Page 72 of Nico

“I love you no matter what, Bee,” he continued and my chest warmed at his admission. “I’ll always be here for you. I hope you know that.”

I took a step to hug him, but his next words stopped me.

“Don’t hug me,” he mumbled. “I love you and we’ll always be friends. But right now, your husband is glaring at me, probably contemplating how to murder me.”

I turned my head and John was right. Nico didn’t look too pleased. That man had to work on his jealousy issues. I waved at him and offered him a big smile, then gave him a thumbs up.

Turning my attention to my best friend, I wrapped my hands around me.

“I love you too,” I told him. “But you gotta stop calling me Bee.”

He grinned. “Never!”

ChapterTwenty-Five

BIANCA

The party turned out better than I hoped. Definitely better than it started.

It was mid-afternoon and Nico’s friends took turns getting to know me and dancing with me. When Cassio and Luca danced with me, Nico seemed at ease and trusting. Same with Luciano and Vasili. The latter two preferred dancing with their wives, which was fine by me. Vasili Nikolaev was scary, his brother Alexei even scarier. Sasha Nikolaev was somehow lighter, despite his striking resemblance to his brothers.

Nico didn’t care to see me dancing with Sasha. So I avoided him. There was no sense in agitating the man. Basically, I came to the conclusion he was fine when I danced with the married men, excluding his father, which I was perfectly fine with, Cassio, and Luca. The other men were off limits.

Nico’s eyes on me felt like a tingle on the back of my neck. As if he was guarding me. The party was mostly contained to the outside. The girls and Matteo were in and out, sticking to the side of the house with the beach and the playground. Bear was constantly with them and ensured the children never came close to Nico’s father. I felt it was by design that Nico insisted the party area be set up on the opposite side.

By now, I was able to relax. I got to know Nico’s friends. I seemed to gravitate to Luciano and Massimo the most. Maybe because they were married and clearly crazy about their wives. And the ladies were usually there by their men. Though I liked Cassio a lot too. But his last name was what kept me cautious.

Right now, I sat with John, Luciano, Massimo, and the ladies. I glanced around, searching for Nico, surprised not to see him.

“Where is Nico?” I questioned.

“He and Cassio had to talk,” Luciano answered. I raised my eyebrow, waiting but he never expanded.Weird!

“I’d kill for a scoop of Italian ice cream now,” Grace muttered. She talked about an ice cream craving for the past ten minutes. She revealed she was pregnant and her cravings already started though she wasn’t far along.

“You can try my homemade ice cream,” I offered. “It is in the freezer in the garage. Just don’t let the girls see it. Otherwise, they’ll eat it all and then complain how sick they are. It is pretty rich.”

“You make your own ice cream?” Awe was evident in her voice and her face.

I shrugged. “When I’m worried or stressed, I cook, bake, and make ice cream.”

“Geez, wish I had that problem,” she muttered. Her eyes darted behind me, and I followed her gaze.

Nico’s father was right behind me, Nancy clearly unhappy by his side. I stood up and turned around to face them.

“Ahhh, my new daughter,” he drawled, a menacing smirk on his lips. I noted Nancy flinch at his title for me. He didn’t seem drunk, but I could smell alcohol on him. I was about to turn around when he took me by the arm and forced me to look at him.

“Excuse me,” I said, trying to remove myself from his hold, his fingers digging into my flesh.

Luciano came up beside me. “Let her go,” he said, his tone hard. These mobsters would be the death of me. “Or you’ll end up flat on your face.”

“You know he married you just for revenge,” his father said.

I blinked in confusion and my eyes traveled to his wife. There was sorrow in her eyes, and I wasn’t entirely sure whether it was for me, herself, or someone different.

I shook my head. “What do you mean?” My own voice sounded strange to me.

“Dominic,” Nancy warned her husband, but he didn’t even look her way.