Claimed By The Mafia Rogue King (Snow and Cupid) novel Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Cupid

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I stepped out into the backyard, crossing the smooth gravel path before quietly lowering myself onto the bench beside Marlik. He said nothing, and neither did I.

We sat in silence for several more minutes as he smoked.

My gaze drifted across the serene surroundings, the manicured lawns, the soft shimmer of sunlight on the pool before settling on the rolled joints in his hand. They weren’t ordinary cigarettes.

“Where did you get these?” I asked.

He exhaled a slow stream of smoke.

“Jail.”

I reached over, took one, and lit it. The taste was deeper, more earthy than I expected, and I instantly liked the rich weed flavor.

Greedily, I went for another, but he smacked

my

hand away

with a sharp flick.

“Greedy bastard,” he muttered, shooting me a glare that quickly softened into a grin. I flashed one back before turning my eyes forward again.

Comfortable silence returned as we smoked and watched the minutes slip by.

When I finished my joint, he passed me the last one remaining and even leaned in to light it for me.

He was starting to relax. I could see it in the way his posture eased so I spoke softly.

“Nice day, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding toward the pool. “Beautiful setup you’ve got here. Nothing like that filthy hole we had back on Downside, full of piss and shit.”

I chuckled at the memory.

“Don’t even remind me. We still swam in it, though, and it felt like freedom.”

“Hmm,” he hummed with a short laugh before letting out a long sigh.

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18:41 Wed, Feb 4 M…

Chapter 164

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He scanned the grounds once more, then fixed his gaze on me. The light humor between us faded; seriousness took its place.

“Mother told me the house is in my name,” he said quietly.

I swallowed and nodded slowly.

“Yeah.”

“Change it,” he replied in the same low tone. I held his stare, waiting. “As fast as possible.”

Silence stretched after that demand. I turned away to finish my joint, then dropped the roach into the ashtray with a sigh, steadying myself.

“If this is about what happened during…”

“It’s not about our argument, Jahan,” he interrupted, voice calm but unyielding. “It’s about Feroz and what he’ll do.”

I studied his face and saw raw certainty there. No room for doubt.

“I’ve seen your woman in person,” he went on. “She’s stunning… and so genuinely soft. If someone like her falls into Feroz’s hands, she’s gone.”

“She won’t.”

“Really?”

“No one will lay a finger on Snow, Marlik. I’ll make sure of it… for her, and for you too.” My tone carried absolute conviction. “Things aren’t the same as they were years ago.”

He didn’t believe me; I read it clearly in his eyes.

“I respect you, Jahan. You’re the craziest, sharpest man I’ve ever known, but don’t underestimate a man like Feroz. I know exactly what he’s capable of.”

“I know too,” I said quietly. He searched my face as I nodded. “I’m not foolish enough to dismiss what he’s done. He orders a hit, guns down a woman in H.O.W.L.., twists evidence to lock an innocent man away for years… you think I’d underestimate someone like that? No.”

He swallowed hard, his stare intensifying before he finally exhaled heavily.

“It won’t end until it does, Jahan. Feroz never leaves loose ends. I’m one of them, and he’ll do everything he can to erase me.”

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18:41 Wed, Feb 4 M…

Chapter 164

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“Let him try,” I murmured, voice low and steady. “Let him try, Marlik. In fact, I’m counting on it, because we’ll be ready. All you need to do is follow my lead. Just my lead. He’ll walk straight into the trap we set.”

He fell silent for a long while, head dipped, jaw clenched tight. Then a shaky breath escaped him, and he nodded slowly.

“I’ll follow your lead,” he said at last, a real smile breaking through. I reached out and gave his arm a playful punch.

Right then, movement at the window caught my eye. Desmond stood there, watching us. I let out a quiet sigh.

“That’s my cousin,” I told Marlik as I rose from the bench. “I should go talk to him.”

Marlik stood too without hesitation. Together we headed back inside.

I found Desmond in the spacious living room; the moment he saw me, his face lit up with a wide grin as he handed me a thick folder.

“Profits are already exploding,” he said excitedly. I arched a brow and flipped through the pages. “Dozens of companies want partnerships now that the media’s announced you’re taking over financial oversight at Godlike.”

I scanned the proof. Offers, projections, eager proposals, and nodded to the maid standing nearby.

“Laroux, turn on the television.”

She obeyed at once, giving a small curtsy, and the screen flared to life with the breaking headline.

My photo filled half the display, the caption boldly declaring my new role in Father’s empire.

“That’s you,” Marlik said from beside me, and I nodded.

“It’s announcing that I’m now in charge of all financial authority at my father’s company.”

“Finance? That means money, right?”

I laughed.

“Yeah.”

I turned back to the folder with a satisfied smile. Marlik edged closer for a curious look.

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18:41 Wed, Feb 4 M

Chapter 164

“It’s confusing. You can actually read all this?”

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“Yeah.” I pointed to the headline on the screen, explaining step by step. “See, that’s my name there. The rest of the article talks about all the new companies lining up to partner with us.”

He frowned, puzzled, then shook his head.

“But why are they suddenly so eager now that you’re handling the finances?”

I paused, thinking how best to put it simply for him.

“Because they believe I’ll run things better.”

He burst out laughing, eyeing me with that old knowing glint.

“If only they knew how insane you are at pickpocketing.”

“Idiot…” I laughed, shoving him lightly.

For one brief, perfect moment, the living room rang with our shared, unguarded laughter, just like the old days.

Then my gaze landed on Desmond staring at me, and the sound caught in my throat.

Marlik stopped too the instant he noticed Mother watching quietly from the doorway.

Tension flooded back in, thick and immediate. Desmond, my cousin, looked at me as though seeing me for the very first time. And in a way, he was.

This was the first time in eighteen years he had heard me laugh like that.

Such a long, heavy time.

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