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

Endings & Beginnings (New Mafia Trilogy #3)
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tone.
       “Don’t, Mom!” I hissed and ran into the fitting
room, wishing it had a lock on the doorknob, but it didn’t. “Shit,” I muttered
and pressed my forehead against the cool wall, trying to get my breathing under
control, inhaling and exhaling until the trembling stopped and my heartbeat
stopped pounding in my ears.  I had really overreacted and that would only feed
her suspicions. It had been a few months since I’d had a panic attack and I was
left feeling clammy, nauseated and exhausted. There was a light knock on the
door before it opened. Bracing for my mom to peek her head in, I was relieved
to see Miranda.
       “Hey, are you okay?” she asked and slipped inside,
closing the door behind her. She was wearing her veil, but still had on her
jeans and a fitted button down shirt.
       “Yeah, I just had a moment. I’m sorry.”
       “For what?”
       “Making a scene when it’s supposed to be about
you.”
       “Pfffffttt,” she said, tossing her hand in the
air. “Don’t worry about it. Now, do you want to tell me what’s wrong? And don’t
tell me nothing like you told your mom. You’re about ten shades lighter than
pale.”
    I shrugged and pointed at the scar. “I panicked and
didn’t know what to say when she asked about this.”
       “Oh. Well, what have you told other people?”
       “In L.A., I told that guy Jason I was seeing that
I fell off my bike and landed on exposed rebar.”
       “That’s a good story.”
       “Yeah, but don’t you think that an accident of
that scale is something a mom would know about? I was still on her insurance
when it happened.”
       “Tell her it happened in California when you were
out of touch. You have to tell her something or she won’t let it drop.”
    Miranda was right and telling my mom the truth
wasn’t an option. “You look smoking hot in that dress, by the way,” Miranda
said with a smile. “Let’s get back out there so my cousin can see where it
needs to be taken in.”
    We left the fitting room to join the others in the
main part of the store. Allegra was up on the platform getting fitted.
Apparently she had the opposite problem than me and her dress needed to be let
out at the bust. Picking up my abandoned mimosa, I went to stand next to my
mom.
       “I’m sorry, Mom, it’s just that I’m a little
sensitive about the scar.”
       “I’m sorry too and it’s okay if you don’t tell me
what happened. I know I haven’t exactly earned your trust to be one of your
confidants.” Surprised, I looked up and met her gaze. Her brown eyes had
softened and she reached up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. “Hopefully we
can get there someday?”
       “I’d like that,” I said, knowing full well that
she would never know everything. There are some things you just can’t tell your
mother, especially about your involvement in organized crime and murder.
    Our conversation was interrupted when Miranda
stepped out in her wedding gown and we all seemed to gasp at the same time. The
ivory dress was a strapless mermaid style that hugged her curves then flared
out mid-thigh in layers of organza that brushed the floor. A black belt trimmed
in gray cinched the waist and when Miranda turned around, I saw that it turned
more into a ribbon and draped down the back along the layers that fanned out.
Miranda was a sight to behold with her glowing olive skin and dark hair spilling
down past her shoulders.
    Miranda’s mom was crying; a tissue clutched in her
fist as she dabbed at her eyes. “Oh honey, you are so beautiful!” she said. “I
wish your father could see you.” Miranda paled at the mention of Marco and she
glanced over at me. I quickly jumped in to redirect the conversation. Miranda’s
mom didn’t know how much of a role Miranda played in her own father’s demise.
Allegra grew quiet too. I wasn’t surprised since she was directly involved in
luring Marco to The Speak, where Dominic shot and killed
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