Chapter 24 – Penelope
W e managed to find several dresses the man I married deemed suitable. None of them were green—he insisted no more green. It was hard to say what his problem with that particular color was. I looked really good in most shades. I couldn’t bring myself to look at the ruined dress, which the don insisted we bring home, let alone think about what happened in that dressing room. Burying the vivid images wasn’t possible either. Not when one look at the mobster and his wicked mouth sent a flush of heat through me.
I tried to focus on the patterns of the floor tiles, and then the buildings we passed as we walked down the sidewalk, and finally, I searched the passersby for familiar faces. Of course, I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew, so when I locked eyes with someone whose laser-focused attention was on me, my heart shot to my throat.
The man standing across the street was a stranger, but the way he stared was all too familiar.
“One more stop.” Mancini’s words broke my concentration.
I turned into him, stammering a question. The glint in his eye immediately put my guard on edge. But the sign above the shop only brought confusion. What the hell were we doing at a leather goods store?
The don pulled the door open. “Corwin Blau has the best stones in the city, and probably the whole world.”
I looked over my shoulder. The walkway across the street was empty. The stranger was gone, and I couldn’t for the life of me place where I knew their face.
Unable to shake the creepy feeling, I entered the shop. It was replaced with an equally uneasy feeling. This was a jewelry store, and nothing like the chain ones in the malls. This place reeked of pure luxury. The warm lights offset the cool hues of blue and gold. Glass cases stretched as far as the eye could see. Their contents dazzling under brighter lights mounted inside the walls. Prim associates stood at the ready, even though we were the only customers in the space—probably by design. Just like at the designer boutique. Mancini didn’t seem to enjoy shopping with onlookers.
“These cases out here are all for show,” Mancini explained, running his fingers over the polished surface of the nearest case. “Corwin has a more selective stock in his vaults. And he can create whatever pieces we commission.”
The sour feeling that had begun to spread through my gut the moment I realized where we were now threatened to creep up my throat.
“It’s an impressive display,” I commented, because it felt like I had to say something.
The don took a step forward, forcing me back against a case. “You’ll be honest with me? Tell me what you like?”
There was something under his request. The way he studied me was unguarded. As if he was really, truly interested in my opinion. That red flush to his skin, however, was hard to place.
“Sure,” I agreed. “But you know more about this stuff than me.”
The don nodded once. “Just trust your gut, vespina. You’re good at this stuff if you just give yourself the chance.”
A wiry man appeared from a backroom, saving me the trouble of answering that loaded statement. “Signor Mancini! You honor me, my friend, coming to visit on this fine day.”
“Grazie, signore,” the don murmured, inclining his head. “This was something too important to trust to my men.”
“Ah, I see.” The jeweler’s beady eyes twinkled as he appraised me.
I stood up straight, meeting his gaze. The man didn’t look as if I were out of place, but rather some puzzle he wanted to solve. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Blau.”
“Corwin, this is my wife.” There was no missing the possessive way the don’s tongue curled over the title. It shouldn’t be a sound I liked.
“Beautiful, beautiful,” the jeweler murmured.
“As Luca informed you, we need items for several events, but also, I have a more personal need,” Mancini said but stopped to clear his throat.
I shot him a quick glance. His cheeks were infused with bright color. It was unnatural, and my fingers itched to reach up and feel if his forehead was warm.
“And how did you like what was sent last night?” The jeweler pulled out a pair of spectacles and began rubbing them with a cloth. “I might have lost at five-card stud at your tournament, but you, my host, were gracious enough to purchase one of my most prized pieces. Thank you, don, for that, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. Next time, don’t bet against the river with such a bad hand. Well, Penelope? How did you like the diamonds?” Mancini asked with a shit-eating smirk.
No, I didn’t want to feel his forehead. I wanted to smack that grin off his face.
I chose my words carefully. “They were very nice, but I’m afraid they weren’t my style.”
“You have a long neck, elegant lines throughout your frame.” Blau popped the glasses on his nose, blinking like an owl at me. “But yes, simplicity over weight will be better for you. Come, let me show you my treasures.”
Mancini coughed into his elbow as he followed us into one of the vaults. That noise sounded more than a tickle in the throat.
Cold air swept through the pipes, making the space feel as though it should be underground. More of the bright lights shown on us, but there was no mistaking the claustrophobic feeling of being buried alive—in a cave of wealth. If that heavy door shut, there would be no escape.
“Your bracelet is unique,” Blau commented. His back was to us as he began to set velvet lined displays along the length of counter. “You prefer jewelry on your arms, signora?”
