by C. M. Steele
“Fuck, you stupid bitch,” my stepfather roars, falling back onto the floor. I should shoot him again, but I don’t know if I have any bravado left.
“Damn, you shot him,” Tony says, his voice in complete awe as he takes the phone away from me. Domani says something I can’t hear.
“Yeah, well I’m not a good aim because I meant to hit him in the head. I’m exhausted,” I confess. Footsteps from behind catch me by surprise. I spin around, pointing the gun until I see it’s Enrico.
“Okay. Enrico, take her, and I’ll handle these assholes,” Tony grunts out, pointing his gun at my stepfather and his stupid bitch.
“Sorry,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
He takes the gun from me and shakes his head. “Man, Nico’s got his hands full with you, Ivy.”
“If he still wants me.” I follow him to the car meekly.
He chuckles as he holds the door open for me. “He’s going to spank that ass of yours for sure, but there ain’t no way he’s letting you go.”
We drive back to the estate in silence because I’m not sure what’s waiting for me, and the entire time I’m afraid of Nico’s reaction. Hell, everyone’s reaction. They didn’t want me with Nico because I was bringing trouble with me and now I could have gotten Domani’s men hurt as well.
As I get out of the car, standing there is an angry-looking Dom and a furious-looking Niccolò. Goodness, they could truly pass for twins if it wasn’t for the glasses and the bandaged shoulder.
I walk up to them, feeling the weight of their anger. “What part of ‘I own you’ don’t you understand? I’m not getting rid of you, so if you ever think of running again, I’ll tie your ass to the bed.” A part of me is aroused and worried at the same time. I know he wants to marry me, but after everything that happened, how can he still feel the same.
“I… I…”
“Okay—now that you’ve warned her, do you mind getting your ass back in bed? We have a wedding to be at tomorrow.” Domani points at me to get in the house.
“He’s bossy,” I whisper.
“He’s the boss,” Niccolò adds before taking my hand and leading me up to his bedroom. I don’t know what he’s going to say or do, but I know I’m in deep shit right now.
As soon as the door closes, he’s on me, his hand on my throat. It’s not in a cruel or painful way, but to get my attention loud and clear. His beautiful gray eyes bore into mine. “Why did you run from me?”
“Because… I didn’t want you to suffer because of me.” My tears are automatic, falling from my eyes because the truth is I’m a liability.
“Suffer? You leaving me is far worse than this shit.” He points to his bandaged shoulder. “I could have lost you twice today.”
“I could have lost you, too,” I challenge. I press my hand to the side of his face, rubbing the scruff growing.
“Yes, you saved my life without us being aware of it. It’s something that I’ll never forget, my sweet Ivy, but we also need to talk about you using a gun. Who taught you?”
I shrug. “No one. I just knew to point and aim after you took off the safety.”
“Well, you are an amazing woman, but just so you know, your father is still alive.”
“What? Why?”
“Because he was slick enough to wear a bulletproof vest. Apparently he knew his days were numbered.”
“Damn it. So I shot the asshole for nothing?”
“You can do it again if you want.”
“No, I’ve shot enough people today. Can you be mad at me tomorrow? I’m drained.”
“Let’s get you to bed.”
“I seem to remember this happening before,” I mutter, feeling so exhausted it’s unexplainable.
“Alas, there’s no garlic bread.”
“Well, doesn’t that suck,” I huff, happy to have the playful Niccolò back.
We lie down and cuddle, which sends me into a deep sleep. I suppose I overreacted a bit, but at least Niccolò doesn’t want to get rid of me. Now only the rest of the family hates me.
****
“Sugar, you have to get ready for the wedding.” I open my eyes to see Niccolò looking handsome in a black tuxedo.
“If you don’t mind… I’d like to stay here.”
He freezes, staring down at me with that I’m in trouble look. “I do mind, and you are going. Your dress is waiting for you along with the hair and makeup people,” he says with finality.
