Page 249 of Hate to Love You

And so, the mafia king of New York sits with me, his feet up on the couch, having a rare day of normalcy.

It’s kind of amazing to think about how after my failed attempt at killing him, everything has just clicked into place for us.

Granted his men are still stationed outside of my house, guarding each door like they expect me to run.

But I have no intention of running.

Not only because I know he would chase me, but also because I no longer want to run.

I want to be here. With him.

The man is breaking all the rules to keep me in his life. From what he has told me about his family, he should’ve killed me for what I did to Igor. Technically, he should’ve handed me over to Polina and let her kill me.

Yet he didn’t.

Nor would he ever.

“What the fuck!” Roman shouts, jolting me out of my thoughts. “Why would he do that?!”

He angrily gestures toward the screen.

“What?” I giggle.

Suddenly the door bursts open as Paulie, one of Roman’s men, flies into the room, his gun drawn.

He anxiously glances between me, Roman and the television, nervously looking around the room.

“Boss?” Paulie asks, his spine straightening as he lowers the gun. “Is everything al—”

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Roman snaps, shaking his head as he taps his ring against my leg.

A laugh bursts out of me, and I cover my mouth, but I am unable to contain the giggles that pour out of me.

I gasp, struggling to pull in air as I point at Roman, and then at Paulie.

“Roman…he…thought that you… hahahahahah!”

Both men stare at me in shock, as I struggle to reign in my amusement.

Paulie quickly tucks the gun into the back of his trousers, before glancing at the screen.

“Oh! I’ve seen this one! My wife is obsessed with the actor… what's his name?” He clicks his fingers, as he thinks.

“It’s—” I start to say but I’m immediately interrupted.

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” Roman hisses.

“I…well…you…um,” Paulie stutters nervously. “You yelled, and we thought that—”

“You thought what?!”

My laughter dies in my throat as I feel Roman’s demons slide silently into the room, ready to tear into his man to pieces for the interruption.

Paulie runs his hand through his hair, before rubbing the back of his neck, he glances at me causing Roman to stiffen.

“Don’t look at her!” He growls. “Look at me.”

“Sorry, Boss,” he replies, glancing submissively at Roman. “I thought you were in danger.”