Scorned Obsession (Scorned Fate)

“What are you doing here?” I opened my bedroom door to Nico. My broodiest of the brood brother had an amused gleam in his eyes.

“Delivering clothes as ordered,” he said.

“I told Ivy.”

“It’s my clothes.” Nico had more or less the same build as Sandro, but my husband probably had an inch or two on my brother, so the request was for a T-shirt and athletic shorts. There was nothing we could do about shoes, and Sandro had no problem walking barefoot until his men could bring him clothes.

Right now, we’d been summoned to breakfast.

“Is everyone here?” I asked.

“Matteo and Sera are on their way. The rest are here,” Nico said. “No Aunt Carlotta, so don’t worry. Just us.”

“Whew, okay. Now scoot.”

“Where’s the husband?”

“In the shower. And wipe that smirk off your face.”

“Why? It’s funny.” He breathed a small laugh. “You should have him do the walk of shame at breakfast.”

“I’m trying not to be obvious, okay?” I tried to close the door on my brother again, but he stuck his foot in between the door and the jamb.

“What’s the matter, Smurfette? I’m sure Dad can be civil.”

My stomach twisted in knots. “When Matteo arrives, don’t gang up on my husband.”

Nico’s eyes softened. “Don’t worry, you’re worth it, and I believe Sandro knows that goddamned well. He’ll put up with your annoying family.”

“Aw, that’s the sweetest thing you’ve said about Sandro. Now go.” I gave him a gentle shove and shut the door. Still, that didn’t dispel my trepidation. Sandro wasn’t used to this much family in his business. He’d always been a loner, even before Wilma spilled the secret. He was never the favored son. I didn’t want Dad to make him feel like he was still undeserving of me.

The shower stopped. After Sandro fucked me against the wall last night, I told him I didn’t want to do all the things in one night and that included shower sex, although he tried to entice me into joining him this morning. But I had plans for us. I wanted us to check into the grandest hotel where no one would bother us, order room service, and just get lost in each other. But it was still my girlish dream, and I had to accept that it might not happen for some time.

I just had to be patient.

The bathroom door was ajar, so I pushed it open to see Sandro in all his naked glory, wet from his shower, with drops still glistening on his tanned skin. The tattoos on his back covered some scars. I felt them underneath my hands last night.

He grinned at me as he dried himself with a towel. “Stop looking at me like that or we’ll never make it to breakfast.”

I tried my best sultry siren look, and gave my hair a flip and bit my bottom lip, lowering my eyes to his relaxed cock. “Well…”

“No.”

“You’re saying no to a blow job? You were the one who wanted to have sex in the shower.”

“Baby,” he groaned. “Have mercy on me.” He was right in front of me. “There’s nothing I want more than to have that sweet mouth wrapped around my cock, but not right now.” He noted the clothes under my arm. “Especially if I’m wearing athletic shorts.”

“True. I don’t want you to meet my family with a boner.”

“Dammit, maybe I should just wear my suit.”

Nico’s remark came to mind. “Nope. We’re not meeting the family in your clothes from last night.”

“What? Are you ashamed of me?”

“No.” I grappled for an excuse that wouldn’t make Sandro wary of Dad. “Sam is here and she’s sharp that one. She will ask why you’re dressed to go out at night when it’s bright as day.”

He patted my cheek. “Nice save. But I have something better to distract everyone and maybe win your dad’s approval.”

“You don’t have to prove anything.”

He walked into the bedroom and picked up his suit jacket from the floor. His hand went into his inner pockets and extracted my rings. “I sent Sticks back to get these.”

He slid them on my finger like he did the first time.

The giant diamond blinked at me. It was a gorgeous ring, but I hadn’t determined if I wanted to change it.

As if reading my mind, he said, “We can pick another one if you want.” He dragged me into his arms. “In case it hasn’t sunk in yet, I’m not intimidated by your family. And they sure as hell are not going to scare me off. The second day after we said our vows, I realized I couldn’t let you go.” He cupped me between my legs, and I gave a tiny gasp that sounded like a moan. “And in case this hasn’t sunk in yet, I’m going to kill any man who thinks he can get in here.”

I pushed his hand away because I didn’t want to be squirming with how much I wanted to jump Sandro’s bones in front of my family. “Behave. Let’s get through breakfast first. And remind me we need to talk about your penchant for wanting to kill someone for simply looking at me wrong.”

He sighed. “I know.”

But I realized his sigh was because he’d gotten hard. I gave him another seductive come-on.

“No,” he groaned, then he walked away from me and returned to the bathroom.

“Such a waste of a hard-on though,” I called after him.

Sandro

Great. I was sitting with Bianca’s family, in the middle of breakfast, having the hard-on from hell. I probably should have beaten one out in the shower. But Bianca’s teasing about sucking me off had fired up my all-consuming need to have her in every way, every hole, and every position.

I paused.

