Page 84 of Tainted Princess
“So much excitement tonight, Enzo,” he gushed, his smile wide but not reaching his eyes. “It seems we both have introductions to make as well.” He gestured to behind him, beckoning someone over. I turned and spotted a man in his early thirties with blonde hair leaning up against the wall. He looked like he was hittin’ on Amber, and she was doin’ her best to make sure I noticed. Jealousy was her go-to technique when it came to gettin’ my attention.
Well, good luck, sweetheart. He was welcome to her.
The man, however, seemed about as interested as I was, because as soon as Anton got his attention, he headed straight over, standing behind the old man and puffing up his chest.
“Enzo, this is my nephew, Gregor.” Anton looked fuckin’ pleased with himself, as if the kid was his own son. As far as I knew, Anton only had a daughter, and she was somewhere back in Russia. “Gregor has just returned from the old country and is ready to step up in the organization.”
I gave Gregor a non-committal chin lift, letting him know that he may be Anton’s blood, but he was far from being welcomed into my circle of trust. Although Anton himself had been dancing in and out of that circle lately. Fuckin’ guy was pissing me off with his vague non-answer bullshit every time I asked him a question.
I looked to Rock, standing near the railing with Lexi and Fox, and he caught my eye. Knowing Rock like I did, I knew that no matter how distracted he seemed, the guy always had one ear turned my way, ready to jump into action at the slightest provocation. When he narrowed his eyes and tilted his head toward Gregor, I knew he was on the same page as me; this guy was new, and as such, he needed to be watched.
Maybe it was time to bring Tricky Chris in on this. No one could get in and out of places better than him, and if a little recon was needed on this new player, Trick was the guy for the job.
I made a note to call him later.
Anton, still smiling like a loon, cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows.
“Now, Enzo, who is the enchanting creature beside you? She must be special, walking in here and shooting her mouth off like she has the balls to back it up.”
Fuck this guy.
“Anton,” I said, reaching again for Francesca’s hand. “Allow me to introduce Francesca.” I leveled him with a glare. “My wife.”
The sound of shattering glass drew all our attention, and I turned to see Amber standing behind my chair, her face a picture of horror and fury. At her feet, the remnants of the drink she’d held lay in a puddle of what I knew would be Cristal, while her eyes shot daggers my way.
Anton chuckled. “Wife? Well, congratulations are in order! Although,” he glanced at Amber, who now stood near the bar, arms crossed and glaring, “it would seem we are all a bit surprised by this news, yes?”
“Well,” I said with a shrug, “when you know, you know. Francesca and I moved quickly in our relationship. We didn’t want a lot of fanfare. Just needed to make it official.”
Beside me, Francesca snorted, and I squeezed her hand, a silent warning to play along. She needed to be on board here, regardless of her feelings. Her life depended on it.
But, of course, Francesca once again surprised me.
“Enzo, you make it sound so clinical,” she said lightly, slapping me on the arm. She smiled at Anton like we were at a dinner party and not an underground mixed martial arts fight. “Enzo’s father and mine are old friends. When Enzo was in New York recently, we crossed paths and from the first moment we laid eyes on each other it was inevitable. We were married as soon as possible, and I headed right out here so we could start building our lives together.”
Not a single word she spoke was a lie, but it made our story into a whirlwind romance and not a sordid affair involving the New York Mafia, a federal investigation, and what was essentially blackmail.
Oh, and a murder. Couldn’t forget about Lenny.
And I realized that that was Francesca’s magic; she could take all the dark and dirty parts of my life, the parts that would make the average woman run screaming, and make them into something palatable and presentable and fit for human consumption. Francesca was the shiny coat of paint on the rusted-out car that was my life. She would make my sins look like virtues and not be afraid to dance with my devil.
I hadn’t realized how appealing I would find that kind of thing, but now that I had it, I didn’t want to lose it. To have a woman I could come home to every night and not have to hide my work from, a woman who not only knew about my darkness, but embraced it and welcomed it, was a boon I hadn’t expected and likely didn’t deserve.
But, Francesca was mine now. And like the priest said...till death do us part.
“Well,” Anton said, raising his glass. “Congratulations.”
I raised my own glass in acknowledgment, freezing when Gregor began to speak rapidly in Russian. Whatever he said caused Anton to frown, and I looked at Francesca for clarification, but she met my eyes firmly and gave her head a small shake.
Smart. She wanted to listen and not be found out.
The two of them went back and forth a bit before Anton barked out something that shut the conversation down. I saw nothing in Francesca’s expression that gave any indication one way or another what they were talking about, and though my curiosity burned, I knew she’d tell me later. But she was right; playing the long game was the best move.
Fuck, watching her navigate this world was so fuckin’ hot.
Anton looked back to me, his gaze roving over Francesca in a way I didn’t particularly like.
“You must be careful with this one, Enzo. In this town, word travels fast.” I knew what he meant; people would use the news of my marriage as a way to hurt me. But I wasn’t about to run scared, not when I was currently on top.
