Bound To My Mafia Stepuncles novel Chapter 46

Aria’s POV

I couldn’t breathe.

Okay, maybe that was dramatic. But that’s how it felt.

I sat on my bed, knees drawn up to my chest, staring at the moonlight creeping through my window. We’re Dons, Arta. Their words kept looping in my head like a broken record, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

I was supposed to be mad. Maybe even scared. But mostly? I was just tired.

Tired of being the last to know. Tired of feeling like an outsider in this house. Tired of pretending that I didn’t care when I did. I had so many questions.

How long? Why?

A soft knock on my door made my heart stutter.

“Aria.” Dante’s voice was quiet, careful. “Talk to me.”

I clenched my jaw, gripping

g the sheets tighter. I wanted to, but I also didn’t.

Silence stretched between us, heavy and loaded.

Then, barely above a whisper, he said, “Just… don’t leave.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, exhaling slowly. They think I’ll run.

The worst part? A tiny, stupid part of me wanted to. Because if I ran, I wouldn’t have to deal with the mess of emotions twisting inside me.

But I wasn’t a coward.

So I didn’t mayn

move.

I didn’t open the door, either.

The next morning, breakfast was… tense.

I kept my head down, focused on my coffee, while the triplets watched me like I was a bomb about to go off. None of them spoke, not even Matteo, which was weird.

I was halfway through my coffee when a cup slid across the counter toward me.

Matter.

I stared at it, then at him.

He smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Relax, princesa. I didn’t poison it.”

74

Chapter 46

I almost rolled my eyes. “If you wanted to kill me, I doubt you’d be that obvious.”

His smirk twitched, and for a second, I thought he might actually apologize. But instead, he just said, “You’re

It wasn’t a question, but it fell like one.

I took a sip of my coffee. “Guess I am.”

Dante let out a breath, like he’d been holding it. Enzo didn’t say anything, but his shoulders lost some of their tension

That was when I realized–they had really thought I would leave.

I spent most of the afternoon in the stables.

The foal Ento had mentioned was a beauty–chestnut brown with a white blaze down her nose. Strong, but skittish.

Guarded.

Like me.

Kitty, that’s her name.

I know it’s a silly

a silly name for a horse but I liked it

I ran my fingers down her mane, sighing. “You don’t trust easily, huh?”

She licked her tail.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “Me neither.”

“You talking to animals now, princesa?”

I didn’t have to turn around to know Matteo was leaning against the stall, arms crossed, watching me.

I kept my focus on the foal. “They listen better than some people.”

He chuckled, but there was something off about it,

“Aria,” he started, and just from the way he said my name, I knew where this was going.

I sighed. “Don’t.”

His jaw ticked. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t give me some half–assed excuse, Matteo. Just don’t lie to me.”

For a second, something raw flickered in his expression. But it was gone just as fast, replaced with that lazy smirk.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, princesa.”

But he already

already was.

I turned a way rolling my eyes, even in serious situations like hus he had a way of using his humour,

Chapter 46

I heard him sigh and walk away. The sound of his boots alerting me of how far he had gone.

Later, I found Dante in the stables. Or maybe he found me.

He didn’t say anything at first, just grabbed a brush and helped me world.

Then, out of nowhere, he said, “I don’t regret telling you.”

I stiffened. “Even if it changes things?”

He exhaled, “It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

My heart skipped.

“That’s the part that scares me,” he admitted.

I didn’t know what to do with that. What did they even feel for me and why?

That night, I was in the library when I felt someone watching me.

I looked up. Enzo.

like it was the most natural thing in the

He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “You always do that when you’re nervous.”

I frowned. “Do what?”

“Play with your necklace.”

1 hadn’t even realized I was. My fingers froze, “I’m not nervous.”

His gaze

didn’t waver. “Then why haven’t you looked at me all day?”

I swallowed hard. “Because I don’t know how to look at you and not… care.

Something in his eyes softened. “Good.”

I blinked. “Good?”

He took a slow step forward. “Means you haven’t given up on us.”

I wasn’t

sure if that scared me e more or less.

“Why would I?”

By the time dinner rolled around, I was done pretending everything was fine.

I set my fork down. “Åre

e we really going to keep pretending this is normal?

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify