Broken Crown (Mafia Royals 5)

At least that’s what I tell myself.

Roman clears his throat behind me like he has something caught in it, most likely jealousy even though King’s done more for us than anyone in my own family has.

I ignore the stress and paste a smile on my face. “What are you guys talking about?”

My uncle, the new boss, gets pulled away, and it kills me to think that it was supposed to be me. ME. Not him. And yet he controls it all, yet again, my life is being controlled by a man, by a weak little man I can’t fight because of the army behind him that believes his cause is anything other than money and power.

I immediately relax against King’s shoulder.

“Damn, girl.” Izzy shakes her head. “You need a drink.”

“I need so many things,” I mutter. Weeks ago, Maksim came and cleaned house, basically giving my family one choice, join or die. I think it was my uncles plan all along, and while I was undercover at Eagle Elite University to gain intel on the Five Families, Maksim, Izzy’s boyfriend was the only one I could trust.

Until King.

Why did it always come back to King?

Now it was like this weird marriage of the Families from Sicily to the ones in the States. My second uncle took my father’s place out of freaking nowhere, and everything seems to be fine again, but I know it is only a matter of time.

Maybe if I keep telling myself it will be okay—it really would be?

Maksim shoots me an indifferent look, and I have to stifle a laugh. I love that guy. He struggles with dissociative identity disorder, sometimes you get the cold let’s kill everyone Maksim, other times, you get the playful let’s go shove King’s head in a toilet Maksim.

Back in the day, everyone just assumed he was moody or had anger issues until they realized that it was something entirely different. And I love that Izzy just rolls with it.

When he isn’t ‘himself’ and doesn’t remember things, she just hugs him, kisses him, or, um, seduces him and (surprise!) Maksim is totally fine again.

In a good way, she is his drug, his constant.

I envy them.

I want to be able to grab onto Roman now, but he’s already walked off and is shadowing my uncle, laughing at his jokes, patting him on the back like the father he no longer has.

I bristle.

I don’t want to.

But it bothers me.

It always has.

I mean, good for him, he’s working his way up, it’s what he’s always wanted, but still…

“So…” King elbows me. “What do you say?”

“To?” I make a face. “Sorry, I was distracted.”

“Mmmm.” King smiles down at me. He’s so ridiculously good-looking that I truly don’t understand what he sees in me. He has perfect hair that just seems to fall across his forehead like he came out of the womb that way. His green eyes are always laughing, crinkling at the sides; his straight white teeth are only hidden by a huge smile, full lips, and a small dimple that only shows up when he’s really laughing hard.

Rare for him.

But when it happens?

Rainbows and unicorns shit themselves when that man smiles. I swear on all that’s holy.

“So?” I ask, clinging to him probably more than I should.

My uncle glances over and smiles his approval.

I want to flip him off.

King pulls me closer.

He smells like every hot guy should smell. Like sexy spices, and deep vanillas, mixed in with something so masculine, I want to close my eyes and meditate.

I don’t, though.

That would be weird for someone I’m not in love with, right?

“Everyone’s in the movie room.” He squeezes me. “Let’s go get wasted, wouldn’t even be opposed to getting high at this point if your uncle keeps looking at me like that.”

“Just kill him.” Maksim shrugs. “It’s not hard.”

Nobody responds.

Izzy pats him on the back. “Maybe when it’s not the engagement party, baby.”

“Oh.” He nods. “I guess that makes sense, but it’s not like he’s contributing to society in any way.”

He’s not wrong.

God, I love Maksim.

“True.” Izzy steers him away from my uncle, any sort of weapon like the knives by the catered steak and chicken platters, and down the hall.

We walk in silence, and I can finally take a deep breath as we reach the movie room.

Everyone’s there.

At least everyone my age.

The second generation of the mafia.

All the heirs.

Serena and Junior are currently making out on the couch—how is she able to kiss him plus hold her wine over her head and not spill it? Legendary.

Russian boss Valerian and his wife Violet, who just so happens to be Chase Abandonato’s daughter, are playing ping pong—he’s losing and not happy about it. He takes another shot of tequila, making everyone around them laugh.

Ash, Chase’s son and Violet’s brother, is currently getting frustrated with the Apple TV remote while his fiancé Annie shakes her head and looks heavenward, then grabs a bottle of Vodka and trades him so she can figure out whatever movie they want to watch.