took it. He wouldn’t stop his tirade until he won. Until he had me broken at his feet, begging him to stop.
“Arianne, I’m coming in.” Luis cracked the door open and ducked inside. “What is it, what’s wrong?”
“He—” An ugly sob tore from my throat as my body trembled with frustration and pain.
“Ssh.” My bodyguard wrapped me into his arms, holding me. “He’s just trying to get a reaction from you.”
I eased back to look at him. “Well, it’s working.” Luis handed me a tissue and I dabbed the corner of my eyes. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“You can.” He gave me a sad smile. “You must.”
I glanced away. In that moment, I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t want to stand tall and refuse to let the likes of Scott Fascini and my father walk all over me.
I wanted to run.
I wanted to beg Luis to take me far away from Verona County and never look back.
“Arianne, look at me,” he let out a strained breath. Slowly, I lifted my tear-stained eyes to his. “You are one of the strongest people I know. You are kind and compassionate and you have such a big heart. Don’t let him take that from you. Don’t let that piece of shit win.”
“O- okay. I’m okay.” I slipped out of his hold and went over to the mirror, drying my eyes. “Can I have a minute?”
Luis hesitated, but after a beat, he nodded, leaving me alone.
Digging my cell phone out of my purse, I opened my messages.
Tell me something good.
It pinged straightaway, making my mouth curve into a half-smile.
I love you.
Another message came straight through.
Is everything okay?
It will be. I love you too.
Emotion clogged my throat as I awaited his reply. God, I wanted to see Nicco. To bury myself in his arms and breathe him in.
Be strong, Bambolina. Be strong for me. For us.
Chapter 5
Nicco
“Is that her?” Dane asked me as we sat out back with a beer. The flames from the fire pit licked high into the inky night’s sky, the crackle hypnotic.
“Yeah,” I said tightly, dropping my cell on the arm of the chair.
“What’s she like?”
“You really want to know?”
“I can’t ever imagine meeting a chick who knocks me on my ass, humor me.”
“Arianne is...” I released a small breath. “She’s like no one else I’ve ever met.”
“And you had no idea that she was... you know. The enemy.” He whispered the words as if they were forbidden.
“None.” My chest tightened. “Do you really think I would have...?” I stopped myself. To suggest a world without Arianne seemed impossible.
I knew what Dane thought, what all of my uncles and the guys thought. They didn’t understand how I could fall so hard and fast for a girl I barely knew. Hell, even I didn’t understand it. But I was done questioning it. Fate had entwined our paths that night, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Before Arianne, I had been numb; a reluctant prince wearing a crown too heavy. My only priority was the Family and fulfilling my duty. But meeting Arianne was like taking my first breath. She smiled and all the stars came out to take notice. And something inside me had come to life. I wanted to protect her. Stand by her side. I wanted to bind myself to her with permanence and loyalty and love.
I wanted things with her I had no right to want as a nineteen-year-old mafioso. A mafioso who would one day be head of the Family.
“It’s rough, man,” Dane let out a low whistle before taking a long pull on his beer. “The one girl you want is the only girl you can’t have.”
My eyes cut to his, but I found no arrogance there, just mild curiosity. Dane was still green, skirting on the fringe of the Family before he turned eighteen, graduated high school, and took his role under his father’s rule.
We were the future.
Our fathers’ legacies.
But it was something no one could prepare you for.
“Maybe I’ll get to meet her one day. Show her I’m the better looking Marchetti.” He waggled his brows and I threw my bottle cap at his head. Dane batted it away, laughter rumbling in his chest.
“Not a fucking chance.”
He shrugged. “It’s not like I don’t already have options.”
“Options?” My brow rose. Cocky fucker.
“Like you, Enzo, and Matteo didn’t screw around in high school. Enzo is one of the biggest players I’ve ever met. That guy is—”