Knocked Up by the Beast: A Mafia Romance (Kingdoms Book 1) Read online

  “This is delicious,” she says between bites. “Why aren’t you eating?”

  I clear my throat. “I’m not that hungry.”

  “You will be when you start eating. Do you know how good this stuff is?” She moans as the ravioli bursts in her mouth.

  Truth is, I’m refraining from eating.

  There are two kinds of people on this planet—the kind who have pleasant conversation while they share a single meal for two hours, and the kind who eat in two minutes flat like some starved bear.

  I’m the latter.

  I eat like an animal.

  It’s just what my body demands.

  If she saw the way I naturally eat, she would be appalled.

  But Belle is going to be living with me for the next three months. She’s bound to see me eat at one time or the other.

  So I decide to take the risk—I start to eat.

  She watches with faint amusement for a few seconds. I try to take it slow, but I still end up devouring all of my food.

  “You don’t do things like most people, do you,” she says, smiling wider. The way she says it, it’s in awe.

  I shrug, not knowing how to reply to that.

  She tilts her head. “I like it. It shows that you have a quiet confidence. For what it’s worth, I don’t fit in either. I’m an outcast in town.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” I say.

  “No, it’s true,” she says, spearing another piece of ravioli with her fork. “The town people say things about me behind my back. They say things about my whole family.”

  “They’re just jealous. From what I’ve heard, it’s an incurable disease,” I say.

  She dips her chin, making her dark hair fall forward. “I don’t think it’s jealousy, Leo. They just don’t like that I’m different. They don’t like that Hazel and I like to read books or that Julie likes to paint in the sun all day. They don’t like that my father is an inventor.”

  “Then that’s their problem.”

  “Maybe,” she shrugs. “But it’s also my problem because I have to deal with it every day.”

  “You don’t now,” I say, gripping the table to keep myself from pulling her into my lap. “You’re don’t have to deal with the rest of the world for the next three months.”

  “They say the most awful things, Leo. There was once this…rumor about me. And that’s how they see me now. The rumor is all they see when they look at me.”

  I want to ask her about it. But that’s selfish.

  The rumor isn’t what’s important right now.

  “People believe what they want to believe, Belle,” I say gently. “Some people are just quick to judge and assign blame without having their facts straight. That says more about them than it does about you.”

  She shifts in her seat, angling herself away from me.

  Her bambi brown eyes dart up to meet mine. The warmth in them has faded.

  She doesn’t hide the bite in her voice when she asks, “Isn’t that exactly what you did with my father?”

  My hands curl into fists. “He tried to steal something that’s very precious to me.”

  “If I hadn’t offered to work for you, you would have had him arrested for something he didn’t do.”

  I try to stay level-headed. “I thought we were going to agree to disagree.”

  Her jaw is set stubbornly. She remains quiet, but I can tell she has more to say on this matter.

  I wanted our first dinner together to be romantic. It had started out that way—with the candlelight and the stars over our heads.

  But as I have a tendency to, I mess it up.

  The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. “Your father is a thief. You may not want to believe that about him, but I know what he did. And so did he. That’s why he fled at the first opportunity, leaving his daughter behind to clean up after his mess.”

  “I know my Papa. He’s a lot of things, but he is not a thief.”

  I sigh. “Belle, we can do this all day.”

  She purses her lips.

  When she speaks, it’s slow and controlled. “If I hadn’t stepped in, you would have handed him over to the police. They wouldn’t even have investigated the crime. They would’ve just taken your word for it. Why? Because you come from wealth. And my family, we struggle to put food on the table.”

  My heart falls.

  For her, this isn’t about the diamond.

  This is about her family. I should have put an end to this discussion before it even started.

  But it’s too late to stop the damage now.

  “Do you have any idea what would’ve happened to my family if you had Papa thrown behind bars? We’re already broken. Your thoughtless actions would have shattered us.”

  I remain quiet.

  She continues. “And all for what? A silly little jewel that’s probably not even worth much to a man like you?”

  “It’s the Rose,” I say. “It’s not about its monetary value.”

  This is the part where I explain to her what the Rose signifies. I should tell her why that diamond means so much to me.

  But telling her the story behind the Rose would mean revealing all of my dirty secrets.

  “Then tell me, Leo,” she says. “I’m pretty sure I can keep up. Tell me why that diamond is not just another stone to you.”

  When I don’t say anything, she throws her napkin on the table.

  “That’s what I thought,” she says under her breath.

  I look up at her. Sorrow and disappointment swim in her eyes.

  “Thank you for the dinner. It was lovely,” she says, before marching back into the house.

  I don’t go after her.

  I lower my hood, and let the cold wind kiss the ugly parts of my face.

  It’s not just external. There are parts inside of me that are ugly too.

  Things like my stubbornness.

  I know it was her father who stole Rose because that’s the only possible explanation for finding the diamond pendant in his bag.

