That Time I Accidentally Took Over the Mafia (Accidental)

Chapter 32

T he house is quieter than usual this morning. Maybe it’s the looming weight of the will reading tomorrow, or maybe it’s the silence after last night’s chaos, but either way, the tension is thick—and so are my sore muscles. My mind is running in circles, trying to piece together the puzzle of my mother’s death. I still don’t have the answers I need, and it’s driving me insane.

But there’s a flicker of warmth I can’t push away. Last night—Jax and Enzo—they took care of me. And I mean really took care of me. Lobster risotto. My favorite movie. Laughter. And then, the kind of love that makes me feel seen, heard, and cherished. For the first time in a long while, I felt cared for, like I mattered in a world that’s constantly shifting under my feet.

I can’t help but smile at the memory, even as the anxiety bubbles under the surface about moving on to our next safe house. But I can push that away for now. For a moment, I let myself hold on to the feeling of being surrounded by the men I love, their hands on me, their attention focused on me like nothing else mattered.

Jax’s lighthearted presence helps more than he probably realizes. As I sit on the kitchen counter, my legs dangling and my head spinning with a thousand worries, he’s in his element. Breakfast sandwiches.

The smell of eggs and bacon fills the kitchen, and I can’t help but relax a little. Jax moves around with an easy grace, making it all look so effortless, like the chaos in my head doesn’t even touch him. He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t overthink things—he just does.

"You're good at this," I say, my voice soft as I watch him work. "I think you missed your calling. You should’ve been a chef instead of a professional troublemaker."

He flashes me that grin of his—the one that always gets under my skin in the best way. "Nah, I think I like being your favorite troublemaker better. Food’s just a bonus."

I chuckle, leaning back on my hands, allowing myself a moment of peace. It’s easy with Jax. It’s like I can breathe without all the weight of everything pressing on me. He makes everything feel simpler, even when the world is anything but.

I let myself relax for a second, but as the last of the sandwiches are packed, the knot in my stomach returns, knowing we’ll all be heading out soon. That means I’ll have to face Luca after yesterday.

“Ugh, I hate this,” I huff, partly whining. I lay back on the cold marble counter with my arms spread wide.

Jax stands between my legs and slides me closer to him, then leans down and places kisses on my stomach. “I’ll be right here with you the whole time, okay, baby?”

He holds out his hands, and I reluctantly take them. Pulling me up, he wraps a strong arm around my waist. His other hand threads through my long hair, gripping the back of my neck. His kiss is reassuring and confident before he breaks away, resting his forehead against mine.

“You’re the strongest woman I know, Peach,” he says, his eyes softening as he watches me. “Don’t let this mess with your head.”

I take a deep breath, nodding against his chest. “I just want to get it right this time.”

Jax pulls back slightly to look me in the eyes, his gaze soft but steady. “We’re in this together, okay? Just… take it one step at a time.”

The SUV is packed, and we’re standing by it, waiting. Jax’s arm is around me, grounding me. His warmth settles me, and for a brief moment, I can breathe easy, even though everything feels like it’s about to come apart.

The front door opens, and the sound of footsteps on gravel breaks the silence. I don’t have to look up to know it’s Luca and Enzo coming out. My stomach tightens just thinking about it—the tension, the things we haven’t said, and the things we did say.

Jax’s arm around my waist gives me a sense of security, but when Enzo and Luca come into view, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff.

Enzo takes Luca’s suitcase and gives me a wink as he walks to the back of the SUV. Luca shoves his hands in his pockets and doesn’t look at me. His eyes are bloodshot, and he looks terrible. The wall between us is too high to climb over. My heart aches at the sight of him, but it also hurts because I know he’s the one who put it there.

Luca opens his mouth, then pauses, like he’s weighing what he’s about to say. Finally, he speaks in a voice that’s too soft, too full of regret. “I’m sorry,” he says, his eyes still on the gravel. “There’s no excuse for what I did. I fucked up. I said things”—he flinches—“did things... that are unforgivable.” He finally looks up at me, and another crack forms in my heart. “It’ll never happen again.”

His words hang between us, heavy with meaning. My mouth opens, but no words come out. There’s so much I want to say, but the lump in my throat won’t let me. Before I can find my voice, he turns, walking to the SUV and getting in without another word. It feels like a door slamming shut between us.

Jax’s arm tightens around me, and I let myself lean into him.

Enzo shuts the back of the SUV and gives me a kiss on my head. “Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.

I nod, keeping my voice steady even though everything feels broken inside me. “Yeah,” I whisper. “I’m fine.”

Jax opens the back door for me, and I slide into the seat. He follows in beside me, his presence a silent comfort. The SUV starts up, and we begin to drive, the tires humming against the road as the scenery changes.

I close my eyes for a second, just trying to breathe. The faint scent of Luca’s cologne lingers just in front of me, but it feels like he’s a million miles away. It’s like I’m standing between two worlds—one with him, one without.