I lifted the dangling mass of charms. Whatever I was going to say died on my tongue as I noticed an empty spot between the sun and the moon.
No! Not the crown.
That was the first one I bought with my babysitting money. I promised myself I would live like royalty someday, not change poopy diapers on the neighbor’s five babies. I treasured that charm, a reminder of my dreams.
But it was gone. Sadness swept through me. I lost another charm. It’d only happened twice before, when I bought cheap clasps. I was religious about checking for loose connections, and it had been years since one fell off the bracelet.
“Signora?” the wizened man blinked up at me.
“Um, yeah, I like bracelets,” I croaked, cradling mine in my opposite hand.
Blau held up a braided gold chain. The yellow hue crackled in the light. There was a simplicity that immediately piqued my interest.
“You like this,” he surmised, a smile playing on his lips.
“I do.” Unfortunately. My resolve not to become a spoilt princess was being tested by something this perfect.
“Allow me.” Blau reached for my wrist.
Before he made contact, I was forcefully pulled back.
“I’ll do it,” Mancini growled.
Growled! Like the beast that he was.
“Of course, Don Mancini.” Blau didn’t seem fazed.
Hard fingers wrapped around mine, and the monster quickly undid the fastening of the charm bracelet. I scowled at him, desperately wanting to tell him I could do it myself. If we were alone, I would have.
But causing a scene in this enclosed space seemed wrong.
Mancini plucked the braid of gold and deftly draped it over me. Once it was secure, he lifted my fingers to let the piece dangle from my skin. His brow rose as he met my gaze.
Angling my body so the jeweler couldn’t see, I narrowed my eyes at him.
That predatorial smile curved on his lips.
Oh, what I would give to tell this wolf exactly what I thought of him buying me off.
“We’re going to need more pieces like this,” Mancini instructed.
Greed lit the jeweler’s eyes. “I have just the thing.”
“Whatever you say, dear,” I mused and flashed the don a sickly-sweet smile.
Between the jeweler and the don, they found things I actually liked. It made the prospect of wearing them a little less horrid. But the thing that kept me quiet was that I didn’t want to fight Mancini. Not over something like this. I wouldn’t win.
In fact, the way I saw it, if I wore his stupid fancy stuff, he would be more likely to agree to my ideas. When the perfect opportunity came, I would have my counter offer ready to push on him. The don wanted a glittery trophy wife to show off? Fine, I could play that role. But in exchange, he was going to pay for my degree or help me find a job where I would gain valuable experience.
“We’ll take them all, but there’s one more piece I need you to show me,” Mancini said before clearing his throat again.
A knock on the door made the jeweler frown. “One moment, signore. I do beg your pardon.”
As Blau scampered away, Mancini took my hand and carefully slid the charm bracelet back over my skin. “There, back to normal.”
It felt strange, this small connection. There was more heat blazing between us now than any of the kisses we’d shared.
The look in his eye was equally perplexing. It was almost as if he were looking past my defenses to study the real me.
I had to give myself a hard mental shake.
I’m just his prize.
It didn’t mean anything more.
“Thank you,” I said, pulling away from him.
“That wasn’t so bad,” he teased. “You don’t have to admit it, but I know you enjoyed that, Penelope.” I bristled, but he held up his hand. “Spare me your wrath, vespina, I can see how much you hated this errand.”
A long exhale huffed from my lungs.
The don caught my fingers again. I didn’t fight. He lifted my hand and twisted it, searching the charms. His phone rang, but he ignored the insistent chime.
“Talk to me,” he coaxed. His voice was hoarse, but likely from the congestion and not emotions. He didn’t have those. “What do you want? Say anything but freedom and it’s yours.”
“I want to become someone.” The unformed plan blurted out in a whisper. Shit. That was not how I wanted to make the proposal. My mind backpedaled, trying to reform the vague request. “I need a purpose, Alessandro. I can’t sit around at the house all day; I’m going crazy!”
His eyes fluttered closed at the sound of his name. When they opened, the black irises blazed with heat. “We can work with that.”
That sounded too good to be true.
After what happened with my uncle, I was going to be very careful with these underworld kingpins. They might say one thing, but the devil was in the details. Once I had a better formed plan, I would make him sign his name—in ink or blood, it made little difference to me.
“Good, so long as we can work something out,” I said with finality. My fingers plucked the empty place on the charm bracelet.
“Don’t worry, vespina, you can keep the jewels and your pride.”
I jerked out of his hold. “I don’t want your blood money or gems. I want your promise that you won’t screw me over like my uncle tried to do. When I come to you with a proposal, you’ll listen to me.”
