by Jade, Ella
“They were never worth it. They were simply a stepping stone. If you knew the things I had to do in order for them to help me, you wouldn’t look at him the same way.”
“It’s not Gianni I’m ashamed of.” My father was ruthless but I never expected him to turn on me this way. “He has more integrity than you’ll ever have. If your constituents knew what kind of man you were, they’d abandon you too.”
“What do you mean too?”
“I told you not to make me choose.” I held back the tears because I didn’t want him to mistake my rage for anything other than what it was. “You promised me you wouldn’t make me choose.”
“No, I made Gianni choose.” He followed me back downstairs. “And as I expected, he chose his family. He will always choose his family.”
“Then I guess he’ll always choose me.”
I hurried out of the house and onto the porch. Michael got out of the car and came toward me.
“Angelique!” My father was close behind me. “Don’t walk out of here.”
“Senator.” Michael nodded as he took the bags from me. “Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.”
“Mind your business,” my dad said.
“Dad, I’m leaving.” I made eye contact with Michael. “I’ll be right there.”
He brought my bags to the car and got back in the driver’s seat. It must have taken so much control for him not to go after my dad. His job was looking after Gianni. Going after the people who tried to harm him.
“If you leave, you’ll never be welcomed back here.” My dad gritted his teeth. “Gianni would never betray his family like this. You think about that.”
“Dante would never rip apart any of his sons the way you’ve done to me.” I hurried to the car because I couldn’t do this anymore. “You think about that,” I said before getting in.
“Are you okay?” Michael asked.
“Can you take me back to the hospital?” I needed to see Gianni. “I’ll feel better once I’m there.”
“Of course.” He drove out of the driveway as my father shook his head in disgust.
I held his stare until I couldn’t see his cold, soulless eyes any longer.
Chapter Twenty-three
GIANNI
Vincenzo and Nadia’s Rehearsal Dinner
Sitting at the long table, finishing dinner, I gazed around the room. Many of my family members were here. It was the perfect night for a do-over. It had been a month since that night in the hospital. When Dominick came to me with what Angelique had given him on her father, I didn’t want to use it. I worried it would destroy her in the end. My father agreed. Santino came up with a plan. Instead of us revealing it, we leaked it to our source at the press. Now Bruno was in a shitload of legal trouble and there was no way to trace it back to his daughter. He had to drop his bid for governor and his senate seat appeared to be in jeopardy. His misfortunes had nothing to do with Angelique dating me and everything to do with the fact that he came after the Marchellis. That was the biggest mistake of his career.
We also hadn’t retaliated for the attack on me. My father wasn’t a proponent of swift justice. Right now, making Bruno pay with his career seemed like enough. As much as I hated him getting away with what he had done to me, I loved Angelique more. Removing her father from the situation wasn’t an option. Not now. We’d have to let this play out and see where it took us in the future.
“Are you having a good time?” I asked my beautiful angel.
“That’s a silly question.”
“Is it?” I swiped my lips along her knuckles.
“I’m with you and your family. I always have an amazing time when I’m with you.” She glanced across the room. “Erica seems to be having a nice time too.”
“My Uncle Sonny is quite the charmer. I’m glad they hit it off.”
“Thank you for inviting her. She’s doing some adjusting now that she’s parted ways with my dad.”
“She’s your family so that makes her my family.”
“Yeah.” She looked down at our hands. No matter how brave she pretended to be or how much she tried to convince me, she missed her father. “We’re lucky to have all these wonderful people in our corner.”
“It’s important to me that Erica is here tonight.”
“Why?”
“Gianni.” Vincenzo tapped his champagne glass with a spoon. “Are you ready to make that toast?”
Perfect timing. “I’ve never been more ready.” I stared into Angelique’s curious eyes as the servers refilled everyone’s flutes with the bubbly liquid. Letting go of her hand, I stood from my chair. “I want to congratulate my brother Vincenzo and his beautiful soon-to-be bride. It’s been the five Marchelli brothers for so long,” I continued. “Our mother was worried none of us would ever find the right woman. The one.” I winked at Mama Stella. “Nadia, we’re fortunate you want to be part of our family. Vince couldn’t have found a more perfect friend, woman, and bride to spend the rest of his life with.”
Everyone raised a glass and a collective, “Salude, chendon” filled the room. Health for a hundred years.
“I want to thank the amazing couple for giving me the floor for a bit so I could share some of my own joy.”
There were a few excited claps and some anticipated inhales as I reached into my pocket and took out the pale, blue box.
When Angelique’s eyes connected with mine, I saw the realization cross her shocked expression.
“Tonight, I have the opportunity to ask Angelique something I’ve already asked her.” I dropped down on one knee and opened the box, revealing a large, round diamond, sparkling in the impressive platinum setting. “One she’s already answered but I wanted to make it official.”
