The Mafia’s Wanted Desires

ASHLEY

The hallway was eerily quiet and my eyes wandered around for a bit before I took the stairs and descended them slowly. The sight of people scurrying up and down, trying to get one or two things done made me uncomfortable. It didn’t sit well with me that I was going to be living in this house with multiple maids at my neck and call. God, I wanted to scream out in frustration that I could take care of my house myself and needed no one to help me with, but the quick rundown of that conversation with Arden in my head didn’t seem so good and I knew it wasn’t something I could discuss with him.

The large living room was almost spotless, and in truth, I knew it was going to take a while before I got used to walking into a place as breathtaking as this living room every day. Everything in here reeked of luxury and it made me a little scared to touch anything because I didn’t want to ruin a thing. I just stood by the edge of the staircase like a gaping fish in the water.

“Good morning, Mrs. Gray.” The soft voice of one of the maids pierced through my thoughts and I snapped out of my thoughts, my eyes drifting to the maids that were working in a corner of the living room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Gray.” They greeted and that was all it took for greetings to start trooping in from every angle. I wouldn’t be so irritated by them greeting me if they weren’t bowing their heads in respect. I wasn’t a princess for fucks sake!

God, what has he done to these girls?

“Jesus Christ, stop bowing your heads!” I cried out in frustration, throwing my hands up in the air, and I watched the dread that slowly crept up to their faces. The sight made me feel a pang of guilt settling into me and I exhaled, brushing my fingers through my hair.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you guys.” I apologized, smiling at them.

“We didn’t mean to make you angry, Mrs. Gray.” One of them apologized, followed by soft mumblings of apologies from the rest of them.

“It’s alright,”

I groaned at the fact that I couldn’t even ask them their names because I was so certain that I would forget most of them. I brushed it off and settled on the fact that I could always get to know them later.

“You guys can go do something else, I just want some quiet to myself.” I dismissed them and they bowed their heads, eliciting an eye-roll from me. I watched them filter out of the living room, leaving me all alone.

My eyes scoured the living room, at a loss for how to find the kitchen. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent them away. At least, they would have pointed me in that direction. So, I followed my instincts and made my way toward the door that was situated in a corner of the living room, twisting the knob and stepping in.

And, I was right.

But I felt my brows snap together at the sight of the feminine figure that had her back turned to me.

“Who are you?” My tone came out harsh but I didn’t give a damn. What the fuck was she doing in my house? I could feel my protective instincts starting to kick in as I marched forward, but she spun around and a stunning shade of violet orbs clashed with my brown orbs, eliciting a light gasp from me. I had to look twice before it became clear that she looked a tad bit older than me. She was petite and had warm ivory skin. Her brown hair was pulled tightly atop her head in a glossy bun that enunciated the way her eyes sparkled with so much warmth and softness.

The unending smile that played on her lips had a smile forming on my lips. I tried to repress it but the harder I fought, the harder it got.

God, she was gorgeous.

“You are so beautiful!” I complimented, moving forward and a soft chuckle escaped her lips as she sized me up with her eyes, sporting an impressed look on her face.

“Good morning, Mrs. Gray.” She greeted me and my mouth went wide in a circular shape. I was stunned at how the words that rolled off her tongue were coated in a slight German accent. It sounded so beautiful coming from her.

“You are German?!” I shrieked.

“Yes, Mrs. Gray.” She answered, beaming at me.

“Whoa, that’s so cool! Can I hug you?” I asked, utterly fascinated at the sight of her. I didn’t wait for her response, I closed in on her and wrapped my arms around her. Her embrace was warm and comforting and she smelled like vanilla. I suddenly didn’t want to step out of her arms because it felt as though I had known her for years.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Gray.” She said softly, patting my back, and I exhaled. I stepped out of her arms and hopped on the counter, swinging my legs in the air.

“Please, call me Ashley.” I grinned.

“I am Alberta. I am the Head maid and the cook.” She introduced herself.

“I am sorry, but I can’t call you by your name. You are my boss’s wife and that makes you my boss too.” She countered softly with a smile on her face.

I frowned.

“But he is not here now, is he?” I arched a brow at her and she chortled, shaking her head sideways. She spared me a lingering look with an amused smile on her face, then moved to continue what she was doing. She was setting up a tray and that had me grinning from ear to ear.

“Are you psychic? Gosh, I am starving.” I spoke up and she stopped short, looking up from the tray and I caught on the surprise that flashed through her eyes, causing my eyebrows to tug up, quizzically.

“Oh, this is for Mr. Gray but I could whip up something for you after setting up his tray. I could do it now. I will just dish__” I cut her off, my voice coming off so harsh.

“Arden is in this house?!” I growled, getting off the counter that I was seated on. Her once bright expression slowly morphed into confusion, then transcended to fear. My heart fell when I saw the fright that marred her perfect features.

“Uh…yeah, he is in his study.” She further revealed and my frown hardened even more. He was in this house all along and he had the nerve to leave me all by myself in the room and go tend to unimportant things in his study? One of us might have to die today by the time I am done with him.

It’s either him or HIM.

My eyes shifted from Alberta’s stiff frame and I looked down at the tray beside her.

“You know what?” I scoffed.

“I will take the food to him.” I deadpanned, my voice hard and my gaze stern. My tone was firm enough for her to know that I meant what I said, so she didn’t counter what I had just said.

“Yes, Mrs. Gray.” She affirmed and I rolled my eyes.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“And where the hell is his study located?” I arched a brow at her.

“Just take the other stairs that lead to the west wing. It’s the first room you will come across.” She answersd, and without waiting to hear one more word from her, I picked up the tray and marched out of the kitchen, rage coursing through my veins with each step I took, heading to the west wing. I ascended the stairs, my face extremely flushed and my jaws ticking in anger. My blood burned with a wave of pent-up anger that brewed in me.

But then, all of a sudden, every ounce of anger I felt while I was coming from the kitchen began to dissolve, morphing into something more sinister that hammered at my guts and gnawed at me, yelling at me, prickling my senses, sending across a message that came in the form of a brain wave and telling me to get the hell out of there right now.

I felt fear creeping into me, unnerving chills crawling up my spine, surging through me, and closing in on me. It made my hands grow hot on the tray, a dull ache settling into my fingers and making them tremble hard, almost causing my hands to give away the tray that occupied my hands. But the curiosity that niggled at me was much stronger, so I willed myself to move forward.

The door that led to his study was slightly ajar and that chilling darkness that loomed in the air hit me in waves, a shaky sigh escaping me. One step was all I took, stepping into the study and walking in on an ear-shattering gunshot that sounded three times. My heart jumped multiple times, and my steps wobbled. My brain went bleak as my eyes met the shirtless physique that belonged to my husband, his upper torso drenched in blood with a gun in his hands.

What the fuck?!

And on cue, the tray in my hands fell off and came crashing to the floor with a shattering sound, eliciting an agonizing scream from me. The noise caught his attention and he looked up from the lifeless body in front of him, his cold green eyes clashing with mine and punching my breath out of me. My eyes became overly blurry with tears as I wheezed heavily.

I was mortified.

I just saw my husband shoot someone in 3D.

The air in here grew toxic and I sucked it in, tasting the horror on my lips, which rendered my head fuzzy. Unable to withstand what I just saw, I gave in to the movement of my legs and allowed it to lead me.

I bolted out of the room.

“Fuck, Peach!” He bellowed and hell broke loose as he ran after me.