Congrats. About time. I’ll tell Mama to get on with it. Goodnight.
Chapter Ten
Mariana
Waking up in Nero’s arms is the best feeling in the world. He holds me as though I’m the only thing that matters, so when I snuggle in closer, he tightens his grip. I kiss his bare chest and whisper, “I love you.”
“I love you, amore mia.”
“You’re awake?”
“Yes. Good morning.” He kisses my forehead before climbing out of bed. “I have to be out of the house in twenty minutes. If you call and I don’t answer, it’s because my phone will be powered down. I promise to call and if it’s an emergency, let Tony D. know and he’ll summon me.”
I snap my fingers and shake my head. “Damn technology, hindering criminal activity.”
“Actually, angel face, I’m going to my normal, legal nine to five, but I have half a dozen meetings this morning. If you need, I can give you my assistant’s number.”
“Assistant? As is in female assistant?”
“No, angel face. Carson isn’t a woman nor is he into men at least that I’m aware of, so you have nothing to be upset over. Besides, I’ve given myself only to you.”
“True.” It’s crazy how my heart skips a beat every time I think about it.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me I must get ready for my boring regular office job.”
“Wow, so not all vicious killer… pity.” I roll my eyes and spin onto my side with a little too much attitude, but as the bed shifts, I know I’m in trouble. Nero pounces on me with a growl. “Keep that shit up, and I’ll kill that pussy again.”
“Fine, I suppose I could behave for just a bit. I can’t promise all day, though.”
“Well, that’s okay, but you know the women will be here to make wedding plans, so you’ll be too busy to be trouble.”
“You never know what I can achieve.” I wink, and he slams his mouth to mine.
We kiss wildly before he pulls away with his dick rock hard and jutting out, tenting his boxers. I want to crawl to him and service him on my knees. I lick my lips, and he frowns. “Later, I’m going to make you pay for all the bad things you do, including looking at my cock like you’re starved.”
“I’m famished, but I suppose it can wait.” He hisses before slamming the bathroom door shut. I giggle as the shower turns on. My poor man. I love it.
An hour later, Nero’s gone and the ladies enter. I meet Aria’s mom and immediately fall in love with her. She’s wonderful, and so we go about planning the wedding, both disgruntled mothers begrudgingly hating that they only have a week.
“If we had more time—”
“We don’t, Mama. Stop giving Mariana a hard time. We can do this easily. Look what we did for mine with less than half a morning to prepare.”
“We had some stuff already at our disposal,” Mrs. Bianchi says.
“It doesn’t have to be special. It’s not like I’m going to know most people there, and I frankly couldn’t care less about this whole thing.”
“My dear girl, I’m sorry that you had a lousy go this past couple of years, but we want you to have something to remember.” Mrs. Bianchi sighs, patting my hand.
“How Nero and I met is one hell of a memory.”
“Yes, but it’s not one you can share,” Aria admits.
“True. What really matters is the dress and flower arrangements. Everything else can be generic, plain. Okay?”
“We can deal with that, I suppose,” Mrs. Bianchi says, shoulders slumping.
The rest of the afternoon is spent looking at gowns and having companies schedule visits with the ones I like the most. Purple is the color that I want splayed around all the white. After that, I frankly don’t care.
By the time they all leave, I’m completely drained so I grab a pop and a bag of popcorn and turn on the television.
Scrolling the channels, I hit FOX32 which has the news on right now. The image on the screen draws my attention so I listen in:
Owner of a local strip club dies inside his club, which has been permanently shut down due to illicit activities. Mr. Gordon was just about to be arraigned on kidnapping, prostitution, and human trafficking when his staff found his body this morning. Included in the raid was a local officer who also moonlights at the club as a bouncer. No one knows who else will be added to the crimes, but we believe that Mr. Gordon got off easy.
Any news on the victims of the trafficking? No news yet, but the police tell us that they have been taken to safe locations including local area hospitals.
I stand in awe. My boss owned a strip club and did all those things?
So that's what Nero was doing last night. I might be a bit sadistic because I find his brutality sexy. Having somebody to protect me is a completely new and welcomed feeling. My heart flutters, knowing that he needs to care for me.