Page 56

Chapter 56

Nova

Massimo snarls and banishes everyone from his office when they try to follow us in. Vito grumbles that he’s like the beast, keeping his beauty locked away from the world.

When Massimo shuts the door behind them and turns to me, I practically melt for this man. He scoops me into his arms, carries me over to his desk, settles me on his lap, and begins to feed me.

I pause him by holding his wrist, needing to tell him what happened in the kitchen before all the chaos. "I fed myself." I know how that sounds—pathetic with a capital P—but it's a huge win for me. "Without even thinking. No mental gymnastics—"

My words are cut off by Massimo pressing his mouth to mine and kissing me deeply. He finally breaks away, staring at me with love. "I'm so fucking proud of you, princess."

"I thought I was your queen." I love this version of myself—teasing, light-hearted, and bold—the one that comes to life with him.

"You most definitely are." He kisses my nose, and I melt a little more for him. "But princess just rolls off the tongue so easily, whereas queen alone doesn't quite have the same ring. Though, if you'd prefer, I could always call you 'my queen' instead."

"Maybe Queenie?" Then I scrunch up my nose. "Scratch that; it sounds like a dog's name. "

His deep, rumbling laugh rolls through me, and I take a moment to try to process that this really is my life as he feeds me a chunk of pancake dripping with syrup. "You were my princess first, and you always will be."

My vision turns misty. "Is it all real? Am I really pregnant?" My hand moves to my stomach, my heart fluttering wildly at the thought of a tiny life nestled inside me, protected by me and this massive, powerful man.

Massimo gently places his hand over mine on my belly. "Yeah, you really are."

"Did you marry me for real and knock me up?" I blurt, still not able to believe everything.

His laugh this time is rolling and infectious, and I giggle. I giggle for what might be my first time ever.

"I was worried you'd hate me," he admits, turning serious. "By taking your choice away in this. I didn't even know if you wanted children." He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. "But I couldn't see any other way to ensure that the 'Ndrangheta would have to back me against your father."

A swell of vulnerability rises within me, but I lean into it, being open with Massimo. "I never allowed myself to think about children. Just like I never allowed myself to think about what I'd want to do in the future. Being under my father's control and with his plans for me, I knew I'd never have any choice in anything."

Massimo's look is tender and loving. "All choices are open for you now, wife."

"Thank you, husband." My throat is thick with emotion.

His lips press against my forehead, and I close my eyes, feeling his strength—physically and emotionally—seep into me.

We sit like that until Massimo picks up another piece of pancake.

"As much as I fucking adore you warming my cock while I feed you." My core clenches, because I love this cockwarming kink, and I squirm, which makes him smirk. "For now, just having you in my lap will have to do so I can feed you before we call Nathaniel Kessler."

I loves how he loves to take care of me. I don't think I'll ever stop loving eating a meal this way.

"You have no recollection of this man?" Massimo asks .

I've been wracking my brain since Creed told us about his phone call. "No, but there's something about Vincenzo," I admit. "Something in my memory and that has to do with my mother, I'm sure of it."

"Your mother's death?" Massimo has tensed, and I study him.

"Are you not telling me something about my mother's death?"

His dark eyes go impossibly darker, and I know he is keeping something from me. "I don't want to know, do I?" I whisper.

He's silent as he studies me, then finally answers, "No, princess. But know that your father will pay for all his sins, Nova."

And I believe Massimo. And most importantly, I trust him.

I stop Massimo from reaching for more of the food, not being able to eat anymore right now. "Can we call this Nathaniel man?"

Massimo hesitates for a moment, as if considering whether to encourage me to eat more, but then relents. He wipes his hands on a napkin, pulls out his phone, and dials the number Creed gave him—activating the speakerphone so I can hear the full conversation.

A male voice answers, "Massimo Santoro, I presume?"

From the polished, cultured tone, I picture the man as an aristocratic blue blood.

"You're correct," Massimo replies.

"If you're calling me, then my assumptions about Nova Mancini must be correct."

Massimo's hand wraps around my hip, his strong fingers drawing a small circle. "Assumptions are dangerous, Mr. Kessler."

He harrumphs. "Please call me Nathaniel. I'd like us to be friends."

"And why is that?"

Nathaniel sighs softly. "Because I only want what is best for Miriana's daughter."

I straighten at the wistful sadness in his voice, but Massimo shakes his head, warning me not to speak yet.

"And what is that?" Massimo asks.

"To get her away from that monster Silvestro Mancini."

"And why would you want that?"

"Because I loved Miriana deeply. She was trying to get to me when she ran with Nova to escape. "

My mouth opens in shock, but I remain quiet, waiting with bated breath, hoping he'll tell me more.

"But Mancini caught her and killed her for it." Massimo's voice may be cold and stoic, but his face conveys the compassion and love those words lack.

"Yes," Nathaniel croaks out, then clears his throat.

"Is Nova your child?"

My eyes fly to Massimo; I had never considered that.

"Sadly, no. Nova was seven when I met her mother. But I would have loved her as my own if Miriana and I had been successful. Ever since she was murdered, I've been trying to get to Nova, but Mancini kept her locked away.

"When I found out he had allowed her to go to Lake Como without him, I rushed my men there. But by the time they arrived, Nova was gone—either she ran, or she was taken. Word is, you had every reason to take her."

"And how does the CEO of a pharmaceutical company know about the happenings in the criminal underworld, Mr. Kessler?"

"Nathaniel," he asserts. "And some lines blur and cross, Massimo."

"Such as Mancini having designs on getting a portion of the profits for your upcoming wonder drug, Glucoaid-X."

"That is because of Nova."

Massimo's jaw clenches. "Explain."

"Even though you have yet to give me reason to trust you, I will give you my trust in this."

"That's not a wise thing to give blindly."

Nathaniel chuckles, though the sound is dark rather than jovial. "I am not a guppy swimming amongst the sharks, Massimo. I am a shark. I might be a white-collared, gentrified version, and the son of a biomedical genius, but I am a shark, nonetheless. One who has killer instincts and who can smell blood in the water. That blood is Mancini's, and I want to see him devoured and erased from this earth."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Massimo murmurs.

"Speaking your language, hmm?" He clears his throat. "Miriana knew the risks of trying to escape Mancini; she knew she wouldn't survive if she was caught, but she also knew he wouldn't kill Nova. Not because of any love he had for her, but because she was his ticket to forging alliances. Miriana loved Nova deeply and wanted her to have leverage over her father to try and barter for her freedom."

Emotions rush at me, hearing all this, but Massimo’s hand moving gently over my hip grounds me.

"Before her death, Miriana bought shares in Synovex Biotech. Specifically, she bought heavily in a specialized development bond for Glucoaid-X. All those shares are in Nova's name. Miriana placed them in a trust with me as the trustee until Nova could take control of them."

"Miriana must've trusted you deeply."

"We loved one another, wholly and completely."

"And Mancini knows about these shares?" Massimo guesses.

"Yes. They're wrapped in legal red tape so he can't access them himself."

Massimo is watching me closely, ensuring I am okay. "With Mancini's conditioning of Nova all these years—trying to mold her and break her spirit—he was trying to ensure he'd be able to control the shares through Nova."

"He abused her?" Nathaniel seethes, nearly choking on his anger. He doesn't wait for Massimo to confirm his suspicions. "I suspect that is also why he's arranged for Nova to be wed to the heir of the French mafia, someone who is even more heinous than Mancini himself. They'll mentally break her and have Nova completely under their control."

Massimo's jaw is clenched so tight now, I'm afraid for his teeth.

"But there's more for why Mancini and the French want Nova back, so she's under their control," Nathaniel warns. "Miriana was as cunning as her husband; besides the shares in Synovex Biotech, she ensured Nova had another weapon to use as leverage. There's a ledger that details criminal transactions and dealings—secret betrayals amongst criminal factions—things that could topple empires and cause war if they got out."

"Things that could be used as blackmail. "

"Yes," Nathaniel sounds urgent. "I don't know how Miriana came to be in possession of this ledger, but it also contains evidence that Nova could use against her father."

"Why now?"

"The legal red tape keeping this tied up runs out when Nova turns twenty-one, which is in a month's time. Then I can't protect Nova; the shares and the ledger will be turned over to her. If Mancini has her, then he'll get everything."

"He'll never have her," Massimo growls.

"Words. Pretty words, Massimo."

I see the well of Massimo's darkness and the lengths he'll go to protect me—and now, our unborn child.

"Not pretty words, Nathaniel. My actions will be 'by any means necessary' and 'with brutal and merciless force' because Nova is my wife and is carrying my child."

Nathaniel sucks in sharply. He suspected Massimo had me—likely thinking Massimo was using me for his war against my father—and had chosen to side with Massimo as the lesser of two evils. But he clearly didn't expect Massimo's claim.

"You son of a bitch. If you have forced her, I will come for you," he seethes.

"He didn't force me, Nathaniel."

Massimo exhales softly, but nods for me to continue.

"He's been keeping me safe from my father and Julien Moraeu."

And helping me heal.

"Nova," Nathaniel croaks, the emotion thick in his voice. "Dear Lord, child, you sound just like your mother…"

Tears well in my eyes, and I have to work hard to fight them. It's been a decade since I've lost my mother, and in all that time, I've never had someone who really knew her.

"Are you okay?" he presses.

I look at Massimo. "I'm more than okay."

"Good." Nathaniel's breath is shaky. "When you disappeared in Lake Como, I feared someone worse than your father had stolen you. Once I heard the rumors of Massimo Santoro, I used all my sources to find out all I could. From what I learned, I'm glad he is in your corner, Nova."

"I am, too."

"What now?" he asks. "How do I get the ledger safely to you?"

I shake my head, but it's Massimo who answers, "Keep it where it is for now until we can destroy it."

"What? It's a power piece."

"That's currently locked away and untouchable. And I won't have it said that I married Nova to gain control of it."

"Nova?" Nathaniel asks. "What do you want?"

"I don't want it, Nathaniel." I might be a fool, but it's true.

"But your mother wanted you to have it," he argues.

"To use against my father." I stare at Massimo. "But I already have a weapon to wield against him. Silvestro Mancini and his entire empire will be ash by the time we're done with him."

Massimo's mouth curls into a sensual dark smile. "That it will, my wife. My queen."