Page 52 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

“Is everything ok, Mary?” I tried to keep my voice low, we were still in the middle of my yard, not far enough from Nico.

She stopped suddenly and turned towards me. My heart hurt and raced with fear. Would she lash out? Would she accuse me of forgetting about William? Not loving him enough?

“I knew the day would eventually come,” her voice trembled in the breeze. “But Nico Morrelli, Bianca! Do you know who he is?”

This was the part that I struggled with from the moment I was blackmailed into this arrangement. Do I feign ignorance or do I tell her I didn’t care Nico was a criminal?

Inhaling deeply, I nodded. “Yes, I know who he is. And I am doing this.”

At least until I had some cash stacked up. Then I’d have to pack up the girls and run.

“You shouldn’t do it,” she muttered, glancing Nico’s way. “The twins shouldn’t be around men like that.”

Valid point but that was decided the second William brought the bag full of money.

“Mary, please trust me,” I begged.

“You like him?” she questioned and I swallowed hard. The images of Nico eating me out at the restaurant or kissing in the elevator earlier today flashed through my mind. I guess we could say I liked him well enough.

I couldn’t get the words out so I just nodded.

“I couldn’t expect you to be single for the rest of your life.” Mary took a deep breath, as if trying to get her composure back. It was hard seeing this strong woman so shaken up. She glanced behind me, and I followed her gaze watching Nico. He watched us too. “Just promise me, the girls will always remember William and be part of my life. I want them to know their grandparents and we, William and I, couldn’t bear losing them too.”

My throat choked with emotions. I hated seeing her upset, knowing her son was her whole world. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tight.

The day William and I told her we were having twins she cried from happiness. Ever since that day, she had been part of their lives. If I could help it, she would always be a part of their lives, but there were certain things I still had to resolve.

“Always, we’ll always be part of your life and you a part of ours. No matter what.” It felt like someone was fisting my throat, it hurt to talk. “I’ll never let them forget William. Nothing could change who their father is.”

It was the truth. No matter William’s faults or mine, the twins would know who their parents were. My mother made a choice to keep me out of Benito’s clutches at her own expense. Maybe she was braver, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted it all - my girls at my side, safety, to see them grow up. A loving husband would be a nice bonus, but it wouldn’t seem like it was in my cards.

“Thank you, Bianca.” She hugged me tight, and I returned the embrace.

She pushed slightly, getting her composure back. “When is the wedding?”

Inwardly I groaned. I wasn’t sure how much she could take. “In a week.” Her face crumpled. “We’ll still be in the area,” I quickly assured her. “Might as well, right? It wouldn’t be any better if the wedding lingered for months over your head. Or mine for that matter.”

“I guess I can’t blame you for wanting to tap that muscle,” she mumbled, her eyes on Nico and the tension evaporated. I threw my head back and laughed out loud. Hearing the butchered term from her lips sounded all kinds of wrong. I couldn’t contradict her. It certainly wasn’t the reason the wedding was happening that fast, but I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t want to experience more of what happened. This man was making a horny woman out of me.

We both glanced at Nico who was casually leaning against his Aston Martin, patiently waiting. The way he watched us told me he might have heard our whole conversation.

“And who are all the other men?” Mary’s voice had me returning my attention to her.

“His bodyguards,” I muttered.

Her lips thinned, but she said nothing else.

“Do you want to stay for an early dinner?” I asked her, hoping to change the subject. “I was going to fix scialatielli ai frutti di mare. It’s your favorite pasta dish.”

Mary nodded her agreement, and I glanced at Nico. He approached us, his hands casually in his suit pockets. This man that ruled Maryland and the D.C. underworld would turn me to dust if I wasn’t careful. Less than forty-eight hours and he had turned my world upside down. If I was smart, I would have fled right after running into him a month ago, but it was too late now.

“Hey Nico,” Hannah yelled out and all three of us turned to the girls. Both girls were a mess already, shoeless and sand covering their feet. Both ran up to us, their clothes wet and their eyes locked on Nico with wide grins.

They looked so much like my mom and William with those bleach blonde curls framing their faces with big blue eyes. Sometimes I’d even think they look mostly like my mom more than anyone else. It was a reminder of her sacrifice and loss. But the girls mostly had my personality, though Arianna was more on the tamer side.

“Want to play hopscotch?” Arianna asked. “Hannah always wins. I wanna beat you.”

A choked laugh escaped me. I couldn’t picture Nico playing hopscotch, though it might be worth paying money to see. Luckily for everyone, I had no money.

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