Shifting my eyes to the side, I squeeze his wrist. “How did you know?” I ask.
He chuckles, leaning forward he touches his lips to the side of my head. “I can tell by the way that you look at me when you want more. Plus, I always want more, so I’m pretty much always down to fuck you, baby.”
“You’re terrible,” I rasp.
He snorts. “I know, it’s why you love me. Now get dressed. Make sure you’re in your armor. You may need it today.”
His hand falls away from my face and I’m forced to release my grip on his wrist as he stands to his feet and brushes the legs of his suit pants.
“Why?” I ask, still not moving from my warm place in bed.
His eyes lift to mine and I watch as his lips twitch into a smirk. “Because, this is a man’s world, Nicci and you’re going to prove to them that you’re competent to run it.”
Gulping, I look down to my lap, then lift my gaze back up to meet his. “Run it?”
Benicio licks his bottom lip before he smirks. “Yeah, passerotta. So far, the plan is that you’re going to run the legitimate businesses and I’m going to do the rest.”
“Run them?” I exhale.
“Fucking own them, baby. You’re going to rule them. You can do it. I have faith in you. Now hop up.”
Without another word, he turns from me and I watch his back as he walks out of the bedroom door, closing it behind him.
Run them.
Run these businesses?
How on earth did this happen?
My lips slowly turn up into a smile. I may not have a fancy business education. I may not have a lot of things, but there’s one thing that I do have and that’s Benicio’s faith that I’ve got this. That I can handle this and that is worth more than anything in this world.
I’ve got this.
I’m going to do this and I’m going to be better than any other man in my position.
Just watch me.
Chapter Twenty-One
BENICIO
My cock hardens immediately at the sight of her at the doorway of my office. She’s wearing a dress today, it wraps around her, showing off a fair amount of cleavage.
It’s tight, encasing her curves perfectly. Her heels are dangerously high and her makeup is absolutely fucking flawless—everything about her is flawless.
“Ready?” I ask as I clear my throat.
She nods, trying to keep her back straight and her body language confident. I can tell that she’s nervous as fuck. She doesn’t need to be though.
I have complete fucking confidence that she’s going to do what I’ve asked of her and do it without issue.
Standing to my feet, I walk over to her, holding my palm out for hers. She looks from my hand to my eyes, then slips her palm in mine.
Clearing my throat, I smile and the two of us head out to the car. Ermanno and Costa are waiting for us, they’re going to ride with us. I want them in on the meeting as well.
Not so much because I need them to know what’s going on, more that I want the committee to understand that I have men at my back just in case they try to get heavy handed with shit.
“We have one stop to make, you know where you’re going?” I call out to Costa as we arrive at the vehicle.
Costa smirks, looking between me and Nicola before he jerks his chin. “I know where it is,” he says.
Without another word, we all pile into the black sedan. Costa and Ermanno in the front, me and Nicola in the back. I don’t release Nicola’s hand. I feel like she may need the physical support. She has it all from me, anything that she could ever want, it’s hers.
The ride toward our first stop is in silence. I can’t help but grin, knowing exactly where we’re going and I’m fucking excited.
The car pulls into the parking lot and I’m the first one to open the door, ridiculously unable to control myself, I practically rip Nicola’s arm off to get her out of the car.
“Where on earth?” she asks, but then her entire body locks up.
“You’re my fiancée, Nicola. You need a ring,” I say, tugging her arm.
Her feet become unstuck and she finally follows me inside of the small jewelry shop. I called ahead and had them pull five engagement rings for her to choose from.
They aren’t traditional, because she’s not traditional. They are big though, and there will be no mistaking that she is indeed taken.
“I’m Benicio Martinelli, we had an appointment,” I call out as soon as we walk through the front door.
Both Costa and Ermanno are outside watching the doors. I don’t think there will be a problem in here, but you never know in this life who will try and fuck with you, or where.
“Yes, I have what you requested right here. You can have a seat if you’d like,” he offers, dipping his chin toward the two plush chairs across from a small desk.
Nicola and I walk over to them and I hold the chair out for her, but don’t sit down myself.
Instead, I choose to walk around the store a bit, see if anything catches my eye. I hear the jeweler tell her about the pieces that he picked.
“Benicio?” Nicola calls as I look down at a tennis bracelet. Lifting my gaze to meet hers, I tilt my head to the side in question. “I asked if you had a preference?”
Shifting away from the case, I go back to her side. Sinking down in the chair next to her, I finally take my first look at the rings. One catches my eye especially, but I don’t want this to be about what I want, this is for her.
“Which do you like?”
I watch her reach for the one that I like the best. She picks it up, turning it from side to side. It’s so fucking gorgeous, it’s her.
“This is a blue sapphire, emerald cut, in a halo setting surrounded by white diamonds and set in rose gold. It’s one of our most exquisite pieces,” the jeweler offers. Which is code, for it’s one of the most expensive pieces.
“Try it on,” I urge.
