Endings & Beginnings (New Mafia Trilogy #3) Read Online Free

frown and wandered off to look at a row
of wedding dresses.
       “What was that all about?” I asked Bianca. She
sighed before answering.
       “She’s been making a play for Dom, but he doesn’t
want to have anything to do with her - with anyone for that matter.”
    The very idea of Allegra and Dom together triggered
a flare of jealousy. By rights I didn’t hold a claim on Dom anymore. I broke up
with him and lived across the country. Between the intense dream and knowing Allegra
was circling around Dom like a cat in heat, my emotions were on high alert.
Hearing from Bianca that Dom wasn’t interested helped quell the jealousy, but
only a little bit.
       “I knew it!” Bianca burst out.
       “What?”
       “That look on your face just then said it all. You
still have feelings for Dom. You guys belong together I hope you can work
things out.”
    Fortunately my mom walked over at that moment before
I could respond to Bianca. She had a black dress draped over her left arm. “Here
you go, Natalie, ready for the fitting?”
       “Thanks, Mom,” I said. Setting the half empty
champagne flute on a small table, I took the dress from her. She followed me to
the fitting rooms and sat down on one of the upholstered ottomans in a little
alcove area right outside. I stepped inside one of the empty rooms and hung the
dress up on a hook. It was a classic strapless knee length with a cream sash around
the empire waist that matched Miranda’s gown. The skirt was made up of soft,
flowing layers. I quickly stripped out of my jeans and t-shirt and slipped the
dress on. It was a little loose around the bust, but at least it wasn’t tight.
I twirled in front of the mirror and frowned at how the scar on my shoulder
from my bullet wound stood out; the tissue was raised and puckered, slightly
darker than the rest of my skin. It was a lot smaller and less noticeable than
it used to be, but still obvious. There was nothing I could do about that.
       “Natalie, let me see,” my mom called from the
other side of the door and I jumped, having forgotten she was out there. It was
such a strange experience to be doing girlie things like this with her. Back in
high school, I went with Chelsea and her mom to the mall when it came time for
us to shop for prom dresses.
    Taking a deep breath, I emerged from the fitting
room and met her appraising gaze. She took in the dress and gasped, her eyes
misting up. “Oh, Natalie, you look beautiful!”
    I wasn’t used to receiving compliments from her and
definitely not prepared for her emotional response. I blushed at her approval
and twirled around, just like when I was four and showing off the tutu I’d been
given as a birthday present.
       “What is that?” she asked, stepping closer.
       “What?” I glanced down to see what she was
looking at and realized she had noticed the scar.
    Her fingertips brushed over the raised skin by my
collarbone and then slipped over to my back, to the matching scar right above
my shoulder blade where the bullet had exited my body. I closed my eyes and
held my breath willing the memories that were surfacing to go away. My mom’s
cool touch reminded me of Dr. Russo, the mob doc’s, fingers when he assessed
and treated my injury. While it wasn’t painful, the sensation was all it took
to trigger the flood of memories; the metallic smell of blood that filled
Dominic’s Mustang as I drove to get us help and the punch of bullets drilling
into the side of the car, glass raining down on us and then the worst memory of
all, the dead stare of the man I killed.
       “It’s nothing,” I said, backing away from her
touch on shaky legs.
       “Doesn’t look like nothing,” she said and pursed
her lips; the frown I was familiar with was back in place. We stared at each
other, uncomfortable silence filling the gap between us.  Beads of sweat
dripped down my spine, collecting in the small of my back. “Natalie,” she began
in her disappointed