  And I won’t pretend otherwise just because Belle refuses to believe that her father might be a thief.

  But I know better.

  I know that there are ugly parts inside everybody.

  Like the anger that I’ve carried inside me my whole life.

  My rage is starting to creep back in now. I don’t act on it as I once would have. I don’t knock the dishes off the table, or scream at the sky.

  Instead, I take deep breaths and count to ten.

  All the while, I think, I thought she was different.

  11

  Belle

  I toss and turn all night.

  It might be because I’m in a new bed, but I don’t think that’s it. This one is infinitely more comfortable than the one I share with my sisters at home.

  I contemplate calling Julie, but I don’t want to wake her up in the middle of the night. She’ll just end up getting worried over nothing.

  So instead, I grab the red hardcover novel I brought from home. The new romance that Hazel picked out for me.

  I devour the whole thing in one sitting.

  By the time I slip into bed again, my mind is too tired to think about anything else. Like the real reason why Leo upset me.

  Instead, I dream about our moment in the corridor.

  I dream about his possessive touch. The way his beard felt against my skin. The way he said my name in that territorial way.

  And how he had the integrity to not even check out my body after he made that promise to me.

  I dream about him all night long.

  I like him.

  I like my new boss way more than I should.

  By the time I wake up, I’m refreshed and well-rested.

  I stretch in bed, and slip on an ivory satin robe I found in the closet. Because, why not?

  I’m offered all of this luxury for a short time. I might as well make the best out of it.

  And now that it’s no longer an ungodly hou
r, I call Julie.

  “Hey,” she says, fighting a yawn.

  “Good morning,” I chirp.

  “You’re so annoying,” she says. I hear rustling in the background as she gets up. “So. Are you ready to come back home yet?”

  “Nice try,” I say. “It’s my first day of work.”

  “Wow. You’re actually doing this,” she says slowly.

  “Yeah. This is actually happening. As long as Mr. Blackwood doesn’t fire me today.”

  “Why would he fire you?” she laughs.

  “I might have started an argument with him last night,” I say, tugging on the smooth sash that ties my robe together.

  “Over what?”

  “It was about Papa,” I say. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. We agreed to disagree on that one thing, but I went ahead and brought it up anyway. I’m such an idiot.”

  “Your boss is a prick who had the whole situation twisted. I don’t get why you’re feeling bad about it.”

  “Because…we had this camaraderie. We were getting along, and I ruined it all by bringing up that diamond.”

  “Belle.”

  “What?”

  “Belle,” she sighs. “Don’t fall for your boss.”

  “What on earth are you talking about?” I huff.

  Even as I go into defensive mode, I think about him.

  Leo. I know that with time, I can love him deeply. But would that love be wasted?

  My skin buzzes with the need to be touched by him again. It feels like he has his hand on my lower belly, and he’s tugging, tugging, tugging.

  The lust I have for him is already intense.

  But I can nip the love in the bud.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” says my sister. “I bet you’re blushing right now. You sound all flustered too.”

  She’s right.

  I don’t have to look into a mirror to know that my face is all heated.

  “Julie. This man, he’s unlike anybody I’ve ever met.”

  “What makes him so special?”

  “We share a spirit,” I say finally. Now that I’m actually talking about it, it makes sense. “We have a lot of things in common. And when he talks, I understand him on a soul-level. We’re reflections of each other. I think…I think that’s why I’m so intrigued by him.”

  “Huh,” she says thoughtfully.

  “What?” I ask.

  Julie’s terrible at keeping her thoughts to herself. She will tell me what she’s thinking eventually, but I have to drag it out of her.

  “Nothing.” She stretches out the word.

  “Just spit it out, Jules.”

  “Okay, fine. I was going to warn you not to fall for him. But after that speech you just gave, I think it might be too late to save you.”

  “What?” My throat tightens.

  “I’ll see you on the other side,” she laughs.

  “Shut up,” I say, rolling my eyes. “How are Papa and Hazel, by the way?”

  “Hazel is her usual self. Papa has been in the basement all night, working on his new invention.”

  “Oh,” I swallow.

  I don’t know what I was expecting. That my older sister would speak again and that my father would be devastated?

  It’s unrealistic, but a part of me wanted them to miss me. Or at the very least, notice my absence.

  Expectations only lead to disappointment. That’s a lesson I seem to be learning over and over again in life.

  Expect nothing, appreciate everything.

  I take a deep breath. “What about you? Did you get a chance to use your new brushes yet?”

  “I’m so glad you asked. Guess where I’m going today?” she squeals. Before I can guess, she says, “The falls.”

  Our town, Silver Falls, is named after a stunning collection of waterfalls that line the town border. They’re exquisite—set between mountain ranges like diamonds in the rough.

  “I want to start a new art collection. I’m thinking earth elements. Fire, water, air, all that.” She talks about her new project for a little while before we hang up.

  My mind instantly pulls me back to Leo.

