Page 55 of Revenge on the Mafia

My phone vibrated, and Enzo’s picture displayed on it. Picking it up, I walked out of the room, leaving the asshole mid-explanation.

“Ludano with you?”

I leaned against the hallway wall. “Boring the shit out of us, yes.”

“Tell him we’re having issues with two of our clubs. He needs to get the licenses renewed. ASAP.”

I frowned. “Why don’t you tell him?”

Enzo groaned on the other end of the line. “The fucker annoys the living shit out of me.”

The bastard was loud and too fucking pompous to be kept alive for very long by Enzo. I couldn’t give a shit about him either way. “There’s only one solution to that.”

“Stefano’s watching a candidate.”

“I was thinking of you learning to curb your irritation.” Anna walked into the office. Three coffees on her tray, wild curls tamed into a high ponytail, and a beige dress that covered her to her knees. Enzo went on about something, but my head filled with a buzz.

“Nico? I asked you a question.”

“Later.”

I snapped off the phone, walked into my office, and froze in the doorway. She had leaned forward to set down his coffee, and the fucker’s stuffed his nose in her hair. Something ridiculously violent surged inside my body.

Before I could control myself, acid dripped from my tone. “What the fuck are you doing?” Three pairs of eyes whipped my way. She noticed the jackass sniffing her and jumped back a step.

My heart was rocketing inside like a fucking ping-pong ball. He was too much of an idiot to read the obvious threat in my words. He shrugged. Like he was a man who couldn’t help but want her. “She just smells good.”

“So? Buy yourself a fucking rockrose on your way out.”

He’d crossed the line. My fucking line. Then did it again. “You don’t mind, do you, bella?” Next to him, Stefano groaned. “It puts me in a good mood.”

My vision exploded. Red spots flamed in my eyes. I counted to bite back the acrimony coiling inside my body. She stared at me. Curiosity and fear flickered across her face. When I finally managed to speak, my tone belied nothing. Was soft. It landed like bricks on fabric. “Sniffing my wife put you in a good mood?”

His jaw dropped open. He backed away. The chair scraped with the force of it. “Wife?” His pompous voice had gone squeaky.

Next to him, Stefano patted his shoulder. “Someone’s got himself into trouble.”

“No,” Ludano shook his head wildly. “I didn’t know she was his wife.” He looked pleadingly at Stefano, but he only got a chuckle from him. He turned to me, mistakenly seeking my sympathy. “I didn’t know.”

“Don’t worry, sweetie.” Anna rolled her eyes. Then she pulled the pin off the grenade by fucking leaning over and putting her hand on his trembling shoulder. “The man is loco. I’m just his maid.”

I gritted my back teeth. I’m just his maid.

Ludano’s gaze shifted between us wildly. He didn’t dare to look at the woman upping my pulse rate for more than a second before he looked at me. His face went ashen. I kept my gaze as blank as the icy blade of a steel knife. Stefano leaned over and spoke right behind his ear. “I’d know who to believe if I were you.”

He nodded and half stood up from his chair, papers falling to the floor. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. If I had—”

I held up my hand. “Forget it.”

Like fuck if I would.

A relieved smile cracked across his pale face. Foolish man. We’d finish our meeting before I finished him. Besides, I didn’t want Anna to see his blood. The thought of it tasted sour. I could wait. Patience was my best trait. I walked to the desk and sank into my chair.

“Let’s finish our work here.” I gave her a pointed look. She took the hint and walked out the door. But not before she fucking patted Ludano’s shoulder one more time. I decided I’d tick hours away from our wedding date every time she pissed me off, starting with twenty-four hours for that.

Ludano dropped to his knees, collecting the papers, half mumbling to himself. My gaze met Stefano’s. ‘How long?’ He mouthed the words.

He thought the probability of my patience lasting longer than this meeting was zero. Idiot. I wasn’t Enzo.