Page 24 of Luciano (Belles & Mobsters 1)

“We don’t want to go anywhere with you,” she hissed.

“I don’t give a shit about what you three want. But I know you are coming with me. Or maybe I’ll drag your kid with me and allow you to follow like a dog.”

Her eyes flashed in anger and hate. “Asshole,” she muttered.

I watched her weigh all her possibilities, her facial expression changing. The moment she resigned herself to the realization she had no other choice, I could see it in her eyes. I smirked; it took her long enough. But resignation wasn’t the only thing lingering in her violet gaze; there was fury and detest in there too.

Pure hate. I would know; after all I was intimately familiar with the feeling.

“Fine,” she spat out. She shared a glance with Ella, then a quick nod by my wife. Those two would give us problems; I had no doubt about it. “But Ella stays with us the entire time. Even when we get back to the States.”

I should tell her no. She doesn’t get to set rules. I wanted to punish her; make her regret ever going against me.

“If not, you might as well kill us all now,” my wife added in a false bravado. There was a hint of fear in it but also something telling me she meant it.

“Fine, she can stay with us.” Fuck, did those words just leave my mouth? She’d always had this effect on me; made me want to do right by her. Till she burned me and stabbed me in the back.

“Thank you.” Her gratitude surprised me. I didn’t expect it, probably didn’t deserve it either. Her voice was small, and she tore her gaze away from me and gave her friend a small nod in a silent agreement.

I could always take the offer back, I assured myself. It wasn’t as if I owed my wife anything.

We strode towards the gate that would take us outside and to my own private plane. Mario led the way, the two women after him with Massimo and I following behind. I wouldn’t risk her escaping again.

I watched my wife’s rigid back as she walked in front of me. Her son kept peeking over her shoulder at me. He didn’t look anything like his mother. He babbled something to his mother and Grace’s posture immediately changed.

“In a little bit,” she murmured softly to his unknown question. The loud engine of the airplanes was the only noise surrounding us while we walked towards the steps of my plane,Vitale Enterprise.

My wife’s step faltered and she stopped right before taking the first step. I saw desperation and tears glistening in her breathtaking eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Always so stubborn. Ella was half way up. Seeing Grace falter, she paused too. The two friends locked their eyes, unspoken words but understanding in them.

She turned to face me. “Why do we need to come?”

I jerked my head at Massimo to let him know to keep on going. I could handle my wife. He climbed up the stairs and nudged her friend into the plane.

“First, because you are my wife,” I told her.

“I want a divorce,” she cut me off. I ground my molars to keep my cool. “Leave us here. I know you said divorce doesn’t happen in your world. But annulment does.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I need something from you first.”I need to fuck you out of my system and bring down your entire family.I kept those words wisely to myself. “And in order to get an annulment, your physical presence is needed in the U.S.”

Fuck, I hoped that was true. I was making shit up as I went. Her eyebrows scrunched as she processed my words.

“All our possessions are here,” she muttered. “All my son’s toys. Everything.” We locked gazes. “You could leave us so we can at least pack properly.”

God, she really thought I was an idiot. She’d disappear, and it would take me another three years to find her. If I was lucky.

“No. I already have one of my local men packing up your stuff. It should be right behind us.”

She let out an exasperated sigh.

“I’ll give you whatever you want.” My cock stirred to life at her offer to give me whatever I wanted. If she only knew! “I’ll sign any paperwork, tell you anything. Please, Luciano. Leave us here.”

“You are starting to piss me off, Grace,” I gritted instead. She was so good at tearing down my control. I was half tempted to bend her over, right here and fuck her. But her son was in her arms. Fuck! “Get on the plane.”

“Aereo, Mamma,” her son babbled.

---