by Bianca Cole
“Bruce, isn’t it?” I ask, standing in front of him with my arms crossed over my chest.
“Who the fuck wants to know?” he spits, blood painting his teeth.
“Rick Romano.”
A shudder passes through him, and he glances out of the less busted up eye which he can still open.
“If you want to leave this place alive, I need you to tell me who in our outfit helped Austin.”
He snorts. “He ain’t letting me leave here alive. No way.”
I shake my head. “Leo isn’t in charge. I am.”
There’s a long stretch of silence as he stares at me. “If I tell you who helped him, then you will let me go?” he asks.
This is proving more straightforward than I expected. “Yes. Exactly.”
Little does he know that the moment I let him go, he will have to fight his way through my brother before he leaves here. I’m a man of my word, though. I’ve got no intention of holding him captive any longer once I’ve got the information I need.
“Fine. Let me down, and I’ll tell you.”
“That’s not the deal.”
He blows out a long breath. “Three other men were involved. One was called Ben, Enzo and the other Liam.”
“Ben, who?” I ask, knowing we have two Bens working in our operation.
“Fuck.” He shakes his head. “Was it Jensen or Johnson?”
“Jackson?” I ask.
He nods his head. “Yeah, that’s it.”
I glance over at Leo, who gives me a slight nod. They will need to be made an example of, ensuring no one thinks about fucking with us again. “Are you sure they are the only ones?”
“Positive.”
“Great. I’m nothing if not a man of my word.” Leo passes me a knife to cut him down, and I move forward to cut his bindings. “You’re free to leave.”
He lets out a sigh of relief.
“But, you have to get passed my brother and your ex-girlfriend.” His face falls. “I said I’d let you go, but I said nothing about getting you out of here.”
“No, please, you can’t—”
Leo has already approached and punches him in the face interrupting him mid-sentence. My heart skips a beat as Ellie steps forward and kicks him in the stomach. I’ve got a feeling this is something they should do together in private. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Leo gives me a nod, as I turn to leave them. By the time I make it to the stairs out of the basement, Bruce’s screams are chasing me down. I grit my teeth, leaving the dungeon.
Leo’s thirst for brutality gets to me. He has no reservations with killing and torturing, unlike Kane and me. It’s why he was the underboss. In charge of dealing with the more gritty and dirty parts of the business. My younger brother is a troubled man, but I hope Ellie will help him heal the wounds of his past.
Alicia’s father is still staying here, hovering around her. I’m hoping to get her on her own today because Kane insisted Nick accompany him to a club we own. He did it as a favor to me, as Alicia is being discharged from our hospital wing by our doctor, Helen.
Helen is a fantastic surgeon, and she patched up the wound really well. Alicia will still be a little sore for a while, but she’s on the mend.
The hospital wing is concealed on the other side of the mansion in a separate basement. I head through the main hallway and into the other wing of the house, taking the steps down to the woman I love.
This place has been used too many times lately for the most important people in my life. First, my two brothers and now Alicia. I enter the room, and Alicia is sitting up in her hospital bed. She smiles at me the moment she notices me. “I’m glad to see you.”
“Are you?” I ask.
She nods her head. “My dad has been driving me insane.”
I laugh. “Your dad doesn’t want to leave your side, because he knows I’ll be able to see you.” I walk toward her, and she watches me. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” She tilts her head. “Although I’d feel much better if you gave me a kiss.”
It’s wrong that my cock stirs to life at the thought. Her soft, pillow-like lips have evaded me for too damn long. I stride toward her. It’s as if I can’t get to her quick enough.
She gasps as I thread my fingers through her dark hair and tilt her face toward me.
“Is that correct?” I ask.
She licks her bottom lip, inviting me in.
I lean down to kiss her. Our lips meet in a tender caress. One that makes me ache all over for her. I groan as her tongue slips into my mouth, swiping around my own with gentle strokes.
My fingers are still laced in her hair, and I tug gently, pulling her mouth away from mine. “Careful, princess. You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”
Her eyes flash with defiance. “Who says I can’t finish it?”
“I do,” Helen says, startling the both of us apart. “Good Morning, sir.”
“Morning, Helen.” I take a step away from Alicia, to her disappointment.
Her eyes narrow as she glances at Alicia. “Alicia, you were shot three days ago.” She glances at me. “You may feel better, but you need to keep any strenuous activities to a minimum for at least a week. Especially since you are pregnant.”
Alicia turns a deep red at her suggestion. My body protests at the thought of not being inside of her for a week. “Understood.”
“When you say strenuous, do you mean nothing at all?” Alicia asks, surprising both of us.
A small, knowing smile curves onto Helen’s lips. “If you’re very gentle.” She glances at me. “It should be okay, but no crazy positions.”
I’m not shy about sex, but Alicia has turned an even deeper red now. I clear my throat, trying to disperse the tension. “Is Alicia free to go, doctor?”
She nods. “Yep, here are her pain meds.” She passes them to me. “Alicia, you are free to go, but remember you’ve got a second person relying on you staying healthy now.”
