” He grinned and offered one of the bags to me.“The raid isn’t until tomorrow.” I trailed after him toward his favorite car, which was in the driveway instead of the garage like usual. “What are you talking about?”He opened the trunk and dropped both bags in.
Taken by the Mafia King Top of the World
TommasoI stumbled off the plane in New York City, legs a little wobbly from the slightly more than a quickie we’d had on the plane until the pilot announced we needed to put our seatbelts back on.“So,” I said, “how would you feel about a couple of surprises?”She pouted playfully. “You know I love to know what’s going on.”I wrapped my arms around her waist. I knew Paige blamed herself for having been distant recently, too busy trying to get her shelter set up, but I also knew that I’d been busy, too. We split the blame.“What’s going on is that I love you.” I kissed her. “And I want to show it. I promise, almost nothing you’ve never done before. New places, same experiences.”She kissed me back. “One condition. I change before you take me anywhere fancy.”“Already in the plans.” I grabbed her hand and led her to a car I’d hired for the evening. “First stop is a designer who owes me a favor.”She smacked me. “If you’re not careful, I’m going to end up spoiled.”“Oh no.” I kissed the
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Taken by the Mafia King Beginning of Forever
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