The plan from here is simple: drive for an hour, then board Enzo’s private jet. We lost a day letting him rest after nearly being blown up and then drinking half the river. Honestly, I’m thankful we don’t have to spend a whole day driving. The plane ride to Wisconsin will only be a few hours, so I’ll have plenty of time to lose my mind thinking about the reading of my father’s will tomorrow.

As the miles pass, the tension between Luca and me remains thick. We haven’t said a word to each other since we left the house, and I’m not sure what to say. My mind keeps flashing back to everything that’s been left unsaid between us.

Luca, ever vigilant, is the first to break the silence.

“Someone’s tailing us,” he mutters, his voice low but sharp as he points to his side-view mirror.

Instinctively, I glance back, like I have any idea what it looks like when a car is tailing you. To me, it just looks like other cars on the road, driving like we are.

Jax, who’s been clearing a row of colorful blocks on his phone, tilts his head to get a better look, then bursts out laughing. “It’s Marco Serrano. That fucking idiot.”

They mentioned him yesterday when we were looking at the photographs. Marco Serrano is the underboss they’ve been keeping an eye on, hoping he would lead them to the person trying to wipe me off the planet.

“We can’t let him follow us to the airfield,” Enzo says, his tone clipped and focused as he drives. “He can’t know where we’re going.”

I turn toward Jax, my mind already clicking through options. “You know, we could always do my idea.” I suggest, a smirk forming. “Use me as bait.”

Luca’s jaw tightens at the suggestion. He doesn’t respond, but I catch the sharp tick in his muscles.

Jax looks at me, his grin widening as he picks up on the plan. “I love how your mind works, Peach. Yeah, let’s do it. He’s dumb enough to follow you on a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

Enzo looks between the two of us in the rearview mirror but says nothing, trusting our judgment. He exits the highway and turns toward a small gas station just up ahead.

Sure enough, Marco Serrano follows. He pulls into the other side of the gas station, like that makes him invisible.

“We wait here,” Jax says, nodding toward the station. “You go to the bathroom, and when Marco follows you like the idiot he is, we’ll take care of it.”

“Okay.” I give Jax a wink as I grab my phone and stick it in my back pocket. “I’ll be right back,” I say, pushing open the door and stepping out of the SUV.

I walk toward the station with deliberate steps, making sure to glance back over my shoulder as my guys pretend to pump gas at the SUV. I can feel Marco’s eyes on me, his presence like an itch I can’t scratch.

I head inside, pretending to ask for the bathroom key. With it in hand, I step back out, making a show of looking casual, even tossing my hair over my shoulder as I head toward the bathrooms at the back of the building. Marco doesn’t even try to hide—he’s leaning against the wall, trying to look nonchalant but failing miserably.

When I round the corner where the bathrooms are, I stop, leaning casually against the wall with my arms crossed. A devilish grin spreads across my face.

This is kind of fun.

Marco rounds the corner, and I swear he yelps like a startled puppy. What kind of kidnapper yelps?

“Hey there,” I purr, my fist striking out for his nose before he can respond. Marco stumbles back with a grunt, and before he can recover, Jax and Luca are there, flanking him like two imposing vices.

They grab Marco with practiced ease, pinning his arms as Jax shoves something in his mouth to keep him from yelling out. Enzo pulls up in the SUV, the back already open. In one smooth motion, they shove Marco inside and Luca jumps in too, slamming the door before anyone can notice.

I can’t help but feel a little thrill at the efficiency of the plan. I toss a glance at Jax, who’s already wiping his hands clean with a smile.

“Nice work, Peach. If you were my bait, I’d happily let myself be captured by you.” He winks.

“Okay, but I do actually have to use the bathroom, so I’ll be right back.”

When I return a moment later, feeling a little grungy from the less-than-hygienic gas station bathroom, the guys are about to shut the back of the SUV again. Curious to see how they subdued Marco, I peek in and immediately burst out laughing.

“Don’t worry, it’s clean,” Jax says, grinning like a cat that got the cream.

“A peach choke ball? Are you serious? That’s all you guys have to kidnap him with?” I fold my arms over my chest, pretending to be offended. “How come I didn’t get a choke ball?”

Jax shrugs, the mischief twinkling in his brown eyes as we climb back into the vehicle. “We can definitely recreate your kidnapping if you’d like to make some modifications to the abduction.”

Enzo chuckles from the driver’s seat, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure we can arrange something.”

“I’m absolutely into primal play, Peach,” Jax says, his hand resting on my knee. “If you ever give me the ‘if you catch me, you can fuck me’ line, I might die on the spot from happiness.”

“Hmm, noted.” I raise an eyebrow. “You just had that choke ball in your bag? For emergencies?”

Jax’s grin turns deadly. “It’s Enzo’s. Ask him.”

Enzo chokes on his coffee, coughing as he turns red. “It was a birthday present. Last year.”

“Hmm, also noted.” I glance back at our unconscious passenger, bound, and gagged, before settling back into my seat next to Jax. Today is going to be an interesting day.