Scorned Obsession (Scorned Fate)

The De Luccis were ready for us.

I told Arnie to stop at a street corner and I hoofed it to the café. The place was crawling with De Lucci soldiers as well as their paramilitary security, but I had Sticks and the club bouncers flanking me.

“Don’t interfere,” I told them. “Let’s not escalate tensions.”

“They’re going to beat the shit out of you if they don’t shoot you first.”

I clenched my jaw in determination. Bianca was worth it. “I deserve it.” But each step closer to the café was like marching to the gallows. The De Luccis wouldn’t let me talk to Bianca and had quit responding after they confirmed she was with them. Luca had served as the middleman, cautioning both sides to keep their temper.

But if they kept my wife from me, there was no telling what I would do. Bianca was coming home today. She was sleeping in my bed tonight.

“That’s as far as you go, Rossi,” one of the De Lucci soldiers ordered. He was dressed like a mall cop, uniform and all, but I knew it was just to keep everything looking legit. His hand was on his weapon.

“You’re gonna cause a scene in the streets?” I taunted. I slowed my strides, but I refused to raise my arms in surrender.

I took another step. “If you know who I am, then you should know you shouldn’t make an enemy of me.”

“You’ve got some nerve showing up here.” Matteo appeared with Cesar backing him up. Their hardened jaws and their clenched fists dictated how this was going down.

Fine.

“You of all people should understand this,” I said.

“I did not force Sera to marry me.”

“You married her under false pretenses.”

And that was the last word exchanged between us. Matteo’s fist flew and I braced for it. It cracked against my jaw and I tasted blood. He planted another one in my solar plexus. But I caught his wrist and, using that as leverage, flipped him over my hip and sent him crashing to the concrete flooring.

Cesar’s punch connected with my cheekbone, but I blocked a blow meant for my torso. I had no desire to hurt Bianca’s father, just like the time he beat me up when he found her in my apartment.

Another one landed in my gut.

Fuck, I felt the rage in that one and it emptied my lungs of air. I folded over, but before he could use his knee to my chin, I twisted and landed a hit to his middle.

“Don’t hold back,” Cesar snarled.

“I’m showing respect, old man.” I grinned. “Feels like old times, eh?”

“Fuck you.”

I left myself open for another jab and I felt my brow split. I spotted Nico stalking toward us.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Where was Bianca? Did she abandon me to the men of her family?

I wasn’t making progress into the building, and before my frustration could bleed into my fists and actually put the hurt on someone, I caught Cesar’s arm and swung him toward Matteo, who was about to rejoin the fight.

I met Nico head-on. “Cesar and Matteo already took jabs at me. I want to see my⁠—”

I didn’t know what happened. One second I was going full force into Nico, prepared for him to hit me and I was gonna block, and the next I was on the ground on my chest. My right arm locked behind me with his knee on my back.

The fuck?

“You underestimate how pissed we are, Rossi,” Nico growled.

“Are you taking lessons from your wife?”

“We spar a few times a week,” the smug fuck returned.

“Don’t you dare kick him!” Bianca screamed at someone.

“I wasn’t,” Matteo said.

Wife, it’s about time.

The truth was, I had to pull punches because it was her family and I was telling myself that was the only reason Nico had me on the ground. Being on good terms with the De Luccis may come with perks. Sparring with Ivy Wu. That woman could kick ass and become a valuable associate.

“Good! Let him go, Nico!” she demanded. And then she was kneeling in front of me. “Are you all right?”

The moment I got to my feet, I snatched her in my arms. I was dizzy with relief, which didn’t bode well for my reputation, but all I cared about was she didn’t hide behind her family.

“You’re bleeding.” She tentatively touched my brow.

“Don’t get it on you.”

Her eyes narrowed indignantly. “Why not? Are you still treating me like breakable glass?”

I couldn’t help it, so I ignored the question and muttered, “I’m damn happy you finally showed up.”

She glared at me before turning her displeasure on her family, reminding me we had an audience. “I’m very disappointed in all of you! Ganging up on my husband like that.”

My husband. Despite my throbbing face and the pain in my torso, the organ in my chest expanded with smug satisfaction.

