Chapter Five

~ Luca ~

I waited for some sort of reaction from Nico, but he just stared at me. "Nico, did you understand what I said?"

"I don't think I do."

I was afraid of that.

"Like I told you earlier, when I came out of prison, I came out a different man. Prison isn't for the weak of heart. It hardens people." It turned them into killers, but I wasn't going to tell my soft hearted love about that. There were some things he didn't need to know.

I winced when tears flooded Nico's eyes.

"No, no, baby." I quickly tried to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "I didn't tell you that make you cry. I just wanted you to understand how this all started."

"It's all my fault," Nico whispered. "If I had only made someone listen to me, you never would have gone to prison. I should have insisted that they listen to me."

"Nico, it wasn't your fault. All we did was kiss. Your parents were the ones who accused me of raping you. The only people at fault here are your parents and the police for believing them."

I held a whole lot of rage at Nico's parents and it was totally justified. I was even a little pissed at the police that refused to listen to me or Nico because his parents were rich.

It made me see that money made the rules in this world, so I needed to make some, or rather a lot of money. I wanted to make sure I had more than Nico's parents so they would have to follow my rules.

"When I got out of prison, my father sent me back to the old country to work for my grandfather. I started out at the bottom. I was basically a thug, acting as security and driving my grandfather around, but over time I proved myself to him and I was able to advance up the ranks. When he retired, he made me the boss."

"Of the mafia?"

I nodded.

"Have you...killed someone?" Nico asked. "I heard you had to kill someone to become a made-man in the mob or something like that."

I grimaced at the bad taste that welled up in my throat. I didn't want to lie to Nico, but I didn't want him to hate me either. "I have," I finally admitted. "But every time has been in self-defense."

At least that part was truthful.

"Have you ever been hurt?"

"A time or two."

"So, your work is dangerous?"

"It can be, but I have a good team of security guys that work for me and keep me safe. They will be keeping you safe as well. As the spouse of the boss, your safety is their first priority."

"Being in the mafia is against the law, isn't it? They could send you back to prison."

"Technically, that is true, but things are a little different in Italy than they are in America. As long as we don't go after any civilians or create too much chaos, they pretty much leave us alone to do our thing."

It helped that I had a lot of police and politicians in my pocket. Cost a pretty penny, but it kept me out of jail and kept the police out of my business.

"Can they send me to prison because I'd be your spouse?"

"No!"

Nico jumped when I shouted and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry, didn't mean to raise my voice," I told him. "No, they won't send you to jail. For one, you won't be involved in the business so they would have no reason to send you to prison."

"I won't testify against you."

"They can't force you to testify against me, but to ease your mind, I'll make sure that you never witness anything that they could question you about."

"You can do that?"

I smiled at how naive Nico was. "I can."

Vinnie had talked to me for a very long time, explaining to me how it worked for him and his husband. He didn't want Nicky involved in the business either and made great strides to make sure it never happened.

"When we get back to Italy, you'll have the run of the place, but you'll have guards. One will be assigned to you fulltime and he will go everywhere with you, but more guards will go with you if you leave the house."

I thought Nico would be happy that I had arranged for his security. I was totally confused when he paled. "Nico?"

"G-Guards?"

"You won't be a prisoner, Nico. They are just there for your safety."

"But...but..."

I frowned at the fear I could hear in his voice. It didn't sound normal. "Nico? I swear you won't be a prisoner. I just want you to be safe."

"S-Steve, he...he's a guard at my parents' house. He...he..."

My eyes narrowed. "Did he hurt you, Nico?"

Nico's hair flopped over his forehead as he nodded rapidly and then started speaking so quickly I could barely keep up. "My mother shot me up with something that made it so I couldn't move and then she ordered Steve and another guard to wash me and dress me for the party at Gena's house. In the shower, he started touching me. The other guard stopped him, but he threatened me, saying he would get me eventually."

"You said his name was Steve?"

Nico nodded.

I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Vinnie. "Hey, man, it's me. I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure."

"Nico just told me about one of the guards his parents employ. His name is Steve. I don't know what his last name is. I want him found and brought to me."

