Page 45 of Mafia And Maid

It’s a beautiful sound.

Every muscle in my body tightens. I tread softly through the hall and toward the sound. Toward Rosa’s room.

A soft yellow glow spills out into the hall from a crack in her door where it’s not fully closed. Again, her soft laugh sounds, making my heart drum against my chest. God, nothing has ever soundedso fucking perfect. And it reminds me of when I first heard her laugh when I took her to the hair salon—just before I found out a little bit of what she’s been through before she became our maid.

“I miss you too,” I hear her say.

My blood freezes.

I shouldn’t be listening to this.

I should turn around and give her privacy and respect. But I can’t move. I’m rooted to the spot.

Who the hell is she talking to at this late hour?

“No. Soon, I promise.” Her voice is tinged with some emotion I don’t like hearing her use toward someone else… It strangles my chest, and an uncomfortable feeling settles in its place.

I lean forward to peer between the crack in the door and the jam. She’s sitting cross-legged on her bed. A phone is settled onto the pillows in front of her. She’s in a baggy T-shirt that hides most of her full body, but it’s the bare creamy skin of her thick thighs that takes my attention.

Fuck, is that what she wears to sleep? She’s fucking perfect.

My hand tightens on the bag pressed against my cheek when she swipes at her eyes as if she’s crying.

What the hell is going on?

“I know. I love you too.”

The world stops. My nostrils flare, and my blood pumps loudly in my ears. Who the hell is she saying that to? And why the hell do I even care?

She’s obviously left her husband, but does she have a boyfriend now?

As the information trickles through my brain, the anger boiling up in my chest is nothing compared to the feeling twisting in my gut.

Maybe Alessio is right; maybe I’m getting too distracted by her—and maybe that means I’m not doing my job as well as I should be.

“Goodnight. I love you.”

I love you.The words repeat over and over in my head. My body kicks into motion before she can spot me.

I’m down the hall and up the stairs, fuming. What did I think was going to happen? That she’d get to know me and not run the other way? That a woman like her, used to the finest the world has to offer, would give a man like me the time of day?

I need to clear my head and head to the gym before I lose my shit.

And as I try to work the anger out of my system, I tell myself that I’m not jealous—because that would mean that I care more than I should.

CHAPTER 11

ROSA

It’s time for my weekly weigh-in. I strip off every single ounce of clothing. I’m not leaving anything to chance.

Taking a deep breath, I make myself take a step forward onto the scales.

And keeping my eyes closed, I psych myself up to face the number.

Cracking one eyelid open, I peek at the digital display.

That can’t be right.