The Mafia Temptation

ella

f my childhood home now felt alien, foreign. The walls that once offered comfort seemed to close in on me, suff

as a force of nature-unstoppable, relentless. His dark eyes never left mine, his presence suffocating, powerful. My body s

the calm, there was a warning, an undercurrent of something darker. He knew I was trying

rol over my own thoughts. "I don't want anyt

pine. "Oh, sweetheart," he said softly, stepping even closer, his presence now c

never chosen this life. But my voice was trapped in my throat, my mind clouded

eadable. It was as though he was searching for something deep

can't escape this. The mafia doesn't let go. It doesn't forgive. And it

unbearable, yet I couldn't deny the truth of it. Maximo had never been one to offer

racing for any possible way out. T

ot after everything I'd seen and heard. I'd seen enough violence and betrayal to la

ity of someone who knew exactly what I was thinking. "You're not going anywhere," he said, his voice low, the threat

is presence was suffocating, and for the first time, I felt small-helpless. The powerful, intimidating fig

" I finally managed to say, my

ard me. "I have every right. Your father signed your fate the moment

grabbing my arm with a force that made me gasp. His gr

," he warned, his voice dangero

hope. I tried to yank my arm away, but it was useless. His grip was iro

e murmured, his breath warm against m

reaming to get away, but the man holding me was a

ying to make him understand, but I wasn'

t as though he were considering something-before the

yet filled with an edge of finality. "Bu

caught in my throat. Something about the way he said it, the certaint

e to run. No

ssibilities had narrowed down to a single dark path

tly tilt my chin so that I had no choice but to meet his gaze. The int

e softer than before, almost reassuring. "But

give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. He might have trapped me

uld

ength to resist. But in that moment, I knew t

nge, control, or something else entirely. But one thing