Vinnie whistled low under his breath. "What'd he do?"

"He tried to sexually assault Nico last night."

"I'll find him and have him delivered to you," Vinnie said in a no nonsense voice. "He might not be in one piece, but he'll be there."

"As long as he's still breathing."

I wanted to take him apart with my own hands.

"Consider it done, my friend."

"Thank you."

"So, has he agreed to the wedding?" Vinnie asked.

I glanced at Nico. "Not yet, but I'm working on it."

"Best of luck."

"I'll call you later," I said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Nico asked.

"Vinnie Borelli."

"Oh, Gena introduced me to him at the party. He said your sister married his cousin."

"She did, but she was supposed to marry Vinnie first. Turns out that not only was he gay, but he was already married. The guy that arranged for the betrothal—Vinnie's Uncle Frank—forgot to mention that part to Marisa. She was pissed."

"How did she end up married to the cousin?"

I chuckled as I remembered the story Marisa had told me. "She picked him out of the Borellis that were left. They've been married for about a year now, and I have to give it to Marisa, she has whipped Vito into shape. He follows her around like a puppy and does anything she says."

"Is she happy?"

"I think so. This marriage is what she wanted. I don't think she cared too much who the groom was."

My jaw dropped when Nico grabbed my shirt collar and yanked me close. "I care so don't even think of switching out the groom."

When I pulled my jaw back up, I began to smile. "I wouldn't even think of it. Only one groom will do for me."

"That's me, right?" Nico asked as if he was unsure.

I framed his face with my hands. "It's you, Nico. It's always been you. There has been no one else in my life since you were sixteen years old."

And there never would be. I didn't even see other people. The lack of sex over the last ten years had been hard, but fantasies of Nico had been all I needed to be satisfied, especially since I knew I was working toward having him back in my arms.

"There's been no one else for me either," Nico said. "You're the only one to ever kiss me."

While I knew there had been no one else for Nico due to the tight restraints his parents had on him, I hadn't known until this second that I had been the only one to ever kiss him.

"Can I kiss you again?"

When Nico nodded, I leaned closer and pressed my lips against his and began to kiss him, savoring every second of it. The taste of Nico's lips was just the same as it had been ten years ago, pure ambrosia.

I captured Nico's mouth in another kiss and then another and another. I licked at the seam of his lips until he opened his mouth, and then I delved inside. I licked and nipped and tried my best to devour him, to conquer him, to make him mine.

I lifted my head then grinned when I looked down and saw Nico's red, swollen lips. With his fair complexion, it was a very good look on the man. It was even better knowing I was responsible for those swollen lips.

I grabbed Nico by his hips and lifted him up, then turned and sat back against the couch and set him on my lap so he was straddling me.

I let my gaze roam over his lithe form as I stroked my hands up and down his arms. "You don't know how much I dreamed of you, cuore mio , how much thoughts of having you in my arms again kept me going every second of every day."

"Oh, I think I do," Nico countered. There was a glimmer of something in his eyes that unsettled me. "Thoughts of you were the only thing keeping me from ending it all."

My heart lurched painfully in my chest at the thought of Nico no longer being in this world. If that ever happened, I'd end it too, and follow him into the hereafter. I refused to live in a world where he wasn't alive and breathing, even if we weren't in each other's arms.

"No, baby, never do that."

"I didn't know if you were alive or dead." Anguish tinged his tone and tears flooded his eyes again. "No one would tell me anything. All I had was your promise that you'd come for me."

"I did, though, right? I came for you. I kept my promise."

Nico's smile was beautiful despite the tears. "You kept your promise."

"And I will always keep every promise I ever make to you. I will always come for you. Nothing can keep me from you, not even death."

I'd fight the devil himself for one of Nico's smiles.

" Quanto sei bello, amore mio ."

Nico's eyebrows lifted. "Huh?"

I let out a small chuckle. "We're going to have to up your Italian. I said you are so beautiful, my love."

I was delighted by the soft flush that filled Nico's cheeks.

" Ti amo. Tu sei tutta la mia vita ," I whispered as I leaned forward and brushed our lips together again. "I love you. You're my whole life."

He was my everything.