Page 27 of The Mafia’s Fiancee

“Yes, but I’m not sure how.” I frowned, thinking back to what he’d said. “Why don’t you trust Jimmy?”

He arched one brow. “Do I need another reason other than the fact that he’s lied to me my whole life? And withheld the truth that he’s my uncle and my father is a mafia boss?”

“I imagine he hid you to keep you safe.”

“Explain.”

“Marlo Rossini was once considered the boss. All three of our families have operated in Florida for many years. I’m talking generational power, back to the first colonies and settlements. That’s how far back a lot of the power struggles went, and once immigration kicked in, the powers were shifted into three main families taking over. Marlo Rossini had a fortune and vast spread of influence, but he’s managed it poorly—at least according to all that I’ve heard over the years.

“I try not to pay attention to the politics. No one ever expects me to listen in and no one will ever defer to me. I’m a woman. A thing. Half of a transaction in an arranged engagement and counted on doing nothing but bearing sons for my husband.”

He kissed me. “Not anymore.”

I smiled, playful. “You don’t want a son?”

He grinned. “I do. As many as you’ll give me. Daughters, too. We’ll figure that out, Emma. All I can promise is that you’re my future.”

It warmed my heart to know that he wanted a family. With his limited resources and only having his mother all his life, it made sense that he’d enjoy the idea of having kids and a wife. He never had a family, so now he’d have a chance to make his own. Like many other women my age, I yearned for a baby. My biological clock was ticking, but I trained myself to dread becoming a mother, assuming my baby would be Antonio’s child to exploit.

“How did Marlo lose power?”

I shrugged, unsure of the details. “More infighting happened among Rossini soldiers. Properties were abandoned or left in pieces after attacks.”

He made a noise of agreement. “The Rossini mansion I snuck into looked like it’d been neglected for a long time.”

“Maybe because he’d neglected his health, too. Over the years, he seemed to get weaker and stay hidden more.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know. Rumors vary. Some say it’s cancer, others claim it’s an autoimmune disease. No one really knows.”

“If Marlo’s dying and losing power, why wouldn’t Jimmy step up? As his brother, wouldn’t he be next in line to take charge?”

“You’re right that power transfers through family, but it never sounded like Marlo respected Jimmy. It might be that he didn’t want his younger brother to have his power. I only met Jimmy once, many years ago at a funeral. I think I was ten? I don’t know him well, but I am aware of what he looks like and who he is.”

“He’s a secretive bastard too, always hiding. He was the one who ‘found’ me and started training me to fight.” He grunted. “Well, he’s always known me. It sounds like my mom counted on his help when I was born.”

“And Marlo doesn’t know about you?”

“They claim he doesn’t. Jimmy’s adamant that I don’t tell anyone either. At the fight, he was freaking out about anyone knowing my secret.”

“Think about the ramifications of it, though. If Antonio or my father knew you existed, that Marlo has an heir, you’d have an immediate target on your back.”

He smirked. “You mean I don’t have one already for meeting you and falling in love with you?”

“They don’t care about love. But yes, you’ve earned their wrath by upsetting the arrangement for me to be engaged to Antonio.”

“That’s too fucking bad.” He hugged me closer.

“If they knew that you were the next in line to get the Rossini wealth and power, though...” I furrowed my brow. “They send out every one of their assassins to get you out of the way. My father and the Marcheses are hellbent on aligning. The engagement and marriage between me and Antonio would serve as proof, evidence of our union as families. And once Marlo dies, without a recognized heir... They’d claim what remained of the Rossini family and lord over the whole area.”

“Wait.” He frowned deeper. “What about Jimmy? Wouldn’t he get the Rossini power if I wasn’t revealed as Marlo’s son? Does it have to pass father to son?”

“No, but maybe there are stipulations that Marlo enacted. All I know is that Jimmy has been operating as a right-hand man for Marlo over the last ten years. That’s what it sounds like according to my father and the Marchese men. But they don’t ever see him as a threat. As someone they’d need to worry about after Marlo is gone.”

“Why?” He shook his head. “Jimmy’s not a weak man. He’s not a pushover.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”