“Niccolò, I’m not going. Your sister-in-law and your cousin’s fiancée hate me.”
“No, they don’t.”
“You didn’t hear what they said.”
“Amore, Ivy, do you know what happens when you listen in? You hear things you want to hear. Aria and Mariana are upset that they made you think I would blame you and they hate you, but it’s not the truth.”
“Nico, open the door. I need Ivy’s cute butt getting ready.”
“See.” He opens it and Aria comes in, looking spectacular.
“Give us a minute. Domani needs you to calm Nero down before he hauls Mariana over his shoulder.” With a chuckle, Niccolò leaves us.
Aria shuts the door. “Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot multiple times, but I swear, never have I tried to upset you. I want you and Nico to be happy.”
“But last night...”
“Last night, I learned it was your father and all I could think about was how you would hate our family for what they had to do, and leave Nico.”
“You thought I would do the walking away?”
“Yes. See, when I was learning about you, I spoke to that bitch who lied to me. Ella told me you were super attached to your father, so I told my husband.”
“I used to like him, but even before my mother died, I could see he wasn’t a good man.”
“I’m sorry about your mother. We all don’t get to pick good men.”
“I’m sorry I was rude to you the other morning. Everything just seemed so overwhelming and not necessarily in a bad way.”
“I can be a lot to handle. Trust me, I bombarded Mariana the same way, but I honestly mean nothing bad by it. We’re sisters. Our men chose us, and I want us to feel like the queens we are.”
“I’ve never had a sibling, let alone a sister, so this is all new to me.”
“Well, I have a big sister and she still calls me a brat, so I’m a bit of a handful as she puts it.”
“Does Mariana mind that I’m at her wedding?”
“No, I don’t think so. I will mind if you don’t move your ass and get ready. I hear my husband is a bit of an animal and ready to caveman me out of this bitch, and Nico’s not in the best shape to wrestle with Nero.”
“Goodness, we better get moving.” I hop off the bed, and we rush back into the bedroom where the bridal party is getting ready. It’s not long before I’m sitting beside Niccolò as Mariana and Nero say their vows.
“You look good enough to eat,” Niccolò whispers.
“Again?”
“I could eat your pussy morning, noon, and night.” He says that a little louder, drawing attention to us. Niccolò only shrugs and smiles.
“Hey, write your own vows instead of stealing mine,” Nero says, causing Mariana to turn beet red as the small group of wedding guests laugh. The rest of the wedding goes off without a hitch, and true to his word, Niccolò made sure to eat me after the ceremony and once again before we hit the sheets.
Chapter Eleven
Niccolò
I decided to let Billy Vincent stew for over a week as Ivy and I prepared for our wedding. He treated his stepdaughter like shit, wanting to sell her off, and well, there’s no way I can tolerate that. I want him to watch how much she’s loved. Everyone in the family has welcomed my Ivy and as we say our vows, he’ll be forced to watch from our special place and once the ceremony is over, I’ll finish him off. His only saving grace was Ivy, but after the ultimate betrayal, he lost all appeal.
Aria and my mother have been putting together the wedd
ing while Mariana and Nero are on their honeymoon. They came back last night, so they don’t miss it. I walk down to the room in the basement under the garage.
“How are you doing, Billy boy?”
“Fuck off.”
“Such a mouth on you.”
“What the fuck do I care? You’re going to kill me no matter what I say, so I’m not going down like a little bitch.”
“That’s fine. You want to keep talking, I’ll take your tongue.”
“No, no.”
“Hey, so you do have limits. Enjoy the show.” I swing my arm, backhanding the fuck. “Another unkind word out of him, cut out his tongue,” I tell Frank, one of our men.
“Yes, boss.” Frank runs his hand over his knife with sick excitement. That does my soul good. Normally we don’t kill women, but that was before the stupid bitch from the café tried to kill my woman.
Ella was left in her apartment that night, strangled with Vincent’s belt. All the DNA leads straight to him, including between her legs, which he deposited before they were interrupted by Ivy. Although they won’t ever find him for proper prosecution.
