Page 76 of Nico (Belles & Mobsters 2)

“Mom, move,” I ordered through clenched teeth, side stepping her. My hands curled into fists, “You fucking son-of-”

I swung my hand, ready to claw at him and make him hurt. Just as he hurt my mother. He stepped back and I missed, my hand flying through the air.

“Bianca,” Nico warned softly and grabbed my waist with his left hand, holding me back while I fisted his forearm around my front.

“Let go,” I hissed, mad with rage.

“Bianca!” My mother’s voice shattered through the red rage. “I love you, but I won’t let you hurt him.”

I blinked my eyes, frustrated tears replacing the rage that I couldn’t act on. I wanted to shout, scream and curse at the top of my lungs. Inhaling deeply, I realized my feet were dangling off the ground. Nico lifted me up, like some doll, while I went into full attack mode.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, exhaling. “I’m fine. Put me down.”

He loosened his grip and my back slid down his body, but he didn’t let go.

Like my outburst didn’t just happen, my mother murmured softly, “I always thought Greece is a good bucket list choice.”

Greece would be an unachievable dream. With Benito and Nico on my tail, it would be a daily run for the rest of my girls’ lives.

Tears stung my eyes. She was so beautiful, a much better person than I ever was, why couldn’t she get a break! I wanted her with me; I didn’t have her growing up, but I wanted her around as I was growing old. I wanted to see her rocking on a porch, reading or whatever it was she liked to do. I didn’t even know.

She cupped my cheek. With a silent nod, the message clear in her eyes, and the last kiss, she turned to Benito.

“Let’s go, Benito,” she said in an even voice. “You came to do what you set out to do.”

She strode away from him without a backward glance. Benito threw me a look and grinned. He actually grinned at me.

“I am proud of you, Bianca,” he purred. “Unlike your mother, you have some fire in you.” I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, fighting the urge not to jump on him and start punching him. Over and over again, until his face turned bloody and swollen. By the cruel smirk on his evil face, he knew it too.

And then he turned around and left, catching up to my mother, while I watched after them in confusion.

Frustration crawled up my spine, and I whipped around. My eyes traveled over Cassio and Luca King, then Luciano and ended with my husband. There was something going on between these guys and Benito King. And now I got pulled into it.

He married you just for revenge, the words of Nico’s father rang in my ears.

My blood boiled, the frustration at feeling so weak and disposable in this mob world making me choke with rage.

“This is all your fault,” I hissed, shoving a finger into Nico’s chest. I was furious. Locking my eyes with all his friends. “All of you! You think you can use and dispose of people as it suits you. You are no better than him.”

I lifted on my toes and got into Nico’s face. “And you-” I hissed, searching for a word. “You are a manipulative asshole. This fucking contract marriage is over,” I spat out.He married you just for revenge.“You can take that fucking money that I spent and shove it up your ass. In fact, I’ll shove it down your throat so you can choke on it.”

Nico’s gray gaze flashed with something, but I was too far gone to keep my reason or be smart.

“You belong to me, Bianca.” His voice was threatening. Low. Cold. Possessive. “You are mine for life. You run, I’ll hunt. You hide, I’ll turn over every rock until I have you. There is nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you.”

“But you said two years.” I shook my head in disbelief, swallowing hard. He tricked me. He lied to me. He manipulated me.

He grinned, but it was frightening. Threatening. “Like I said, you belong to me. My wife.”

“But the terms-” Oh my God. Did I get myself into the same situation as my mother?

“Why?” I asked, my voice rising. I was starting to get pissed off. “It’s not the money. It can’t be; it is a blip in your bank account.”

“Nobody steals from me.”

“You have a billion dollar empire, but you’ll hassle me for three hundred thousand and sentence me to lifelong misery. You want to know what I used the fucking money for? I spent every goddamn dime chasing some fucking non-existent cure that would save William’s life.” I said through clenched teeth. I knew this was neither time nor place, but now that words were coming out, I couldn’t stop them. “And don’t give me your bullshit lie about six hundred thousand. It was three, I can count, thank you very much!” I narrowed my eyes on him, my finger poking him over and over again against his hard chest. “And that money probably came back to you, since you seem to have everyone in this state on your payroll. Even poor William! You people have to ruin everything good, don’t you?”

Anger reflecting my own flashed in Nico’s eyes. He took another step, his body flushed with mine, his gun holster too close for comfort. He towered over me.

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