Page 75 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

“You can call her Bianca Morrelli,” Nico’s tone, sharp and hard, sounded beside me and my head whipped in its direction. He snatched my hand out of Benito’s grip. My husband’s face was a cold, unmoving mask.

The man next to me was the ruthless mobster that the mafia world knew him as. Cassio and Luca King stood on the other side of my husband, surprising me. It almost felt like this was us versus them. I was surprised to see Cassio and Luca not standing next to their father, but then Nico’s words rang in my ears, hinting at the cruelty they endured under their father.

Surrounded by all the mobsters, I felt safer with Nico and his friends than ever before. Though I wasn’t sure if I should feel safe around any of these men at all.

“Sofia, I thought your daughter had better taste in men,” Benito mocked. My mother’s face never changed, no expression passed it. Except for a little glimmer in her eyes. Her hair was red and though it looked good on her, I liked her better in her natural dirty blonde curls. She looked too pale, the vibrant red in her hair combined with her dark blue dress making her look washed out.

“Hello dear,” my mom leaned over and placed a light kiss on my cheek. “You look beautiful. Grandma and Dad would be so proud to see you today. Though you lost some weight.”

Her voice was as soft as I remembered it. It had been six years since I’ve seen her, and it hurt so damn much to see the pain in her eyes. It might not be evident to anyone else, but I saw it clear as day. She might not be that old, but her eyes were ancient.

“Mom,” I breathed out, my voice cracking with the feelings I tried to keep at bay. “I-”

Her hand came up to cup my cheek, her eyes meeting mine. “It’s okay,” she spoke softly. She watched me with love and sadness, shredding my heart to pieces. “Greece is nice this time of year, don’t you think?”

A sharp inhale took my lungs. It was our code. It was time to run. Did Benito find out I was his? The girls and I were in danger; we had to disappear. Except I was stuck. All my mother’s sacrifice was for nothing because I fucking walked into Nico, because I spent stolen money.

He said he would protect me,my mind whispered.

But could he? Could he protect my girls and I against someone so evil and ruthless as my mother’s lover? Owner. Jailer.

“Yes, the skies are blue,” I choked out, my voice barely audible. “And the seas are stormy.”

The tension was high around us; you could cut it with a knife. Nico and his friends stood close by, every single one of them with their holsters open for an easy reach. Luciano and Luca had their guns out already. Benito’s guards were ready to draw weapons too.

“What fucking rubbish about Greece is that?” Benito spat out, but I never looked away from Mom, committing her image to my memory. I could count on both hands the times I’ve seen my mom in my entire life. I barely had any pictures of her to keep with me. Yet, somehow, I felt connected to her on the basic level.

Mom never looked away from me. “Greece was on Bianca’s bucket list. Wasn’t it, darling?”

I nodded. It was goodbye. I wanted her to come with me, if I even succeeded in escaping Nico. With the guards he assigned on me, it was not very likely.

“Dear, I’d like to get together for coffee soon,” she suggested. My mother hated coffee. “Maybe in two weeks. I’ll text you the date so we can find somewhere to meet up.” My heart raced frantically, my heart stuck in my throat. “Will that be okay?”

“Yes,” I mouthed, my voice barely audible. I drank in her face, memorizing every single line on her face. My grandma and Dad ensured I knew I was loved by my mother, regardless that I rarely saw her. When I was little, I wondered why my mom wasn’t around and slowly as I got older, my grandma would tell me more and more. The only thing she kept from me was my father’s identity. She left me to believe the man who raised me was in fact my father.

“Nico, I’d congratulate you on your marriage,” Benito said, a cruel gleam in his eyes. “But I can already tell your wife won’t hang around for long. There are other plans meant for her.”

I looked confused between Mom and Benito. “What do you mean?” I asked.

Benito just chuckled, not bothering to answer me.

The wind swept through and my mom’s auburn colored hair fluttered around her. That was when I saw it. Purple fingerprints on her neck. Someone choked her so hard, there were blueish purple fingerprints on her pale skin.

I glared at Benito, and a growl came out of my throat. I had the insane urge to scream, place my hands around his neck, and choke the life out of him. At that moment, I actually thought I could do it and wouldn’t lose any sleep if I watched light leave his eyes as I killed him.

Stepping forward, I raised my hand, ready to hit him. I didn’t think about it, I just acted.

“You son of a-” I spat but my mom cut in between me and Benito, stopping me from hitting the man.

“Honey, it’s okay,” my mom quickly said.

“No, it’s not.” My voice raised with each second, my heart racing. The only thing I felt was all-consuming fury. “He hurt you.”

“Bianca,” she warned, blocking Benito from my view.

Benito laughed. “You’ll get used to it, Bianca,” he chuckled darkly. “Your husband does much worse.”

My temper flared, my ears thundered, and everything buzzed. Everything and everyone faded. The only thing I could focus on was the rage and the need to hurt this man. Red rage overcame me, feeding the adrenaline and I wouldn’t care if an MMA fighter wanted to fight me. I wanted to hit and hurt, make someone bleed.

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