Page 5 of Mafia King's Surprise Baby

Mattia steps up to me, and I shake myself from the Bianca-induced stupor.

“I hadn’t seen her since the night of her departure gala.”

“Yeah. After Switzerland, she stayed in Paris.Padrepreferred for us to visit her in Europe rather than for her to come home.”

“Sorbonne, right?” Seems he’d mentioned it a couple of times.

“Yeah. And thanks to it, she can have an argument with an empty room.”

He places a hand on my shoulder. I tense.

“Listen, Leo. I can count only on you. You know Bianca, she knows you. It won’t seem strange if you’re around her tonight. I need you to keep an eye on her. Can’t let any of those pissed fuckers try to get it on with her, you know.”

I gulp. “Because she’s promised to Abrashi.”

“Yeah. I know I can count on you, my brother.”

Fifteen minutes ago, I would’ve agreed with him wholeheartedly. All of us on the East Coast need this alliance with the Albanians. RICO—The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which can nab someone for two acts of racketeering or other relevant crimes over a ten-year period—fucked us up already when it happened in the seventies. It severely limited the scope of our operations. Ruthless, fearsome competition like the Albanians’ would strike the death blow in areas we do still control.

Except now, I’ve seen Bianca Bonucci again.

And the last thing I want is to let her out of my sight.

Because if I had my way, she would be mine.

Chapter 2

Bianca

Hana’s looking like a dream. The fragile lace closes like a frock over the satin bodice and long skirt, covering her slight frame like a smattering of delicate petals spun by a master weaver.

“You are so gorgeous. Mattia won’t know what hit him.”

I expect her to laugh, but the small smile on her face looks strained.

“Wait, you’re not getting cold feet, are you? Did you send me to see if the guys were here so you could do a runner?”

She huffs. “I’m still here. I know my duty.”

Her words make me blink. I draw closer to the standing mirror.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

She sighs, then forces on another smile. Brighter, but only just.

“It’s the jitters.”

I place my hands on her shoulders and meet her eyes in the mirror.

“Mattia loves you.”

She nods, the smile still stiff.

“Hana, you’re scaring me.”

She reaches up and clasps one of my hands.

“Don’t you worry about me. Come on, let’s get this veil on.”

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