Chapter Twenty-One
The house has got people all over it. Caterers, staff, security.
I’m pacing around my office. I can’t sit still.
I’ve been following him. I’ve seen him every day, but he hasn’t seen me.
I watched. I followed. I stayed back, but I’ve sent him presents.
I’ve sent him a suit that he will look fabulous in for tonight, but we haven’t spoken or even been in the same room.
There’s a knock at the door, and it clicks open.
Arianna’s head pokes through. She whistles. “Damn, Bell, you look hot.”
I adjust my tie and smooth down the imaginary creases in my suit. I scowl at her, and she laughs, stepping in and closing the door behind her. I’m not sure when she started to grow on me, or if she even has, but she seems to be around a lot.
“What do you want, Arianna?” I snap. She’s always in my business, always hanging around. I see her more than if I’d actually married her.
“Bell, don’t be like that. We’re family.”
“Pfft. Family. As if that means anything.”
“Don’t do that, Bell. We are all each other has. You, me, and Vittorio. And soon to be Leonardo. We’re family, and we need to learn to trust each other and rely on each other. Only then can we fully take over and destroy the rest of the Syndicate.”
I nod. I know she’s right. I have to trust her and my brother, but it’s always been just me.
“Let’s go meet your fiancé.” She winks at me and slides her arm through mine, leading me to the door. I don’t stop her, but I scowl at her again all the same.
Stepping through the halls and into the main living and dining areas, and finally into the ballroom, there are people everywhere. I curl my lip as I scan the area. Arianna tugs at my arm.
“Tone it down, Bell.” But then I see him walk into the room alone, glancing around with a glass of champagne clutched in his hand. I slip out of Arianna’s hold and stalk towards him.
“I hope you like the suit?”
“You sent it?” I nod, and he blows out a breath. I can’t help but notice the marks on his face and neck. He flinches as my hand reaches towards his face. There’s a coldness that spreads over me, my body tenses, and he tenses in return.
I lift my hand, and it connects with his cheek as I brush my thumb over one of the scratches.
My voice comes out as a low rumble. “Who did this to you?”
He shakes his head. But I growl, and he pulls back a little. His eyes widen at the snarl that spreads across my face. He physically shudders. My grip tightens against His jaw.
“Who fucking did this to you, Leonardo?” He takes a breath. He freezes. He reaches up and moves my hand away from his face.
“It was an accident. Sports, huh, you know what I mean.”
I reach for him again, but he steps back, putting space between us.
“Bellino.” Enzo’s voice cuts through the air.
I notice the look on Leonardo’s face. The way his gaze drops to the floor when Enzo approaches.
I shake his hand, stepping in front of Leonardo.
Instinctively keeping space between them, we exchange pleasantries for a while, but Leonardo never moves from behind me.
“I need to get my fiancé a drink. Thank you for coming, Enzo.” I cut him off. I reach behind me and take Leonardo’s hand, dragging him through the party. I take him straight to the bar. I hold up two fingers as we approach, and by the time we arrive, the two glasses are waiting on the bar.
“Don’t drink that shit.” I snatch the champagne out of his hand, thrusting the bourbon towards him.
He stares at it for a second before throwing the whole thing back.
He coughs a little, and I take the glass from him, placing it back on the bar, and nodding, it’s filled again, and I place it back in his hand.
He takes it in one drink and then relaxes.
I take the glass back from him and place it on the bar.
“Better?”
He gives me a small, tentative nod, but his body language is stiff, uncomfortable; he’s afraid, but it doesn’t seem to be aimed at me.
“Hi, I’m Arianna.” Her voice breaks me from my fixation on him, and I turn to glare at her.
“Leonardo, this is my ex-fiancée.” I snarl at her, his eyes widen, and she chuckles, reaching for his hand and shaking it.
“I’m his sister-in-law, I’m the best part of the family.” I scoff as I see my brother heading this way. I groan and roll my eyes. His arms go around Arianna, and he kisses her cheek as he leans forward, shaking Leonardo’s hand.
“Vittorio, I’m the younger, better-looking brother.”
We’re broken from our mundane conversation.
“Bellino, can I steal Leonardo away for just a second?” Enzo croons. And I nod, but I see Leonardo physically tense as his father reaches in and tugs him across the dancefloor. We all stare after him, and Arianna steps in beside me, and Vittorio moves closer.
“The bruises?” she whispers.
“Sports injury,” I whisper back.
“You believe that?”
“Fuck no.” I shake my head because no.
“What are we going to do about it, Bell?”
“We? I will end whoever did that, but I need to get him to talk.”
“Be gentle with him, Bell. You need him to trust you.” I scoff. And shake my head. I glare at her, and when I do, I see him in the corner of the room. With his father, his back is to me, but it looks like his father is scolding him. Pointing fingers. Snarling.