Whatever he was going to say was cut off when his phone rang again. Lips pursed in annoyance, he plucked the device from his breast pocket.
“What?” he snapped.
Needing space, I wandered into the front of the shop. I wasn’t sure I liked this change to my life. Sure, girls dreamed of the fairytale where there were servants and clothes, wealth and an endless supply of consumer goods. But now that I had everything I could ever want, I didn’t feel comfortable with the change in circumstance.
Pausing by the small mirror next to the display of pearls, I looked at my reflection. I was still the same old me. I didn’t have to change just because there were faucets flowing with dollar signs.
The front door banged open.
That sixth sense that all animals have if they only listen rose in warning before my senses were fully able to decipher the scene in front of me. I spun around, body immediately going on the defensive. On the surface, it was only a handful of men entering the shop.
But something about them didn’t look right.
“Penelope, come here,” the don said calmly, although his tone was cold enough to freeze boiling water.
I moved toward where he stood at the vault door without taking my eyes off the newcomers.
“Blood King, you crawled out of your cave to visit the likes of us common folk.” This one was the largest, great beer belly draping over his belt.
“We didn’t believe the report,” another chuckled. “You never leave your fortress.”
“Or headquarters,” the beer belly agreed.
“Not without a heavy guard,” the other added.
I looked toward the front. Where were the guards? They’d stayed outside in the vehicles. But surely they’d noticed these men drift into the shop? And then my heart pattered double. What if something happened to them?
That left Alessandro to face this threat alone.
I looked around for a weapon. There was a pair of ornate swords, crossed and mounted to the wall. Not only were they out of reach, but it wasn’t likely they would do any good. So I stepped beside the monster and crossed my fingers that the situation deescalated quickly.
The don’s fingers curled into my back, pushing me slightly behind him. “You’re on the wrong side of the tracks, boys.”
“It’s a free market.”
“Last we checked.”
“Blau is under my protection,” Mancini snarled. “You need to leave.”
I leaned against the corner of the display case, wishing there was something—anything!—I could do. But I didn’t have a clear idea of what was happening. The store associates had disappeared, and the wiry jeweler was nowhere to be seen.
“You killed my brother,” the beer belly antagonist growled.
“That was never proven, Marco,” Mancini said too calmly.
“Bullshit! We know it was you.” Marco’s chubby cheeks puffed with wrath. “Why else would you make his widow a proposition of marriage?!”
I arched a brow, but Mancini didn’t look my direction. “Vincent had what was coming to him, Divine Providence knew that.”
“Murderer,” Marco seethed.
“You have one chance to leave before you start a war between the Mancini and Moretti families that you cannot possibly win—not without a true leader, which you will never be, Marco.” Alessandro’s words dripped with disdain.
One of the men spat on the ground. “You’re a dead man, Blood King—”
The don pushed me down and pulled out his weapon. I yelped, stumbled forward, and dove behind the counter, but a mixture of adrenaline and gravity resulted in me crashing hard into the rigid corner. Pain exploded on my side.
Shots fired overhead.
Glass shattered and alarms blared.
I turned, biting back a scream of pain, but I had to look!
The don stared coolly in front of him. He wasn’t bleeding, not where I could see.
Rapid Italian filled the space, but that black gaze dropped to me. Volatile emotions swirled deep in those inky depths. I sensed fear trickling from his pores.
Struggling to my feet, I winced and clutched my side. The don’s soldiers stood at the door, barking orders and holstering their weapons. The alarms cut off a moment later as Blau reappeared.
They’d just shot the intruders. Shot them! In broad daylight.
This was the mob. This was what I signed up for. I drew a deep breath—or tried to. Mother of god, my rib was bruised. Living on the ranch, I was no stranger to these kinds of things. But shoot-outs? Between rivals? Oh, dear lord, I was not mentally prepared for that.
“Penelope?” the don growled, stepping close.
“I’m okay.” Dropping my hand, I gave him a shaky smile.
His brows drew together.
“Really,” I insisted. And then…I placed a hand on his arm. “Really, Alessandro. I’m okay.”
His look said he didn’t believe me.
“So…any more rivals for Mrs. Don that I should know about?” I asked to change the subject. “What other skeletons are in your closet?”
Mancini barked a rough laugh. “I have plenty of skeletons. Pray that you never meet them. And Isabella Moretti? That was purely a business deal, vespina. One that I would have regretted.”
I swept my hand through the air. “And this? How is this not a business deal?”
His lupine smile flashed feral. “It’s one I’m enjoying—the first one that doesn’t feel like work.”
There were dead bodies not ten feet away, and yet my insides shivered with a dark heat. Good lord, what was wrong with me?