Mafia's Dirty Secret

She was the girl everyone tried to avoid.
He was the out-of-towner who knew nothing about her.

Matteo didn’t look at Marie the way others did… like she was a dirty little tart.

She didn’t know much about him, not even the kind of business he was in.
But someone like him didn’t belong in her world — she knew that much.
He belonged in glossy magazines, TV, and movies.
He belonged in her dreams.

Yet somehow, he noticed her.

To her, he was a bright light in her miserable life.
Because of him, she now knew that she could be happy.

But what if he found out the truth?
What everyone in town says about her, about her mother…
Good things never really happen to someone like her, do they?

Warning: Story contains strong language, domestic abuse and adult scenes that may be upsetting. Intended for adults only.