Faked A Dark Mafia Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,78
to become that asshole again.”
Slowly, he slipped the chain around my head.
He tenderly traced my jaw, the fire spreading into my heart. “Keep it, Li. I like that you never gave up on me. But I think I have you beaten on the obsession front.”
A ridiculous grin staggered across my face.
He winked at me, grabbing a wallet from his pocket. He opened it, retrieving a torn, yellowed piece of paper. A wrinkle ran along its edge. He stared at it for a moment and handed it to me.
I took it, recognizing my handwriting.
Love,
Liana
“What’s this?” I flipped it, but there was nothing. “My signature? Where’d you get it?”
His gaze dropped as he smiled. “I tore it off one of your letters.”
The ripped up letter I’d found stuffed in his shoebox swam to my mind.
I gasped, that long-ago mystery sliding into place.
“I've had it in there forever,” he admitted, pink in the cheeks. “I wanted your love with me everywhere I went. Cheesy, I know.”
My feelings warred. I could’ve socked him in the shoulder for hiding such a sweet gesture from me, and sobbed for the teenage Liana who’d spent years writhing in angst over this man. Emotion thickened my throat. I couldn’t speak, but Vinn seemed to understand.
“I love you more than you know.”
“I love you, Vinny.”
He wiped the tear tracking my cheek. “Take a nap. I’ll look after the boys.”
I yawned, nodding agreement as he shifted our positions. I watched him through heavily lidded eyes as orange sunbeams sparkled on waves. Vinn kneeled beside Josh, who’d smashed his fist through Luke’s sandcastle. He redirected Josh’s attention to a sleeping Michael, who lay on a towel.
“Let’s bury him alive,” Vinn whispered to Josh. “You start at the feet. I’ll do the hands.”
“Okay!”
Father and son heaped sand over my unsuspecting brother, who hadn’t yet noticed the attempt on his life. Vinn upped the ante by squirting lotion into his hand. He wrote FUCK on Michael’s back in big white letters, laughing when Carmela swiped through the profanity.
“What you doing, baby?” Michael stirred, jerking away from Vinn. “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” Vinn said breezily. “Carmela ruined an amazing practical joke.”
“Vinn made a joke?” Michael turned on his side, upsetting the sand burying his ankles. “Am I in a parallel universe?”
Vinn dumped a cup of ice water on Michael’s neck.
“Vaffanculo!”
The children shrieked with laughter as Michael sprang upright. Vinn sprinted into the ocean. Michael gave chase, tackling him. Both fell with a wide splash. Vinn was far from the dream-like perfection I’d worshipped.
And I didn’t care.
I loved him, flaws and all.
# # #
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Anthony’s story is coming! Every burning question will be answered in my upcoming series, Villains of Boston.
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High Stakes
Maria hogs the full-length mirror as she breaks in her new dress, a tight, pink number that hugs her curves. Her long, black hair cascades down her back.
I wince at my reflection partially hidden behind her. The wrinkled jeans and faded t-shirt aren’t doing my figure any favors. My wardrobe is hopelessly outdated. I haven't bought so much as a sock in years.
Her gaze meets mine in the mirror. “You’re wearing that?”
“I know.” My face burns. "I don't have anything else."
I look awful. There's no way they’ll let me into a high-stakes poker game.
"Fuck it. I'll stay here."
“Don’t be stupid,” she says. “Just pick something from my closet.”
She marches to her side and opens the doors to her collection sorted by color. Her thin arm rifles through its contents, picking out a black body-con dress with a lace peekaboo.
She grins at my reluctance. “Try this.”
I take it and feel the stretchy material before removing my clothes and wearing the dress. The fabric is thick, almost like a bandage. It’s tight around my chest and stomach. I can’t zip the back. Maria helps me, gasping when she steps back.
“Look at how gorgeous you are!”
A woman with messy, dark brown hair stands in front of the mirror in a black dress that accentuates her every curve. I turn, and the girl turns as well, exposing the lace diving to the small of my back. The sweetheart silhouette barely covers my boobs. The woman in the mirror blushes violently.
“Maria! This is way too much!”
“Are you kidding me? It’s perfect!” Maria retrieves a pair of strappy