All Chapters of My Mafia Husband Said He Was Broke: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

In a private club atop a Manhattan high-rise, crystal chandeliers refracted a dizzying light.Santino swirled the liquor in his glass. Exquisite caviar and truffles sat untouched before him.His gaze was distant, his mind restless."Uncle Santino, that's a cool watch." Finn pointed to the Patek Philippe on Santino's wrist, his tone laced with a slickness beyond his years. "If... if you were my Papa, could I have a watch like that too?"A sudden chill filled the air.Santino didn't smile. He just lowered his gaze, his mind flashing to another face.Luca. The boy who always wore cheap, old T-shirts but would carefully hand him a glass of warm water when he came home from "work."Luca had never asked him for anything, except for that day on the treadmill, when he had cried and begged him to stop."Finn, don't be rude," Riley coughed lightly, breaking Santino's reverie. She wore a daring, deep-V red dress, her fingers resting gently on the back of Santino's hand."Santino's tired. Don't bo

"Mommy, do I look handsome?"Luca, wearing the new shirt his grandmother had bought him, did a shy little spin.I crouched down, straightened his collar, and planted a firm kiss on his soft cheek."You're the most handsome little gentleman in the world."It had been two weeks since we'd escaped that hell.Luca had put on a little weight, and the terror in his eyes was slowly being erased by his grandparents' doting affection.This was what life was supposed to be."Be a good boy. Mommy will buy you ice cream after my interview.""Go get 'em, Mommy!" Luca pumped his little fists.For the first time in five years, I was dressed in professional attire. The briefcase was old, but the resume inside was my ticket to a new life.I took a deep breath and walked out the door.I was headed to the Falcone Group.It was a titan in New York's fashion industry. Though rumors persisted that the Falcone family still had a hand in the city's underbelly, their public-facing businesses were clean, respec

"Mommy, was the interview good today?"At dinner, Luca, wearing the giraffe hat his grandpa had bought him, asked sweetly while chewing on a chicken wing.My hand, holding my fork, paused."Your mommy is the best," my father said, bringing another dish to the table as he answered for me. "Those big companies will be fighting over my daughter's designs."Looking at the concerned faces of my parents and my son, I took a deep breath and managed a genuine smile."Luca," I said, managing a real smile. "Mommy got the job.""The Falcone Group?" my father asked, pushing up his glasses in surprise. "The Falcone family that's in the fashion industry?"I nodded.I took a sip of water, hiding the panic in my eyes.Even now, thinking back on it, the morning's interview felt like a bizarre dream."Number one, Erin."I had walked nervously into the minimalist-style CEO's office, taken a deep breath, and sat down in an expensive Italian leather chair."Hello, sir. My name is Erin, and I have five year

Santino leaped into the black McLaren, the speedometer instantly jumping to 120 mph. The neon lights of the city blurred into streaks of color.His mind was filled with Erin's final, hopeless expression and Luca's pale little face."Erin..." he whispered, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Wait for me. I'll make it up to you this time. I'll give you all my love."The sports car screeched to a halt before the dilapidated apartment building in Queens, its tires kicking up a cloud of dust.He ignored the strange looks from the startled residents, slammed the car door, and rushed inside."Erin! Luca!"He kicked open the familiar wooden door, his voice echoing in the narrow hallway.No one answered.There was no woman in an apron with a gentle smile, no little boy who would run into his arms shouting "Papa."The apartment was cold, a damp chill that spoke of being long uninhabited."Stop playing games, Erin," Santino stormed into the bedroom, wrenching open the closet. "I

The salty wind whipped around me, making me shiver.The Connor family's East Coast shipping routes were the lifeblood of a billion-dollar black-market empire. And Santino was willing to give up half of it just to get me back?I instinctively took a step back, putting distance between myself and Declan.Even though the Falcone family had gone legitimate, no one could refuse a fortune large enough to shake the entire North American underworld. For the good of his family, Declan..."The Connor family's profits?" Declan scoffed. "Santino, you're pathetic."He didn't even glance at the black card, only pulled me closer behind him, his eyes filled with disdain for Santino."My feelings for Erin are genuine. I love her, and I intend to make her my wife. I care for Luca, and I intend to be his father."Declan turned, and in front of Santino, he gently took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine."You're a sad man, Santino. You think everything in this world has a price?""I have no interest