Page 1 of Bellini Bound

Chapter 1

Enzo

“Well,asitjustso happens, Enzo is in the market for a wife. Isn’t that right, cousin?”

Conditioned to be a yes-man to whomever was in charge, my reply was automatic. “That’s right.”

Then the world came to a screeching halt when my younger cousin and don, Matteo’s, words sank in.

That was most certainlynotright. In fact, the answer was a resoundinghell no.

A wife was the last thing I needed or wanted. Least of all, one who washisdaughter. And that’s exactly whom Matteo was suggesting I marry.

The man currently hanging from a hook before us within an abandoned warehouse was Gavin Logan, Commissioner of the Chicago Police Department. He was also a dirty, double-crossing son of a bitch.

For nearly a decade, the Bellini Mafia had enjoyed free rein of the city, courtesy of the commissioner’s little gambling problem. He was in debt up to his eyeballs, borrowing more money than he could ever hope to pay back from the in-house loan department at our underground casino. Simplyput, we owned him and could do whatever the hell we wanted without penalty.

But then Logan mysteriously paid off his massive six-figure debt, and a quick hack of his bank account showed he’d received a wire transfer in the exact amount that had been stolen from the casino earlier last year.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the final nail in the man’s coffin was when we uncovered CCTV footage that placed the commissioner at the scene of the ambush on a motorcade of Bellini vehicles that ended up killing Matteo’s first wife, Allegra. Since the Bellini motto was “debts must always be paid,” Logan was indebted to us for the life he had taken.

I cut my cousin a look that said,What the actual fuck?But he shot one back in response, telling me to keep my mouth shut.

Great. Couldn’t wait to see how this played out.

Matteo cleared his throat, his voice taking on an almost bored quality. “You owe us a life, Logan. But I’ll leave the decision up to you. Sacrifice yourself, or give up your daughter—“ He tapped his chin. “What was her name again?”

Commissioner Logan fought against his restraints. It was a futile attempt, considering I was the one who had strung him up and had a track record of zero captives being able to break free from bonds I’d personally worked to secure.

When he remained silent, Matteo smirked. “If you won’t share with the class, I suppose I’ll just have to head over to Lincoln Park and get the name from the girl myself.”

“Stay away from her!” Logan roared. “She’s innocent in all this!”

Matteo circled the man like he was prey and he was waiting for the right moment to go in for the kill. “Just like how my wife was innocent? Or how about my unborn daughter, who could have died right alongsideAllegra when you partnered up with the enemy to attack the vehicle she was traveling in?”

There was an audible swallow from the man responsible for my cousin’s late wife’s death. “I-I told you. I didn’t know she was in that car.”

A scoff fell from Matteo’s lips. “Oh, that’s right. You ‘didn’t know.’ Is that supposed to offer comfort to my two little girls, whose mother is never coming home?”

The police commissioner knew he was fucked six ways to Sunday but still found it within himself to beg. “Matteo, please.”

Ignoring his pleas, Matteo tapped his foot. “I’m still waiting for that name.”

Eyes slamming shut, Logan whispered, “Allison.”

“Allison. That’s right.” There was a pause. “Now here’s the deal I’m prepared to offer you. I kill you here and now, effectively settling the debt of a life you owe my family.Oryou hand over Allison to Enzo here, and her life bound to his becomes the payment. Which will it be?”

Logan wasn’t the only one sweating bullets as the silence stretched on for what felt like hours.

My future hung in the balance while he debated which option to choose.

Then came the words that turned my entire world upside down in a single breath.

“He can have her.”

Fuck.

“Very well,” Matteo remarked. “To ensure there’s no funny business, the wedding will take place in three days’ time.”