The Mob Queen Wants to Claim Me for Herself (In a Reverse World)

Chapter 25: April Showers Bring June Flowers

I stare out the window as the Uber pulls up the driveway, the tires crunching on gravel. The Harper residence sits before us, a Victorian-style house painted a muted sage green with crisp white trim. It’s bigger than I anticipated but not a mansion by any means, just a well-maintained home with a wraparound porch and gabled windows that give it a distinctly New England character.

“Are you sure about this?” I whisper to Connor, clutching my duffel bag closer.

Connor whips his head toward me, blue eyes flashing with annoyance. “Shut the fuck up,” he hisses under his breath. “You’re in trouble, and what? Did you think I was gonna let you figure your shit out on your own? Dude, fuck no.”

Connor has always been there for me. But then, I’ve taken more than one bullet for him, too.

“Thanks,” I manage, the simple word inadequate for the depth of gratitude I feel.

April tips the driver while Gabby exits first, her curly hair bouncing as she hops out and immediately heads for the trunk to retrieve their shopping bags. April follows, her movements tense and efficient as she scans the quiet neighborhood street like she’s expecting trouble to materialize at any moment.

“Come on,” Connor murmurs, nudging me toward the door. “Let’s get inside before April changes her mind.”

I slide out of the car. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the neatly maintained front yard. It looks so normal, so peaceful, the complete opposite of my life for the past few weeks.

“This place is nice,” I comment lamely as we follow the sisters up the stone path to the front door.

Connor nods. “Yeah, it’s super chill.”

As he’s talking, the front door swings open, revealing another woman who could only be another Harper sister. She’s shorter than both April and Gabby, with a round face, thick-framed glasses, and short brown hair.

“You’re back early,” she says, eyes widening as they land on me. “And you brought company.”

“This is Adam,” Connor says, placing a protective hand on my shoulder. “He’s going to stay with us for a few days.”

The woman’s eyes flicker with surprise, darting from me to Connor and back again. There’s something authoritative in her posture despite her shorter stature She adjusts her glasses, studying me with an intensity that makes me want to fidget.

“This is June,” Connor says, filling the silence. “The eldest Harper sister.”

June’s warm brown eyes crinkle slightly at the corners as she takes me in, her gaze lingering on my fading black eye before dropping to the duffel bag clutched protectively against my chest.

She looks at her sisters and then back to us. “Well, come in,” she says, her voice carrying a gentle authority that somehow makes it clear she’s the one in charge in this household. She steps aside, holding the door wider to admit us all.

As we file past her into the foyer, she looks at Connor as though she’s love-sick and hasn’t seen him in years, her entire face softening in a way that transforms her features from merely pretty to genuinely beautiful. The change is so dramatic it’s almost startling to witness.

“You girls were gone longer than I thought,” she says to her sisters, though her eyes never leave Connor’s face. “I was starting to worry.”

The moment Connor crosses the threshold, June’s restraint seems to evaporate. She reaches for him with both hands, cupping his face as she pulls him down to her level. Their lips meet in what starts as a greeting but quickly evolves into something much more intimate, a shameless tongue kiss that has me averting my eyes in embarrassment.

They both seem really into it, Connor’s arms wrapping around her waist. The kiss deepens, becoming something almost performative in its intensity like they’re completely unaware or unconcerned with their audience.

The display stirs something in me, a pang of unexpected longing that catches me off guard. It briefly makes me miss Caterina, not the violence or the fear, but the passion, the way she could make the world disappear with just her touch.

I glance at the other sisters. April seems unbothered, casually setting down her shopping bags as if this is an everyday occurrence not worth noting. But Gabby watches the kiss with naked longing, her eyes darkening with desire. She looks jealous but also like she wants to join, her body unconsciously leaning toward the embracing couple as if pulled by an invisible string.

‘What the fuck is the dynamic here?’

When Connor and June finally separate, both slightly breathless, June keeps one arm wrapped possessively around his waist as she turns her attention back to me.

She studies me with those warm brown eyes, a mixture of curiosity and caution evident in her expression. “So, you knew Connor before he lost his memories?” June asks, her hand still possessively resting on Connor’s waist.

The question hangs in the air, deceptively simple yet loaded with implications. I shift the heavy duffel bag in my arms.

“That is such a complicated question,” I say, choosing my words carefully.

Connor jumps in. “Let’s just say we both lost our memories on the same night,” he explains, his eyes meeting mine in silent communication. “And Adam wasn’t so lucky to meet a family like you.”

June’s expression softens, compassion replacing suspicion as she takes in my exhausted appearance. “That must have been really hard,” she says, and the genuine sympathy in her voice catches me off guard.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

April steps forward, her tall frame imposing despite her casual posture. She’s removed her light jacket, revealing a sleeveless blouse that shows off toned arms. “Shouldn’t we dig deeper on this, sis?” she asks, her voice carrying a note of persistence that makes my stomach clench with anxiety. Her hazel eyes never leave my face,