THE MAFIA KING BROKEN ROSE novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176

Chapter 176

Goosebumps already filled my flesh. Seeing that picture of me, the death of Dominic’s ally, the way his body had been torn to pieces by dogs

I wanted to throw up. But I forced the bile down my throat.

I had wanted Dominic to recognize me, right? So I had to deal with it like a woman.

Like someone who could handle this world.

But my knees didn’t get the memo. They buckled slightly, and I reached for the edge of the table to steady myself.

Dominic caught me before I fully swayed. “Hey. Hey…”

His hands gripped my arms gently, lowering me into the nearest chair.

“Breathe with me, mia cara. Come on, look at me. In… and out.”

I blinked up at him. His face was tight, eyes scanning mine like he was checking for signs of real damage.

“I’m fine,” I whispered, though the air caught in my lungs halfway through..

“No, you’re not.”

“I can’t panic, Dom.” I pressed my palms to my thighs. “If I panic, I lose.”

“You’re not losing anything.” He knelt in front of me, voice calm but firm. “You are not in a competition even if we were, we’re still ahead. But we aren’t, so I need you to calm down.”

I stared at him. “Lorenzo isn’t ahead Dom. He isn’t ahead at all. ”

That silence again. The kind that weighed.

He swallowed but didn’t argue. Didn’t deflect.

“Victoria’s trying to shake you,” he said instead. “And I hate that it’s working.”

“It’s not,” I shot back. “You are just…emotionless.”

“I wish I was Aria. I really wish I was.”

My voice trembled. “I…I am sorry for saying that.”

He didn’t push. He just stood, walked to the minibar, poured a glass of cold water, and came back to press it into my hands.

I didn’t even realize I was sweating until the chill of the glass hit my fingers.

“I shouldn’t have seen that,” I muttered. “I told you I could handle it, but… maybe I lied.”

“No,” he said. “You’re just in shock my love. It’s not your first time seeing death, but still doesn’t make you not feel it knowing it was someone close.”

I hated how understanding his voice sounded. I hated that it made my throat tighten even more.

I sipped the water, trying to pretend the nausea was gone.

It wasn’t.

When he turned to grab his phone again, I slowly stood. My head spun. I steadied myself against the table, breathed deep-

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FIF 13 JUN

Chapter 176

and bolted for the bathroom.

I barely made it before my stomach gave up.

The water, the panic, the stress everything came up. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes as I flushed, rinsed, leaned over the sink.

The door cracked open just enough for his voice to reach me. “Aria?”

I didn’t answer at first. Just turned on the tap, splashed cold water on my face.

“Yeah,” I finally said, hoarse. “I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

I forced a tight laugh. “Just peachy.”

When I came out a minute later, he didn’t crowd me. Just stood by the window, giving me space.

I walked to the armchair and sat, holding the cup again.

Silence filled the suite.

“I really tried, Dom,” I said softly. “To be part of this. To not be deadweight.”

“You’re not-”

“Let me finish.” I exhaled. “I wanted to be strong enough to stand next to you. To show them that I wasn’t some lost little girl who had to be protected from everything. But here I am… throwing up in a hotel bathroom because I saw my own kidnapped face on a screen.”

He didn’t speak. Just let me get it out.

I met his gaze. “So much for trying to be among.”

That made him laugh. Not loudly. Not mockingly. Just this low, tired chuckle that rolled out of him like a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Aria,” he said, shaking his head slightly as he walked over. “You talk like you failed some grand test.”

“Didn’t I?” I muttered.

He crouched in front of me again, eyes still amused but warm. “Throwing up after seeing a mutilated body and a video of your own kidnapping doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. You are fine.”

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small clean handkerchief, and gently wiped the corners of my mouth, brushing my chin afterward with his thumb.

“You always carry that around?” I asked, trying to play it off.

“You’re messier than you think.”

I gave him a half–smile, and he took my hand, tugging me up.

“Come on,” he said. “Bed.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not five.”

“No,” he said. “But right now, I’m treating you like you are. And you’ll take it.”

He scooped me up before I could argue, carried me across the room like I weighed nothing. Gently laid me on the bed, then sat beside me, his fingers brushing a few stray strands of hair off my face.

Chapter 176

Then he kissed my forehead. Slowly.

“I remember my first time too,” he said, his voice quieter now.

“Throwing up in front of someone?” I teased lightly.

He gave me a look. “No. Death.”

I blinked. “Oh.”

“I was seventeen. My father made me sit in the car while he negotiated a deal in Naples. It went sideways. Someone opened fire. One of the bullets… it hit the driver. I watched his blood pool around his shoes. He slumped forward on the horn. Wouldn’t stop. Just this long, horrible blare.”

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