Page 73 of Nico

Nico’s father smirked, a cruel smile on his face.

“He’s using you against him,” he drawled with an ugly smile. “We all know about your mother. You are a way to get to him.”

His hold on me grew tighter, hurting. But it didn’t compare to the pain in my chest. I searched out Nico with my gaze but couldn’t find him. Both he and Cassio were still nowhere in sight.

“You fucking let her go, or I’ll shoot you,” Luciano growled. “And your son will bury you alive.”

He let go of me so suddenly that I stumbled backwards. Luciano caught me before I could stumble right onto my butt.

A rowdy laughter had us all turning our heads and my heart froze.

“And here is the King,” Mr. Morrelli hummed, as I steadied myself on my feet, my heart stuck in my throat. “Let’s go, Nancy.”

Luciano growled next to me and pulled out his gun

Mr. Morrelli left without waiting for Nico’s mother, but she didn’t move from her spot. Instead, she called out, “I’m staying.”

He shrugged, venom in his eyes. “Suit yourself.”

Luciano took a step away from me but still lingered close while I stood, staring after Nico’s father and the man I have feared the most.

The old Morrelli was forgotten; I couldn’t look away from the incoming guests.

Benito King.

With my mother. And a small army of guards surrounding them. His bodyguards didn’t even bother concealing their weapons and I prayed this wouldn’t turn into a bloody wedding.

My eyes sought out my mother’s blue depths, but she avoided locking our gazes. She looked beautiful, but the aura of sadness and emptiness around her shattered me. Another event she was forced to miss. Her sacrifices kept piling up.

Because of him. The hatred burned deep inside me, threatening to swallow me whole. I have never been a violent person, but I wanted to see this vile man tortured and see him suffer.

Wrapping my hands around me, as if trying to protect myself, I watched my mother on Benito King’s arm. She was dying on the inside every single day. My heart thundered and the ball in my throat made it hard to breathe. How did they even get here? I knew my mother wouldn’t have brought Benito King, regardless of how desperately she wanted to see me married.

My ears buzzed, black dots swam in my vision.

“Bianca, are you alright?” Someone’s hand shook me out of my stupor. I turned my head to find Isabella shaking my arm. “You look like you are about to faint.”

Someone else chimed in, chuckling softly. “The ceremony is all done. Party is almost done and went without a glitch. For the most part. Breathe easily.” I couldn’t place the voice or who it belonged to. “Wedding night is next.”

“Tesoro,” Luciano growled. “You, Ella and the kids need to go inside. Now!”

“Oh my God,” Ella’s voice penetrated through my terror. I swore everything was happening in slow motion. “Benito King is here. That fucking bastard is here with an army.” She whimpered, fear in her voice reflecting my own.

“Luciano-” Grace’s voice held a note of panic too. “Why is he here?”

Luca and Massimo had their guns pulled out, and the Nikolaev men followed suit. Vasili put his wife behind his big body and the whole time, I watched the entire scene with the frozen terror, unable to move or say a damn thing.

All I could taste and feel was fear. Bitterness and fear at seeing my mother for the first time in six years and still not being able to save her. Or our family.

“Do you believe the nerve of that bastard?” Grace hissed. “He should be shot on the spot.”

“Tesoro, take the women and children in the house,” Luciano ordered again, his whole body tense.

I turned to the redheaded woman next to me. “Who?” My voice sounded distant, strange, detached. “Who should be shot?”

“Benito King. He kidnapped Ella and I only a few weeks ago.”

Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum.