NICK

My fingers slide throughmy hair. I peer to my right and notice the bed is still neatly made. The t-shirt is missing.

I glance at my watch. "Four eighteen in the morning," I mutter.

Damn it, I can"t believe I slept for so long. It"s not something I do often anymore. Ever since those nights when she used to be in my arms. Those were the only times I could really have her to myself.

I push the sheet off me and swing my legs over the edge of the bed, slipping my feet into my slippers with rubber soles. Being barefoot in my line of work is too risky; I need to be prepared for anything, like someone breaking in and trying to kill me. Kinsley never wanted this kind of life, and now I"ve left her with no choice.

I slip on my shoulder holster and shove an earbud in my ear, syncing it to my phone. "Kinsley," I call out as I peek in the walk-in closet, then the bathroom. Where is she? Is she all right?

My chest rises and falls, and I take a breath. Calm down, Nick.

Pounding the stairs, I decide to turn Kinsley's lab into a panic room. I have to keep her safe. She should be fine for now. Our marriage won't be revealed until next Saturday at our reception. I halt at the basement door next to the kitchen. "Please be down here," I mutter under my breath.

It feels surreal that I"m going to marry the love of my life tomorrow. A grin appears on my face as I reach the bottom of the steps. Looking around the lab, I can"t find her anywhere. Did she sleep in one of the guest bedrooms? If so, my beautiful fiancée is in trouble; I made sure to tell her to sleep in our bed.

A soft sigh catches my attention from a distance, and I stop in my tracks at the back of the lab. There she is, curled up in a ball on the floor.

I'm not happy she's sleeping on the floor, but where else did I expect her to sleep? I didn't provide a bed. Maybe the exam table. Did she feel like this was the safest place to sleep?

Sadness grips my heart. Is she afraid in my home? Yes. She doesn't want a violent life. Maybe she sees this lab as her sanctuary.

Her small frame is swallowed by my oversized t-shirt, with her feet peeking out from the bottom.

I notice her hand curled around her phone and an iPad propped up in front of her. I gently grab the iPad from the floor and realize she was watching "The Sopranos." A small laugh escapes me as I set it down on a nearby surface. As I pick up her phone, I scoop Kinsley up into my arms. She can"t run around barefooted in just my shirt. Holding her close to my chest, I press a kiss on her forehead.

"Nick," she murmurs.

My heart swells in my chest from my name, dropping from her lips.

Is she dreaming about me?

"You're here with me where you belong, Kinsley." She snuggles closer to me.

Once in our bedroom, I place her in the center of the bed, sit her phone on the nightstand, and I climb in, pulling her body against my chest. The t-shirt rides up, revealing she's not wearing panties. That's right, I took them from her earlier. I'll have to show her where her lingerie is. Kinsley pushes her ass against my rock-hard dick.

"Fuck, Kinsley," I groan.

As much as I want to drop my face between her legs and please her, I restrain myself. My nose nuzzles her frizzy hair and I inhale. God, I missed her.

"I'll never let you go again, Kinsley. You're mine forever," I whisper.

***P***

Three hours later, I'm working in my office. I peer at the surveillance camera. Kinsley's still asleep.

The stylist will be arriving soon. I dial her number and she immediately pulls the covers over her head. It"s amusing; Kinsley is not one to sleep in. But yesterday was probably overwhelming for her - as of yesterday, she was single. Today, she's my soon to be bride.

Her hand appears from under the blankets to grab her phone before it disappears again. "Kinsley here."

"Good morning, beautiful."

She pushes the blanket off her head and stares at the ceiling. "Yes, Nick."

It sounds like she said my name through gritted teeth, but I can"t see her face from this angle. "The stylist will be here within an hour. Meet her in the ballroom. You'll select a wedding gown, and she"ll do any necessary alterations today for our ceremony tomorrow."

She closes her eyes and massages the bridge of her nose with two fingers. "Speaking of tomorrow, I need you to use your bad boy charm to convince a few companies to send materials for my research. They promised it would take two weeks, but I thought you could expedite things."

"My bad boy charm, huh?" I repeat with a smirk on my lips.

Silence follows.

"I can take care of that. Just send me the list of things you need, and they'll be here in a day or two."

She sits up straight with surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, I"m happy to help with whatever you need," I reassure her.

She visibly relaxes, and a smile spreads across her pretty lips. "Thank you."

"Oh, and by the way, your panties are in the first drawer to your right when you enter the closet. So no more going without unless you're wearing a dress."

"But Nick, I thought you enjoyed easy access," she teases in a seductive tone.

And my dick stirs.

"That's the reason I'm here, right?"

"You know that's not why," I snarl.

A wicked grin plays on her lips.

"Wipe that grin off your face and get in the shower, beautiful."

Her wide eyes scan the room.

"Breakfast will be waiting for you in the ballroom," I say.

"Do all the rooms have cameras?" Panic laces her voice.

Why would she care if I watch her?

"No," I reply.

Kinsley's face relaxes.

