My Best Friend Borrowed My Mafia Fiancé

Seven days before I was supposed to marry Dominic Russo, an enforcer for the Bellandi crime family, my best friend asked to borrow him.

“I'm moving to France. Let me borrow your boyfriend for three years, okay?”

“I don't speak French, and he does. He protects the family's men for a living. He can be my bodyguard.”

She said it as casually as she always asked to borrow money or something from my closet.

My expression hardened. Instead of backing off, she acted as though the answer were obvious.

“Didn't you say I was the family you chose? That you'd lend me anything I asked for?”

Lucia and I had both grown up around men who worked for the mob. Our friendship was the one thing I'd never thought of as another obligation.

“I'm not asking for your car or your house. It's just a man.”

“Besides, you and Dominic have done long distance before.”

Any decent man would have shut that down immediately.

Dominic had spent years collecting debts and providing security for the Bellandis. I waited for him to tell her no.

Instead, my fiancé said, “The family's freight company is expanding into France. I can take the overseas post.”

“Three years will fly by. Lucia's your best friend. We should help her.”

Before I could object, he hurried to reassure me.

“Nothing will change. I promise. We'll come back in three years and have the wedding just like we planned.”

My phone buzzed. A friend had sent me a message.

“It's your birthday! What's the best gift you've gotten today?”

I typed back, “Finding out my boyfriend's cheating with my best friend before I marry him. Does that count?”

——————

“Elena, what's that supposed to mean? Who are you texting?”

Lucia Costa was the first to get angry. She shook my arm and reached for my phone.

“Are you even my best friend anymore? I'm asking for help, and you're just going to sit there?”

“Say something!”

The screen went dark before she could get hold of it.

“If you both think this is a good idea, do whatever you want.”

I was furious, but I kept my face calm.

A year earlier, when I'd slipped and fallen into the water, this woman had jumped in without hesitation and saved my life.

I couldn't believe she had become this person. I didn't want to believe it.

She used to be so kind. Growing up in that world hadn't made her cruel. She'd always known right from wrong.

Now she barely seemed like the same woman.

I wasn't going to scream or argue. As far as I was concerned, we were even.

Both Lucia and Dominic visibly relaxed.

“I knew it. We're too close for you to say no.”

Lucia beamed and hooked her arm through mine, as familiar as ever.

“Don't worry. I'll return your boyfriend in perfect condition in three years.”

I pulled my arm free. When I spoke, my voice was colder.

“I have nothing to worry about.”

I was about to tell her she could keep him when Dominic cut in.

“I told you Elena wasn't petty.”

“We can call and video chat while I'm away, just like we used to. I won't neglect you.”

He couldn't hide how happy he was. He reached for my hand with the easy confidence of someone who'd done it a thousand times.

The moment his skin touched mine, my stomach turned. I jerked my hand away.

We'd been together for ten years. Four of those had been long distance while we were in college. Then he'd gone to work for a Bellandi crew in another city, and we'd spent three more years apart.

We'd only lived in the same place for the last three years.

I was thirty now. I wasn't giving him another stretch of my life to spend somewhere else.

“I'd rather you left me alone.”

I got up and went to the bedroom.

The kitchen was full of food I hadn't finished cooking. It was my birthday, and I'd planned to make a big dinner so we could celebrate together.

Both of them had forgotten.