The Mafia And His Angel: Part 1 (Tainted Hearts 1)

The smell of his cologne touched my nose and I let out a sigh.

I stayed on the hill that overlooked the large back garden, beginning to relax. From where I sat, the view was stunning. The garden bloomed with various colors, each flower part of a scene that reminded me of a painting.

A huge water fountain, bigger than the one out front, dominated the landscape. It looked so serene. As I stared at the majestic beauty, a sense of peacefulness encompassed my body and I felt light.

I waited for a few more minutes, basking in the blissful surroundings, and then I stood up, feeling stronger than before. Holding Alessio’s jacket tight to my body, I made my way back to the house.

My steps were light and unhurried. I touched the soft petals of the flowers as I walked by, and smiled.

When I reached the kitchen, I walked in to find Lena and Maddie sitting by the bar, their expressions downcast. Lena looked up when I came in and quickly jumped off her stool.

I pulled her into my arms and gave her a tight hug, then stepped back and smiled nervously. “I’m sorry about your loss. And I am sorry for reacting the way I did. I had a panic attack, I…” I licked my suddenly dry lips and swallowed past the heavy lump in my throat. “I…I lost my mother too. It…makes me anxious. It was pretty emotional hearing about Alessio’s mother, and I was mourning for his loss too.”

Lena smiled sweetly, her eyes kind as she stroked my cheek. “It’s okay, honey. You must be pretty emotional after everything that’s happened. Why don’t you have lunch and then go rest, all right?”

When I nodded, she stepped away and turned to Maddie, who gave me a pitiful look.

“Maddie, call in the other maids,” Lena said. “It’s time to serve lunch. Alessio and the others will be coming down soon.”

Maddie took her phone out and quickly typed a message before putting it back in her pocket. She linked her arm through mine, pulling me toward the stool. “Are you okay?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry about that sudden meltdown.”

“No, it’s okay. Totally understandable,” she replied.

Soon, the other maids arrived in the kitchen, and each of them took something to serve on the dining room table.

It took them some time, but when they were done, the kitchen was quiet again. Lena had left, and Maddie and I were alone.

“Hungry?” she asked.

I shook my head and leaned against the stool. “Not really. Maybe I’ll eat later.”

“Okay,” she said in an adorable, childish tone, before serving a plate of food for herself. She sat down across from me and dug in. I let out a laugh when I heard her moan at the first bite.

“So good,” she said. “Damn, I didn’t know I was this hungry.”

Shaking my head, I snatched her towel from the table and threw it at her face. “Close your mouth when you eat.”

She started to chew loudly with a teasing expression on her face, then gave me a wink and stuffed another spoonful in her mouth. And then she moaned out loud.

I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes. Behind me, someone cleared their throat. My back straightened and I turned toward the sound only to find Artur leaning against the doorway.

He didn’t even spare me a look. He was only staring at Maddie, whose eyes widened when she saw him and her cheeks turned red.

She blushed and averted her eyes. I looked back at him and saw his lips tilt upward in a confident smirk.

When I saw him adjusting his pants, I looked away, embarrassed.

Artur cleared his throat and said, “Is Lena here? Alessio is looking for her.”

Maddie shook her head and continued to stare down at her plate. Her hair fell over her face, hiding her from Artur’s view, but I saw the tiny smile creeping up on her face.

“Okay then,” he said, and he left the room. Maddie looked up, her expression softening, and I heard her sigh. A dreamy sigh.

“Maddie?” I asked, my tone filled with questions. She turned toward me and bit down on her lips before letting out a small giggle. She stared at me for a few seconds before nodding, confirming my suspicions.

“You and Artur? Oh my God, Maddie. Since when?” I asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

“About six months now. I couldn’t resist him any longer, Ayla. I mean, just look at him! He’s so sexy. And God, so dreamy. He’s perfect. I just…I don’t know. I couldn’t stop myself.” She shrugged nervously. “I’m swooning, aren’t I?”

“You are,” I replied, laughing. She was so cute.

“He’s so hot, Ayla!”

Well, I couldn’t deny that. He was indeed good looking.

“And he’s good in bed. Like really good,” Maddie added, leaning closer so she could whisper. “He is a beast.”