The Italian Marriage: Billionaire Mafia Arranged Marriage Standalone (The Italians Book 2) Read online

  THE ITALIAN MARRIAGE

  N.J. ADEL

  This is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  THE ITALIAN MARRIAGE

  Copyright © 2020 N.J. Adel

  All rights reserved.

  ALL CHARACTERS DEPICTED ARE OVER THE AGE OF 18.

  WARNING

  THIS BOOK FEATURES EXPLICIT DEPICTIONS OF SEX AND OTHER MATERIAL THAT MAY OFFEND SOME AUDIENCES. THEREFORE, IS INTENDED FOR ADULTS ONLY.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author at the e-mail address below.

  [email protected]

  Table of Scenes

  Also by N.J. Adel

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Bianca

  Chapter 2

  Enzio

  Chapter 3

  Bianca

  Chapter 4

  Bianca

  Chapter 5

  Enzio

  Chapter 6

  Bianca

  Chapter 7

  Enzio

  Chapter 8

  Bianca

  Chapter 9

  Bianca

  Chapter 10

  Enzio

  Chapter 11

  Enzio

  Chapter 12

  Bianca

  Chapter 13

  Enzio

  Chapter 14

  Bianca

  Chapter 15

  Bianca

  Chapter 16

  Enzio

  Chapter 17

  Bianca

  Chapter 18

  Enzio

  Chapter 19

  Bianca

  Chapter 20

  Bianca

  Chapter 21

  Enzio

  Chapter 22

  Bianca

  Chapter 23

  Enzio

  Chapter 24

  Bianca

  Chapter 25

  Enzio

  Chapter 26

  Enzio

  Chapter 27

  Bianca

  Chapter 28

  Bianca

  Chapter 29

  Enzio

  Chapter 30

  Bianca

  Chapter 31

  Enzio

  Chapter 32

  Bianca

  Chapter 33

  Bianca

  Chapter 34

  Enzio

  Chapter 35

  Bianca

  Chapter 36

  Bianca

  Chapter 37

  Enzio

  Chapter 38

  Bianca

  Chapter 39

  Enzio

  Epilogue

  Bianca

  Soundtrack

  Also by N.J. Adel

  Author Bio

  Also by N.J. Adel

  Steamy Forbidden Contemporary and Mafia Romance

  The Italians

  The Cruel Italian: Crimes of the Wicked (The Italian Marriage Prequel Novella)

  The Italian Marriage

  The Italian Heartthrob

  Dirty Beats (The Italian Heartthrob Prequel Erotica Novella)

  Dark MC and Mafia Romance

  I Hate You then I Love You Collection

  Darkness Between Us

  NINE MINUTE LATER

  Nine Minutes Xtra

  Nine Minutes Forever

  I Hate You then I Love You Erotic Suspense Box set

  Paranormal Reverse Harem Standalones

  All the Teacher’s Pets

  All the Teacher’s Pet Beasts

  All the Teacher’s Bad Boys

  All the Teacher’s Prisoners

  All the Teacher’s Little Belles

  Reverse Harem Erotic Romance

  Her Royal Harem Series

  Her Royal Harem: Complete Box set

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  Dedication

  To your endless hate. It only keeps me going.

  Chapter 1

  Bianca

  Bang! Bang!

  “Run!”

  Every time I dozed off in this silent darkness, Cosimo’s voice thundered in my head as he yelled over the bullets. His face urging me to escape with our baby, men falling down around my husband like flies, and all the blood staining our apartment played on repeat behind my blindfolded lids.

  I moved my hands, but my wrists burned, zip tied behind my back. I had no idea how long I’d been here. By the pressure in my bladder, I’d say at least twelve hours, if not more.

  Whoever did this, whoever kidnapped me and my baby, didn’t have the courage to show themselves, say their demands or rattle their threats; they drugged me, threw me here, and tied me to this chair without my son.

  No surprise here. The people who dared kidnap Cosimo Lanza’s wife and son must be lunatics or had a death wish. They must have realized the lethal mistake they’d made and were either cursing themselves to hell and beyond or already in hell.

  If Cosimo didn’t murder the bastards who shot at us at our own home and kidnapped me and Mario, I’d do it myself.

  Nobody touched my son and lived.

  My husband was the boss of the Italian Mafia. As much as I despised what he did for a living, urged him to step down over and over, in situations like this one, I realized his way was the only way.

  That’s what I’ve always been afraid of, Cosimo. I told you I didn’t want my children to live in fear. Why wouldn’t you just listen?

  After he offed the fuckers, I wouldn’t tolerate this anymore. Two years ago, when he proposed, I’d begged him to quit, but he said it was impossible. I followed my stupid heart and married him anyway. I had no other choice. Despite how dark and twisted and depraved our story was, Cosimo was my everything. The gorgeous bad boy I loved since I was eight. The man I lost my virginity to. The dangerous devil who owned my heart, body and soul.

