I Hope You Suffer, My Ex Mafia Husband Chapter 5

Dante's POV

Dante waved his hand. "Leave me."

Carmine bowed and backed out, closing the door quietly behind him.

Dante stared down at the invitation in his hand. Gold lettering on thick cream paper. Sylvester Severino requests your presence... That was it. No details. Just a date, a time, and an address in the Hamptons.

Something about it bothered him, though he couldn't figure out why. The Severinos were powerful, sure, but they'd never had problems before. This should've been straightforward, show up, leave.

So why did his stomach feel tight?

He set the invitation down and rubbed his face. When was the last time he'd slept? Two days? Three?

His phone buzzed. Marco.

"Boss, we checked every car rental place within two hundred miles. Nothing under her name or any variations."

"Expand it." Dante's throat felt raw. "Check her maiden name. Check Rodriguez. Check everything."

"We already did, there's nothing."

He wanted to punch something. "Then someone picked her up. Pull traffic cam footage from around the estate and look for any car that doesn't belong to us."

"Boss, that's thousands of hours—"

"I don't give a shit how long it takes!" He was yelling now. "Find her!"

Silence.

"Yes, sir."

He hung up and threw the phone at the wall. It bounced off and clattered across the floor.

Where are you, Amanda? Where the hell did you go?

A memory flashed through his head from three years back.

Amanda once told him about this guy she'd saved, some mysterious character who said he'd make her wishes come true. She didn't believe a word of it, of course. Just shared it with Dante for laughs.

Dante had forgotten about it after a while. It didn't seem important.

But now...

No. Stop. That was years ago. It's nothing.

Amanda didn't know people like the Severinos. She didn't run in those circles. She'd been quiet when he married her, sweet, wouldn't hurt anyone. She wouldn't even know how to find someone like Sylvester Severino.

Right?

He picked up the invitation again.

You're losing your mind. The wedding's got nothing to do with Amanda. She probably went back to whatever family she's got left. She'll calm down, realize she's got nowhere to go, and come home.

But he knew that was garbage. The way she'd looked at him before she left, there was nothing there. No love, no hope, not even anger. Just emptiness.

He'd done that.

A week later.

"Boss." Marco stood in the doorway, looking like hell too. "We checked all the border records. Airports, train stations, buses. Nothing."

"She didn't just disappear."

"Maybe she's using a fake ID?"

Dante thought about it. Amanda wouldn't know how to get one, she'd never needed it. But if someone was helping her...

"Keep looking. Check hospitals, clinics, anywhere she'd go if she got hurt." His stomach twisted at the thought. "And check morgues."

Marco went pale. "Sir—"

"Just do it."

He left.

Dante walked to the window. The estate looked wrong without her. Even with staff everywhere, the place felt empty.

He couldn't keep doing this. He had to find her. Had to fix this somehow.

But how do you fix killing someone's baby?

"Young master." Carmine showed up at sunset, wringing his hands. "The wedding is tomorrow afternoon. You need to decide if you're going."

Dante had completely forgotten about it.

"What time?"

"Three o'clock. In the Hamptons. It's a two-hour drive, so you'd need to leave by noon."

The Severinos. Blowing off their invitation would be a slap in the face. They were one of the five families, you didn't just skip their weddings.

"Fine. I'll go."

"Shall I prepare your suit?"

"The black Armani. And tell Marco he's coming."

Carmine hesitated. "Sir, you look... maybe you should rest before—"

"I'm fine."

"Sir, you—"

"I said I'm fine!" Dante snapped.

Carmine stepped back and bowed. "Of course, sir."

After he left, Dante caught his reflection in the window. Carmine was right, he looked like shit. Stubble all over his jaw, eyes red and bloodshot, hair a mess.

He thought about Amanda again. Wondered if she was safe somewhere, if she was eating, if she was crying.

God, please let her be okay.

The knock came late, almost midnight.

Dante was still in his study, staring at papers he couldn't focus on, when he heard footsteps.

Maggie.

She was wearing a soft blue dress with her hair down.

He'd told her to scram, but staring at that newborn who was apparently his buddy's child, he just couldn't kick out a woman who'd literally just had a baby. So he let her stay in the spare room temporarily, planning to sort this whole thing out after he got through Severino's wedding.

"Dante." Her voice was small. "Can we talk?"

"It's late."

"I know, I'm sorry. But I heard you're going to the Severino wedding tomorrow, and I..." She trailed off, looking down. "I wanted to ask if I could come with you."

"No."

"Please." She took a step forward. "I know you don't want to see me right now. I know you blame me for everything with Amanda. But I'm leaving soon anyway, and this would be the last time I could go to something like this with you. After tomorrow, I'll be gone. I promise."

He should've said no right then and there. Should've told her to leave. But he was so damn tired.

"Maggie—"

"I just don't want people thinking I got thrown out." Her voice cracked. "If I just disappear, the Rossi family will know something happened. They'll come after me and take the baby. Dante, please, I'm begging you."

She's playing you. You know she is.

Yeah, he knew. He could see it in her eyes, the fake tears, the way she was positioning herself to look vulnerable. This was manipulation, obvious as hell.

But arguing with her was pointless. Taking her to this one last event in front of all the families, then making her disappear with the kid for good, that was probably the fastest way to shut down any potential trouble from the Rossi side. He didn't have the energy to open up a whole new front right now.

"One condition," he said finally. "After the wedding, you're done. I'll arrange transport out of New York for you and the baby. You'll have money, a place to stay, but you don't come back here. Clear?"

Relief washed over her face. "Yes. Yes, I understand. Thank you, Dante. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me. And dress appropriately, don't embarrass the Russo name."

"I won't. I promise."

She left quickly, probably scared he'd change his mind.

Dante sat back down.

Tomorrow he'd go to this wedding, show his face, then come back and find Amanda. Even if it took everything he had.

Amanda, where are you?

He closed his eyes and felt the exhaustion dragging him down.