I march back into the house where the wedding is taking place and find my best man. “Everything set?”
“Yes. Dom, is everything set here?”
“Aria says they’ll be ready in five minutes. Let’s go take our places, brother.” He claps my back before we start down the hall.
“Fuck, I’m nervous as hell.” The confession could mean a lot of things, but my brother knows damn well what I mean.
“Nothing’s going to happen, Niccolò. All people have been searched before the wedding and your queen wants to marry you, so there’s nothing to be worried about.”
“You’re right.” I flex my back, cracking my spine and releasing the tension in my body. The second Ivy enters, it’s just like the first time I saw her. All thoughts are fucked up, words are absent, and my soul clings to hers. Our eyes meet from under the veil as she walks on the arm of my father, who offered to bring my love to me. I’m in a trance.
As soon as she reaches me, she says, “I’m Ivy. Is there something I can get for you?”
“You forever, Sugar.”
“Okay. Coming right up.” We turn and face Father Falcone and begin our future.
My mouth is on hers before the words come out, but he says them anyway. “Now you may kiss your bride.” Our guests cheer as we continue to kiss. I only pull back long enough to scoop her up in my arms and carry her down the aisle. Once we’re out of sight of everyone else, I pin my bride against the wall and claim her mouth.
“Are you done for the evening?” she asks.
“No. I think I’ll wait until I’ve made you mine as my wife.”
“Sounds good to me.” I swoop her up and take the stairs to my old bedroom. Aria posted a beautiful ‘Just Married’ sign on our door. We enter the room, and it’s decorated with flowers and white and red petals all the way to the bed. “I can’t believe she did this.”
“She’s a bit overboard.”
“That’s for sure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now, Mr. Bianchi, I believe you need to collect a debt.”
“For a lifetime.”
****
“I came here to finish what I started.” I watch with pride as my wife stands before her stepfather. “You make my stomach roll with venomous hatred. You didn’t care for my mother when she fell ill. Even though you were my legal guardian, you betrayed me, left me unprotected, threw me to the lions, hoping that you could escape the hole you dug yourself. Do you have any last words?”
“You’re a filthy whore.” I lose it. I move her behind me and pick up the blade, grabbing his throat until his mouth opens. Grabbing his tongue, I slice it off. He screams as blood falls from his lips.
“I told you about that shit. That’s your last insult. I hope it was worth it because I enjoyed silencing you.” I spit in his face and turn to my wife, kissing her hard as fuck before pulling away. “Finish him. We have a reception awaiting us, my queen.”
She smiles up at me and nods. I step out of the way as she takes the gun and aims. “I’ve had a week of practice.” She pulls the trigger, hitting him in the nuts, proving her shot intentional. When he finally looks up, she ends him with a shot between the eyes.
“Please clean up this mess and join us,” she informs my men.
“Yes, Mrs. Bianchi.” They bow their heads in respect. We strip out of the splatter shields and then I drag her out of the room. Finding the next closed door, I push it open and lift my wife against the wall. Mouth on hers, I raise her dress and then free myself. With a thrust, I slam into her warmth, drilling her over and over. The sounds of our grunts and moans, singing in the air.
“I love you, Ivy Bianchi. No one will ever harm you again.”
“Fuck me, Nico,” she cries out. Rarely does she call me Nico unless she’s about to come.
“Come, amore. Coat my cock and show me who owns you.”
“Oh God.”
“No. I own you. Remember that. I own your orgasms, my love. Only me.”
“Nico, I’m coming.” Her legs flex around my waist, tightening her grip on me while her walls squeeze my length. I give her three quick pushes before filling her, sending my load all over her womb, right where it belongs.
Panting and sweating, I can only hear my racing heart. Ivy rests her head on my chest as we slide down to the floor.
A pounding on the door pisses me off. “What?”