  But when we had Mario, I couldn’t just sit around and wait for a day such as today. I asked again. Demanded. That was when Cosimo promised the second we were in danger, he’d consider leaving his seat to his brother Enzio.

  Well, now he’d have to do more than just consider it. Cosimo must step down. I wouldn’t rest until my husband, my son and I lived in peace.

  My nipples ached with the heaviness of my breasts. It was past Mario’s feeding time. He must be so hungry. What would those fuckers feed him? Would they feed him in the first place?

  “You motherfuckers, give me back my son!” I bellowed at the darkness, rocking the chair hard, my whole body shaking with fury, the zip tie slashing my wrists. “If you hurt him, I’ma kill each one of—”

  Something screeched, followed by a cold sea breeze, seagull noises, and a hint of light I felt on my face. Was I close to a beach? Docks? My pulse rocketed as footsteps echoed. Elegant and self-assured.

  Familiar.

  Another screech. A metallic thud. Darkness. Then another burst of light much closer than the first. The familiar steps came toward me. They belonged to a man whose smell I knew by heart, but my mind, out of shock and distress, refused to believe he was the one standing next to my cha
ir.

  My head whipped in his direction. “Where is my son?”

  Silence filled the space between us for never-ending seconds. Then he sighed. “Safe.”

  A chill ran down my spine, and a wave of relief engulfed me at the familiar voice and assuring word. “Oh, Enzio. It is you. Thank God. Where’s Cosimo?”

  “Never ceased to surprise me how you could tell us apart so easily.” Fingers touched the back of my head, and the blindfold dropped.

  The flaring light from what seemed to be a lamp in the middle of this dark room forced me to squint hard. My eyes suffered to adjust before I could take in my husband’s twin brother’s face. “I’m so glad you’re here. I really need to pee. Where’s Mario? Take me to him.”

  “I have him, Bianca. Don’t worry.” He grabbed a chair from a corner and sat across from me.

  “What do you mean don’t worry? Why are you sitting down? Untie me and let’s go. Did you catch the bastards who did this? And where the hell is Cosimo?”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw.

  My heart skipped a beat. “What? Is he hurt?”

  He just stared at me, his eyes the darkest I’d ever seen. Cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I imagined the worst possible scenarios. They were shooting at my husband when I ran, but he wasn’t hurt, and his bodyguards were still standing.

  My head twitched, my dry throat bobbing. “How badly is he hurt?”

  When he remained silent, I snapped. “What the fuck, Enzio? Say something!”

  He looked away for a moment, but when he stared back at me, I’d never been so afraid all my life. “No. Don’t say it.” My breaths snagged in my chest, tears choking me. “Say anything, but not that. No.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  I screamed, my soul ripped to shreds. Unbearable and excruciating pain tore at me as I sniveled and hiccupped through the tears. Cosimo was dead. My only protector. The father of my child. The love of my life. Cosimo died, and I wasn’t there with him. I’d never see my husband again.

  “Why? How? Who did it? Who are these men?” I bounced with rage in the fucking chair. “Who killed my husband, Enzio?!”

  “You have to calm down and listen to what I have to say.”

  The coldness of his voice contrasted the fire in my chest and the burn in my wrists. “I won’t listen to shit. How could you be so fucking calm? This is your twin brother who was just killed. What the fuck is wrong with you? And why the hell haven’t you untied me yet?”

  He sighed as if he ran out of patience. Then he reached inside the pocket of his suit jacket, brought out his silver cigarette case and lighter, and lit a smoke.

  My eyes narrowed at him in disbelief. A long series of what the fuck questions jammed in my skull. Then I felt like all my blood had rushed out of my body.

  “Cosimo always said you were smart. I never believed him. Smart women didn’t lead their husbands to their coffins. But you seem to have put the pieces together already, so I’ll give you that.”

  My head spun, my body cold all of a sudden. “Who shot Cosimo, Enzio?”

  He blew out a puff of smoke and stared at me through the trail. “I did.”

  My tears froze in my eyes as every muscle in me did. Even my heart seemed to have stopped beating. It was Enzio and his men who raided our home, who kidnapped me and my son. My brother-in-law killed my husband. “You killed your brother?”

  “He knew how it was,” he said. “The family always comes first, and when he betrayed the family, he left me no choice.”

  “Betrayed the Lanzas? Cosimo lived for your fucking family. When had he ever?”

  He jumped to his feet, his chair crumbling down. “When he decided to leave! Because of you!”

  “What?” I asked, dazed.

  “Four months ago, Cosimo decided to no longer be the boss and nominated me…as you fucking wanted. The family refused and insisted he remain in his position. So he…” He sucked a long drag from his cigarette.

  “He what?”

  “Sabotaged deals, turned our people against each other and killed a few of our own, the ones who voted no, so when he would ask to leave again, no one would object. But before the last hit, he was made.”

  Oh my God. The tears returned to stream down my face. Finally, Cosimo wanted out of this horrible life. He did all this for me. For us. To protect us as he’d always vowed. To give me what I’d always wanted. And he paid the price with his own life.

