Marco and Co. arrived, shot up the hallway to clear it of enemies, and burst into the suite. Luca was taken away to a hospital, and though Marco tried to stay with me, I insisted he go with Luca. I needed time to myself.
Now, I sit alone in a lounge chair, the breeze against my face as I observe the waters of the French Riviera. The picnic Marco planned for us has gone uneaten; the basket is underneath my chair, but I leave it where it is. My stomach isn't quite yet ready for food, so I sip on white wine from a crystal glass.
Marco suddenly appears, and he takes the chair next to me. He looks stressed in a way I've only seen once before, when I was kidnapped.
"Is Luca alright?" I ask.
"Yes. He'll need therapy to be able to move his arm properly again, but he's going to be fine."
I nod, grateful that my crime wasn't for nothing. If Luca had died from his injuries, I would've actually kept my promise to him and jumped out the window.
"Are you alright, Ella?"
Marco watches me carefully, searching my face for a sign he can read, an emotion he can help, and what I see on him is fear. Fear that I've reverted to what I was before we married: a righteous girl who wanted to run away and be free of the cruelty and violence and complications of Marco Corleone and what he was part of.
"I told you before you said yes that if you wanted out, I would let you go." He swallows. "And...if..."
I place my hand on the side of his face, brushing my thumb over his cheek. "And I said yes, remember?" I smile. "I knew what I was getting into, and I don't regret it."
He gently grabs my wrist, holding me close.
"I love you, Marco," I say. "And I'm not going anywhere."
Marco stares at me a moment longer, and then he smiles. He pulls me from my chair and onto his, and I curl up against him, leaning my head on his shoulder and looking out at the pristine waters.
I was an abused daughter. A maid. A hostage. A runaway. An assistant. A fiancée.
Now I am a wife. A murderer. A defender. I've become something I can never undo, and I'm okay with that. I've found my place in the world, here with the man I love, here as the darling of the Corleone mafia, and I am content.
The End
Thank you for reading ☺️
PS - If you enjoyed and want to read more from me, please consider giving me a follow! There might be a sequel to Mafia Darling (emphasis on the might!) and I have another book planned (a fun 1950s Hollywood romance!) and would love for you all to check it out when I start posting it :)
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Mafia Darling
RomanceElla's mother sells her to the Italian-American mafia, and now she's a maid for a feared and ruthless family. Made to clean up messes and endure insults, she catches the eye of the boss, Marco. An inexperienced woman, she has no idea what she's in f...
