Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
She’s doing it again. Keeping her thoughts locked in that pretty little head of hers.
I can see every time she holds back a thought, something she wants to say but doesn’t.
I fucking hate that she second-guesses herself so much.
I never noticed it as much when we were younger.
Now, especially after finding out just how far her doubt goes, I notice every single time.
We walk up to the door to my Tío E’s ridiculously-monstrous house. My uncle is showy as fuck and likes everyone to know just how well off he is. Not that anyone would consider the king of a Mexican drug cartel to be living on the poverty line.
“Hear you were in an episode of GTA.” My cousin Elias stands on the other side of the open door.
“I need a minute.” I walk right past him, pulling Dani down a small hall off to the right.
I continue until I reach the last door. The bar. I really need a fucking drink, and I need a minute alone with my wife so I can find out what shit she’s got locked up in her head.
My eyes scan each of the bottles as I approach the bar. Daniella beats me to it when she picks up an ornate bottle of Cinque.
“This is worth a hundred grand,” she says, eyeing the label.
“That means it’s good.” I pick up two glasses and hold them out to her.
“You’re not seriously going to drink this?” she asks with wide eyes.
“Why not?”
“Again, it’s a hundred-grand bottle, CJ. And it’s not yours.”
“Meh, Tío E won’t care.” I shrug. “He’ll just buy another one.” Setting the glasses down, I pluck the bottle out of her hands and pop the cork off. After pouring two healthy servings, I hand one to Dani.
“Fine, but you should know, this is strong,” she says, taking the glass from me.
“You think I can’t handle a bit of whiskey?”
“I’m sure you can.” She smiles and then proceeds to take a huge gulp of the amber liquid.
Following suit, I take a swig of my glass. The liquor burns down my throat, making my entire chest feel like it’s on fire. It takes every ounce of control not to cough and look like a fucking idiot.
Daniella laughs. “Told ya.”
“You weren’t wrong. Now tell me something else, Dani.” I set the glass down again.
“What?”
“I want to know what you didn’t say outside just now. What are you keeping locked up?”
“What makes you think I didn’t say something?”
“Because I know you. And your face is expressive as hell when something is on your mind. So, spit it out. What is it?”
“Nothing.” She shakes her head from side to side.
“It’s not nothing. I want to know. If you can’t tell me your every thought, then who the fuck can you tell?”
“It is nothing. And trust me, CJ, you do not want a running commentary of every thought that flickers through my mind.”
“I would actually love that commentary. Tell me, Dani. What were you thinking?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Okay, I still want to know,” I urge her.
“Seriously, CJ, just drop it.”
“Not gonna happen. I can do this all day. What was it, Daniella Bianchi?”
“Don’t full-name me like a parent. I’m not your child.”
“Then stop acting like an errant child and talk to me.”
“Fine, you want to know what I was thinking? I was thinking how much I wanted you to stay with me. I was thinking that I know you’re about to leave and go and do god knows what out on those streets to find whoever is trying to get to me, and I don’t want you to.”
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean that’s it? It’s a stupid thought. I know that.”
“It’s not a stupid thought to want your husband to stay with you, Dani. Especially after what you just saw.”
“It is stupid when your husband is a mobster. I know who I married, CJ. I also know that if I actually asked you to stay, you would. And you would hate it.”
“Do I want to be the one out there finding this fucker? Yes. But what I want more than that is to know you’re okay.
That you feel safe. That you’re not going to be stressed because I’m out on the streets.
Also, I’m not a mobster—that’s hearsay. I’ve never been charged with a single crime, Daniella. ”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Okay, fine, not a mobster. Tell me. What would you do if you caught this guy? What are you going to do to him? Have a tea party?”
I smirk. “No.”
“Didn’t think so,” she says.
“We should get out there. I’m sure both of our fathers will be here any minute.”
“Great! My dad’s going to want to lock me up in a tower somewhere,” Dani groans.
“Don’t worry, princess, I’d find you and break you out.” I watch as Dani finishes her glass, then picks up mine and empties the rest of that too.
“Can’t waste good whiskey,” she says.
