Gilded Cage - A Mafia Romance

S

N ON THE PACIFIC

bedroom and fight

sure. The finest furnitur

at it really is: a

s fifteen years old. I still remember the first thing

is no longer glossy. It stares back at me, old and faded, a con

wanted to go. The Coliseum in Rome. The G

ntasies. I've only left

trip is up there, too. I

ide me, his arm wrapped protectively around my shoulde

both s

s to the

ittle time he and

r's death and yet it still

me, I think. Maybe then

at the corners of my eyes, I pin the picture back up on the bulletin boar

door interrupt

face the d

quests your presence downstair

maids who works here at my father's compound. I

" my presence in the formal sitting

s to flaunt hi

ly for me, I'm

to face with the woman. She's

uest' that he go fuck him

hes like I

rse. But she's seen what

hat to his face would earn

racias, Sofia. Tell Pa

k away, but she continues to stand there in her black and

good

omething el

er tone is apol

hat else do

paler than usual, which is pretty standard when my father is

ss," she finishes, lowering her eyes again

ss some unspecified

a good si

e. "As Papa wishes, he shal

hes over her face. She hurries down

another sigh and hea

land holds my basics, jewelry, and underwear. Opposite the island

tons of designer clothing. Probably half a million dol

ly worn a

I never leav

. Something is happening

with a high neckline and slip on a pai

ngth mirror to make sure I'm dressed for the part. Pap

r cascades in messy waves down my back and my cheeks still retain a little color from my morn

transformatio

sto change-o: th

tiful, c

ick to my fuc

bedroom and begin the trek

es me almost five full minutes to get there. I pass tennis courts, swimming pools, se

y, to be

d door to the sitting room. I rest my hand on the doorknob, but

tograph is still floating behind

my bitte

k on, I remind myself, or th

I feel my mask s

daughter-that's the mot

accept an

o be: Esmeralda Moreno, princess of the Moreno cartel, the

the heavy door

chatter softens

across the room, b

e! There

ying his hand on the small of my back and pushing me forward to

airs, he says, "Caballeros, meet my daug

s a lie. So misleadi

fucked up our relationship is. H

at broad smile, that fatherly hand on my back

t it was really like to be

knew what he

the last. I trust none of them. Their honeyed smiles are normal enou

y one, offering hands to shake and na

ian, I think. Probably the higher-ups from on

business as usual in

s me towards the grand piano over by the curt