My Mafia Queen Only

Chapter 7

Armando's POV

The soft knock on my office door pulled me from a mountain of paperwork – the never-ending aftermath of the attack. "Come in," I called, expecting Tiro or one of my lieutenants.

To my surprise, Anna – Sylvia's childhood friend – stepped inside, a hesitant smile on her face. She wore a emerald green dress that complemented her auburn hair, looking decidedly out of place in the stark, masculine space of my office.

"Anna," I said, rising from my chair. "This is unexpected. Is everything alright with Sylvia?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, Sylvia's fine. I actually came to see you, Armando."

Something in her tone made me pause. "Me? What can I do for you?"

Anna moved closer, perching on the edge of my desk. The scent of her perfume – something floral and sweet – filled the air between us. "I wanted to check on you, after everything that's happened. Sylvia told me about the attack."

I nodded, suddenly aware of how close she was sitting. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. Nothing I haven't dealt with before in this line of work."

Her hand reached out, touching my arm lightly. "You're so brave, Armando. Sylvia's lucky to have you."

Warning bells rang in my head. This was dangerous territory. "Anna, I think—"

The door burst open, Tiro striding in with a stack of files. He stopped short at the scene before him – Anna perched on my desk, her hand on my arm, our faces close together.

"I'm sorry, boss," Tiro said, his face a mask of professionalism. "I didn't realize you had... company."

Anna stood quickly, smoothing her dress. "I was just leaving. Think about what I said, Armando."

As she brushed past Tiro, I caught the knowing look in his eyes. This would undoubtedly fuel the rumor mill, and if word got back to Sylvia...

I sighed heavily. "Tiro, it's not what it looked like."

He nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. "Of course, boss. The files you requested on the potential leak in our organization."

As he laid out the information, I tried to focus. But my mind kept drifting to Anna's visit and the potential complications it could bring. In this world of shadows and secrets, even the simplest interactions could have far-reaching consequences.

Aria's POV

I found Tiro in the gym, pummeling a punching bag with barely contained fury. Sweat glistened on his skin, his muscles rippling with each powerful strike. For a moment, I allowed myself to admire the view before steeling my nerves.

"Tiro," I called out softly.

He froze mid-punch, then slowly turned to face me. His expression was guarded, a far cry from the open warmth I'd grown accustomed to seeing.

"Aria," he acknowledged, his tone clipped. "What can I do for you?"

I took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize. For how I acted the other morning. It was unfair of me."

Tiro's jaw clenched. "You don't need to apologize. You made your feelings quite clear."

"No, I didn't," I insisted, taking a step closer. "I was scared, Tiro. Opening up to you that night... it terrified me. So I lashed out."

For a moment, I saw a flicker of the old Tiro – the one who looked at me with such tenderness. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"And what about now?" he asked, his voice low. "Are you still scared?"

I nodded, honesty spilling from me. "Terrified. But I'm trying to be brave. To let you in."

Tiro's expression softened slightly, and hope bloomed in my chest. But then his eyes hardened again.

"I saw Armando's visitor earlier," he said, changing the subject abruptly. "Sylvia's friend. They looked... cozy."

I blinked, thrown by the shift. "What are you talking about?"

As Tiro recounted what he'd seen in Armando's office, I felt a surge of protectiveness for my brother. "You're misinterpreting things. Armando would never—"

"Like you misinterpreted my intentions?" Tiro shot back. "We all have our blind spots, Aria. Especially when it comes to family."

The accusation stung. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tiro shook his head, frustration evident in every line of his body. "Nothing. Forget it. I have work to do."

As he brushed past me, I grabbed his arm. "No, we're not done here. You don't get to throw accusations at my brother and then walk away."

He jerked his arm free, anger flashing in his eyes. "Like you walked away from me? Pushed me aside when things got too real?"

His words hit me like a physical blow. "That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Aria," Tiro said, his voice cold. "I thought you'd have learned that by now."

With that, he strode out of the gym, leaving me alone with the echo of his words and the sinking feeling that I'd just made things infinitely worse.

Vittorio's POV

From my hidden vantage point, I watched the drama unfold with growing satisfaction. Dissension in the ranks, mistrust spreading like a cancer – it was all going according to plan.

My phone buzzed with a message from Rosina: "Package delivered. Awaiting your signal."

A cruel smile played on my lips as I typed my response: "Excellent. Proceed to phase three."

As I slipped away, unnoticed by the feuding lovers or my unsuspecting nephew, I allowed myself a moment of anticipation. Years of careful planning, of nursing my hatred and resentment, were finally coming to fruition.

Soon, very soon, Armando would learn the true meaning of betrayal. And when the dust settled, I would be there to claim what was rightfully mine.

The empire would be mine, and all those who had wronged me would pay dearly for their transgressions.

Let the real games begin.