  Should I apologize for the way I behaved last night?

  My ego holds me back from doing so. Because I still believe that he was unfair with Papa.

  But there’s a wiser part of me that wants to choose love and forgiveness.

  I think I should go talk to him. Not just to apologize, but because I want to talk to him. I want to be in his presence again.

  What I told my sister is all true.

  Leo and I…we’re more alike than we are different. Maybe we could form a great friendship or something.

  The thought of being just friends with Leo makes my stomach turn. I ignore the feeling as it arises.

  I shower and get dressed for the day. This time, I choose a more comfortable and low-key outfit.

  Red sweatpants and a white tank top.

  I’ll be spending the majority of the day cleaning anyway.

  Taking a deep breath, I swing open the heavy oak doors of my bedroom.

  Voices echo down the corridor.

  I hear the deep rumble of Leo’s voice. He’s talking to somebody. And if I’m not mistaken…it’s a woman’s voice that I hear along with his.

  I follow the voices. They lead me to a familiar place—one that I’ve been to just yesterday.

  I’m moving towards the West Wing.

  The lush red carpet beneath my feet makes me realize that I don’t have any shoes on. I contemplate going back to my room, but decide against it.

  As I get closer to the voices, I can make out their words.

  “It’s reckless, Luna. You should be more careful when you leave the house.”

  “I know, I know. I was just so tired, and I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  “Just be more careful next time, okay?”

  “Of course.”

  I clamp my hand over my mouth to trap the sob that forms in my throat. Is this what I think it is?

  And then I chide myself for feeling this way.

  So what if he has women in his life? I barely know him. We don’t mean anything to each other.

  He can sleep with as many women as he likes.

  A sick curiosity makes me keep walking.

  I want to see how this Luna looks like.

  I stop at a bend in the corridor. Sandwiching my body to the edge of the wall, I peek my head out like some deranged spy.

  They’re standing next to each other in an open balcony.

  What I see next makes me want to throw up.

  12

  Belle

  Luna isn’t some elderly mother figure as I had hoped.

  She’s a beautiful woman—wavy raven hair and amber eyes. She’s sophisticated too, with impeccable style and perfect makeup.

  I feel even more self-conscious about my lack of shoes now. Also, maybe I should have dressed in something other than bright red sweatpants.

  But what bothers me most is Leo’s hand.

  It’s resting on her shoulder.

  A repulsive emotion bubbles in my stomach. I never thought I’d be the jealous type, but I guessed wrong.

  The two of them are still deep in conversation, unaware of me watching them.

  I don’t look at the girl.

  I observe Leo.

  His head is bent low. He’s standing in broad daylight, and his face is inches away from hers.

  This is someone Leo knows very well. And she’s definitely not another housekeeper.

  The rushing in my ears and the pounding of my heart makes it hard for me to make out their words. I know it’s rude to eavesdrop, but I feel rooted to the spot.

  That is, until Leo straightens to full height.

  He turns and those piercing eyes land straight on me.

  I flee before he gets the chance to call out my name.

  I don’t stop running until I reach my bedroom. I fling the doors open, and lock them behind me.


  The first thing I do is take off my baggy red sweatpants, and throw them across the room.

  Why does it bother me so much?

  At this time yesterday, I didn’t even know Leo.

  Do I feel this way about him because we had kissed? Because he went on to kiss parts of me that had never been kissed?

  I know that’s not it. It’s not about what we did or didn’t do.

  It’s about what I feel.

  Julie might have had a point. Because from the second I first heard his voice, I had known that I liked him.

  A lot.

  And I—the girl who’s always dreaming of love, I don’t want to deal with this.

  I don’t want to have all these confusing emotions inside me.

  It’s not just love I feel.

  There’s a swirling mixture of equally intense emotions inside me right now—hate, jealousy, pain.

  A thundering knock at my door makes me jump. I tiptoe away from the door, trying to be as quiet as possible.

  “Belle?” His voice is like sunlight slicing through my skin. It feels so good. I want to move towards it, but I also know that it’s dangerous to do so. “Belle, are you in there?”

  I don’t answer.

  I don’t trust myself to.

  He’s going to ask me to open the door, and when I do, he’s going to see that I’m upset because of what I saw.

  But I can’t avoid talking to him forever. He is my boss after all.

  “Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”

  “Is it a good time to talk?” he growls.

  I know he gets agitated every time I call him by his last name.

  I shake my head. “Not really. I’m not decent.”

  Another low growl. “I know it was you, Belle. What were you doing near the West Wing when I specifically told you it was off-limits?”

  I can’t hold back the hurt in my voice as I answer, “If I had known the reason why, I never would have bothered.”

  “Is there something you want to ask me?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Who is Luna?” I spit out.

  I don’t care if it makes me sound desperate. I just can’t stand having all of these powerful emotions battling inside my mind.

  He’s quiet for a moment.

  And then, “Open the door, Belle.”