She swings her legs out of the hospital bed and jumps to her feet, wincing slightly. “I won’t forget.” Alicia sets her hand on her lower belly. “I can’t wait to welcome this little one into the world.”
Helen smiles and nods. “I’m sure you both will make excellent parents. Once your dad comes to terms with it, I’m sure he’ll make the best grandfather, especially if the way he dotes on you is anything to go by.”
Alicia’s knees wobble slightly, and she winces again in pain. Out of instinct, I slide a hand onto her lower back, trying to steady her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, a little sore.” She smiles at Helen and holds out a hand. “Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
Helen shakes her hand. “My pleasure. I’ll be seeing you weekly anyway for a check-up on that little one.” She winks and then walks away from us.
“Can you believe I’m pregnant?”
I glance down at Alicia, my insides warm and fuzzy. “Not really, but I couldn’t be happier.”
“Me neither.”
I bend down and hook one arm under her knees and the other under her back, lifting her from the ground.
She laughs. “What are you doing?”
“I’m carrying you to my bedroom before your dad comes back and tries to stop me.” I raise an eyebrow.
“He’s protective of me.”
I press my lips to her forehead. “So am I. Your dad has got to accept that I’m the man who will protect you from now on.”
I carry her through the door and up the stairs into the main house.
“I can walk, you know?” she asks.
I nod my head and say nothing. I know she can walk, but I want to carry her to my bedroom. The overwhelming need to protect her is even stronger since she took a bullet for me. I’d have taken ten rounds to stop her from feeling that pain.
My muscles strain a little by the time I get to the top of the stairs. I walk toward my room, determined to carry my woman there. When I get to my room, I fumble with th
e doorknob. Finally, I get it open and step inside with her, kicking it shut behind me.
Alicia gazes up at me, smiling.
“What are you smiling at?”
She shakes her head. “You, I never thought you’d be so chivalrous.”
I set her down in the center of my four-poster bed and climb over her on my hands and knees until I’m staring into her eyes.
“Hi,” she says.
“Hey.” I press my lips to hers in a quick, chaste kiss.
Even though we haven’t had sex in what feels like too damn long, I’m not risking hurting her right now. Instead, I shift to one side and wrap my arms around her, careful not to touch her wound.
“Helen is right, you need to rest up,” I say, pressing my lips to the back of her neck.
She shudders, arching her back, so the hard press of my cock rests against her ass. “I think that’s a bad idea.”
I groan as my balls tighten, and my body aches with need. It’s been far too long since I was last inside of my queen. “A bad idea would be me fucking you in your condition.”
She turns over and pouts at me. “She said if we are very gentle, it will be fine.”
I laugh. “When have you ever known me to be gentle?”
She shifts in my arms and tries to get on top of me.
I hold her down. “No, if we do this, then I will make love to you gently. I don’t want you overexerting yourself.”
She nods and falls back down into the bed, allowing me to move over her. Being gentle isn’t in my nature, but I’d do anything for her.
As I kiss her, I know, without a doubt, this woman is my soul mate. I wasn’t living until she came into my life. Now I intend to worship her like the goddess she is for as long as I live.
22
Epilogue
Alicia
Three years later…
My heart rate quickens as the band plays. I clutch hold of the bouquet so tightly that my dad grabs my hands and prizes it from me.
“Stop panicking, sweetheart.” He smiles at me, eyes full of joy.
I will not lie. I never thought my dad would look this happy on my wedding day, particularly not considering the man I’m marrying.
He has always been fiercely protective, but now that is Rick’s job.
“Mommy, do you love daddy?” Olivia asks, pulling at the hem of my dress. I can’t help but smile at our daughter, who is now two years and three months old. She looks so pretty in her little bridesmaid dress, with her hair done.
It came as a shock that Rick had got me pregnant so quick. We weren’t prepared, but we were both ecstatic. “Of course, sweetheart, that’s why we are getting married,” I say, lifting her into my arms and kissing her cheek. “You look so beautiful.”
She smiles at me, placing a finger on my lips.
“They are ready for you,” Jasmine says, giving me a reassuring smile.
Fuck.
I never thought getting married would be so nerve-wracking. I set Olivia back on the floor, and Jasmine takes her hand. She’s walking down the aisle before me with Auntie Jasmine. Leo and Ellie are looking after our son, Axel, who is only a year old.
My dad squeezes my arm. “Are you ready?”
I give him a weak nod, drawing in a long breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
We step up to the doors into the grand hall of the manor house we chose for our wedding, and the amount of people gathered either side of the aisle makes me nervous. All my dad’s close acquaintances and Rick’s. It’s not the wedding I would have chosen. Having so many people’s eyes on me makes me shiver with anxiety.
Apparently, it’s what is expected when a boss is taking a wife. Rick keeps telling me I’m becoming his queen, and it feels that way. Dad leads me slowly into the hall, making my heart pound harder.
The moment I set eyes on Rick standing with his back to me, my heart rate settles. Kane is his best man and standing by his side. I see him pat Rick on the back, and he turns to face me. Everyone has gone so quiet, as all eyes are on me.
Rick’s dark eyes meet mine, and despite being so far away, his presence reassures me. Filling me with courage that I didn’t have a moment ago. My dad squeezes my arm gently as I pick up the pace toward my future husband.
