The Mafia and His Obsession, Part 2 by Lylah James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 36

 

 

Valerie

 

“Won’t Alessio be angry that you left without any guards?” I casually asked as we stepped out of the black Range Rover.

Ayla rolled her eyes in exasperation while Maddie let out a loud laugh. “Angry? He’s going to be livid,” Maddie announced.

Oh shit. That didn’t sound good.

I knew Viktor worried endlessly about my safety, but he didn’t put any restrictions on me. He said I could go anywhere I wanted as long as I didn’t go alone. Over the last few weeks, I realized how paranoid the Ivanshov men were. Alessio didn’t allow Ayla to step past the gates without any bodyguards at her side. It wasn’t controlling, but actually quite sweet to see how much he cared about his wife.

Who would have thought made men like the Ivanshovs could be reduced to a puddle of mush at their women’s feet?

I had to fight a giggle at the thought. Ayla grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. “Don’t worry about it. Marriage is more fun when you’re a brat once in a while. I learned that very quickly, and I love to keep Alessio on his toes.”

We stepped over the curb, and I stared at the shop in front of me. Angel’s Coffee.

“Ta-da. My anniversary gift from Alessio. It’s been a year since we opened.”

“I don’t have to work for a living. The credit card Alessio gave me is limitless, and I’m pretty sure we have enough money to last us three more generations. But Alessio thought maybe I needed something of my own. Something that would make me feel independent. When I became his wife, he promised me the world and he also vowed he’d let me spread my wings. Alessio didn’t want me to feel trapped in our estate. So he gave me this. I’m a businesswoman and the proud owner of Angel’s Coffee.”

Maddie cleared her throat. Ayla laughed. “And yeah, she’s my business partner.”

“Viktor thought that maybe you needed something to take you out of the house. We know after everything…you want to start slow. The shop is flourishing day by day, and we need a helping hand. So if you…” She left her sentence hanging, but I understood the meaning behind their unsaid words.

They were trying to help me find my feet again. I didn’t have to discover the meaning of my life on my own. I had these people beside me, holding my hand.

Viktor was right.

I wasn’t alone. Not anymore.

“I’d love to work for you. It’s an honor.”

Ayla clapped her hands together. “Perfect! With a newborn and a toddler, I’m so glad you have decided to join us. I won’t be able to come to the shop a lot until I know Xander will be okay without me for a long period of time. I guess…I’m taking my maternity leave. You and Maddie can handle this place without me for a few weeks.”

I looked around the coffee shop. It wasn’t too small or too big. It was perfect and cozy. I continued to look around, moving from table to table, wall to wall, trying to get myself acquainted to the new place and new environment.

I have been caged for so long, it felt weird to finally taste freedom.

I suddenly froze, the pulse in my neck pumping as my ears perked up at a strange sound. A creak and soft whine in the floorboards. My head snapped up and stared at the closed door which was situated behind the counter. I had figured it was a door to the bathroom or a closet.

“Ayla?” I called out softly, without looking away from the door. “I heard something.”

I sucked in a breath when she and Maddie came to stand behind me. “It’s so late…” Maddie mumbled.

Ayla had her keys in her hand. She didn’t pause, didn’t think twice before opening the door. “It’s probably just—”

She didn’t finish her sentence. Ayla and Maddie walked through the door instead. It was so dark, I could barely see anything beyond the threshold. I heard Ayla fumbling around and then the light came on. It wasn’t a bathroom.

My lips parted, and my mouth opened in a silent gasp.

I followed the two women through the door. Holy shit. What was this place?

“Welcome to The Wild.” Maddie gestured at the open space. “Steakhouse and bar, proudly owned by Mrs. Ivanshov.”

Ayla grinned and then shrugged when I only stared at her in confusion. “Another gift from Alessio. He also bought the building beside my coffee shop and told me I could do anything with it. During the day, we run Angel’s Coffee. At night, we run The Wild. This place is mostly frequented by Alessio’s associates and business partners. It’s widely known around here as the best steakhouse.”

“Shit.”

Another voice.

Our heads snapped toward the direction it came from, and I found myself staring at a couple in mid-embrace. He made quick work of fastening his pants while the blonde woman slid away from him and tried to pull her dress down. Her red lipstick was smudged and her hair was a little messy. Were they—

Now that they had our attention, I noticed that the air around us was saturated with the smell of sex.

Yeah, they definitely were…

“Whoops,” the pretty woman tsked. “We didn’t think we’d have company. This place doesn’t open for another two hours.”

“Nina,” Ayla acknowledged with a smile, while the man slid away from us and disappeared behind another door. It said Washroom on it.

Maddie gestured to Nina. “This is our other business partner. While I help Ayla with the coffee shop, Nina helps run The Wild sometimes.”

She came forward, her dark gaze flashing with something unnatural. Nina slowly assessed me, and I had to fight with myself, forced myself to stay in my spot. I fought the urge to take a step back and cower. Her eyes were cold…almost inhuman. I suddenly felt like a deer trapped in the headlights.

When she finally spoke, her voice didn’t match her deadly gaze. In fact, her words were somewhat spoken softly, almost with a gentle undertone. “You must be Valerie. I have heard a lot about you.”

I didn’t know what I was supposed to say to that. Her lips twitched and she fought back a smile. I was saved from replying when the man came back out. He sauntered toward Nina and wrapped his arm around her waist. Her expression changed instantly, hardening, and the cold look was back on her face.

Nina looked down at the arm wrapped around her. “I suggest you take your hands off me before I rip them off your body.”

He tightened his hold instead. “Oh, c’mon. No need to be so dramatic. We were just fucking two min—”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Nina dug her nails into the flesh of his arm and twisted around, sliding out of his embrace. She leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. I watched as all the color drained from his face and he made a hissing sound of pain. Nina let him go and he quickly sauntered away from us, practically making a run for it. He left the bar and the door closed behind him.

“Who was he?” Maddie asked. “Never seen him before.”

Nina rolled her eyes at the question.

“I’m pretty sure he’s a regular customer,” Ayla added.

“Don’t know. Don’t care. I needed to scratch an itch and he was available.”

She came forward and patted me on the shoulder. “It was nice to meet you. I believe we’ll see each other much more now. Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” I said, relieved to see she appeared to be nicer than what she portrayed herself.

Nina waved at the others. “I won’t be in later. Alessio has a job for me tonight.”

I watched in stunned silence as she walked away.

Maddie released a laugh. “Well, this was very eventful.”

“She’s a friend?” I asked when we were alone once again.

Ayla laced her arm around mine. “She is family. We’ll tell you more later. C’mon, I’ll show you around.”

Her smile was truly genuine, and I found myself smiling back. It was hard not to. I realized I had been smiling a lot lately.

My heart ached in my chest, but it was a good ache. The pain in my chest made me feel alive.

A caged bird tasted freedom.