Mafia Darling

25 | I'm Sick of Coming up with Chapter Titles (Ella)

Marco has promised to take my virginity, and a small, wicked part of me wants him to keep that promise. 

I trail behind him as he enters the café. I don't want to go inside because I know what he's going to do. He'll order me a gourmet caramel latte and make me sit at a little table with him, and we'll either pretend not to be staring at each other, or we'll have another tense, perverse conversation. 

He doesn't make me go inside. Instead, he comes out holding two cups. I take mine wordlessly and blow into the hole before taking a sip. It's more delicious than any latte I ever had in America.

We go into a jewelry workshop next. Without my input, he picks out a silver ring with a sapphire gem as a gift for his mother. I know what this means: he knows Marcine gave me her ring. After he buys that, he picks up a delicate and beautiful silver chain.

"Come here," he says.

My nostrils flare, but I obey. He wraps it around my wrist and beckons the salesman over. I turn my head aside. I don't want to see it, don't want to admire it. The salesman does some adjustments with big tools and heat, and only after he's gone do I realize what he's done.

There's no clamp on the bracelet. He's welded it closed around my wrist.

"What the hell is this?" I hiss, forgetting my tone and to use the word sir.

"A present, Miss Laurent," Marco says, eyes flashing with disgust at my perceived lack of respect. "So you know who you belong to."

Object.

I storm out of the shop, seething. He follows me. We walk along the channels. The weather is still nice, but it's a cloudy day, and there's barely any passersby. I wish there were.

"What is it, Miss Laurent?"

I whirl around. "You're a murderer."

"Oh," he murmurs. "This is about Jack." He pauses, then swallows. "Did you...love him?"

"Love him?" I snap. "Jesus Christ, I knew him for ten minutes. But he was gentle. He was kind. I'm not upset because someone I loved died. I'm upset because someone innocent died."

God, God, God. If I hadn't brought Jack to my room. If I hadn't been stupid enough to think I could get over Marco. If I hadn't been so obsessed with my first time and running away.

Jack would still be alive.

And, God, I don't even know his name.

Marco eyes me warily. "He was threatening me and my family," he says quietly. "Nothing is more important than keeping my family safe, healthy, and powerful, even if it means making hard decisions."

The delicate chain slides against my wrist as I clench and unclench my hands.

"And you, Miss Laurent?" he asks. "You ran away from a murder scene so you could have a future."

"He was about to leave!" I snap. "If you hadn't chased after me, if you hadn't barged in, if you hadn't threatened him, he wouldn't have tried to arrest you! You wouldn't have had to kill him!"

"Ella," he whispers. "Please."

It's the first time he's said my name in a long time. My hands go limp, all of the fight draining out of me. Despite my regrets, I can't bring Jack back to life. All I can do is accept that his death was our fault...and I have to move on. It will kill me if I don't.

"I told you before," Marco murmurs. "The mafia is dirty business. I've hurt and killed dozens of people. I'll hurt and kill dozens more. Almost all are crooks and have it coming. The agent...he was innocent. He didn't deserve it. I accept that, and I'm sorry, but I don't regret it."