I wasn’t just a capo in the family, I was my father’s son.
The Marchetti Prince.
I had an entire legacy to uphold.
A legacy that would one day see me crowned King.
But every King needed his Queen...
Didn’t he?
Chapter 2
Arianne
“How are you feeling?” Nora handed me the mug of coffee and sat down beside me.
We were in our new apartment. The one I’d convinced my father to let us move into.
My gaze was fixed on the hall and beyond that my bedroom. The same bedroom Nicco had made love to me in, less than forty-eight hours ago.
He’d loved me... and then he’d left me.
And now I was bereft, lost at sea without an anchor.
Nicco was gone.
And he’d taken my heart with him.
“I still can’t believe he left.” I ran my thumbs around the mug.
“He had no choice, Ari. I know it hurts, but it would have hurt a damn sight worse if you'd had to watch him be dragged away in handcuffs; or worse, a body bag.”
A violent shudder ripped through me as I smothered a whimper.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“No, you’re right. It’s not so much that’s he’s gone, it’s that he didn’t tell me himself, face to face.” If I’d have known it was the last night I was going to get with him, I would have savored every second. I would have begged him to make love to me over and over again.
I would have imprinted every touch, every kiss, and sigh to memory.
“You should talk to him.”
My chest tightened, my hand drifting there, as if the pain were physical. It sure felt like it. My heart felt bruised and battered.
“I know, I just... what am I supposed to say to him? He’s gone, Nor.” And I was stuck here, living my worst nightmare.
Tristan was still in a coma. My father had betrayed me in the worst possible way. And I was promised to Scott Fascini. The guy who had drugged me and stolen the one thing that had never been his to take.
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I pushed down the hazy memories. Cruel touches and dirty words. He’d tainted me. Beaten and bruised me. But I hadn’t let him take my heart.
He could never have that, for it belonged to another.
It belonged to Nicco.
He knew about the engagement. Luis, my bodyguard, had told him the second we'd left my father’s estate. I had been too numb to function. Too blindsided to do anything but quietly sob the whole ride back to University Hill.
My father had promised... he'd promised to fix things.
And he'd lied.
After Nicco had beaten Scott, and accidentally hurt Tristan, I’d made a deal with my father. A deal he had broken the second my back was turned.
Anger skittered up my spine. I’d eventually confided in my father, revealed to him just exactly the type of guy Scott really was, and he’d still betrayed me.
Roberto Capizola had picked a side and now he might as well be dead to me.
“Ari, look at me.” Nora shuffled closer, covering my hand with hers. “I know everything looks dismal now, but you’ll get through this, I know you will. Antonio is working on it, and you have me, and Luis, and your mom. We’ll figure it out. But I’m begging you, call Nicco. You need to talk about everything.”
I gave her a slight nod. She was right. It was a conversation Nicco and I needed to have. But how did you tell the man you loved that you were promised to another? That you were expected to court him and spend time with him and—
I stopped myself.
“Now is as good a time as any.” Nora handed me my cell phone. I stared at it like it was a grenade. “Take it,” she urged, and I slid my trembling fingers around it.
“I’ll give you some privacy.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, blood ringing in my ears.
Nora offered me an encouraging smile before disappearing down the hall toward our bedrooms. The apartment was only small, but it was light and airy and untainted with painful memories.
All except one.
Waking yesterday morning to find Nicco gone, reading his goodbye note, had broken something inside me. I’d thought we would face the coming storm together, but now he was there, and I was here, and like a mountain too steep to climb, Scott was wedged right in between us.
Inhaling a deep breath, I found his number and hit dial.
“Arianne?” My name was a whispered prayer that cracked my heart wide open.