He smiles such a beautiful smile, and it makes my heartache. It’s so rare to see him smiling in public, but he is beaming at me. My stomach flutters with such warmth. His love imbues me. The closer I get to him, the more my confidence builds.
The hundreds of people sitting in the grand hall fade away. It is only him and me in the room. The man I love. The man who captured my mind, body, and soul from the moment I was dragged into his office.
“Slow down, sweetheart,” my dad urges, nodding his head toward Olivia, who is only a few steps ahead.
I slow my steps down, realizing I was in such a rush to get to the man at the end of the aisle.
Olivia gets nearer to the front and waves at Rick, who gives her the cutest wave back. He is the most amazing father, and she adores him.
I can’t deny that when we first met, I couldn’t imagine him as a father. The brutal, fierce mob boss that disciplined me on the first day.
Jasmine leads Olivia to where she’s supposed to stand, holding her hand. My father stops us directly in front of the officiant.
Rick’s eyes are glued to me with such fierce intensity my stomach clenches. It is crazy after three years he still has the same effect on me with one stare.
The officiant clears her throat. “May I ask who gives away this woman to this man.”
My dad nods his head. “I do.”
Rick steps forward to take my hand, and my father gives him a pat on the shoulder. The relationship was trying, but we’re all safer because of it.
The Juliano mafia and Romano mafia are no longer enemies, joined by marriage. It means both our families’ operations are stronger than ever, and we’ve had no one trying to contest our power since.
His rough, large hand grabs mine, as he pulls me to stand opposite him. “You look stunning,” he mutters.The raspy tone of his voice sends shivers down my spine.
“So do you,” I utter.
The officiant clears her throat again and starts speaking. I barely hear what she’s saying, too lost in his eyes. Rick squeezes my hands and smiles at me, as the officiant speaks the words for him to repeat.
“I, Ricardo Romano, take you, Alicia Juliano, to be my wedded wife.” My heart dances in my chest as he smiles at me. Tears pool in my eyes as he continues. “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” He squeezes my hand again. “I pledge myself to you.” He slips the ring on my finger. At that point, tears are streaming down my face, no doubt screwing up my makeup, but I can’t find it in me to care.
The joy I feel at hearing him say those words to me surpasses anything. We both put off getting married, unsure whether it was right for us. Rick had always been uncertain about it, ever since he saw the way his parent’s marriage broke down.
I could lose myself in this man’s dark chestnut eyes. Hidden beneath their depth is a man so complicated, and I can’t wait to uncover everything about him as we spend the rest of our lives together.
“Miss. Juliano?” The officiant breaks my daze.
I swallow hard, shaking my head. “Sorry.”
“Please repeat the words after me,” she says.
I nod in response, repeating the same words back to him. I slip the wedding ring onto his finger, knowing the moment I’m anticipating is fast approaching.
“By the powers vested in me by this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” She looks at Rick. “You may kiss the bride.”
Rick’s strong arms wrap around my back, and he pulls me close, gazing into my eyes for a moment. Every nerve ending tingles with anticipation of being kissed for the first time by my husband. It’s slow and tender as his lips meet mine.
That same hot, electric passion that’s existed between us when we met igniting the moment our lips touch.
I feel a deep ache pulse to life between my thighs, and he hasn’t even slipped his tongue into my mouth. Once we break away, I’m burning for him. Clapping and cheers break out in the crowd, and my cheeks heat.
Whenever this man touches me, it’s as if the rest of the world fades away. He takes my hand, guiding me back down the aisle as man and wife. Time to celebrate...
Music plays softly in the beautiful ballroom of the venue we booked. Kane and Jasmine sit opposite us on the table with their two beautiful children. Their firstborn was an adorable little boy they called Kace. They didn’t know until the day she gave birth to him whether they were having a boy or a girl. Then just over nine months later, Anna, his sister, came along.
For a family surrounded by so much danger, we’ve all found true happiness. Ellie and Jasmine have become great friends to me, hence why Jasmine was my maid of honor and Ellie, my bridesmaid.
Out of all of us, Leo and Ellie were the slowest to think about a family. Only a month ago, they announced she was two months pregnant. I’ve got a feeling from knowing both of them over the past few years, they had the most hardship to overcome together.
My dad grabs my hand and squeezes. “I’m so proud of you, princess.”
I smile at him. “Thanks, Dad.”
My father handed over the keys to the business to one of Rick’s most trusted men and moved up here, buying a place down the road.
It was about time he retired the business, anyway. He wanted to be near his grandchildren and me. Oliva and Axel are staying with him while we go on our honeymoon. He dotes on them as much as he always doted on me as a child.
Despite the emotional blow, my step-mom is ancient history. Dad caught Janice cheating on him with a younger man. Elaine, his new girlfriend, is his age and lovely.
She lives locally and is sitting by his side. “It was a gorgeous wedding,” she says.
“Thank you,” I reply, smiling at her. All I want is for my dad to be as happy as me.
Rick slides a hand onto my back, sending goosebumps across every inch of my skin. He leans toward my ear. “Shall we dance?”