Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Good seeing you again,” he says lightly.
We leave together. Marcy doesn’t look up as we pass, only flinches slightly when I get close, like she’s afraid I’m going to hurt her.
Once outside, Adriano shakes his head at me. “You enjoyed that too much.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
He laughs and kisses me. “Power’s getting to your head.”
“I’m just giving her a chance. We both know everything I said in there is true.”
“But why not just destroy her? You hate her, don’t you?”
I lean against my husband with a sigh. “Such a simple man. You don’t know how truly devious I am.”
“Enlighten me then.”
“Once she gives in—and she’s going to because she’s got nothing else—she’ll be mine. I’ll own her. And it’ll eat at her every day how she’s working with her husband’s killers, just like it ate at me every day when she and everyone like her turned their backs on me.”
“Sweet revenge.”
“Something like that anyway.” I get on my toes as we reach the car and kiss him, running my hands through his hair. “Speaking of which, you had a body in our basement for a while, but I haven’t heard anything from him. Is he finally gone?”
“He’s finally gone,” Adriano confirms. “Quick and easy.”
I’m strangely happy about that. I hated Demir Yilmaz, but the level of torture he endured was frankly astronomical. That’s my husband, though—he doesn’t do anything halfway.
“I’m feeling generous,” I declare as we get into the car.
“Are you now?”
“Yes, like a queen on her wedding day.”
“You’re more beautiful than that.”
“Good one. But I’m serious. If Marcy comes around, let’s be kind to her. Let’s give her good work. Make the city love us. Spread the wealth around. We don’t really need the money, right?”
His eyebrows raise. “Easy for you to say. You’re not running the business.”
“Adriano.”
“No, no, it’s alright. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of if she comes around.” He frowns a little as she starts the car’s engine. “Is this just another way of owning her?”
“Now you’re catching on, my beautiful husband.”
“Your mind never fails to amaze me.”
“Behold my genius and tremble.”
He leans across the car and kisses me lightly. “What’d I do to deserve a girl like you?”
“Burned a bunch of priceless paintings.”
“Oh, yeah. There’s that.”
Chapter 46
Adriano
Eight Months Later
I thought I knew love.
I had my family first. I cared about my father and my sister. Then Lucy came into my life and showed me a whole new level of deep obsession.
But now all that pales.
The baby’s crying. She’s small and screaming so loud, but my god, I love her so much. I stare at her little scrunched-up face, her upturned, squashed nose, and her dark blue eyes, and I’m in love. So in love it feels like my heart’s somewhere else. My heart’s inside this baby now.
“You can try to comfort her, you know,” Bianca says from my elbow.
“I know.” But I don’t do anything. I’m too busy staring down at the crying baby.
“Seriously, do you need help?”
“Not at all.”
Bianca frowns and squints at my face. “You okay in there?”
“Never better.” Finally, I cradle my daughter and begin to bounce her up and down.
“You need some sleep,” my sister mumbles as she heads back to the chair beside Lucy’s bed.
The room is filled with family and friends. Kennedy, Luca, Vittorio, even Donatella is here. My daughter is six hours old, and already I’m broken into a thousand little pieces, and she’s the only map that could put me back together again.
Lucy’s smiling and laughing at something, my beautiful wife. I didn’t think it was possible, but she’s somehow even more perfect now for giving me such a present.
A really loud present.
But a gift that expands my life bigger than I ever dreamed possible.
Look at me, a mobster gushing over an infant.
Never in a million years would I have expected it.
“Come here, Daddy,” Lucy says, wiggling her hands at me. “I want my baby.”
“Yes, amore mio,” I say, but don’t move right away. I stare at my lovely girl.
At my perfect Alessia.
“Bro?” Luca asks. “You’re just standing there.”
“I am?” I frown around me. “What?”
“Oh, let him hold the baby,” Kennedy says, laughing. “Look at the guy. He’s enamored.”
“And sleep deprived.” Bianca gives me a look as she extracts Alessia from my arms. She carries the baby over to Lucy and gently hands her over. “Here you go. I think she’s hungry.”
“Everyone out,” I snap as Lucy moves to start breastfeeding. Bianca punches me in the arm, but I’ll be damned if Luca or fucking Vittorio catch a glimpse of my wife’s perfect goddamn nipple. “Get out, now.”
My Capos hug my wife goodbye, both of them extremely amused by my reaction. When it’s only me and the women left, I finally relax.
“You’re going to have to chill with that,” Lucy says as Alessia latches and does her thing.