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Irritation makes me shift on Nico’s lap, who glances down at me, arching a brow. I eye him for a moment, before I close my eyes and try to ignore him. Try to drown out all the voices talking around me, which is easier said than done when I hear Pietro say, “You are about to have a war on your hands, Signore Armani, and I hope you know what you’re doing. But you seem to have far more smarts and grit than your father, I suppose we could consider an alliance. Provided we can make it worth each other’s while.”
“Gia is not marrying your son,” Nico says, voice hard like granite, and his grip tightens on me. I should be pissed, but my already confused heart swells just a little bit over how much he seems to want me here. God, I really need to get a grip.
“Yes, you’ve made that clear,” Pietro says patiently. “And I don’t fault you for wanting to keep her all for yourself. So instead, we will discuss it when we arrive.”
“Arrive?” Nico says carefully.
“We will be there in two days,” Pietro confirms, a smug amusement in his tone. “We will also discuss what we’ll be doing for each other. And it will give us a chance to see sweet Sofia. Her father and brothers will be joining us of course.”
I open my eyes and look up to see Nico’s expression is blank, but his eyes say a wealth of things, and I have to bite back a grin. Oh, he’s not pleased with that. He wants the alliance, but he doesn’t want them here. Whether that’s because he doesn’t want them here to convince me to go with them, or if it’s because he doesn’t like people in his house. Either way, he knows that he can’t say no. “You know that the news you are on your way here and coming to stay with me will be just the invitation that is needed to start this war?”
This time I turn my head and now I see why these men are feared and dangerous. The dark and anticipatory look on their faces has a shiver going down my spine. I can only be grateful that they seem to be on this side and not aligned with my family.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to participate in a good war,” Alessio says easily, a lethal smile on his handsome face.
“Besides, you’re going to need us if another family is on their way to try and collect your woman,” Massimo points out. Nico doesn’t correct his assertion, and I look up at Nico in surprise. He doesn’t look at me, and now I’m even more confused. Sure, Nico has constantly been saying I’m his, but does he really mean it? I figured that him saying I was his meant he would keep me until he was tired and then that would be it. But does Nico want me forever?
God, this whole situation is enough to do my head in.
“Do you have any idea which family it is?” Zeno asks, leaning forward on the table in front of him.
“The soldier didn’t know,” Nico replies. “My men are already on it.”
“We’ll add ours,” Pietro announces. “The faster we figure it out, the sooner I can tell you how to defeat them. After all, there is a reason we are the most feared.” He sounds very proud of that, but then again, I suppose in this kind of world, being on top is what matters.
“Alright,” Nico agrees. “Then I will see you in two days. I’ll have my men meet you at the airport to bring you here.”
“Good,” Pietro says briskly. “In the meantime, watch yourself, Signore Armani, because this is not going to be an easy battle. It’s going to be hard-won, but something tells me you’re going to be a hard one to take down.”
Nico doesn’t reply to that but instead gives him a smile that has me seeing why people fear him. “Your team can send my Underboss the details of when you’ll be arriving and anything you need.”
“Pleasure doing business with you, Signore Armani,” Pietro says. “And, Ms. De Luca?” I look at him and see the gentle smile on his face. “I’ll see you soon,cara mia, and we’ll talk.” There’s a wealth of things in that statement, but I nod and give him a soft smile in return. I don’t even need to look at Nico to know that he’s pissed at that, but thankfully is smart enough to hold his tongue.
They end the call, and no one says anything for a long moment. Nico is strung so tight, I’m surprised he hasn’t snapped yet.
Finally, Dante says, “I’ll see to the arrangements. And I’ll let Sofia know her family will be coming with them.” There’s a dark edge to his voice at that, and as much as Sofia says that Dante and her are casual and nothing else, I don’t think Dante is on that same page.
“Fine,” Nico says, rising and setting me on my feet. He takes my hand and he pulls me around the desk and out of the room. He doesn’t even look at me, his entire body vibrating with tension and anger. My heart pounds, and I’m instantly wary. I don’t think Nico is going to hurt me, physically, but he is pissed, and I actively like to avoid men in this state as much as possible.
He pulls me to the door, glances at Davide but says nothing, and then he yanks me into the hallway. He pulls me down the hallway, like he’s going to take me back to his room, but he pulls me right past the steps and down another corridor. It’s a larger hallway that’s just under the grand staircase, and when he reaches a set of double doors, he yanks one open, ushers me inside and then slams it shut.
I look around, gaping. Holy shit. Now I see why this was built as a castle. The ballroom that he’s pulled me into is huge, and I’m shocked that I didn’t know it was here. It’s in the center of the house, which means the rest had to be built around it, and much like the rest of the house, it’s decorated in dark Gothic carvings and paintings. But also woven into it are massive chandeliers that glitter with diamonds, gold, and silver; and a marble stone floor that looks like glass and ice mixed into one. There are only a few windows, but also what looks like a walkout at the far end of the room to a terrace. It’s beautiful and frightening. Much like the man who is standing silently behind me, boring holes into my back.
I finally turn to look at him, and the look on his face has my breath catching. The predator is back, and this time, I’m not certain I’m going to survive if he decides to pounce. My heart pounds, and I swallow hard. This isn’t Nico Armani the man that has seduced me into his bed and held me in his arms like he doesn’t want to let me go. This is Nico Armani, the mafia don, and a man who is used to getting what he wants, no matter what. And when he doesn’t get it, he’ll take it.
“What did he sign to you?” he finally asks, his voice surprisingly calm and even. Though I don’t miss the anger layered underneath.
“Alessio?” I ask carefully. Yes, I know I’m stalling, but I need to be careful. I can feel it.
“Yes, Alessio,” he says through clenched teeth, his jaw like granite.
I lick my lips and reply, “He wanted to make sure that I wasn’t being forced to say anything to him. That you weren’t coercing me.”
“And what did you say?” he asks, stepping away from the door and toward me. I instinctively take a step back. But he just keeps coming, keeps prowling toward me. “Did you ask him to rescue you, Gia? Tell him I’m holding you here and that your life is in danger from me?”
“No,” I say instantly, stopping, but by now, we’ve made it a quarter of the way into the ballroom. “No, Nico, I told him that you aren’t coercing me and that you had been treating me well.”
He stops in front of me, staring down into my eyes and looking like he wants to both grab me and also kill me. It’s a frightening combination, but one that also makes me feel almost hopeful. Jesus Christ, I really need to get out of here. I’m losing my mind. “He wants to take you away from me,” Nico says rigidly. “And I hope you know I will never let that happen, Gia. You’re mine.”