“Gianni.” Angelique placed her trembling hand over her mouth.
“I promised her I would do it right this time.”
There wasn’t a sound in the room as I finished my proposal.
“Angelique Bruno.” I took her hand in mine. “There isn’t anyone else in this world I could imagine myself with. You’ve always said you were waiting for me. I believe that’s true. The reason I know is because I’ve been waiting my whole life for you.”
She laughed through the tears. “You’re everything to me,” she whispered.
Taking the ring out of the box, I gazed into her eyes. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Standing beside me every day, facing whatever comes at us, and spending the rest of your life with me?”
“Do you really think you have to ask?”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes!” She squeaked as I slipped the ring on her finger. “I want to be your wife. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
As our lips connected, the room broke out into a thunderous applause. I waved and smiled at everyone. “Drink your champagne and celebrate Vincenzo and Nadia tonight.” I smiled at my brother. “I need a few minutes with my girl.” Before my family had a chance to bombard us, I whisked Angelique to one of the private rooms Sal had set up for us. They would understand.
“What’s this?” Angelique asked as she glanced around the rose filled room, adorned with white twinkling lights and candles. The fireplace illuminated the corner of the cozy room. A fresh bottle of champagne chilled in the bucket by the table as quiet music streamed in the background.
“This is where I was supposed to propose.” I shut the door behind us. “We had our first date here.”
“I remember.”
“Sal has outdone himself.” I led her to the glowing hearth. “He’s probably pissed that I deviated from the plan.”
“Plan?”
“I was going to ask you to marry me in here and then go out and tell the family.”
“Not that I’m complaining but what happened?”
“As Dominick would say, I’m too extra.”
“Ha!” She let out a hearty giggle. “That’s a perfect description of you.”
“I got to talking to Vince and Nadia and I told t
hem what I was planning and how I’d almost blurted it out three times during dinner. Vince suggested I make a toast and do it right there in front of everyone. He saw how much I wanted to share my news. I couldn’t contain my excitement.”
“I love your excitement.” She hugged me. “I love you.” She held up her hand, studying her new piece of jewelry. “This ring is spectacular.”
“You’re not upset I made it a public display?”
“You’ve already proposed to me when we were alone,” she reminded me. “I can’t think of a more fitting way than to be with your family.”
“They’re your family too.”
“I go from being an only child to having four brothers and a sister. How am I ever going to repay you for all you’ve given me?”
“Don’t ever give up on me.”
“Never.”
“You said yes.” I held her close to me.
“Nadia and Vincenzo were very kind to share this day with us.”
“Are you kidding?” I kissed her jaw. “Vince wants us to get a marriage license so we can do this with them on Saturday. Nadia agreed.”
“We should let them have their day.”
“And then we’ll have ours.” I spun her in a slow circle, gazing into her eyes. “As long as you’re my wife, I don’t care how and when we do it.”
“You’re all I’ll ever need.”
“I need to tell you something.” I guided her down onto the rug, lifting her into my lap. “Despite what happened between your dad and me—”
“Gianni, we don’t have to ever talk about that again, especially not today.”
“There’s one thing I need you to know and then we’ll never bring it up again.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.” I traced her lips with my fingertip. “I’ll do anything for you.”
“I know that.”
“I invited your dad here tonight.”
“You did?”
“You miss him.”
She shook her head but it wasn’t much of a denial.
“You don’t have to be ashamed of that.”
“I’m ashamed of who he is and what he’s done.” She cupped my face in her delicate hand. “He hurt you. I’ll never forgive that.”
“I’ll never forgive what he did to you.” No matter what I thought of him, he was still her father. I owed it to her to make things right. “He declined my invitation.”
“Were you shocked?”
“I thought when it came to you maybe he’d reconsider but he’s stubborn and won’t accept the thought of us.”
“It’s his loss but thank you for trying.” She kissed the corner of my mouth. “You’re a good man.”
“I want to be a better man for you.”
“You don’t have to change a thing.” We kissed again. “You’re the man I fell in love with.”
“You know who I am and you love me anyway.”
“You’re not as bad as you make yourself out to be.”
“What you did for my family, well, I know we don’t talk about it much but I’ll never forget it. Neither will they.”
“It was the right thing to do.”
“You’re more of a Marchelli than you realize.” I brushed my hand down her neck.
“I’ve always wanted to be a Marchelli.” She bit my bottom lip, igniting a slow burn inside my soul. One that would never be contained. “Yours.”
“Mine.”
“Do you remember our first date?” She straddled my lap, causing her dress to rise. “When we were in here?”
“When you were afraid to be alone with me?” I tangled my fingers in her hair, bringing her lips to mine.
