Page 59 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

I was so mad, I could spit fire. No sooner than I was out of the shower with my hair wrapped to dry, three women strode into my bedroom.

“Hey Nico,” a red haired woman greeted him. She was beautiful, her red hair a stark contrast against her light skin and the most unusual colored eyes. I had never seen anyone with those indigo colored eyes.

Nico strode over to her and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Grace, thank you for coming on such short notice. Luciano is here too, I presume.”

I didn’t want to examine why it bothered me to see him kiss another woman. I scoffed out loud and everyone’s eyes came to me. I didn’t give a shit. He was practically dragging me down the aisle, I had every right to be disgruntled.

Grace returned her attention to Nico and answered his question by rolling her eyes and chuckling. “Of course. I think he’s still worried I’d take off and leave him.”

I raised my eyebrow. That was an odd thing to say. Maybe she was forced too, although right now she looked happy. Her unusual colored eyes shifted to me, and I offered her a tight smile. I couldn’t feign happiness right now, and certainly not this early.

“Grace, this is Bianca Morrelli.” Nico started the introduction and my head snapped to him.

“Not yet.”

Grace chuckled.

“That’s right, Nico,” Grace agreed with me, surprising me. “Not yet. Now, go hang out with the boys until the bride is ready.”

I bit my lip to stop myself from saying I’d never be ready. After all, I agreed to marry him, but changing it up on me without even discussing it with me first, rubbed me the wrong way.

Nico’s gray eyes met mine and just like always, I couldn’t tell a damn thing he was thinking.

He strode over to me and pressed a kiss on my cheek, sending unwelcomed shivers down my spine. “See you in a bit,” he whispered low into my ear.

“Nico, remind Ella to help with the girls’ dresses,” Grace shouted after him, then turned her eyes at me. “I got them flower girl dresses. Ella is great, you’ll love her. She helped me raise Matteo when we were on the run.”

Huh?

She chuckled as if she could hear my thoughts. “It’s a long story. But you can trust her.”

“If I knew I was getting married today, I would have taken care of it myself,” I muttered. “Or ran. The latter sounds like a better plan.”

She tilted her head and her eyes softened.

“I know how you feel. My beginning with Luciano was rough.” Her face lit up at the mention of her husband. “Really rough, but I couldn’t be happier now. And trust me, despite Nico’s hard exterior, he’ll be good to you and your girls.”

I huffed at that statement. He just fucking threatened me and my girls.

“Trust me on this, Bianca,” she added. “Everything isn’t always as it appears.”

I smiled but her statement didn’t make me feel any better. Even if he turned out to be as Grace said, a time would come where I would have to leave. For my daughters’ sake.

For the next hour, Grace, the hairdresser, and the makeup artist transformed me into a bride. I could hardly recognize myself. This wedding gown was exquisite, just what I would have picked out if I shopped for a wedding dress. The strapless bodice hugged my curves and had an open back. The dress waterfalled down to the ground with a long train. It was elegant with a wow effect, yet still simple. It even had matching wedding slippers with a three inch heel.

The hairdresser recommended putting my hair into a loose but fancy bun. I let her do whatever she wanted but she was right. It left my neckline open and Nico sent the most extravagant piece of jewelry I had ever seen. It would be the only jewelry I’d wear, besides the rings.

“Nico is going to lose his shit,” Grace and Ella announced at the same time. I found that those two often thought in sync. Whatever they went through, it made them very close. It made me a tiny bit jealous that I never had that and never would, since sooner or later, I’d be living who knew where. Maybe I had a few years or maybe just a few months. “I bet he doesn’t make it through the whole ceremony before his hands are all over you,” Ella teased.

I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about that or not. Ella married Luciano Vitale’s cousin. Luciano was Grace’s husband. I guess it was appropriate that two best friends married two cousins that also happened to live together.

I wondered if William was rolling over in his grave. I was getting married in the home we built together, our house and lawn were flooded with mobsters and their wives.A small wedding, I was told, but everywhere I looked, there were people. Probably bodyguards to all the damn mobsters.

“You ready?” Grace asked.

I wasn’t. I would never be ready, but it wasn’t as if I had a choice. Instead, I nodded because I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

Grace and Ella shared a look. “Do you need a few more minutes?” A few minutes wouldn’t be enough, I wanted to say. Instead, I just remained silent. “Everything will be okay,” Grace said with conviction that I didn’t feel.

---