“It’s our fucking right,” Matteo grunted, but a wariness tempered his declaration as if he was reassessing the situation. All the men in Bianca’s family had narrowed gazes, observing how she was interacting with me. I hoped it was clear as fuck that I didn’t mistreat her. I couldn’t say the same about the rest of my family. It probably explained why Bianca was wearing a sweater to hide the marks on her arms and wrists. Otherwise, the De Luccis would have had a kill-on-sight order on me.

“What? To defend my honor?”

Nobody answered.

“It’s okay,” I muttered. “I expected it.”

“Shut up, Sandro,” she snapped before staring up at me in irritation. “And what the hell was that? You think you can just waltz in here?”

“You left. You think I won’t come after you? I always will.”

“It’s my fault,” Divina announced. She approached with Tommy at her side.

“That’s not what I heard.” I squinted at Sloane, who appeared to be hiding behind them.

But my secondary concern was Tommy. “You okay, man?”

He nodded and gave a thumbs-up. His face was battered, but the fact that he was upright and walking, I couldn’t say that wasn’t a justified response, especially since we returned Renz drugged, with a bullet through him, and flat on his back. And that didn’t even cover Bianca’s kidnapping and forced marriage.

“You’re not leaving with her.” Cesar stepped forward, menace etched on his face. There were rumors about Bianca’s father’s brutality beneath his expensive suits. That he’d been responsible for many disappearances of Rossi capos, including Raffa’s best friend.

“And you’re in no position to start a war with me.” It was one thing to show respect, and another to show I was intimidated. A new tightrope crystallized as I balanced my duties as boss and my commitment to a woman with an overprotective and powerful family.

“But I am.” Dom stood beside Cesar.

My arms tightened around Bianca. “You really wanna do this?”

“No,” Dom said. “I’m giving Tommy back in light of good faith to have Bianca spend time with her family.”

“The Rossis are her family too,” Tommy interjected.

“Seriously? You’re going to renege on negotiations?” Dom asked.

“What negotiations?” I roared and took a giant step back with Bianca, ready to get her out of here.

“I don’t like your phrasing,” Tommy told Dom. “Bianca considers herself a Rossi, too. She told you clearly and concisely.”

“She told him what?” Cesar turned on Dom.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one left out of said negotiations.

“Guys…” Bianca attempted to pull away from me, but I wouldn’t let her.

“Dad,” she started. “Dom, Tommy, and I agreed. I can stay overnight⁠—”

“There’s no such agreement,” I gritted. “We’re leaving.”

But when I spun around with her, it was to see we were surrounded by De Lucci crew. Trevor being one of them and there was a challenge on his face, daring me to make another move.

Sticks was with me. Gian and the Rossi soldiers were around the perimeter but there was no way I was going to start a gunfight in broad daylight because I hadn’t given clear instructions to Gian and he might find the perfect opportunity to eliminate me and Tommy.

No way was I risking my wife in the line of fire.

“It’s just for a night,” Bianca whispered.

“Sandro,” a female voice said behind us.

We turned around. It was Ava. It was obvious she wanted to come forward, but Cesar had his arms around her the same way I had mine around Bianca.

“Just for tonight, son,” she said.

Son.

Ava accepted me. For the first time since I found out my wife escaped the house, a semblance of calm placated my aggression. I loosened my hold around Bianca. She didn’t abandon me. She stood up for me. There was no reason not to trust she would return to me.

Sensing that I was about to relent, Ava freed herself from Cesar—albeit, he grudgingly let go—and moved in front of us. She touched my jaw. “Welcome to the family, Sandro.”

“Mom.” Bianca hiccuped a sob. Her emotions came through in a body shudder that cracked through my resolve to bring her home with me.

“Can I get a hug?” Ava asked.

Dammit. That resolve crumbled. I released Bianca and gave Ava a tight squeeze. I breathed in her ear, “Thank you.” I was reduced back to the boy who had wished Ava was his mother. And now she really was. I wasn’t fucking this up. Bianca was worth it to put up with the insufferable men in her family.

“I would invite you over for our impromptu gathering tonight,” Ava continued. “But I fear you’ve got your hands full.” She nodded to Tommy.

If I stayed over at the De Lucci camp right now, the upheaval in the Rossis would be catastrophic. Especially after what happened with Raffa. All the progress I’d achieve in getting rid of the toxic assets would be for nothing. My brain processed the next moves. Given what happened with Tommy and Bianca’s escape, I needed the De Luccis to protect my wife while I got my house in order.

