44."Blood Ties"

Andrew DeLuca

Emma made me question everything I felt and everything I had lived in the past few years of my life in the mafia. She wasn't like other women; they wanted my money, status, fame, and power. A lot of power. But Emma Campbell was different; her gaze exuded peace.

And I didn't know how to deal with it.

When we kissed, I wondered if this was right. It wasn't the time for me to deal with something romantic; I had other important things to focus on. Maybe she was right; perhaps we should leave it as it is. We shouldn't let this go beyond a contract.

There's always that saying that opposites attract, but I think that only works in movies and books.

All I know is that this was a problem. Whatever this relationship was between us, it couldn't end well. I had just threatened her father, and practically forced her to live with me. Well, maybe not practically...

But deep down, I knew she hated me. And it wasn't a surprise; a lot of people hated me, and the list kept growing.

I had a