Page 49 of Diary of a Mafia Princess

Dear Diary,

Loving her feels like choosing to bleed out slowly instead of dying all at once.

Sitting three houses down from the Guerra mansion for six hours had eventually paid off. I followed the black town car through the streets of Providence, making sure I stayed far enough back that I wouldn’t be noticed.

I had no idea where they were going until they took the turnoff that led to the ice rink.

My stomach sank. This was where Nyah had broken it off with me. Where she’d told me all she could see when she looked at me was the baby we’d lost, and she was leaving.

Where she’d broken my fucking heart.

I would have happily never come back here, except, I would follow that woman anywhere.

The Guerras’ driver dropped them off at the door, while I stopped my car in a parking space as far away as I could get. Not that I needed to worry about being spotted. Nyah and Luca argued the entire way inside the building, neither of them looking anywhere but at each other. Lynx glanced around, but he clearly wasn’t expecting danger, so there was no urgency to his actions.

I got out slowly and followed them inside, tapping my card distractedly to pay the entrance fee when prompted by the young woman in the reception area.

The rink was noticeably cooler than outside, and a team of skaters slid along the ice, warming up. Nyah said something to the other two and then moved in the direction of the bathrooms.

Lynx followed her close behind, but Luca stayed standing at the edge of the rink, studying the players moving around with sticks, pucks whizzing by.

I followed Lynx and Nyah along the corridor that led to the bathrooms. Ahead of me, she disappeared inside the one marked for women, and Lynx leaned back against the wall opposite, kicking one foot out and taking out his phone while he waited for her.

He glanced up as I approached. Recognized me and groaned.

“Dax, man. Seriously. Do you have a death wish? I thought we talked about this?”

“We did. But I don’t care. I need to talk to her.”

“You need to turn around and walk back to your car.”

I stared at him, man-to-man. “We both know I’m not going to do that.”

He huffed out a sigh. “After the other day at the house, and now following us here, you’re really beginning to be a pain in my side, you know? Be quick, all right? Luca is out there, probably reporting everything she does back to his old man. Don’t give him something to punish her over.”

I snapped my head up. “Carlos punishes her?”

Lynx shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t actually seen him do anything. But he seems the type. Acts like he owns her. Wouldn’t really want to give him a reason to test the theory. Do you?”

I despised the notion that someone would hurt her. “No.”

He stepped aside, and I used my shoulder to open the door.

She looked up from washing her hands. Her mouth dropped open. “Dax? You can’t—”

I forgot my entire plan had just been to get her alone enough that we could have a proper conversation without a Guerra butting in. Forgot I’d warned myself to stay in control.

I lost it as soon as I saw her.

I stalked across that tiny bathroom, slid my hand along the side of her face and back into her hair, tilting her head up so she had no choice but to stare up at me.

The words died on her lips.

“I can’t what?” I lowered my head enough so my mouth hovered just over hers. “Can’t love you? Because too bad. I do.”

Her bottom lip trembled.

“Can’t need you?” I walked her back to the wall, pressing my body against her so she could feel exactly how badly I did. “Too bad. I need you.”