Page 60 of Ruined in Vows

“Well, that tells me everything I need to know. I always thought you were worthy of my sister, Dante, but now I know for sure that you are. The first thing we do when we get backto The Hamptons, is dig as deep as we can until we find what we are looking for. Riccardo cannot be so clever that he has evaded us this far.” He pauses, brow raising. “Though our lack of finding any evidence would suggest otherwise.” He shakes his head. “That’s beside the point. He would have made a mistake somewhere. I am sure of it. We are just looking in the wrong places.”

I nod. “Yeah. He slipped up somewhere. We just have to find it.”

Nico hums thoughtfully.

“You don’t remember Riccardo and his reputation, but the man is a monster. We can’t let Allegra marry him. I’m just disgusted with myself that I agreed to it.” Shame coats his words. And though I have no recollection of our past, I somehow know the vulnerability he has shown during our conversation is rare.

From the moment I reunited with him he has been nothing but a mask of cool, calm and indifferent. I don’t know whether it’s because of what just happened with the fire, and there is too much adrenaline running through his veins right now, but tonight, he is letting every bit of guilt and shame bleed out of him.

“I fucking won’t let it happen,” I grate out.

Every time I think about myprincipessawith another man, my blood heats to an unnatural temperature, threatening to boil over and do damage that I might not be able to come back from. My possessive feelings toward Allegra are probably overkill, but I have seen the way Nico is with Ocean. So surely, he understands my actions when it comes to her.

Nico nods, turning around to face the front, just as we pull up to the airstrip. Grabbing my cell phone, I pull up the text thread with my angel, typing out a message.

Me: Just got to the plane. I won’t call because I want you to get some sleep but I will see you tomorrow. I love you.

She types back almost immediately.

My Angel: So, bossy. I love you too.x

Smiling, I slide my phone back in my pocket.

I may not remember our relationship.

But Allegra Marchetti is mine.

And I will kill anyone who thinks they can stand in the way of us being together.

Chapter 37

Allegra

Curled up on the couch with Mamma at the other end, I will for sleep to find me but it’s no use.

Sighing in frustration, I roll over to my other side, snatching up my cell phone from the coffee table. Dante messaged me hours ago, but never called. I’m pissed, though I know I shouldn’t be. If anything did go wrong, we would have heard something by now.

The room is dark, apart from the small flicker of light coming from the tv, and checking the time, I groan when I find that it's only 4:30 a.m. Glancing over to the other couch, Ocean sleeps soundly, with Romeo in the mobile crib beside her. My sister-in-law was just as annoyed as I was when Nico didn’t call. The message she sent my brother attested to that.

Pushing up into a sitting position, I jump when Mamma speaks. “What are you doing, honey? You need to get some sleep,” she says softly.

My gaze finds hers and I can just make out the lines on her concerned face when she pushes up to a sitting position, leaning against the arm of the couch. She yawns, evidence of her own exhaustion.

“What time is it?”

“Just past 4:30. I tried to sleep but it’s pointless. I will only relax when they are home,” I tell her honestly.

Scooting across the couch, Mamma takes my hand in hers. It’s a comforting gesture, but still, I find no solace in it.

“Everything worked out how Nico planned. Soon Dante will be back where he belongs.”

Smiling, I exhale. She is right, but still, I can’t help the nerves swarming my stomach. Wanting to change the subject, I mull over the question I have been wanting to ask her for a while now. And what better time to do it, than now. When it’s just us two. Sure, Ocean and my nephew are mere feet away, but they are sleeping. Now is my chance.

“What’s going on with you and Alessio?” I murmur softly.

Mamma freezes, her eyes snapping to me. She searches my face, swallowing. Guilt flashes across her features, but she has no reason to feel shame, so I tell her as much.

“If it’s any consolation, I am fully on board with it. I see the way he looks at you, Mamma. It's the same way Nico looks at Ocean. And the way Dante used to look at me before his accident. It’s–”

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