Page 104 of Diary of a Mafia Princess

“Nyah, these are some colleagues of mine from the UK. They’ve flown out to inspect some of my newest fighters. We’re choosing which ones we take back there for a round of cage matches.”

My stomach sank at the sound of that.

I was already sure they would take Dax.

Every man in the room stared at me until my skin crawled. This was nothing like when we’d gone to watch Dax in the cage fights. Those men had been street thug brawlers at best.

The men in this room gave off a totally different vibe. They were businessmen. Sharks. Ruthless Mafia who stared at me and the other fighters like we were commodities rather than people.

“I’ve never been to the UK,” I said to Carlos with a smile that felt forced, but I hoped with everything I had that it came across as charming. I turned to his friends. “I’ve heard it’s an incredibly beautiful part of the world. I’d love to see it one day.”

Dax shot me a sharp look.

I ignored it. I could read him well enough to know what was going on in his head. He was unhappy I was here, fishing for an invitation I had no business wanting.

But screw him. If he could put himself on the line to be near me, then that went both ways. I wasn’t just going to sit here while he went to the other side of the world to fight for the Guerras.

What if he didn’t come back? What if they killed him over there and there was no one there to raise an alarm?

He might not want me there, but he had no one else to have his back.

I always would.

But Carlos shook his head. “You’re needed here, to plan our wedding.”

I opened my mouth to try to sweet-talk him into letting me go, but one of the men, perched on a gym bench, laughed in Carlos’s direction. “Do ye always keep your woman on such a tight leash, Guerra? Let the lass come. Let her have some fun before ye tie her down with a ball and chain.” He rose to his feet and picked up my hand, kissing the back of it. “Angus MacGregor. Pleased to meet ye, lass. We’d love to have ye join us as our guest.”

I could practically feel Carlos’s irritation.

I quickly pulled my hand out of Mr. MacGregor’s grip and forced myself into subservient wife mode. “I would love to attend, if Mr. Guerra deems it appropriate for me to accompany him.” I gave Carlos a pretty smile.

But it was Dax’s deep scowl I could feel burning into my back.

And Carlos’s simmering anger scalding my front.

He shook Mr. MacGregor’s hand, and MacGregor’s gaze slid to me again.

“I’ll expect both of you in Scotland next week then, along with your fighters. They proved themselves worthy opponents here this morning, but I think my boys will give them some good competition.”

“I look forward to it,” Carlos said.

MacGregor turned to me. “And you, Future Mrs. Guerra. Are you eagerly anticipating it too?”

I glanced at Carlos stiff beside me. He gave me no indication of what I should or shouldn’t say. MacGregor stared at me, and I didn’t want to be rude. So I nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

He hummed beneath his breath appreciatively. “So do I, Mrs. Guerra. So do I.”

32

LUCA

Dear Diary,

Lynx refuses to be an asshole. I find this personally offensive.

Lynx high-fived the players as they slouched out of the locker room door after an early morning training session. His positivity was at complete odds with the vibe my father and uncle had left behind for them last week when they’d delivered their big “gift,” then showed up again at training yesterday to make sure everyone was reminded of their expectations.