Nicola looks down at the ring, then back up to me. Her eyes search my own and I’m not sure what she’s looking for in them, but whatever it is, she must find it because she nods, then turns back to the ring and slowly slides it on her finger.
The ring is so fucking huge. The stone takes up the entire space from knuckle to knuckle. It looks fucking amazing on her.
“It’s the same color as your eyes,” she finally says, her gaze never leaving the stone.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s expensive. I already know that it is.”
I snort. “Nothing is too expensive for you. This is the one,” I say, jerking my chin toward the jeweler.
His smile could light up the fucking nation it’s so big. He rings up the ring and I hand him my card, unable to take my eyes off of Nicola.
She’s mesmerized by the ring, she moves it from side to side in the store lighting, watching it twinkle.
“Thank you, Mister Martinelli,” the man says as he slides my receipt toward me.
Quickly, I sign the paper before I collect my fiancée. It’s such an odd title. Yes, she’s my fiancée, but really, she’s so much more than just the woman I’m about to marry. She’s not just some mafia wife.
She’s my partner.
That is something that doesn’t happen in this world, but with us, I think that it’s a need.
Nicola needs the sense of control that being a partner in this world will give her.
Sure, I could tie her up, and I still will, but I want that to be fun for us. I want that to be about pleasure and nothing else.
She needs more than just being tied up and fucked. She’s been searching, been trying to find her place. Her father tried to create a place for her, but he was so very wrong about the woman that she is, the woman that she was meant to be.
Nicola was always supposed to be a queen, a ruling queen by her king’s side. She was never meant to be a whore or a mistress. She wasn’t meant to be a fall woman either.
Maybe Quirino and Mauro always knew that and it’s why they abused
her and used her the way that they did, so that she would never know her true potential.
Not any fucking more.
NICOLA
The ring glitters, it’s too big for my finger, but it’s also perfect. I was instantly drawn to it, not because of its size, but because it is exactly the shade of Benicio’s eyes.
I’m lost in the concept, in the thoughts of our future, one that I never thought that I would have, especially not with him.
An office building comes into view and Benny grunts as Costa pulls into a spot. “We all take the back seat on this, Nicola is the lead,” he announces.
Costa and Ermanno both turn around and I hold my breath waiting to see angry glares from them, but they never come. Both men nod their heads and give me a small smile.
A few moments later we’re all four riding up in an elevator in silence. I am a complete nervous wreck, but I continue to stare at my ring, hoping that it will somehow calm me down.
“You know what this is for?” Benicio finally asks me as the elevator car climbs.
I almost laugh that he’s only telling me now what is about to go on in this meeting. Lifting my head, I turn to look up at him and give him a small smile.
“It’s for the two pieces of property that I bought. We want to make sure that it’s zoned C8: General Service District. So, that we’re able to do any type of commercial use or manufacturing that we want to.”
“Good girl,” Benny coos.
I should hate that, but I don’t, not in the slightest. My lips turn up into a grin at his praise just as the elevator car doors open.
Inhaling a deep breath, all three men wait until I take my first step. In fact, they wait until I’m completely out of the car to follow behind me.
They are truly letting me lead and I can’t help but feel proud beneath all the butterflies fluttering around in my belly.
I don’t know what this means, if this is real or just a test, but I’m going to do the best job that I possibly can to prove to him that I can handle the responsibility that he is giving me.
There is a desk with a woman sitting behind it in the middle of the room when we arrive.
She lifts her head, her eyes searching the men behind me and I watch as she gives them not only an appreciative once over, but a shy smile as well.
Clearing my throat, I take a step forward, away from the men behind me. “We’re here for our meeting with the zoning committee.”
I watch as she jerks her head, then nods once. “They’re waiting,” she says as she stands to her feet. “Right this way.”
The four of us follow behind her and I can’t help but notice that she’s dressed extremely similar to me. Tight skirt, high heels, clingy and low-cut top.
When she opens the conference room door, I’m taken aback slightly by the four men in power suits who all lift their heads and focus on me.
“Good afternoon, I’m Nicola Ricci,” I offer as I step inside.
One of the men stands, offering me his hand and introduces himself as Trevor Crane. I recognize him and his last name. This man is Costa’s father-in-law, Taylor’s father.
It’s confirmed when his eyes cut over to Costa and he dips his chin slightly before he sits back down in his chair.
“Have a seat and we’ll get started,” he says, giving me a tight smile.
Nobody questions me as the one leading this meeting and I’m a little taken aback. I assumed that I would have to make it clear that I was in charge, but they all focus their attention on me as they ask questions about the land that has been purchased under my name and what I would like to use it for.
“I think we all agree that any use of these properties is better than them sitting empty,” Trevor states once there is a lull in the conversation.
“Yes, but do we want those environmental impacts?” one of the men asks.
Trevor clears his throat, and I open my mouth but snap it closed when he begins to speak first. He tells the opposition that although there will be some environmental impacts, they are not as great as some industries and that the pros far outweigh the cons.
