Fallen Royal (Mafia Royals 4)

I’d never seen Sergio tear up.

But as he pressed his palm against that tombstone, a solitary tear fell, hitting the piece of paper, staining it.

Val picked it up, pulled out a marker, and wrote something down.

“What are you writing?” I asked.

She smiled and looked over at Sergio. “Every year close to her death, we make sure the list…” Her eyes were sad. “Today, we did the last thing on her list. To die with a smile on her face, in the sunrise.”

Just then, the sun started to rise over the horizon.

Sergio squeezed his eyes shut and held Val.

I had no clue why they let me come that night, but maybe they knew, maybe Sergio somehow knew two years ago that I would be in the same predicament.

I turn to my side and stare at the wall. I think about all the things I haven’t done and all the things I’ve done that I shouldn’t.

I grip her hand tighter.

Laughter.

Holding hands.

Kissing.

Eating.

Walking.

Enjoying a short life with the woman I love.

Telling her the clock is ticking wouldn’t be fair.

I wait until she’s asleep, and then I grab my phone and text Nikolai.

Me: Don’t tell them why. Stop my heart. But it has to be at the exact time I tell you.

Nik: I can do that.

Me: It’s the only thing I want. For her to know that my heart beats for hers until the very end.

I drop my phone and close my eyes, then turn and pull Izzy into my arms and smell her hair; I fall asleep with a smile on my face.

Chapter Eight

“Life is not a matter about holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.” —Robert Louis Stevenson

Izzy

I woke up to Maksim holding me in his arms. I should have probably pulled away, but I pretended to be asleep a little longer, knowing it was such a typical move that I actually felt embarrassed about it. His body was warm, maybe even feverish, jaw clenched, beautiful super wavy hair chaotically sticking to his pillow and part of his forehead.

Why did every moment feel like goodbye when we’d already established what we were to each other? Why did this feel tragic when he was just a guy with a dick, too many gorgeous smiles, and a perfect body?

I didn’t understand it.

All I knew was that I felt like if I didn’t hold him close, he’d disappear, and him being out of my life, as much as I wanted to throat punch him—felt like a tragedy I wasn’t sure I’d survive.

I wished it wasn’t so hard to beg him to stay by my side when that was all I wanted. I reached out and touched his forehead. His eyes opened immediately, scaring the crap out of me, and I yanked my hand back.

“No,” he whispered. “I liked it.”

“Oh.” I held his hand and squeezed.

My heart felt frozen in that moment, like he was stopping it, holding it hostage. His eyes searched mine, moving back and forth. Slowly, he leaned in, his mouth so close to mine all I had to do was move a few more inches, and I’d be tasting Maksim Sinacore.

The love of my life—the love I could never have—all over again.

Sometimes, I wanted to rebel, to just pin him down on the bed and have my way with him, to be in complete control of every single wave of ecstasy that washed over him.

I’d be a total liar if that fantasy wasn’t something that I thought about on a daily basis, making this man beg.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked, eyes distant.

“Good,” I whispered. “I had a space heater next to me.”

“Very funny.” He laughed. “We should probably get up before my dad threatens me not to touch you again.”

“Probably,” I agreed, not wanting to let go for some reason. “Hey, Maks?”

“Yeah.” His thumb moved across my hand back and forth back and forth.

“Is everything okay with you?”

He froze. His hand stopped moving, his eyes blinked, then looked down. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It just feels like something’s… wrong.”

He went completely still, then leaned over me, his body covering mine. With a smirk, he lowered his head, lips brushed mine.

I wanted more.

My hands gripped his biceps just as a knock sounded at my door. I shoved him off me as the door jerked open.

Serena, with her dyed blond hair piled high in a bun on her head, was standing there, eyes narrowed. Junior was right beside her. He looked like he could be an actor with his smirk, tattoos, and muscles. I could have sworn he was getting more and more jacked.

Ash shoved past them, Annie close on his heels, followed by King, Tank, and Kartini.

“Lovely.” Maksim flopped back down against the pillows. “Was there a meeting nobody told me about?”

Something flew past my face hitting Maksim in the chin.