I step away from Arianna and Vittorio and walk over to him.
I don’t say anything. I take Leonardo’s hand and tug him away.
He pulls back at first, but I glare at him, and he stops pulling.
I lead him down the corridor and into the bathroom.
I slam the door, locking it, and he backs into the corner, his eyes wide like a lil’ lamb on its way to slaughter. He swallows hard and glances down.
That’s when I catch a glimpse of how bad the bruises look in this more subdued lighting. I rush over and snatch at his chin; he flinches as I lift his face.
“Who the fuck did this?” I twist and turn to get a better look at him.
There’s slight bruising around both eyes.
His nose looks glossy, like it’s sustained trauma.
The bruising isn’t only confined to his face; there are marks on his neck too, and his cheek and neck have scratches on them, but they look newer.
“Who the fuck did this to you, Leonardo?”
He shakes his head. His eyes fall to the floor.
His hands tighten on the edge of the counter.
I crowd in closer. He swallows, and his chest heaves.
His eyes come up to meet mine, and I yank him to me, crashing my lips against his.
He freezes. His eyes widen. I reach my hand up, sliding it around the back of his neck, ready to claim his mouth; my tongue licks across his lips.
There’s a bang at the door. I snarl as I pull away. “Occupied,” I grit out.
As I stare into the most beautiful eyes, but his lip is quivering, he looks scared, terrified even, and I can’t help but want to scoop him into my arms and protect him.
The knock on the door persists, and when I yank the door open, Enzo is standing there.
He looks over my shoulder at Leonardo, but his head is down, and he doesn’t move his gaze up.
“I’m busy, Enzo. What do you want?”
“Your guests are waiting for you, Bellino.”
I blow out a breath and step to leave, but Leonardo doesn’t move; he’s frozen and won’t look at his father.
“I’d like a moment with my son,” Enzo states matter-of-factly. But as I look at Leonardo’s face, he looks like he wants to be anywhere but with his father.
“Sorry, Enzo, we have guests to greet.” I reach over and stretch out my hand.
He stares down at it for a second before shakily reaching out and grabbing it.
I tug him towards the door and step past Enzo.
I don’t miss the glare he sends Leonardo, and I snarl back at him as I lead Leonardo down the corridor.
I pull him close. I have one hand on his back.
I keep hold of his hand and we step into the dining area.
People are everywhere, but I just want it to be me and him now. I want everyone to leave.
Arianna steps up to me, placing her hand on my chest, and my eyes flick to hers. She leans in and whispers in my ear. “Who did that to him?”
I shake my head. I mean, I have an idea, and if his father did this, I won’t hesitate to destroy him. She stares at me and nods as she steps back, giving me a look as she rubs at my arm, which tells me she’s on my side, she has my back, and I’m sure time will tell whether that’s true or not.
My hand tightens on Leonardo’s as he tries to pull away from me; I glare at him, and he stops pulling. I can’t get the thought out of my mind of someone marking his perfect skin that isn’t me. I will fucking end Enzo if I find out it’s him.
The party continues around us—indecipherable chatter, crystal clinking, bodies moving around us, and it’s like they’re sped up, chaos around us, but holding his hand still, it feels like we’re in our own little bubble.
My thumb rubs back and forth across his skin, and he just stands by my side.
Becoming the other half of me. I refuse to let Leonardo move from my side.
We barely talk with one distraction to the next, people wanting to congratulate us.
To suck up to me and secure their standing, but I can only focus on him.
The bruising looks less prominent in these lights, and I can see Arianna and Vittorio in my peripheral vision, watching our every move.
The end of the night starts to get closer, and Enzo heads back over to us. “We should go, Leonardo.”
He steps to move away from me. His hand shakes in mine, and I grip him tighter and pull him towards me, stepping in front of him. Between him and Enzo. I glare daggers at him. I tower over him, and without letting go of Leonardo’s hand. I snarl in his face.
“I can’t help but notice the bruising and scratches on my…
” I emphasise the word “my.” “…fiancé’s face and neck, I do not take kindly to people leaving marks on something that’s mine, Enzo.
” I spit. “If he turns up for the wedding with a single mark on him, heads will fucking roll. Do I make myself clear?”
Enzo nods, and I release Leonardo’s hand as he steps around me. He gives me a tight-lipped smile and walks away with his father close on his heels. Before I can move, Arianna is by my side. “Do you want me to put someone on him?”
I shake my head. “I’ll take care of it.”
She nods and steps away. It’s like she knows what I need. She’s always right there, and I realise that she’s right. We do need to stick together now more than ever. The more people I can trust to keep Leonardo safe, the better.