Nothing Burns Like You | 18+ Mafia Romance

13 Threats and Muscles

Clara Rossi

"What are you doing here?" Volkov asked me, holding a gun in one hand.

Around us, rain poured. We were...somewhere suburban. Everything was gray and blue and cold.

Rage blazed in his eyes behind strands of drenched hair. At me.

"I asked you a question."

I noticed what I was wearing. A thin scrap of see-through white dress, completely bare underneath. Shivering.

What was I doing...here?

"I—"

"You shouldn't be here."

"He's right," said another voice behind me, in my ear. So close, I whipped in surprise—

My dad.

Dread slithered like a snake around my throat at his slow, cruel smile.

"My daughter. Do you know how much I love you?"

I stumbled back, away from him—

"My pretty girl." Marko cooed over my shoulder, causing me to flinch in fear.

"Clara?" Enzo. Enzo stood next to my dad now, drinking in my nakedness.

Where did Volkov go? Panic sucked all the oxygen from my lungs. Where was he?

"Why do you need him?" said my dad, as though he could flip through my thoughts.

I didn't. I never wanted to need anyone again. Not after everything that had happened.

But I...couldn't help it. I wished, hopelessly and desperately—

I choked awake in bed, gasping at the ceiling.

It was a nightmare. Just a terrible nightmare.

I was okay. I was...not.

~

"You look different." Nana set down her handleless clay coffee mug. We were eating prosciutto and fig sandwiches at a rustic cafe near Rebel Ink.

I had asked her to meet me for lunch to catch up. Even though, I couldn't confide in her about what was really happening, it felt nice to see her, talk to her.

"How so?"

"Like you're not really here. Where are your thoughts?"

I attempted to lighten the mood. "Mostly in the gutter."

She deadpanned. "Don't joke. I'm serious."

"Are you? I couldn't tell."

She fought against a smile, shaking her head. Her voice sounded relieved, though. "I was wrong. You haven't changed at all. You're as annoying as ever. Eat. You've lost too much weight."

The least of my worries, but I took a bite of my half-finished sandwich for her.

"Any news from your dad?"

I continued chewing and shook my head. Outside the window, brown leaves were spinning in the wind on the sidewalk.

My focus drifted at the front door behind Nana. Great. Volkov had been rubbing off on me. I kept wanting to know who left or entered. Or maybe it was the nightmare jitters. Maybe both.

"How's that boy, anyway? I mean...he's not mistreating you, is he?"

I kicked away the memory of him on his knees three nights ago. The butterflies he unleashed when his fingertips stroked my ankles. The effect of his smooth, rich voice in the pitch dark. Cocky flirt. He knew exactly what he was doing.