Mafia's Arranged Princess Bride Book1 King of New York

Chapter 48

Nico

I walk away shaking my head, it's like dealing with a child sometimes. Does she not know how serious this is? Or does she simply think she is beyond everything? That nobody can hurt her? I mean she was standing right by me when the shot went off.

I don't know whether I am angry because of her attitude or turned on by her stubbornness and relentless search of freedom. Seriously, the woman is not my hostage, she can come and go as she likes. But it will be at her own expense and God help me if anything happens to her.

My hand finds its way to my heart, I clutch it at the thought of anything happening to Lucky. It strikes me odd that I haven't even liked this woman before and yet now, well now everything is so different.

And listening to her read to me in bed last night was like music to my ears. I swear it was the first good night's sleep I have had in a very long time. Her voice was soft, gentle not the harshness she tones when she speaks directly to me.

"Good morning, Brother," Tony comes into the dark, austere office with a plate of toast and a mug of coffee.

"We have a dining room for eating," my voice is harsh. Maybe a bit too harsh, Lucky fuels me and me having feelings for her fuels the other half of me. I feel trapped inside myself. Even after a five-mile run, it has not wavered the annoyance I feel for myself.

"Don't be such a pompous asshole, Nico. Since when do you care where the hell we eat?" He's right, I've never been one for formalities except when we are hosting dinner parties, and I am schmoozing with the high rollers to get my money legitimized. Another fucking headache I have to constantly deal with.

There is so much of the stuff, that trying to get new businesses to clean it up is a full-time job in itself. I do have a couple of guys who work for me on this front, but I think it's time to hire in some fresh blood to help. We're talking millions on millions of dollars.

I take a seat at my office desk, crossing one leg over the other. "Woman trouble I take it?" Tony says and flicks a fleck of something off his trousers.

"Something like that. She's just so damn stubborn, I could fucking throttle her. She drives me insane and to drink. I swear I need a fucking whiskey right now."

He raises his eyebrows. "It's not even ten in the morning."

"That's exactly what I mean. I've never known a woman to drive me stir crazy like batshit."

"Ah, I think my brother you must have some strong feelings for her." He chuckles. I don't find anything particularly amusing about this.

Instead, I scoff at him. "Let's get down to business."

"Maybe you should tell her how you feel. It's common for love and hate to have a very fine line and I'd say that is where you are at."

"She's a Gianluca," I grumble. Wishing I could have a shot of whiskey to chill me out and relax me. But I won't. I have a rule and it is not to drink before late afternoon at the earliest. I've seen many a strong man come undone all down to alcohol. It's a drug like all those street drugs.

"Move on from it, Tony."

"Listen, Nico so you have feelings for her. It's about time you had feelings for someone. I've watched you go through your entire teenage years and twenties fucking anything with a heartbeat. And now Lucky is in your life because you arranged it and you've fallen for her. Listen, she's a good-looking woman, beautiful, she is smart and fierce what's not to like about her?"

I seethe inside and clench my fists on my lap. "Are you telling me you fancy my fiancée?"

His eyes pop wide open, "what the fuck? No of course not. I'm merely pointing out the facts. She's not my type, I have my eye on another woman someone who is soft, caring and wants nothing more than to be married to me and have my babies. She will fit right into our family."

"Who? Since when? You play the field way too much to be getting serious with anyone."

His head goes back as he laughs. "You don't know everything little brother."

"Well, I fucking well ought to. Now tell me."

"Very well, she is the daughter of the Enzo family, Priscilla."

"I know her, yes you are right she is used to mafia family ways, she will fit in. So, are you telling me you are finally ready to settle down too?"

"Maybe." He is non-committal. I am not sure whether to believe him or not. Tony is and always has been a player, never seeing the same woman for more than a couple of dates. He always takes a celebrity who wants their picture in the tabloids to gala events, it does them both well. But I've never even seen him with this Priscilla Enzo woman. I knit my eyebrows together.

"When are you introducing her to everyone?"

"Obviously not right now. I don't want anyone associating her to me, it's a secret relationship. You are the only one that knows. I think this family is already on the brink of war with the other families and with someone shooting at you, I am not taking the risk they won't go after her to get to us."

"Fair point." My butler brings in some coffee for us, sets it on the side table and puts my coffee in front of me. He bows slightly and makes his way backwards out of the door.

"Down to business. The shooter, you said forensics had something for us?"

"Correct, it would appear the gun used was a VSS Vintorez, an integrally suppressed sniper rifle."

"Ah, hence not hearing it when it went off." Tony nods to affirm. "And tell me, this is a Russian weapon used by their special forces? Are you telling me it is someone from the Russian side? The slimy cunts."

Tony shrugs. "To be honest, Nico. I have no idea. Anyone who is in the know can get their hands on one, not easy but possible. It could be literally anyone. We're always under attack."

"This was by someone who knew the opening was taking place, and not only that, they knew Lucky would be with me. What if Lucky was the target to get at me?"

"Could have been. I haven't got anything much else to tell you. Other than, it is possible it was a woman. Our team have been on this for days and nights now and the build of the shooter caught on camera could be that of a woman."

I almost spit my coffee out. "What? Why would a woman want to get to me? And which woman?" I rake my hands through my hair, this is getting worse by the second. "Maybe you're mistaken, maybe it is a young man not yet developed, a kid even?"

"Listen, our guys are good. We have the best team in the world, that's why you pay so much. They think it's a high probability that a woman is involved."

My nostrils flare, I can feel the rage running like a tsunami through my body. "So, what's the next steps?"

Tony finishes his coffee and sets the mug down on the mahogany office desk and leans forwards with his elbows on his knees. He's a good-looking guy with his smooth dark hair, always neatly trimmed, his dark, molten eyes a contrast to my startling blue eyes. We don't look alike, Dario is more my look.

"Next steps will be to trace who owns one of these weapons, who sells them, and then we'll comprise a list and start making some calls. I've upped the amount of security for you at the moment and I've spoken to Aurora, being an assassin, she can help out with the likes of who specifically this sniper was purchased from. She knows just about everyone in that field. Everyone trusts her because they don't know she works for you."

This is true, Aurora is never seen publicly with me. I contract her when I need her. She is the best in her field. If you need a job doing you hire Aurora. She's a lean, mean killing machine. No remorse, no questions, tough, and gets the job done.

"Okay, more waiting then."

"It might not take too long, Nico. If we're dealing with a woman here, Aurora will be able to sniff her out. Let's face it, there are only a small percentage of killers and shooters who'd have this type of sniper and if it's a woman, that narrows it down even more."

I blow out, I feel as if I am going to combust. I lean on my desk and look at Tony directly in the eyes. "What if it was Lucky who hired a killer to take me out?"