“Are you going to be okay?” Bianca asked. “Tommy and Dom assured me you would be.”

“Everything will be fine.” If I couldn’t lead the Rossi crime family without putting Bianca first, then I didn’t want the position as boss.

My thumb brushed over her naked ring finger. “But we’ll have words about you not wearing your rings.”

She grinned sheepishly. “I helped Sloane clean the rug and didn’t want to ruin them.”

I tamped down the feral possessiveness rampaging inside me. But Ava extended an olive branch. It would give me great pleasure to show her I was more evolved than her sons and husband.

“Tommy, Divina, and Sloane are allowed to leave,” I told Dom.

“No one is stopping them,” he replied.

I glanced at Cesar. “I’m coming for Bianca tomorrow. I’m gonna find a place in Manhattan so she will be more accessible to all of you⁠—”

Bianca tugged my arm and I gave her a questioning look.

“Don’t do any house hunting without me.”

I controlled the grin that wanted to form. Her statement filled me with an anticipation I had no business feeling. It was hope. So much fucking hope that despite our uncertain road ahead, a future with her was possible. “Sure, Sunlight, whatever you say.”

“This is weird as fuck,” Nico interjected and I could commiserate with what he was feeling. Being with Bianca as her husband and around the De Luccis seemed like an alternate universe. I was determined to make it a reality.

“Hey, stop that,” Bianca retorted. “Or I’m leaving with Sandro.”

The De Lucci men clenched their jaws, and it was hilarious as fuck how identical they looked to each other when they glowered at me.

“It’s hard to leave without you,” I confessed.

“But he has to.” Tommy grabbed my arm. “Let’s go before they change their minds.”

I hauled Bianca into my arms once more and gave her a quick, devouring kiss. Still, after I let her go, I couldn’t help touching her. I’d be lucky to make it through the night. Her luminous eyes stared up at me with adoration. It was the mature version of the look she’d given me when she was younger. I convinced myself I didn’t know what love was, but these past two weeks, I finally assigned that word to what I’d felt for Bianca all along. It was an unspoken emotion between us. A love that had taken many forms over the years.

I loved her when she was my friend, but now, as my wife, I was in love with her.

Tenderly, I ran two fingers down her cheek before nodding to her brothers, Cesar, and Dom, and pivoted away to head back into the streets of Manhattan.

The Grindhouse building had a throughway that separated Jabbin’ Java from the boxing gym. Two other businesses were on the ground floor, both owned by the McGrath side of Bianca’s family. A private investigations firm and a law office. I also knew for a fact they had a basement, which was ground zero for De Lucci operations.

With Bianca as my wife, I wondered how to navigate the complexities that came with her family.

When I emerged from the throughway, a small crowd had formed. It wasn’t regular Hell’s Kitchen pedestrian traffic. I spotted the Manhattan Tattler reporter Romero among them. These were mafia groupies.

Fucking hell.

“Alessandro Rossi!” The wide smile on her face almost had me retreating into The Grindhouse. “Is it true you married Bianca De Lucci?”

“No comment.”

Arnie was waving his arm at me from a street corner where the Expedition was double-parked to make a quick escape. Good, reliable Arnie.

“Are you the boss now?”

I quickened my strides. When they weren’t getting answers from me, they turned to Tommy. “Were you being held captive? Was this in retaliation for the hit on the café?”

“No comment,” Tommy replied. “I’m not about to admit I got my ass kicked at the boxing gym.”

I swallowed a smile. Sticks and the other Rossi soldiers swarmed around us and kept Romero away.

Jesus Christ. The contract killer in me sweated with this attention. I worked in the shadows, but I better get on board quickly with my new position as the don of the Rossi crime family and what it meant to be married to Bianca.

Sticks opened the center row of the Expedition. I was in this role now. I wasn’t gonna ride shotgun or be the driver.

I slid into the seat.

“Raffa wants to see you,” Arnie said.

“I’m not leaving Manhattan,” I told him.

“Well, you don’t have a club either.”

Dammit, he was right. “Head to the Wisteria.” If the John Wick movies had the Continental, our underworld had the Wisteria. Neutral ground for everyone including warring or unstable crime families. “I’ll make the call.”