Spoiled by the Mafia King Chapter 01

Spoiled by the Mafia King Chapter 01

My father was the most powerful Mafia Don in Chicago.

Before me, my mother gave birth to one son, then another, and then another. Every single one of them was a boy.

It drove my father insane.

“Is it really too much to ask for a daughter?” he used to pray.

Then, when he was thirty-eight, he had me.

From that day on, I became the Family’s only principessa.

Every holiday break, my five brothers would take turns flying back from whatever business they were handling just to bring me gifts.

They spoiled me rotten.

On the first day of freshman orientation at St. Callum Academy, a woman in an instructor’s uniform called me forward in front of everyone.

“You. Step out.”

She tore open my duffel like a thief rummaging for loot, threw my strawberry lip balm, cashmere blanket, and my brother’s letter onto the ground, then ground them under her boot.

“Who do you think you are?” she barked. “This isn’t some damn country club. Stand right there until you learn some self-awareness.”

It was the middle of summer, and the pavement was so hot it seemed to smoke.

Within ten minutes, I collapsed from heatstroke.

She walked over and kicked me.

“Spare me. I know girls like you. You just want men to pity you, so drop the act.”

I blinked weakly and reached for my phone.

One call was all it would take.

“See? What did I tell you?” The heavy black sole of her boot came down hard on my fingers. “You really thought you could fool me?”

Agony shot up my arm. I screamed and curled in on myself.

“Tell me what this is.” She waved an envelope in the air. “How dare you bring contraband?”

“It’s just a letter,” I said, my voice shaking.

Reynolds leaned close, her hot breath brushing against my ear. “A letter? From your boyfriend?”

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

“Girls like you have nothing in your head except men and money,” she spat.

“My brother wrote it,” I said through clenched teeth.

I had five brothers, and not one of them had ever raised his voice at me. My father controlled half the East Coast’s underworld rackets, and in this Family, I was untouchable.

“Brother?” She burst out laughing. “Would a brother buy you a thousand-dollar lip balm? A luxury cashmere blanket?”

She kicked the pink tube of lip balm across the asphalt. It shattered.

“This isn’t a five-star hotel, sweetheart.”

She grabbed the front of my shirt and yanked me up until my eyes were level with hers.

“Listen to me, Valentina Rossi. There are no princesses here. There are only soldiers.”

“Even if you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you’ll spit it out here.”

She let go, and I hit the sidewalk hard.

“Ma’am, she doesn’t look well,” a pale-faced girl named Sophie said as she stepped forward. “Please—”

“Did I give you permission to speak?” Reynolds snapped. “Get up front. Now.”

Sophie flinched, but she obeyed.

“You want to defend her? Fine. Then the two of you can stand here together.”

Reynolds pointed toward the drill field. It was empty beneath the blazing sun, and the air seemed to shimmer from the heat.

“You two will stand there. No moving. No water. Not until I allow it.”

The cadets drew in a collective breath.

It was noon. The temperature had climbed to 95°F, and there was no shade anywhere.

“This isn’t her fault,” I said, forcing myself to stand straight through the pain in my arm. “Punish me alone.”

Reynolds scoffed. “How noble. What, do you think you’re in a movie?”

She jabbed a finger into my shoulder. “I want her standing right here so everyone can see what happens when they help a spoiled little girl like you.”

“This is abuse,” I said quietly. “It violates academy regulations.”

Reynolds blinked, then sneered.

“Regulations?” She moved closer until her lips almost brushed my cheek. “In this place, I am the regulations.”

“Say one more word, and I’ll burn every letter your man wrote you.”

“Move. Stop wasting my time.”

I bent down, picked up the envelope, pressed it carefully against my chest, and tucked it into the pocket of my jacket.

Then I walked into the sunlight.

Sophie followed behind me, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Valentina, your hand is bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”

Luca’s words echoed in my mind.

“If anyone so much as lays a finger on you, call me. I’ll burn the place to the ground.”

Under the bleachers, Reynolds opened a bottle of ice water.

“Watch closely,” she called out. “This is what happens when you refuse to follow orders.”

“Who wants to end up like her?”

I stood there for forty minutes. Maybe longer.

My ears rang. My skin burned.

Everyone at home knew I hated summer. Luca kept imported peppermint candies in the car to help me fight off the heat. Matteo timed how long I spent in the sun. Dante had once beaten someone up for blocking my shade.

But now, I had no choice but to endure it.

The world in front of me began to blur.

“Ma’am!” Sophie’s voice broke. “Something is seriously wrong with her! Please, she needs help!”