Page 49 of Luciano (Belles & Mobsters 1)

“Luca, take my seat,” Luciano ordered him, barely keeping his anger at bay. What the hell was this man’s problem?

Luca muttered something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it. Each grabbed their plates and swapped seats. I caught Ella’s pointed look, as if she was telling meI told you so. I shrugged my shoulders, half tempted to stick my tongue at her.

“I’m not sitting on your lap either, Luciano,” I told him. And damn it if I didn’t feel my chest warm up and knew blush spread on my chest, neck and cheeks. I hated that my body temperature constantly skyrocketed around him. “So scoot over and bring me another chair.”

“Gees, you two sound like an old married couple.” It was Nico that spoke. I narrowed my eyes at him. His tan complexion spoke of his Italian heritage, similarly to Luciano’s. Nico appeared clean cut, but I could see hints of ink under his cufflinks. Probably a wolf dressed in fine clothing.

“Would all of you just mind your own damn business?” I wanted to scream at them that we weren’t married, we were separated. On our way to getting our marriage annulled. Why in the hell was everyone acting like nothing ever happened? But then I reminded myself of the plan and conversation Ella and I just had.

Everything about this situation was agitating me. The fact that my husband got me all hot and bothered, that he breathed, looked my way and that I was stuck in this situation. But maybe it was a sexual deprivation that made my temper flare up so quickly around him. While I had abstained from moving on with another man, I was certain Luciano had a phone book full of women at his beck and call.

With Matteo calm, I put him back into a highchair and sat myself next to my husband.Maybe I will use him,I thought to myself. If my uncle gets his hands on me; I’d be dead. Or wishing I was dead because what they’d have in store for me was worse than death. So, I should have tons of mind-blowing sex and use Luciano for it. Or was I using it as an excuse?

The question was whether I could keep my heart out of it.

Maria placed a plate in front of me. “I remember you don’t like parmesan. Little one doesn’t like it either.”

Maria has been with the Vitale family for a very long time and knew everyone’s dislikes and likes. It always amazed me how she observed everything. I never told her I hated parmesan.

“No, he doesn’t.” It was one of the few things he inherited from me. “Thank you, Maria.”

Satisfied that Matteo was back to eating his dinner, I took a bite of my own food.

“Grace, where in Italy did you all live?” Cassio asked.

I chewed up my food and swallowed before answering. “South.”

“How long were you there?” He was seemingly just making conversation but he was fishing for information.

“Not long.”

“Where were you before Italy?”

“Everywhere.”

“Where was your son born?” Luciano questioned me and my head snapped to him in agitation.

“What is this? Twenty questions?”

Silence stretched on while Luciano and I kept our stare down going.

“I love that game,” Luca finally broke the tense silence.

“You boys let Gracy be,” Nonno scolded them all.

If this situation wasn’t so fucked up, I’d laugh at him calling them boys. As it was though, it was impossible to laugh. I didn’t want to give them our life story, and everything we’ve grinded through from the minute we ran off. Yes, I contemplated sleeping with my husband, but I refused to give him anything else. I offered him my heart that day, and he threw it away.

“Luciano, do you have an attorney I could use?” I asked, changing the subject. I gave him a fleeting look and returned my eyes to my plate. I knew he’d question my reasoning so I shoved a spoonful of spaghetti into my mouth.

He scoffed. “What for?”

I slowly chewed up my food, aware of most men watching me. Except for Matteo and Nonno. Those two weren’t concerned about tensions between Luciano and myself.

I took a drink of my water and answered, setting down my glass. “So when I kill you and I’m put away, I have a guardian appointed for my son.”

I smiled sweetly at my husband and a startling realization hit me. I freaking enjoyed this. I enjoyed bickering with Luciano.

“Well, could you refrain from killing me?”

---