The Mafia King's Nicotine

Chapter 74

She was a temptress.

Rick couldn't deny that.

Every part of her was compelling.

Especially her title.

Rick smirked as he pushed himself off the table he was leaning against and caught Darleen's hand as she stormed past him, pulling her into his chest, "Hello." He purred, looking down at her thin form, completely engulfed in a tight red dress.

"Hello?" She asked, looking down at their joined hands in almost shock or confusion, anger and frustration still fizzing inside of her.

She was angry with her! She was angry with him! And with her parents for making her come to their stupid wedding.

She was in love with him. She could give him the whole Russian mafia and yet he still chose to marry some lowlife girl from the states! One who probably didn't even know the first thing about mafia life or how to be a perfect housewife!

She should have been in her place! She should have been the one walking down the aisle!

Not her!

"You look lovely." He complimented.

A wild blush fanned across her skin and her eyes went wide. She glanced past his broad shoulder back at Erik who was staring them down with a slight arch in his brow, "Thank you."

"Would you like to dance?" Rick asked, tugging her towards the floor.

Looking back once more, noticing Erik was no long paying her any attention she blocked out any conflicting feelings that seemed to consume her heart and smiled back at him, "Of course." Her voice was almost spiteful, but in all honesty she was rather excited.

Her whole life she had wanted and even expected to be the wife of the dangerous and infamous mafia king, but now that he was off the table, she would have to look into other options and this attractive man seemed to be a perfect substitute.

At least for awhile.

So tonight she planned to woo her way into his heart and it was already off to a good start.

"Darleen, right?" He asked her, the corner of his lips curving up slightly.

"Yes." She blushed, "And you are?"

"Richard Farré." The left corner of his mouth lifted as he brought the back of her hand to his lips, "Enchanté."

After a few minutes of dancing and completely avoiding looking at him Darleen took in a breath and asked the question that had been on her mind since the moment she had seen Vivian at the cake shop, "So who is she?"

"Who?" Rick asked, cupping his hand around the back of her neck.

"His trophy wife." She practically growled.

Rick glanced over at Vivian who bent over smiling at Darleen's little sister, Lia, "No one." He muttered, "Compared to you, she is nothing."

"Now that's not true." She returned her full attention to him and moved her hips slightly closer, "He clearly sees something in her that he didn't see in me."

Rick sighed and spun her around so her back was facing the couple and she could focus on only him, "Erik is blind. For anyone to pass you up would be idiotic."

"Are you trying to get into my pants?" She questioned, taken aback by his compliment.

"Isn't that the end goal of every relationship?" Rick smirked, clearly sarcastic, but Darleen failed to see the joke.