Mafia Wife (Mafia Series Book #2)

Part 16

"No," she hurried to reply as she reached for the pouch, snatching it from under his grasp. Since he was limited due to his injuries, it was a little easier to get the upper hand.

Gabriella turned around and grabbed a nearby chair, dragging it closer to his so that she could sit down next to it. "Do-hm, I guess I have to clean it?" she asked with a grimace.

"Open the pouch, everything is in there."

"Right."

She began digging through, pulling out everything that she needed. "So, do I wanna know how it really went?" she asked as she dabbed the injury with the alcohol swab.

"I got the journal."

"I got that part."

"Your family is still there. Guess it's their vacation home now."

Assholes. They knew the Mancini family was working with the Devil, but this was the final, tangible proof. Why else would they be staying there? They weren't looking for her, they didn't care.

Her disappearance was probably good for them if it led to her death. She wondered how happy the Devil was that they let her slip through their fingers. Hopefully, he intended on punishing them.

Not that she was on the Devil's side or anything. But, what a bunch of fucking backstabbing pricks. No wonder her grandmother hadn't wanted anything to do with them. Good for her that she left them behind.

"They caught you?"

"One of the goons."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Fine, a few of the goons."

"Do you think they followed you?"

"Gabriella, do I look like an amateur?"

She didn't know what he looked like. This was the most time she had ever spent with Lucas and honestly, if she thought Niccolo was hard to figure out sometimes, he was even worse... He was supposed to be out of the game, but he knew how to pull off a suicide mission.

He seemed to be one foot in, one foot out.

"Why did you do it?"

"Did you not want the journal back?"

She nodded. "I did, I just don't know what's in it for you."

If there was one thing she had learned since wrecking her life was that no one did anything for free. No one was kind, no one gave their time or their energy. And they certainly didn't risk their lives unless the price tag was right.

"Nothing."

"Come on, Lucas," she pressed as she threaded the needle. "You did it because it was fun? Just to help me?"

"What if I did?"

"I'd be calling bullshit."

"I told you, I owe Niccolo."

"Niccolo isn't here. We don't even know if Niccolo is gonna make it. You're doing this on the off chance that you see him again?"

"What if I am?"

"Then I'd say you need to find new friends. This isn't the life for you."

"I could tell you the same thing."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I think it's too late for me."

Lucas leaned back into the chair, enough to look her straight in the eyes. "If there's one thing I learned... it's never too late to change your life."

Gabriella didn't know his whole story entirely. Bits and pieces only. Yet, she wasn't counting on anyone saving her. She also wouldn't trust anyone to save her. Maybe Lucas had been hovering over the line for too long and it had gotten blurry.