ring.
A huge diamond engagement ring.
His ring.
I was going to puke.
“Nicco, it’s just for show.” Arianne was the one clutching me now, her wild eyes pleading with me to calm down.
“He put his fucking ring on you?” A chill ran through me.
“Ssh,” she moved closer, crowding me against the wall. “Don’t do this, please. Not here, not now. It’s all for show. An act. You knew what tonight was about.”
“Did he get down on one knee and profess his love for you?” I sneered.
Arianne blanched, jerking back as if my words had slapped her in the face. “That isn’t fair, and you know it.”
“Shit, I’m sorry. I just... it blindsided me, okay. I hate knowing he’s in there with his hands all over you.”
“I don’t exactly enjoy it.” Tears pricked the corner of her eyes but my strong Bambolina forced them down.
“I know. Come here.” I looped my arms around her waist and dropped my chin on her head. “You really do look beautiful, Bambolina. And I’m sorry you’re having to do this. All of it.”
“All I keep thinking is he’s stolen another of my firsts... and I hate him so much for it.”
I eased back to look at her, my spine rigid.
“You should go.” She smiled weakly.
“How am I supposed to let you go back in there?”
“You just do.” Arianne gave me a small shrug. She took another step back, our hands lingering between us.
“He can have your firsts,” I said quietly, “but your forever... that belongs to me.”
Arianne hesitated before throwing herself at me. I caught her and stumbled back with her in my arms.
“Kiss me,” she breathed. “Kiss me like it’s your ring I’m wearing.”
Our lips met in an urgent collision of tongues and teeth. Arianne poured all her pain and frustration into every stroke and I greedily welcomed it. Her body fit against mine and our hands roamed and explored as we fell headfirst into the kiss.
I wanted forever with her.
I wanted the fairytale.
I might have been a mafia king-in-waiting, but I was nothing without my queen. And I didn’t want to rule if I couldn’t have her by my side.
It was that simple.
By the time I pulled away, Arianne was flushed, and her lips were swollen. Desire shone in her eyes and she looked ravished. But I couldn’t find it in me to care. Because when she went back inside, when she went back to that fucker, she would be able to taste me.
And she would know exactly who she belonged to.
“Happy now?” Enzo gave me a hard shove toward my bike. “That was a close call.”
“Yeah, yeah, save it for somebody who cares.”
“That’s just it though, Cous. You should fucking care. And I’m not talking about just the Family. What do you think that would have done to Ari tonight if Fascini’s guys had found you? You’re not thinking straight.”
“She’s wearing his ring, E.” I scrubbed my jaw in frustration. “Am I supposed to just pretend this isn’t happening?”
“You’re supposed to trust your old man to get the job done.”
My lips thinned. He had a point, and I hated it.
“Look, it’s done.” He let out a heavy sigh. “You saw her. Now you need to leave and stay your ass in Boston.”
“Will you tell him?”
“What do you think?” He gave me a pointed look. “As long as you promise not to pull this shit again it stays between us, okay?”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“I know you think I don’t get it, and maybe I don’t, but I know you, Nicco. Nothing will ever change that.”
I climbed on my bike, pulling on my helmet.
“Go straight home.”
I nodded. I didn’t want to lie to him, but there was somewhere else I needed to go first, and I knew he wouldn’t agree.
“Did you get a glance of Nora tonight?” I asked, changing the subject. “She looked smokin’ hot.” I’d seen her through the window.
“Fuck you,” he gritted out.
Laughter rumbled in my chest as I kicked the starter and gave him a nod before pulling into the street. The ride to County Memorial was only ten minutes. It was exactly what I needed to clear my head after seeing the ring on Arianne’s finger.
I still couldn’t believe it. It made perfect sense, they were engaged after all, but my mind couldn’t make sense of it. Probably because my soul had already claimed her as his. So to see another guy lay claim to her went against everything I felt.
By the time I pulled into the hospital parking lot, the weight