Mafia Boss's Fake Fiancée

By Olivia Ashers

Salvatore Carducci is my brother's best friend and powerful ally, and my biggest nightmare. His cocky, smug smile makes me want to punch him in his ridiculously handsome face.

 

When he catches me doing something I shouldn't, he offers me a deal in exchange for his silence.

 

I have to pretend to be his fiancée and spend a week with him and his family so he can fulfill his grandmother's last wish.

 

But can I survive Salvatore's infuriating existence and the inexplicable magnetic pull between us?

 

A standalone enemies to lovers mafia romance. Mature language and content.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Olivia Ashers
• Release date: Apr 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224636303

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Adriana

I press myself against the wall and wait. The front door closes with a loud thud, and I breathe out a sigh of relief.

My brother, Cesare, is finally gone, and that will make my plan way easier, but I don’t have any time to waste. The life of an innocent woman hangs in the balance, and I’m the only one who can help save her.

I look around Cesare’s office. The information I need should be around here somewhere. It better not be locked away somewhere I can’t reach it, but Cesare doesn’t expect anyone to get in here.

He has smart locks that only open for him and his fingerprint. Since I live with him, some of the doors open for me too, but not all of them.

Definitely not this office, so I had to get creative to keep it open after he left. Luckily, he almost never checks if the door is fully closed behind him, so as soon as he stormed out of the room, I slipped inside before the door shut.

I open the drawer of his desk and dig through the papers. Cesare thinks I know nothing about his plans or about anything he’s doing, but I’m a mafia princess. I have my ways of figuring things out, especially when I don’t have anything better to do.

A smile spreads across my lips. I pick up the paper with an address scribbled on it. On the other side, there’s a sketch of a building. Cesare’s drawing skills leave a lot to be desired, but I know it’s what I need. That’s where he’s keeping the woman.

I never really thought my brother would be capable of kidnapping an innocent person, let alone that he would be willing to go against our older brother, Enzo. I can still barely believe it, but here we are. I need to get this info to Enzo before it’s too late.

Maybe I don’t know everything about Cesare’s plan, and I know even less about what’s going on in his head right now, but I hope that he’ll wake up in time and see just how crazy what he’s doing is. If not, I don’t know what will happen to us as a family.

I find Cesare’s notebook with the contact info of all the important people. It takes me a few moments to figure out the code it’s written in, but it’s the same one my dad invented, so I know it too.

I snatch a piece of paper and a pen, and then I write down the number of assassins for hire, along with the address where Cesare is keeping the woman. Enzo is going to need someone to go with him and fight Cesare’s men.

I could lose one of my brothers after this.

Maybe even both.

But I hope it won’t come to that. Enzo and Cesare will have to find a way past their animosity. I don’t even know what happened between them, but ever since Enzo decided he didn’t want to be a mafia boss like Dad and went off on his own, Cesare became different.

Colder. Angrier.

And whenever I try to ask about it, he refuses to talk to me. Enzo isn’t sure about Cesare’s reasons either.

Once I have all I need, I go to my room. I glance at my phone. Cesare has conveniently blocked all the calls, so I can only call him and no one else, not even my mom and dad. He says it’s because we’re in danger, but I know that’s a pile of bullshit. I’ve overheard enough to know that the only danger right now is him.

The guards have orders not to let me out of the house, under the pretext that my life is at risk, so I can’t just walk through the front door and meet with Enzo. I took a risk and texted him from a burner phone I found in the storage room, and I hope no one has found out about it and alerted Cesare.

I only have about ten minutes to get out of the house and reach the alley where I told Enzo to meet with me. If I fail, there will be no second chance. Enzo won’t wait forever, if he even believes it’s me who sent the message.

But I’ve lived in this house my whole life. I know my way around, and I know the guards and their behavior.

After I put on a hoodie to better blend in with my surroundings, I go to my balcony. The guards worry more about who might be coming toward us. They don’t watch the house all that closely, but I still have to be careful.

I climb over the balcony and catch the thick vines and roots next to it. Holding my breath, I place my foot on the brick that’s sticking out. I slowly lower myself down as the branches and leaves scratch my hands.

Once I jump down, I hide behind a tree trunk. I spot a guard and wait. He glances in my direction, but I press myself behind the trunk so he doesn’t see me.

I strain my ears and take a peek around the tree. The coast is clear, so I rush forward and through the bushes, avoiding the cameras.

When I reach the fence, I climb over it. My hood slips off my head, but I don’t care. If someone spots me out here, it’s better that they recognize me rather than think I’m a threat.

My stomach does a nervous flip as I race away from the house. I have no idea if Cesare will return or if he’ll speed up his plans, so I need to get to Enzo as quickly as possible.

It’s pitch dark here. All the houses are in darkness, and that’s not a surprise. My family owns every single property on this street, and our men sometimes spend the night there. We don’t want to risk any too nosy or suspicious neighbors, so we have to own the whole neighborhood to protect ourselves.

Relief floods me when I spot Enzo in the alley. His blue eyes are filled with worry, and it’s obvious even in the dim light. The woman Cesare kidnapped might be more important to Enzo than anyone thinks.

Still, she’s an innocent person in all this and isn’t in any way related to the mafia, so there’s no way Enzo and I will let anything happen to her.

Enzo! I rush to him and wrap my arms tightly around him.

Then I glance over my shoulder. Why do I have a feeling someone’s watching us? Maybe it’s just because I’m worried Cesare will figure us out.

Are you okay? he asks.

Yeah, I’m fine. I pull the piece of paper with all the info and offer it to him. This is the address of the place where he’s keeping her. I also wrote down the number of the guys you can hire to come with you because you’re going to need backup. Those guys are very good and only loyal to the person who pays them.

Thank you, he says as he takes the paper.

Just don’t kill Cesare. Please. It’s all I’m asking. As fewer deaths as possible. I don’t know what’s up with Cesare, but I don’t want him to die.

He’s my brother. Whatever he’s doing, he needs to realize it’s wrong. Maybe it’s stupid to hope for that, but I can’t help it. I don’t want anyone to die, especially for no good reason.

I’ll do what I can. You know me, Enzo says.

I do, and that’s why I risked everything to sneak out of the house and come here. If Cesare finds out about this, I’m screwed.

Stealing his information, sneaking out of the house, and going to Enzo... Judging by how Cesare has been behaving lately, he’s likely going to put a bullet in me.

But it’s not just that. If he finds out now, everything will fall through. The woman he kidnapped could end up dead. I don’t want that.

Enzo tenses, and the sensation of being watching gets stronger. I glance over my shoulder, and a shudder runs through me.

Someone’s standing there, in the shadows. And then he steps into the light.

Shit! I say. That’s that asshole! Salvatore Carducci.

Cesare’s best friend? Enzo asks.

Cesare’s only friend.

Enzo steps forward, but I get in his way and place my hand on his chest to stop him.

No. I’ll go handle that idiot, and you go save your girlfriend, okay?

Are you sure? If Cesare finds out— His bewildered eyes search mine.

I know what’s at stake. I got this. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and break into a run.

My heart thuds loudly in my chest. If I don’t convince Salvatore to keep his mouth shut, Enzo and I will be in a whole lot of trouble.

Can I do that? I guess we’re about to find out.

Enzo is counting on me, and I have no intention of failing him, even if I have to strangle Salvatore with my own bare hands. I’m usually against killing anyone, but Salvatore...

I’d make an exception for him.

He’s an asshole, and I can’t stand him. Never could, from the moment I met him at school. The moment his lips spread into a smile, I already know I want to punch him in his stupid, handsome face.

CHAPTER 2

Adriana