“Hey, Mama wants you to clean her sewing room with disinfectant when you’re done,” Dom says, laughing hysterically. I look around and chuckle. Fuck. “Oh and she needs her portable sewing kit. Someone’s dress has a tear.”
“I think I need it first,” Ivy says, blushing and laughing.
“Oops.”
“I needed that.”
“Anything for you, my wife.”
Epilogue
Ivy
I stare at these papers, attempting to do the work so Niccolò doesn’t have to work twice as hard running the company and doing the café’s accounting, but it’s futile. I suck at numbers without a doubt.
“What are you still doing in your office, Mrs. Bianchi?”
“Niccolò, what are you doing here?”
“I was waiting to take my wife home, and I find her with her head buried in paperwork.”
“Oh well… see… I… well, I tried to do the bills.”
“Sugar, get your pretty bottom up. It’s time to go home.”
“What about this stuff?”
“I can handle it, beautiful, but what I can’t handle is my very pregnant wife stressing herself out. I’ve hired more people to give you a break.”
“What about your break?”
“Sweetheart, you’re too cute. I might have a new passion.” He pulls me in for a deep kiss and when he pulls back, he continues. “But numbers are my next favorite thing. The figures for the café are simple for a guy like me. Now, let me take you home and massage your tired feet, feed you, and then fuck you into a nice, deep sleep.”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“I ask myself that every day, Ivy.” We share another kiss before leaving the café and get into the back of the SUV. Since the shooting, Niccolò has started protecting us like Domani does Aria. Because he’d spent his years with less security, he’d become lax, and that’s when my father decided to attack.
Niccolò informed me that there’s a truce with the Denalis after a surprising turn of events with Marie. All I have to say is that I’m grateful that mess has been dealt with and it’s over; the thought of a full-out war was too scary to imagine. According to Niccolò, it wasn’t necessarily going to be a bloodbath but rather a financial battle, which is the key to bringing down an empire these days.
“Are you well, my love?”
“I am. Can we get some Chinese?”
“Cravings?”
“Yes. They are going wild today.”
“I’ll order
it now.” He places the order, knowing what I love without having to ask. Once it’s done, he puts away his phone and then kisses my palm. “I live for you, Ivy.”
“I love you, Niccolò. You make life worth living.” He’s on me, kissing me roughly. He gets turned on any time I say, “I love you.” With a groan, I nudge him off me.
“Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The Chinese will have to wait.” I cry out in pain.
“Hospital, now,” Niccolò barks at Tony.
“Yes, sir.” We get to the hospital quickly, but it feels like an eternity as my body tightens and relaxes. The contractions are less than three minutes apart as they wheel me into a labor and delivery room.
“Where the fuck is the doctor?”
“Mr. Bianchi, please remain calm. The doctor’s on his way,” the nurse says.
“Did you say him? Where is her doctor?” Niccolò snarls. My husband doesn’t speak to others unless he has something to say and right now, he’s got a lot.
“She’s not available at the moment.”
“What the fuck do you mean?” His brow arches, face turning icy cold.
“She’s not available. Relax, Mr. Bianchi. Your wife needs a doctor, so just stay calm and comfort her. The doctor’s not interested in seeing her stretched canal.”
“You’re lucky you’re a woman.”
“Whatever, grumpy man. I don’t have time for this. Your wife needs help, and you can’t pick and choose who’s available.” She moves past him to me. “Mrs. Bianchi, I need to get you ready.”
“Okay.”
The door opens and the doctor that comes in has to be at least sixty, which thankfully calms Niccolò. “Hello, I’m Doctor Maris. Mrs. Bianchi, Mr. Bianchi, please remain calm and let’s see how far along you are.” I cry out before he gets to adjust his chair. “Okay, let’s wait for it to pass. Mr. Bianchi, take your wife’s hand and let her squeeze through the pain.”
“Why is she in so much pain?”
“Labor is painful. We would offer her meds, but we don’t know if she’s too far along.” The doctor looks at me. “Ready?” I nod. With a gloved hand, he checks my entrance. “Whoa.”