Of Mobsters and Men

Chapter 34

*I hope you girls are enjoying these pictures of Stefano*

Raelyn

I heard Stefano shut the car door and follow me into the large home. "Raelyn," Stefano said my name softly, his hand on my hip. "Yes?" I asked him, looking up to face him as he looked down at me with a serious look. "Have you begun to see me differently?" He asked me.

"Yes." I answered, taking no precaution before doing so.

***

Since the night Alphonso bled to death, nothing had been the same between Stefano and I. Stefano had been avoiding me for the past two weeks. He came home late like how he did the first couple of days of our marriage, he's been entirely unreachable or not around for majority of the day, and he became a man of a few words.

He never failed to tell me when he wanted sex, though.

I knew why he started acting this way. Two weeks ago I indirectly told him I'm in love with him. I told him that love makes a person view the other differently, and I assume he didn't know how to take it. It hurt that he could possibly not feel the same and  it hurt that he was avoiding me all together. My feelings for Stefano had grown and just when I thought we were making progress, we go right back to square one.

I tried to look for the positive aspect of my marriage to Stefano. I wouldn't have the same life I had before, but at least the love of my husband would comfort me. At least, that's what I thought would happen.

I feel so alone.

I got very used to working as the manager of Stefano's family restaurant. I worked every single day, spending a lot of time outside the house. Working really took my mind off of my loveless marriage and loneliness.

As I passed tables to see how the new employees were doing, I heard chatter about Stefano already here in the back of the restaurant. I found that very interesting because it wasn't made known to me that he'd be coming. In fact, I haven't seen him in two days.

I went to the very back where few people or none at all, were. There I saw Stefano's form leaning on the wall, and a feminine form crossing her arms as a stern look was on her face. That woman was Gillian. I knew that ombré colored hair and model stature anywhere.

She smirked at me before chuckling and returning back to her conversation with Stefano. Feeling sick to my stomach, I turned to leave. I felt a familiar grip on my wrist and turned around to see Stefano, his eyebrows furrowed at me. "Raelyn-"

"I don't want to hear it, Stefano. In fact, I actually don't care. If you excuse me, I'd like to go back to work." I said trying to shrug out of his hold. Gillian sneered at me and walked around us.

"I just want to explain something to you." He said calmly.
I told myself not to cry but I couldn't control myself. A tear slipped and then another one.

"If you're avoiding me because of what I said last week, just forget it." I told him, turning my head in the opposite direction as my voice cracked. Stefano's stare sharpened. "I'm not in love with you. How could I possibly be? You're a killer, a thief, you run crime for a living and you're the most insensitive person I've ever met. How could I fall in love with a person like that?" I cried, pushing him away with my other free hand.

"Raelyn," I snatched my hand out of his grasp. "If you wanted Gillian, you should've married her. She'd appreciate this life more than me." I told him.

I left the scene and decided to just tend back to work. I couldn't though, so I asked Alessio to drive me home.

I was upset, jealous, and feeling disrespected all at once. Two days. I hadn't seen Stefano for two days and this is how he wanted to show up? He couldn't stop by to say a simple hello, but he could engage in conversation with Gillian. He knew how I felt about her too.