Destructive King (Mafia Royals 3)

So. Much. Wine.

So much food.

So much laughter.

I swiped at the stray tear on my cheek and quickly put on my black Prada sunglasses—a parting gift from Aunt Sophie.

“Boys who make girls cry, they are not worth your time, Bellissima.” She lifted my chin with her fingertip, slid the black glasses onto my nose, and whispered, “We Italians, we do not let them decide our emotions. We decide for ourselves. And then we raise hell, capire?”

“Capire.” I’d smiled through my tears only to be hugged within an inch of my life and told I was again too skinny and needed to eat.

With a sigh I checked my phone again, where was he?

“Annie!” A familiar voice sounded my name, and just like that, the anxiety lifted as I turned around and laughed at my friend Tank as he jogged toward me.

He was wearing a black beanie; his brown hair had grown out since I’d last seen him, curling near the nape of his neck as his green eyes drank me in, crinkling at the sides. One small dimple made itself known as his megawatt smile fell onto me like a day in the hot sun.

He’d always been like that.

Intense yet warm, in a way that I’d never been able to explain. As he got closer, I noticed the coldness that had started to seep into his eyes—that was what this life did, after all—the mafia life. He’d been recruited by Ash, and now—well now that was who he answered to no matter what.

Now he was in this, whether he liked it or not.

The warmth dissipated as fear replaced it. Fear for my friend and for the uncertain future under such a cruel royal rule.

“Tank.” I grinned and then held out my arms as he pulled me in for a tight hug. He always smelled so good, like a hot guy should smell, though it was almost as if I could still sense the faint hint of blood in the air.

So much had changed since he’d been my savior last year at Eagle Elite University.

Next to the OG bosses, he was the only one who knew everything about me, who basically grew up next door and promised to one day come back and let me ride with him on his white horse.

Too bad it ended up being more black Chevy Impala, but still. In his own way, he’d tried to save me.

But sometimes, the girl had to save herself, and with my newfound freedom, I discovered I preferred that.

Being my own hero.

Straightening my own damn crown.

I was better at it.

Because people let you down.

But me? I was still standing, wasn’t I?

Then again, I’d yet to be put in a position where I’d tested my own theory, but in my daydreams? I was a badass. So what if I couldn’t throw a punch without wanting to cry and nearly hurled when I saw blood?

“Wow, girl.” Tank’s grin was wide. “FaceTime chats did not do you justice.” He reached for my thick chin-length hair and gave it a little tug. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. He’d always been so beautiful. Safe. “It suits you.”

“I was too hot over there.” I lied.

Ash had said my hair was pretty.

The first thing I did overseas was cut it.

His eyes flickered to my mouth briefly, and then he was reaching for my black suitcase, tugging the handle up with one loud click. “Just this one?”

Warmth rushed to my cheeks. “Yeah, thanks, by the way, for picking me up.”

I’d almost lost my nerve when I’d texted him, no idea why, but now I felt nervous around one of my best friends.

Great.

Tank just shrugged. “I figured you’d need reinforcements going back to that hellhole.”

He clenched his teeth and looked away; it looked like he was thinking about killing someone.

I never told him exactly what happened.

But it was Tank.

And he was around all of the Five Families twenty-four seven as both an FBI informant and as a made man.

He could probably make an educated guess that things went horribly wrong the minute I stepped inside Ash’s domain.

Then again, he had problems of his own.

One day he would have to choose.

Right now, he just straddled the line.

He was living with Sergio’s family for the time being since Sergio was one of the ones who had the most experience with the FBI next to Phoenix.

And me?

I was the orphan that got to rely on the charity of the great Abandonato Family. I had to admit, I did miss Luc, Violet, Izzy, and Chase—a lot.

But Ash?

My heart sank.

Was he still depressed?

Still angry?

Hateful?

Horrible?

Why did I even care?

Finish classes and get the heck out—my only job at this point. Besides, once I lost my usefulness with The Family, I’d probably be kindly asked to leave anyway. Sent packing with enough money and a new identity, isn’t that what they did in the movies? Well, I mean either that or off people. Did they say it like that still?