“Are we ready to vote, or do you have any more questions?” Trevor asks. I watch as his gaze cuts over to the man who spoke up just a few moments ago.
The room is silent and the four men vote. Three to one. Our zoning request passes and I can’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
Standing, I thank them and Trevor tells me that all the appropriate paperwork will be filed, and then I will receive a certified copy in the mail.
Finally, then we’ll be able to begin applying for construction permits to start the facilities.
We leave and it all feels very anticlimactic. Turning my ring on my finger with my thumb, I stare at my feet as we ride the elevator down. Benicio slides his hand around my hip and I feel his fingers squeeze me.
I don’t look up to him, I keep my head down and continue to fidget. He allows this until we’re in the car.
“Problem?” he asks.
Turning to him, I look up into his eyes and watch him for just a moment. “You already talked to them before we even went in there, didn’t you?”
His eyes search mine, and then I watch as they almost dance. I hear Ermanno cough from the front seat and that’s when I know that I’m right.
Anger immediately floods my entire body. What was the point of building me up that way if he was just going to handle everything anyway?
“Your first meeting needed to go well,” he says with a shrug of his shoulder.
Turning my head from him, I look out the window. I bite the inside of my cheek knowing without a doubt that if I don’t, I’m going to snap at him. I can’t do that, not with his men in the car, even though I really really want to.
He doesn’t push me either, hopefully knowing that he was in the wrong. I feel so stupid, so embarrassed. I walked in there like I was head of something, like I had some kind of power when in reality, I had nothing.
Benicio wants me to feel like I have control, like I have power, but the hard reality is that I have nothing—still. Being his wife doesn’t change that, standing at his side like a blowup doll doesn’t change shit.
I’m still just a woman in a man’s world. I am still nothing but a vessel for his cock and an incubator for his children.
Nothing more.
I am still completely replaceable.
I am nothing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
NICOLA
We arrive back home and I want to yell and scream at him, but I don’t. It’s not worth it. He won’t care. It doesn’t matter. Making my way into the house, I don’t bother going to his office, instead I walk outside onto the back patio.
I just need to breathe for a moment. I just need to relax and come to terms with all of this. With the disappointment of my life, once again. I feel like I shouldn’t be as sad about this as I am.
He’s offering me more than any other man in the famiglia ever would. He’s offering me an illusion of control, even if it isn’t real, it’s more than a girl could ever hope for. I should be thankful, grateful for it.
“Nicola?” he asks, his voice soft as one of his hands wraps around my waist and his palm presses against my belly. “You’re angry.”
“No, I’m not,” I lie.
He doesn’t call me on it, though. Instead, he stays where he is, his chin lowering to the top of my head while we look out at the grounds. His fingers flex against my stomach after a few moments, but he still doesn’t speak.
“Why did you build me up like that, act like I had this control when in reality, I didn’t?” I finally ask.
He doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, he just lets out an exhale, almost as if he’s annoyed by the question, but I don’t care, he can be annoyed as far as I’m concerned. I still want to know why.
“You need control over aspects in your life and I want to give you what you need.”
“But you only want me to have the illusion?” I ask.
I feel him take a step back from me, then he turns me around in his arm and wraps his other one around my shoulders.
One hand at the small of my back, the other around my shoulder and he brings me closer toward him, so close that I have to tip my head back to look up into his eyes.
“It’s not just an illusion, Nicola. You have plenty of control and as the years go on, you’ll gain more and more, as long as you continue to make sound business decisions and stay in the know of what’s happening with the famiglia. I will keep you in the know as much as I can, too.”
“Their decision was made today. All I did was sit there and stare at them like an idiot,” I snap.
He dips his chin, his lips touching mine in a soft brush. “You appeared. You are making a statement and so am I just by having you there, standing front and center. Do not think it’s all for nothing, Nicola.”
“It’s for show, nothing more. Just another way to show off your whore,” I shout, trying to take a step back. He doesn’t allow it. His arms flex and he holds me against his chest, no matter how I fight, he keeps me right where he wants me.
Benicio shakes his head once, his dark blue eyes turning black and almost glittering as he looks down at me, his jaw clenched and his face so hard that it looks as if it’s made from stone.
“I’m tired of hearing the word,” he states.
“It’s what I am, no matter what, it’s what I will always be,” I whisper.
Benny snorts, shaking his head, his jaw still set tight. “You know I fucking hated you, called you a zoccola and everything else under the sun the past eighteen months,” he begins.
I flinch at his words, wishing that I could change the past and that I could unhear them, because unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that I have heard them. My eyes flutter closed and I wonder when he’s going to be finished hating me? Probably never.
“Nicola,” he snaps. My eyes open and I look up at him, waiting to see what he’s going to say next. “You aren’t that, baby. You’re smart, you listen and take in everything around you, but you’re only twenty years old. What kind of power can I just hand you? Regardless of how much I want to, I can’t give you everything on a silver platter. Some shit you’ve got to earn.”
Becoming his Possession: A Zanetti Famiglia Novel Page 17