The Mafia Dons Pet (Masha and Luciano) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Deal is Done. *Masha*

My hands were shaking. My entire body was shaking.

I couldn’t wrap my head around what had just happened. I was angry at myself. Angry that I’d been too distracted by the ‘games‘ we were playing to see this coming.

Angry that there wasn’t much I could do about it.

I clenched my fists in my lap trying to steady my breathing. My chest ached, pressing on me with everything I couldn’t say.

I dug through my bag, desperate for my Xanax. My hands trembled so badly that the small bottle’slipped through my fingers.

Cursing under my breath, I grabbed it again, fumbling with the cap. It wouldn’t budge. My hands were shaking so much that I couldn’t get the stupid bottle to open.

“Here,” a voice said, startling me.

I jerked my head up and found Matt sitting across from me, his expression unreadable. I hadn’t even realized he was in the car. Without a word, he took the bottle from my hand, twisted the cap off easily, and handed it back.

“Thanks,” I muttered, barely audible. My voice felt raw, as if I’d been screaming. I swallowed the pill dry, not caring about the bitter taste it left on my tongue.

That’s what I wanted to do, scream at Luciano. I wanted to kick him, pound against his chest in anger, I wanted to…

“No,” I muttered under my breath, my emotions taking over me. I leaned back against the seat, closed my eyes and cried. I let the tears spill over, coming in waves. I couldn’t hold them in any longer.

The image of Luciano, mocking me, kept replaying in my head like I was stuck in a time loop.

He’d been in my bed just hours ago, burying himself inside me. And now? It was so easy for him to pass me off to another man.

He’d tossed me aside like I meant nothing to him.

I tried to push his hurtful words away, to ignore them, but I couldn’t get out of the cage my mind had trapped me in. All I could hear was Luciano laughing and saying, “You think I care about you?”

Of course he didn’t. I’d been stupid enough to live in a delusional world.

He got what he wanted from me, and now he was discarding me. I felt so stupid, so damn stupid. I’d trusted the devil himself and now I’d gotten burned.

I reached for my phone, fingers trembling, as I dialed. The moment my mom’s voice came through, the dam broke. “Masha?” she said, alarmed by my sobs. “What’s wrong?”

“Luciano,” I choked out, struggling to steady my voice. “H–h–he arranged a marriage for me.

There was a sharp intake of breath on her end. “What?”

I spilled the story in broken fragments, my words tumbling over each other.

It was hard to control myself. I knew Matt was trying his best not to stare, but it was difficult not to stare at a girl crying through shaking limbs, clutching her chest like a lifeline. “Honey calm down,” she paused for a moment. “We can figure this out together.” I could hear a bit of a shuffle and then… “Jimson, did you know about this?”

“I had no idea,” I could hear Jimson’s deep voice from the other end, sounding just as confused as we all were.

Relief flooded through me for a moment but it vanished when he added, “But you’re of marriageable age, Masha. Marriage has always been on the table.

The phone slipped slightly in my grip. “No,” I whispered, desperate. “Mom, please. You have to stop this. You can’t let them do this to me.” I could taste my tears at this point, could taste the pain and desperation in them.

“Masha, listen to me,” her voice returned. “Jimson and I are coming home soon. Don’t worry about this, okay?”

I nodded to myself, but her reassurance felt paper–thin, like it fully depended on whatever Jimson thought was best.

I clutched the phone tighter, as if trying to physically hold her to her words. “Okay,” I muttered, hanging up.

I let the phone drop loosely on the car seat, feeling utterly exhausted. For the first time in my life, I barely had any fight left in me.

There was no sense in being heartbroken. What was there to mourn? I hated Luciano. I wasn’t in love with him. The pain twisting in my chest was nothing but anger at being used… nothing more.

That was it.

After a long week filled with shaky hands and a very distant mind, my mom and Jimson were finally back from their trip. I sat stiffly in the Vincenzoni living room, watching as my

mother paced back and forth, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She clutched her arms tightly, muttering under her breath.

Jimson, on the other hand, lounged in his chair like a king on a throne, his expression dark and unreadable. We were all

waiting for the man of the hour to show up, so we could ‘figure‘ this out.

The heavy oak doors finally creaked open and my stomach tightened. Luciano strode into the room, his presence commanding as always.

I barely noticed Glade following behind him as I took him in. The last time I’d looked into those dark eyes, I’d yelled at them, and today was no different. I still felt the ‘same anger I did that‘ day.

I clenched my fists in my lap, nails digging into my palms as my mother paused mid–step. She opened her mouth to speak, but Jimso silenced her with a raised hand.

“Luciano,” Jimson began, keeping his voice measured. “Explain the marriage arrangements.”

Luciano’s jaw tightened for a fraction of a second, but then he squared his shoulders, his voice calm and even.

“The deal is done,” he explained, glancing subtly at my mother. “Glade will treat her well. Masha should be grateful for this arrangement.

Grateful? My chest burned with anger as the word sank in. He acted as if he’d done me a favor, as if my life were his chess piece to move.

My mother turned sharply toward him. “Why the rush, Luciano? What’s the real reason?”

He exhaled deeply, his gaze briefly flicking to me before settling on Jimson. “Frank is dead,” he responded, as if the words had been forced out of him.

Then through gritted teeth, he added, “the Sicilians have declared war.

My mother’s hand flew to her chest, her eyes meeting Jimson’s in alarm.

Luciano continued, “if Masha goes to Greece, she’ll be safe. Out of harm’s way.” But that wasn’t his decision to make. It wasn’t anyone’s decision to make.

I opened my mouth to argue, to say anything to stop this train wreck, but my mother spoke first. “Luciano, there has to be another-

–

”

“Enough.” Jimson’s voice cut through the room like thunder, silencing everyone. He leaned forward slightly in his chair, his eyes boring into me.

“Luciano has the final say, ” he declared, each word heavy and deliberate. “You’ll marry Glade this Saturday. It’s for your own good.‘

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