Undressed By The Mafia God

Marco remained seated for a moment, staring after her. He had hurt her. "Shit," he sighed, picked up his glass and finished the rest of his wine in one swallow.

Then he headed upstairs. The mansion was quieter now, the corridors dimmed for the night. He pushed open the door to the room.

Valentina stood near the bed, digging through one of their bags for her nightdress. Marco closed the door behind him.

He crossed the room slowly. She kept rummaging through the bag. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed her softly. "I’m sorry, babe," he murmured against her skin. "I’m sorry. I guess I just really missed you and maybe I was expecting fireworks, you know."

The moment the words left him, he realised how foolish they sounded.

Fireworks.

After weeks of terror. He had expected his wife to arrive bright-eyed, glowing, and ready to fall into his arms.

He really was an idiot.

Valentina let out a small breath. "It’s okay. It’s been a rough couple of weeks."

"Yeah..." Marco whispered. He took the clothing from her hand and placed it on the bed, then gently turned her to face him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Marco." Her fingers touched his side. "I’m glad to see you are fine."

"I’m sorry I made you feel alone."

Her throat moved as she swallowed. "I was scared."

"I know." Marco leaned down and kissed her.

Val leaned into him, her fingers gripping his T-shirt on either side of his waist. He had missed the shape of her hands on him. Missed her warmth.

Marco deepened the kiss. His palm moved to her back, drawing her closer. His intent became clear. He had missed his wife.

Valentina pulled away with a small smile. "I have to take a shower."

Marco’s hand remained at her waist for a bit before he let it fall. "Yeah..." He tried to smile back.

It was a poor effort. Disappointment flickered in his eyes. She touched his cheek once, then stepped away and disappeared into the bathroom.

Marco stood where she had left him, staring at the door. The feeling still did not leave him. Something was wrong.

Something sat between them now.

Marco rubbed a hand over his face and exhaled. Perhaps he was overthinking.

*****

David’s torture continued over the next couple of days. Luca delivered on his promise like an art form. Every breath David drew was permitted only because Luca had not finished making his point.

The doctors kept him alive.

Barely.

There was no mercy, no escape into unconsciousness without being dragged back to suffer some more. Luca intended to collect every minute David took from his wife with interest.

By the fifth day, David would not have made it until the next morning, no matter what the doctors did.

His body had reached the edge. Luca had never planned to let David slip quietly into death behind closed doors. David had earned an announcement.

Luca enjoyed every minute he spent with him. David had touched his wife. Violated her so Luca planned to make a show of his ending.

A statement.

Everyone who believed Luca’s marriage had made him soft—they would understand, by the end of the night, that love had not made Luca merciful.

It had made him worse.

The house staff were given the day off. Other members of the famiglia were invited. Luca was not staging theatre for pleasure alone. He was making doctrine. Touch what belongs to him, and your death and suffering would become education.

Marco understood the assignment. He also understood who should not be present. Carol, Valentina, and Matteo needed to be far away from the house before night settled fully.

So Marco told Valentina that Carol wanted to take them to the movies, maybe see a little of Italy before they returned to New York.

Sometime around six in the evening, Valentina and Carol left with Matteo. The car rolled through the gates and headed towards the city, leaving the mansion behind as the sky began to deepen.

For a while, neither woman spoke. Matteo sat in the back, babbling at his toy. Carol smiled at him in the mirror, but Valentina’s gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.

She knew.

"Something is about to happen, isn’t it?" Val asked at last.

Carol turned her head slowly towards her.

"Something they don’t want us to be part of."

"Do you want to be part of it?" Carol asked.

Valentina looked out through the window at the city lights beginning to glow. "I don’t know."

"David took your sister, tortured her, assaulted her. He killed Matteo’s biological father. On this matter, Val, I’d say he deserves much more than he is getting."

"So you know what they will do to him?" Val asked.

Carol kept her eyes on the road. The city stretched ahead of them, all evening lights, moving cars. "Not necessarily...But I know my son."

Val turned her head towards her.

Carol’s hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. "And I know how much he loves your sister."

"I don’t like that Marco keeps things from me," Val said.

Carol glanced at her briefly. "No woman does."

"He lies to me without blinking. Like now. Telling me he wants me to see the city when actually he is going to be part of an execution."

Carol sighed. "He is trying to protect you. I worry about you, Val," Carol said after a long silence.

Val frowned. "Why?"

"Because I know the signs."

"What signs?"

Carol was quiet for a moment. She had not intended to say this much. "I know how it feels when you cannot take it anymore...When you love your husband, but the life around him starts to feel like a countdown. You sound like me right before I left," she said gently.

"I’m not leaving," Val said immediately.

Carol glanced at her, both hands firm on the wheel. "That is good to know, then."

(powered by 200 power stones)

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!