“I’m not afraid now.” She licked her lips. “It would be a shame not to take advantage of Sal’s hard work.” She wiggled against my crotch. “Don’t you think?”
“We have a whole room of people waiting for us upstairs.”
“We can be quick.” She smoothed her palms along my chest. “I can’t resist you in this suit.”
“You don’t have to resist me.” I slid my hands under her dress. “And I promise, there won’t be anything quick about this. I’m going to give you a long, happy, and amazing life.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, Mr. Marchelli.”
“You’ll always be my angel...”
The End
Mafia Heat: Salvatore (Book Three)
THE STORY CONTINUES in Mafia Heat: Salvatore. You’ll get to explore the sweetest Marchelli brother while keeping up with the rest of this powerful, loyal, and loving family. More weddings, engagements, romances, skeletons, and blackmail await them. Old enemies resurface while new ones create havoc.
HAYDEN
Life isn't easy,
Something I learned the hard way,
While fending for myself.
Finally, I'm on my way.
My goals are within reach,
And the sexiest and most powerful bachelor in town,
Has his sights set on me.
But the help I got years ago,
Is now calling in the payback,
And it's going to cost everything,
Possibly destroy it all.
SALVATORE
One thing,
I only wanted one thing,
And that was to keep my business to myself,
Out of the illegal crap my family is embroiled in.
But when I see the talented and driven new chef,
Everything changes,
And I want so much more.
But her betrayal shatters us,
And ruins it all.
Continue on with this series:
http://authorellajade.com/mafia-heat/
Mafia Heat: Vincenzo (Book One)
Have you read Vincenzo and Nadia’s story?
Deception Never Looked So Good
NADIA
I needed answers,
The truth to the past,
But what I find changes everything.
A dead body,
A murderer,
And I'm the living, breathing eye witness,
Of a crime they'll do anything to hide.
Now, I'm on the run,
And slamming into the hard, rugged body of Vincenzo Marchelli,
Should send me racing for the hills,
But something calms me,
Gives me sanctuary.
I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
But it just may be the saving grace I needed all along.
VINCENZO
Liars, crime, coverups, and corruption,
As an attorney, I can spot it all a mile away.
As the son of a mob boss, it follows me everywhere.
But when Nadia literally lands in my arms,
With an unbelievable story,
I know one thing:
Her fear is real,
And my desire is ignited.
Come Hell or high-water,
I will protect her,
Save her,
Even if it means going against her biggest enemy,
My Family.
Book One in the Mafia Heat Series
All books stand alone
Contains Mature Content
Chapter One
NADIA
Wrong Place
When you’re young, you build people up in your head. Your dreams are bigger than they have any right to be. I never knew my father, but that didn’t stop me from wishing and hoping. Believing he was this amazing person. A doctor, a lawyer, a senator. The time for childhood fantasies had passed. The adult I’d become needed answers. Now that I knew who he was, did I really want to know who that made me?
Anxiety rose in my core as I trekked along the dark, humid docks. The stench of stale water and raw heat assaulted my senses. It was late. Later than any woman should be out in this part of town alone. I’d gotten a tip that this was where I’d find him, so instead of thinking things through, I acted on impulse. I hadn’t even changed out of my d
ress and heels. I’d come straight from work on the other side of Manhattan. No one knew where I went. It didn’t matter. Once I explained who I was, everything would fall into place. I hope.
Glancing at the GPS on my phone, the directions said I was at my destination. I thought I’d find an office or a business entrance, but all I saw were boats and slips, and abandoned buildings. There was a set of large, double wooden doors a few feet from me. The address matched where my investigator told me I’d find him. An unsettled sensation coursed through me as I crept toward the doors. The closer I got, the more I realized I’d headed into this unprepared. My brain screamed for me to turn around as my heart rate thumped between my ears. I’d come this far despite my mother’s pleadings to drop it. Now that I had a name, I understood why she didn’t want me to pursue this. As I approached the wooden structure, I fisted my hand and knocked but the doors weren’t secure. One of them inched open, creaking as it gave me access to a large, stuffy, dark warehouse. Stepping inside, the temperature shifted ten degrees hotter. Breathing became difficult in such a stifling environment. I shut the door behind me, gripping my phone in my hand, using it as a flashlight as I took in the empty space. The room was dim and dingy, and smelled of tobacco. Someone had been here recently.
“Hello,” I called. “Is anyone–”
The sound of yelling in the distance halted my inquiry. Men argued on the second floor. The voices became louder as the conversation grew more heated.
“Did you think you were going to get away with it?” A gruff voice asked. “We have people everywhere.”
“No, of course not. I didn’t betray your family,” someone defended. “It’s not what you think.”
“My father doesn’t see it that way.”
“Please, let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain. You were warned not to screw this up. You can’t be trusted.”
“I can. I swear I know where–”