Page 103 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

But the second I heard the words of her husband’s illness, as I stalked their home from the bay in the middle of a storm, I knew our lives were forever intertwined. She was mine and nobody would dare to touch her or her daughters.

“Stubborn motherfucker,” Luca muttered but the discussion was concluded.

Just as I was about to go inside, all our cell phones beeped. Sliding the message open, I cursed under my breath.

“We’ve been hit,” Luciano announced.

“Us too,” Cassio said, fury lacing his voice.

Three sets of eyes came to me.

“Me too.” We all knew who coordinated it. “Benito is on the move,” I told them, dialing up Leonardo. It was expected Benito would retaliate, but I hoped he’d leave out Luciano, Cassio, and Luca.

He answered on the first ring. “We’ve been hit. Bratva with that motherfucker King.”

We knew which King family members he was talking about - Benito and Marco.

My free hand clenched into a fist. “What’s the damage?”

I fucking hate criminals without a code pissing all over my territory or stealing my product. It just ruined my mood and my day. And it started off so good.

“Five dead bodies, entire shipment of goods. Fifty million. But we got one of them alive here. Sings Russian real nice.”

“Good,” I snapped. “Keep him alive until I get there.”

I hung up, seething fury cursing through my veins. Bianca was my wife, this was my town and my territory. If Benito thought he did a number on me with this hit, he had another thing coming.

“I’ll compensate the three of you for the damage,” I told the men that have been my closest friends for a very long time. The only one I’d ever choose above them was Bianca and our kids.

“Don’t worry about that shit,” all three of them responded. “We got it covered.”

These men always had my back. I never had to worry about one of my best friends going rogue.

“No matter what, Nico,” Cassio warned. “You keep her and her kids safe. Luca and I will stay around a few more days. The Italian Ambassador is having his annual gala. I want to make sure Benito doesn’t get his paws on those Amalfi properties. I just have to give the old ambassador an incentive to invite Luca and I.”

“Bianca already got us invited,” I told him.

Cassio and Luca looked shocked. I didn’t blame them. The Italian Ambassador has been a tough nut to crack. He played nice with me, but only because of my vast real-estate portfolio and my legitimate side of the business that rivaled top companies in the world. But I knew he was on Benito’s payroll.

“How?”

I shrugged. “He liked her. We’ll go together.”

“Do you think Bianca will mind if we stay here a week?” Cassio asked. “That way we can keep an eye out on the house. I won’t be surprised if Benito tries something. I want to be close-by if something happens.”

“I’ll tell her you two are nosy motherfuckers, and it is either here or with us at our place. She’ll choose here.”

Cassio and Luca flipped me a bird at the same time.

“Luciano, are your men driving home with you?” I asked him. I didn’t want anything happening to his family. He went through hell himself to get them back.

“Yes, we are good.” Luciano came beside me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Before I go, I’ll say this and you won’t hear another word from me.” I arched an eyebrow at him. “When Romano killed my mother and sister, I was furious. You’ve seen me. I used Grace against them. But the one that paid the highest price was my wife. I lost her for three years. Don’t repeat my mistake.”

“I am not repeating the same mistake,” I said wryly. I made a promise that I’d keep her safe, so I would. Until my dying breath. It was my commitment to her and myself. And I haven’t broken a promise yet.

Bianca and the twins were under my protection now.

“Don’t worry,” Cassio added sarcastically. “If our sister runs, we’ll help her.” Then his mouth tugged up into a slight smile. “Though I have a feeling we’ll have to put up with Nico as a brother-in-law for the duration of our life.”

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