All Chapters of Becoming The Mafia Queen: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

ADRIANOf all the ways a woman could get your attention, falling off a stair climber and landing in your arms wasn’t one I’d expected.At first, I thought it was just an ordinary stranger. I wasn’t paying any attention to her. But after she fell into my arms and I stared into those familiar eyes, my blood turned cold as I remembered that night. And I remembered her name. Sofia. How on earth was she in my gym? Even as I sat in traffic after leaving the gym, I still couldn’t figure out how she wound up there. Coincidence? Surely not. When you’ve lived the kind of life I have, you come to realize that there’s no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens for a reason. And the woman who’d haunted my dreams for several days now suddenly showing up in my gym certainly couldn’t count as a random coincidence. She looked different somehow, but not so much that I wouldn’t be able to recognize her. She still had that guarded look about her, and she seemed a little more sure of herself than

SOFIAThe strange thing about working out consistently is that after a while, even though my main intention when I first started coming to gym was to get closer to Adrian, I actually started enjoying it. I could feel myself getting stronger, and I was so proud of myself for that. Even if I didn’t manage to infiltrate the DeLuca family, at least I’ve achieved something from doing this. But running on the treadmill for half an hour will take all the energy out of you, and leave you feeling lightheaded. Thirty minutes after walking into the gym, I was exhausted but happy. Sure, every bone in my body felt like it was going to break, but at least I’d checked it off my list today. And since neither Adrian nor Rafe decided to show up today, I had nothing else to keep me here. I was just about to step off the treadmill when the door opened and I saw him.Rafe.He strolled in like he owned the fucking building, dressed in all black with a hoodie draped over his shoulders and a smug look on

SOFIAIsabella was unlike any girl I'd ever met. She was incredibly loud for someone so small, and she was the most fearless person I'd ever come across. She could talk about seven billion things at the same time, and in just thirty minutes of knowing each other, it already felt like we were best friends since preschool. "So tell me everything about yourself," she said when we found a bench in Central Park and sat down to rest. We'd been running for almost an hour while we talked to each other, and she had ordered Carlos and Hector to get us some coffees from a Starbucks we passed a while ago. Now it was just the two of us, and I was still marveling at how everything aligned so perfectly to create this opportunity for me. I just had to remind myself not to mess it up, over and over again. "There's really not much to tell," I said. "I've lived in New York my entire life. I had a pretty normal childhood, had a best friend since middle school, and I spent most of my teenage years readi

SOFIARafe looked like he was about to spit a brick when his eyes settled on me. First there was shock, then confusion, then calculation before the rage finally settled in. I saw it in the way he looked at me, the way his lips tightened in anger as he took Isabella's hands and gave her a kiss on the knuckles. "Please don't tell me you're following me," she said, oblivious to what was going on between us. "Did Adrian put you up to this? Because I swear to God...""Relax, princess," he said, while his eyes remained fixed on me. "Your brother did not put me up to anything. I'm actually here for business."The way he said it sounded so ominous, and I instantly knew that he was talking about something regarding their cartel operations. He said it so casually, but Isabella understood what he meant and she instantly dropped the topic. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your beautiful friend?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or are you afraid she's going to fall for me?""Shut

SOFIAThe hall was massive and elegant, and it echoed with the buzz of nervous laughter and hurried footsteps. There were several tall pillars which stretched to a a vaulted ceiling that sparkled from dozens of chandeliers, and crimson banners with Yale's insignia that hung from every corner. It looked like the hall had been decorated for the Met Gala or another prestigious occasion, and I felt so small standing there and watching all the smiling faces around meIt should've felt like a celebration. But all I could think about was my plan. All I could think about was the fact that today was the day that would make or break my future. I tugged slightly at the hem of my dress while I scanned the room casually, looking for any sign of the handsome devil. He wasn't here yet, but I had timed my arrival carefully. I knew how these ceremonies usually played out, and knowing how important Adrian DeLuca was, he would want to make an entrance. I couldn’t picture him sitting her nonchalant