No lightning strike of guilt split me in half at my crass thoughts about her. Good. My conscience and carnal urges were finally in sync. I’d held back long enough.

I glanced at her. Bianca looked away from her conversation with Sera and Ivy and awarded me a quick smile. Then she found my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze.

“I hear you’re going house hunting,” Cesar asked casually from the head of the table.

There was less hostility coming from Bianca’s family, and even if I would say the reception was barely lukewarm from the men, we were halfway done with breakfast without overturned tables and chairs.

“We are,” Bianca chirped. “But we’re not sure what part of Manhattan yet.” She gave our linked hands another tug.

“We’re checking into a hotel so I can take care of business and she can be close to you.”

“And is this business going to be dangerous?” Cesar asked.

He didn’t mince words, but I expected nothing less. “There’s always danger, but I have people to watch her.”

“Are the De Luccis caught in the middle of a war between you and the Albanians?” Matteo asked in a tone as casual as his dad’s.

“I’m looking into it,” I replied. “So far, the public thinks it’s between the De Luccis and the Rossis.” I’d seen the breaking news on the Manhattan Tattler. “Let the public believe that while I figure out for sure if it’s the Manhattan Albanians.” I wasn’t about to share the information about Kaz Doku. Not until I had evidence his loyalists were involved. “But since the news of my marriage to Bianca is headlining, it might be a good idea to present a united front. That way, the people who started the fire and shot up Jabbin’ Java know they can’t play us against each other.”

Sera gave a small laugh. “Luca texted me last night and said we East Coast mafia have so much drama.”

Laughter went around the table, and I bit back my own smile. That livened up the atmosphere in the room. I got the De Luccis’ worry. I was in charge of a struggling crime family. But I had to be smarter than my predecessors or suffer a short reign like they did.

At the top of my agenda was building bridges with organizations who shared the same vision.

With all the secrets I shared with the De Luccis and Chicago, strengthening our alliance made sense. Luca and I were linked from knowing the secret behind Frankie’s death. Nico, Ivy, and I were connected by Joe Rossi’s assassination. The inner circle would tighten. The core family.

“Now regarding the hit on Jabbin’ Java.” I glanced at Renz on my left. Among Bianca’s brothers, he seemed to be less uptight and more accepting of me. I’d always liked Renz. Hard not to when he was prepared to turn his back on the De Lucci legacy to pursue the woman he loved and open a coffee shop. Although, according to Bianca, the coffee shop was Liz’s dream, and Renz wanted to fulfill it for her until it became his passion.

“Let’s not get off track,” Cesar said. “I want you all to stay in Hell’s Kitchen. Clearly, there’s still an unknown enemy.”

Nico and Matteo appeared surprised at their dad’s declaration.

“Dad!” Bianca snapped.

“No, it’s okay.” I squeezed her hand. “I understand your concerns and I appreciate the offer, but hiding behind the De Luccis is not what Bianca and I need right now.”

Cesar and Ava exchanged a glance. There was a reproving expression on Ava’s face and I could just imagine her squeezing Cesar’s hand the way Bianca reassured me earlier. Our women had more sense than their men, for sure.

“I’m sorry. You’re right,” Cesar grumbled. “I should trust you.”

After that, breakfast went smoother, courtesy of Samantha dominating the conversation at the table, obviously tiring of the grown-up bullshit. Everyone was also thrilled about Sera’s pregnancy and that took the heat off Bianca and me.

An hour later, Sticks showed up with my clothes.

“Should I wait for you?” Sticks asked.

“Yeah, we’re wrapping up breakfast with the in-laws,” I replied.

He chuckled. “I’m surprised you’re still standing.”

“I’m growing on them.” Like mold maybe.

When I closed the door, I turned around to see Cesar leaning against the wall.

I waited for him to say something.

“I want to apologize for being a dick.”

I raised a brow. “Which time?”

He huffed out a rough laugh. “Suggesting you and Bianca stay in Hell’s Kitchen. My default mode is always to protect my daughter, but I have to accept that she’s not exactly my responsibility anymore.”

“You’re right. She’s mine.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ve only ever wanted what’s best for her and letting her go…I was caught off guard. I wasn’t ready. I’m still not ready.”

I moved closer to him. “I’ve loved Bianca for a long time. That love has taken many forms, but there was a time I had to love her less, and that’s so I could do what’s best for her.”

He blew out a breath. “I’m getting that.”

I tapped his shoulder. “Come on, you can tell the women you’ve apologized.”

He coughed a laugh. “You know it.”

“I’m under no illusions that you came to me willingly.”

He gave me a look.

“We’re both men of action. You’re protective of Bianca, and I still have a lot to prove.”

That was the right thing to say because Cesar’s shoulders relaxed and his chin dipped in a small nod. I wasn’t taking my chance with Bianca for granted. Despite the lack of bloodshed at the breakfast table and a shaky truce forged with the men in Bianca’s family, I still had to show them I deserved to be her husband, and I was going to cherish her with all my heart.