The Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

ena

sleep th

t across the sky. Students stumbled out of buildings, clutching coffee cups and textbooks, h

ght I wanted and wou

in that white dress, so happy. Her smile was radiant, the kind that came from believing in forever. The man be

come

and power. As if the cramped apartment in Queens where I'd grown up, where my m

arcus: Mom called me crying last ni

enteen-year-old brother? That our entire life had been built on a lie? That the father we'd mourned

ed back. Just some family

d I do? Marcus was so close to graduating, so close to getting that scholarship to St. Andrews Prep. He

ion this afternoon. For a moment, I almost laughed. Marketing strategies and consumer behavior seemed a

ing. This was my life or it had been, until yesterday. College, internships, the dream of graduating

antoro could destroy w

elope full of medical bills that he'd slid across the white tablecloth like he was discussing the weather. These people whatever

nd. If my father had been alive all these years, if he'd known w

me jump. Jessica's name

ered, trying t

ried sick." Jessica's voice was ti

at school who knew about my family's financial struggles. She'd covered for me when I had to miss class

would put her

tter on my tongue. "Just some f

lying to me. You've been acting strange ever since" She paused. "T

only my biggest problem was a che

icated," I s

me, Selene. Whatever is going on

me. "I can't. Not yet. But I promise, as

re you in some kind of trouble? Because

before she could finish that thou

did I have? The people who had taken me yesterday weren't playing games. They'd made th

nsive suit. He'd moved through that coffee shop like he owned it, like the whole world w

he man who wanted

him with that other man. Guilty, yes. Ashamed. But also relieved, like

manded it? The thought made my chest ache with something that wasn't quite forgiveness but wasn't ang

playing roles in a movie about the perfect family. But there was something in their eyes a hardness th

I came from? Were these

This one from an address I didn't reco

d racing before

Marc

cision is required by this evening. I've taken the liberty of clearing your afternoon

at 6 PM from your dorm

gar

ian S

my professor. He'd interfered with my classes, my schedul

this man have? How far

night: We can still run. We can disappear so

d my mother's work schedule, if he had photos of my christening from twenty-three years ago, then

her: Mija, I called in sick to work. I'm

't show up to work, they'll notice. They'r

reply. How can any

reams of graduating and finding my place in the world that life was over. Whether I married Dario or ra

hat wasn't e

just to keep us afloat. About Marcus's scholarship application and the desperate hope in his voice when he'd talked about St. Andrews

d my family would be secure. My mother could get the medical treatment she needed. Marcus c

nderstand, married to a man who could barely stand to tou

ted. Free from the financial pressur

edom? Was their securi

om. Outside, I could hear students laughing, talking about weekend pla

g I was ab

ving on borrowed time, borrowed identity, borrowed safety. Maybe it

r known but whose blood ran through my veins. Heir

I would have to dec

ng for. Dario. We hadn't spoken since that night in his apartment, since I'd walked out on

three times. Just as I was

tious, surprised. "I... I wa

d. "About your father. Ab

across the line.

. He made m

e was flat, defeated. "He tol

t this is? An

der than his twenty-four years. "Everything in my f

Help me figure out what I

et me tonight. After you see him. Whatever you decide, whateve

thing that had happened between us, but may

id. "I'll cal

verything. For the lies, for what my father's

," I said,

of my day shower, breakfast, pretending to study but my mind was elsewhe

ly felt like costumes. What did one wear to sell their soul to the devi

and flats. Professional but not f

phone buzzed with a t

e that had been my sanctuary for three years. The textbooks, the photos

purse and walked towa