Suddenly, her hand glides over her wild hair as she turns to one of the cameras in the corner of the room.

"Nick, why do you have a painting of me in your hallway?"

I clench my jaw. "It"s a reminder of our past."

She lets out a sigh and shakes her head.

Before she can say something that I don"t want to hear, I redirect the conversation.

"Meet me on the patio at noon for lunch."

"Fine," she forces a smile before ending the call.

Kinsley palms her face for a moment.

I close the iPad.

***P***

Kinsley plops into the chair across from me under the covered pergola.

Her gaze sweeps over my backyard, taking in the five distinct areas furnished with oversized outdoor sofas and adorned with neutral pillows. She can"t help but fixate on the rectangular fire pit at the far end of the Olympic size swimming pool. Moments later, her attention shifts to the tiny house equipped with two large barbeque grills. A smile tugs at her lips as she takes it all in.

"It"s beautiful," she comments.

"Thank you," I reply.

"It"s a huge space. Do you have a lot of guests over?" she asks.

"Not often. Just occasional parties," I respond.

She pours dressing over her salad.

"Is that lake down by the dock yours?" she asks, avoiding eye contact.

"Yes, you know I love to fish," I answer.

A small smile forms on one side of her mouth.

Reaching into my suit jacket pocket, I retrieve three blue velvet boxes and place them on the table before us.

"Choose a ring," I tell her.

"Right," she responds, sounding unsure.

Her hair is pulled back into a subtle ponytail and she"s wearing yet another lovely dress. This time it"s green, highlighting her chestnut eyes.

Kinsley never used to wear dresses when we were together. I love the way she looks in them. Honestly, I love her naked while I'm balls deep in her pussy.

I blink away the dirty thoughts and focus on the moment.

Kinsley opens each box carefully, studying the rings inside. She pulls out a stunning sixteen-carat pear-shaped diamond and smiles.

I pluck the ring from her hand and round the table.

I kneel down in front of her, causing her to ask in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"I"ve always wanted you to be my wife," I tell her.

She stares at me in shock, but I refuse to acknowledge the hurt in her gaze.

"Kinsley Levon, we will become husband and wife tomorrow," I declare as I slide the ring onto her finger.

She covers her heart with her hand and looks down at the ring. "I"m going to become your mafia wife. Just what I"ve always dreamed of," she says, scowling.

I gently kiss the back of her hand. "And soon, you"ll also be the Donna of the Pituccos." My lips brush against her skin softly.

"What does that even mean?" she asks.

I return to my seat and sip my whiskey. "You will talk to the wives of the men who work for us. Sometimes the men take up with their goomahs and refuse to go home to their wives. The wives have been talking to my sister for several years. Let's just say she's happy to pass the torch to you. Natalia says she's tired of hearing them whine."

"What else will I do as Donna?"

"If something were to happen to me. Say I was injured and unconscious..."

Her eyes widen, but she quickly relaxes her face, so it's unreadable.

Too late, sweetheart. I know you care.

"...you'll take over and run the business. Emoni Esposito had to step into the role and handle the business while her husband Marco had amnesia."

Her lips part as she listens.

"So had Nadine Magarelli. She carried out a Donna responsibility even though she wasn't an acting Donna. Her boyfriend at the time was unconscious. So she had to handle a job and report to Sergio, the alleged mafia boss of the Magarellis, at the time."

"I see." Her brows lift. "I met Nadine recently. That's where I got these dresses from." She points at the one she's wearing.

"You look stunning."

Kinsley blushes. "My friends Faye and Shaylee are big on fashion."

She still has the same friends from college. I had remembered Axe mentioning them when I had him look into Kinsley.

"Faye asked Nadine to bring in some special pieces for me. That's how I met her. So she's married to Dillon, and she's the Donna of the Magarellis?"

I chuckle. "No, she's married to Tony Magarelli, Dillon's cousin. He takes care of problems and so does Nadine. Dillon is married to Sierra. She's the Donna of the Magarellis."

"You said Nadine had to handle something for Tony." Her curious eyes hold mine.

"Nadine is an alleged hit woman."

Kinsley sits back in the chair. "She had to kill," she mutters.

A sly half-smile lifts one corner of my lips. "I know you"re against violence. You"ve always been my little do-gooder."

Kinsley"s fists tighten on the table and her once pretty face contorts into an angry scowl. "You have no idea what I am now. You don"t even... fucking... know what I"ve had to do." She abruptly stands up and the chair crashes to the ground.

I quickly rise from my seat, ready to go to her.

"Fuck you and your world," she screams at the top of her lungs, as if she"s lost her mind.

"I hate you so much. And everything you stand for," she shouts through gritted teeth.

"But you know what? I"ll get my hands dirty." She turns her palms towards the sky. "I"ll kill. Because that"s the code of the mafia, right? I"ll do whatever it takes to save my mother"s life." With that, she spins on her heels and storms into the house.

I didn't recognize her. There was something dark and ugly lying beneath the surface. The pain and the hurt appeared to have been hidden behind her pretty smile. What had happened to Kinsley?