Page 44 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

It probably made me sound stupid. So be it. He could wait until our divorce to carry on his affairs.

“I don’t have a mistress,” he said softly, his mouth close to my ear. “And I told you already, Bianca. I only intend to have you in my bed.”

Relief spread through my body, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him. He returned the hug, and it felt so good to be in his arms again. Protected. I craved his closeness. My long abstinence has made an idiot out of me.

“It’s stupid,” I murmured against his chest, “but if you want to cheat, wait until our marriage contract is over.”

If someone would have told me I’d be having this conversation with a man I was about to marry, I would have laughed. And a mob head at that.

“What about you and John Martin?” His question surprised me, and I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze.

“No,” I told him. “John is a friend. I couldn’t do this marriage contract if we were more than friends.”

“Good,” he said, a satisfied smile on his face. “Because I told you already, I don’t share. So, let’s keep it this way. We won’t be seeing other people outside each other while we are married.”

I must be losing my mind because I eagerly nodded my head in agreement. “Let the countdown begin,” I joked, although it wasn’t really funny.

For the rest of the party, we mingled and made small talk with other people. Unlike William who tended to disappear and leave me to my own devices at social gatherings, Nico was very attentive and introduced me to everyone as his fiancé. Every single person went out of their way to be extra nice, except for women. But I smiled and played my part.

It didn’t take long for Nico to get pulled away by his business. I couldn’t help but wonder whether it was his legitimate or illegitimate business. But it wasn’t really my business, and it was better that I didn’t know.

I was left surrounded by strangers and trophy wives, feeling slightly at a loss. It was barely ten in the morning but the women were dressed up as if they expected to go out for an evening. Hands down, I wore the simplest dress around here.

The conversation topics were unrelatable. Vacations in Nice, yachts docked in Venice and Ibiza, gambling at casinos in Monte Carlo. And there was little old me. I had spent the past four years being a mother and wife. Nothing else.

Oh, and a recent thief,I reminded myself. After all, it was how I found myself in this predicament.

I excused myself from the circle of women and men, then headed out to the large balcony on the opposite side of the room.

The large French glass doors were wide open and fresh air flew through it. I couldn’t believe the empty balcony; it was the best spot on this floor. Instead, all the people crammed inside, as if they wanted to ensure they were seen.

Stepping out onto the large marble balcony, I took a deep breath and let the fresh air enter my lungs and the sounds of the busy street down below wash over me. The view in front of me was incredible. The National Mall stretched as far as the eye could see with the U.S. Capitol on the eastern end of it and the Washington Monument on the western side. I leaned over the balcony, hoping to get a glimpse of the Lincoln Memorial.

It was my dad’s favorite monument. He taught me everything and many of his lessons revolved around Lincoln's quotes.

Always remember, Bianca,I could hear his voice even now.Whatever you are, be a good one. And destroy your enemies by making them your friends.

He was absolutely right.

ChapterFifteen

NICO

Istood in the conference room with Jack Callahan, head of the East Coast Irish mob, and his nephew as they finished the phone call with Cassio. The only barrier between us and the rest of the party was the wall of frosted glass that provided the privacy we needed. The meeting with Jack was to wrap up the arrangements on the debt he owed to Cassio. The debt would be paid in the form of a marriage, except Jack was unaware of the decoy.

He’ll find out soon enough though, I thought wryly. And then shit was sure to hit the fan.

I couldn’t keep my eyes from constantly searching out Bianca, to make sure she was alright. After that little piece of information Bianca told me, I sent a note to Leonardo to run a deep check on Jenna through Cassidy Tech and any resources we had. I needed all the details on Jenna Palermo’s activities over the last two years. I used her to set the trap for William, to give him the side business. I took advantage of William’s weakness for women, in particular blonde women. Jenna never questioned why I needed William to do a job for me, and she didn’t know any details or reasoning behind it. But her job was never to sleep with him.

Albeit, I found it odd that she slept with William Carter. At least Bianca seemed to think she did. William wasn’t the type Jenna usually went for - not unless she was working. That woman was a snake in the grass, always aiming for men with money and power and willing to do anything for it. The only reason she was married to Gabito was because that connection was arranged by their parents.

My eyes lingered on Bianca’s form through the translucent glass doorway, in her simple day dress. She seemed like a leaf in the wind among this party, but not in a bad way. In fact, she stood out in the best way possible. She didn’t try to fit in or to impress. It was as if she was in her own world and nobody else mattered to her.

I thought back to her asking me whether Jenna and I were a thing. I didn’t expect Bianca’s open aversion to cheating although I welcomed it. It was refreshing. In my world, cheating and affairs were an everyday occurrence. Hell, even my own parents had lovers on the side. Nobody even batted an eye at it. But it really bothered Bianca.

If you want to cheat, wait till our marriage contract is over.

Uncharacteristic possessiveness overwhelmed me at the thought of her moving on. There would be no expiration date to our marriage. I would let her believe it; for now. She was mine now and forever, and I was never the sharing type. Rather than dwell on the fact Bianca put an expiration date to our marriage, I relished in the knowledge she’d soon be mine.

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