I laugh, stopping when the door opens.
Tío E walks in and looks from me to the bar to the open bottle. “Fucking hell, you owe me a hundred and fifty grand for that.” He points at the bottle.
Daniella tilts her head to the side. “That bottle is only worth a hundred,” she reminds him.
“I’m adding interest.” Tío E smirks.
“Seriously?” I grunt.
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry, CJ, I happen to know someone on the inside. I can get you a replacement for half the price,” Dani tells me.
“Half? You should be able to get it for free,” I grumble.
“Oh, I can, but why wouldn’t I make money off you?” She quirks a brow.
“Because my money is your money, babe. If I’m paying 50k for a bottle of whiskey, so are you.”
“Huh, you know what? Maybe I can swing the family and friends discount,” she hums to herself.
“Right, you two, your fathers are taking up space in my foyer,” Tío E says. “Daniella, I hear a welcome to the family is in order.”
“Thank you,” Daniella replies.
“Don’t fuck it up.” Tío E points to me. “I’m not missing out on that whiskey because you fucked shit up with the De Bellis family.”
I shake my head. “I’m not a fuckup, Tío E.”
“You’re all fuckups, the entire generation,” he grumbles.
“Even Jazzy?”
At the mention of my sister’s name, Tío E smiles. “Not her. She’s the exception.”
I roll my eyes. My sister is everyone’s favorite child. Then again, she does have a heart of fucking gold, so I get it. She’s my favorite too.
I take Daniella’s hand in mine and follow Tío E out to the foyer. The moment we reach our fathers, my wife is ripped away from me as Mr. De Bellis wraps his arms around her.
“You okay?” he asks, not letting go of her.
“I’m fine,” Daniella tells him, not pulling away.
I wait, and wait, and wait for him to eventually let her go. The moment he does, I take hold of her hand and earn myself a glare from my new father-in-law.
“What the fuck happened?” he grunts.
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” I counter.
“CJ, a word.” My dad nods his head towards the back of the house. I look from Daniella to my father and then back at my wife.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere,” I tell her.
“Where the hell would I go?” she asks as I walk away.
“A little more diplomacy wouldn’t go astray when dealing with your father-in-law,” Dad says.
“You killed yours. That kind of diplomacy?”
“He tried to kill your mother. Almost did. Our situations are not the same,” Dad reminds me.
“Fine.”
“Besides, Daniella loves her family. Putting a rift between you and them is not the way you want to start your marriage.”
“You bring me out here to give me marriage advice?” I quirk a brow at him.
“No. Lailani found the house Gio’s been looking for. We’re about to head there now.”
“Cool. I’m coming.”
“Actually, you’re taking Daniella to the jet. She’s going home.” This comes from Gio De Bellis.
“She is home,” I correct him.
Mr. De Bellis glares at me. “There are things back in Melbourne she needs to attend to before she can just move here.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to call bullshit. But then I remember diplomacy and all. Also, he didn’t say she’s not moving here.
“Fine. I was planning on returning with her anyway. We’re house hunting,” I announce. “In both cities.”
“Good. Aurelio and Rosie are going with you.”
Great! Just what I need, a twenty-something-hour flight with my wife’s siblings.
“Um, do I get a say in any of this?” Daniella asks.
“No,” her father tells her. “You’re going back to Melbourne until all this is settled.”
“How long will all this take?” Daniella asks while using air quotes.
“Hopefully not long.”
“A chopper will take you from here to the jet,” Tío E chimes in. “Aurelio and Rosie are already there.”
“I want details. Who the fuck is after her and what they want,” I tell Mr. De Bellis.
“I’m handling it,” he responds.
“She’s my wife. I want the details,” I repeat.
“My brother will meet you in Melbourne. Have a safe flight.” Mr. De Bellis walks over to Daniella. “Be smart, and don’t leave CJ’s side,” he tells her.
I’m not stupid. He knows I’ll be her shield. That’s the only reason he wants her so close to me. It’s the exact same reason my father likes my sister’s husband more than he lets on. I’m not complaining, though. I got the girl. In the end, I won.