  But no, something didn’t add up. Cosimo said he’d only leave if we were in danger. Something must have happened. “And the family ordered you to shoot your own brother? Why you?”

  He didn’t answer me and kept blowing out the disgusting smoke.

  “Let me guess. They ordered the hit on Cosimo but still wouldn’t let you take his place. To prove to them you were worthy, you had to take down the boss yourself.”

  He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, the amount of hate in his glance sickening. “None of that would have happened if you hadn’t pissed poison in his ears. Make no mistake, Cosimo had to die because of you.”

  The monster who pulled the trigger was blaming me for the kill? I wanted to snort and cry and scream and tear the whole world apart, not just this bastard’s heart, literally, but I wasn’t surprised. What would I expect from a fucking Lanza other than malice and lies…and blood?

  “And now you’re not here to save me. You’re here to kill me, too,” I whispered.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. I am here to save you,” he spat.

  “Say what now?”

  He stomped on the cigarette and picked up the chair so he could sit again. “Mario needs his mother.”

  “And not his father? Your own fucking blood who you murdered you sick fuck?” I gritted, my voice cracking, fresh tears stinging my eyes.

  “I’ll raise Mario as my own.”

  “Fuck you! You’d be dancing on my corpse before I’d let you touch my son.”

  “Cosimo might have accepted this attitude from you, but I don’t like women who swear. I’ll forgive you just this once because you’re not thinking straight.”

  “Forgive that, bitch.” I produced the biggest ball of phlegm I could muster and spat in his face. It landed right on his cheek beside the corner of his mouth.

  He puckered his lips and stood. Then he reached me in two strides and yanked my hair, straining my neck. “I’d mark your face for that, but you have a wedding to attend, so I’ll be generous. Just today.”

  I stared at him, rage and disbelief gnashing at me. “Have you gone completely out of your mind? What the fuck are you talking about?”

  He let go of me, took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. “The family wants you dead, and so do I.” The hatred he had for me popped in his eyes again as he returned to his seat. “But for Mario’s sake, I convinced them you should live.”

  My stomach clenched, a heavy wave of nausea hitting me. “On what condition?”

  He smirked. He fucking smirked. “You and I will get married.”

  “You sick monstrous prick!” I squirmed, kicked and screamed until I fell on my side. Pain seared my side and temple. “If you think for one second you could—”

  “Basta! I have zero interest in doing anything with your little ass but kill it. If someone deserved to die here, it’s certainly you. All I’m thinking about is the best interest of my nephew. Isn’t that what you should be thinking about, too? Because if you’re not, maybe you don’t deserve him after all.”

  “You know I love my son more than anything. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him. But what you’re saying is…” Fucked up was the least thing I could think of. How was I supposed to marry my husband’s brother? His fucking twin who just murdered him? My chest heaved, bile accumulating in my throat. “Enzio…Enzio, you can’t be serious.”

  “I am.” His black, Italian shoes walked toward me, dried blood—my husband’s blood—on them. “From where I see it, you have two options. L
ive, raise your son with a father who’d love, protect and give him everything. Or…die in this warehouse and never see him again.” He bent, his face meeting mine. “What’s it gonna be, dolcezza?”

  Chapter 2

  Enzio

  Bianca Zanetti was our downfall.

  The girl Cosimo Lanza loved more than his family, more than anything, more than life itself. The bitch that brought him to his knees, made him turn on his own family and led him to his grave.

  I stared at his tombstone for hours, one question in my mind.

  Was she worth it?

  I’d been asking myself that since I’d left her in the warehouse. Was she worth killing for? Dying for? Did that trash deserve my brother’s love? His soul?

  He was the boss of one of the most powerful mafia families in the world. He owned cities, not just here in San Francisco, everywhere. And she was nobody. He could have had anything, anyone, but he chose her. To live with her. To die for her.

  My brother’s obsession with Bianca wasn’t something I didn’t know of. The whole city knew, and I’d been there every step of the way. Right from the start.

  He was twenty-one, had just paid a visit to a prick that needed to be taught a lesson, and Cosimo almost broke his hand doing it. And there she was, an eight-year-old with a long ponytail, missing teeth and a lisp, walking out of a diner to give my brother a box of bandages.

  He never took his eyes or mind off her since.

  He scared away any boy who thought about dating her and let Alfarez, the man who raised her, know she was Cosimo’s even if Alfarez didn’t approve.

  My brother waited twelve years for the virgin contessa to grow up and fall for him. The second she did, he put a ring on her finger and knocked her up. They spent together a year and a half when I’d never seen him happier, but it was also the only time I saw fear and guilt in his eyes.

  The last thing he said was her name. He didn’t ask for mercy or forgiveness. He didn’t even tell me to take care of his son. All he said was, save Bianca.

  Maybe he had no doubt I’d take care of Mario. That boy took my heart the moment he was born. But Bianca wasn’t to be spared. He must have known. That was why he said it.