Page 4 of Texting My Mafia Boss

She stands immediately, gesturing to the door. “Thank you. We’ll be in touch.”

That’s… it?

I stand, bowing slightly. Did I seriously just bow? “Uh, thank you.” Stop sayinguh, Mara.

On the way out, I spot Sylvie sitting on the edge of the fountain, staring at the flow of water. She sees me looking and gives me a thumbs-up. I return it, hoping like hell I get this job.

I drive back down the long driveway, thinking of the big house, the strange questions—and the photo. The picture of Mr. Bellandi, tall, dark, and handsome. I’m not the kind of girl to catch a crush. Never been the head over heels type. But there’s something in his brooding eyes that makes me so, so curious.

CHAPTER 2

ETTORE

“Mara Keene is the clear frontrunner,” Livia tells me over the phone. I’m in my office, sipping a glass of whiskey before I meet with the jackals. So much work, all the damn time. “Sylvie loved her. She had such a bright idea.”

I smile, wishing I had more time for her. I do my best. Don’t I? Focus, man.

“She waited near the door for each applicant to see how they’d interact with her.”

“That’s a big thing for a shy girl.”

“I wouldn’t say Sylvie is shy, exactly,” Livia chimes.

I clench my jaw. I want to correct Livia, tell her not to explain my own daughter to me. But the fact is, Livia spends more time with her than I do. There’s always something to do. Somewhere to be. Not to mention there are always wolves at the door, desperate to tear into me and take my crown.

“Mara is of a lower class than the other applicants.”

“I thought you were taking interviews from everyone,” I reply.

“That was the plan, but I suppose some of them felt intimidated.”

“By my wealth, or my name?”

“I can’t comment on that, sir.”

“Livia—how many times?”

“We’re talking in an official capacity.”

“It makes me feel like a tyrant.” A knock at my office door interrupts us. I raise my voice. “What?”

“Ettore,” Mark, my underboss, calls. “They’re early.”

“Well, they can wait.”

Showing up early is a power play. They think they can force me to drop everything just because they can’t keep a schedule. Presumptuous pricks.

“Livia,” I say. “Pick whoever you think is best. Whoever willdothe best for Sylvie. She needs someone who sees her, Livia, understand?”

I almost expect Livia to say,Is that because you don’t see her as often as you should?With thatsirtacked onto the end, most likely.

“I’ll pick Mara then. She said that herself. When she was Sylvie’s age, she wanted to be seen.”

I swallow a confusing lump. “She said that? Okay, good.”

“But be warned, she’s cute as a button. I don’t want her to distract you.”

“Excuse me?”