Rico huffed out, “Oh come on. You were supposed to introduce me to some women, Nino.”
Nino snorted, and Aria chuckled. I turned to look at her surprised. She had her sweet smile, but there was something different about her. She was different around her brothers.
Lorenzo popped up, “Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I can’t get you in with some hot ladies, Rico, for fuck sakes.”
We all whipped our heads to him. Lorenzo shrugged casually. “Women love gay men. They trust us.” He winked at Rico.
Rico looked giddy. “Who do you know?”
They paired off and headed deeper into the gala. I turned to Aria. “Please be good.”
She smiled that sickly sweet smile. “But of course, Maximo. Always.”
I didn’t believe it for a second. She gracefully moved away from us and disappeared into the crowd.
I had Nino follow me back upstairs so I could continue to look out over the party guests. It made me feel more in control being able to see where everyone was. Yes, my men were surrounding the place, more so than any other clans’ men, but you never knew when hell would strike.
“What can I do for you, Maximo?”
Without bothering to turn in his direction, I gritted out, “What the fuck kind of woman did you father get me to marry?”
Nino was silent, but I could feel his tension. I turned slightly towards him, waiting.
He sighed loudly. But remained silent for a few minutes longer. “You know how my father is towards my mother.”
A statement, not a question. I nodded slightly.
“Aria had to walk around on egg shells through our childhood, pretty much up until we were teenagers. My father forbade us from hanging out with her until Rico and I began to use the excuse that mom wasn’t around, and she would stay out of trouble with us.Mamawas away from the house as much as she could by the time Aria was twelve years old because ofPapa’swomen.” Nino’s voice held a hint of disgust. “Unfortunately,Mama’stantrums didn’t help the situation, so she began staying away, shopping for long periods at a time. We would bring Aria with us to training.”
Now I was staring hard at him. “Training? Aria was around while you were training to be my enforcers?” My voice was low, but lethal.
Nino dropped his head to the floor. “I don’t know where she learned to handle knives,” obviously referring to that wedding night incident, “but we did encourage her how to shoot a gun so she could protect herself. You know, just in case.”
The thought that my wife knew how to use a gun as well as a knife lit my insides on fire. That was actually a fucking turn on. But I tried to squash that down.
“What else don’t I know, but probably should, about my sweet, little innocent wife?”
“I don’t know too much about it, but she and Lorenzo are tight. Like really tight. They spend a lot of their time together, or are always in contact. I think Lorenzo works with computer stuff.”
Computer stuff? Interesting. I would have to have my men look into him.
“How do you know about Lorenzo and ‘computer stuff’?”
Nino shifted uncomfortably. “My auntie brags that he always helps her with her gadgets and is really smart, so……” He shrugged.
“I’ll look into it, make sure he’s not a risk.”
Nino’s head whipped up to me, eyes tense. “Please don’t do anything to my cousin, Maximo. He’s been through enough shit frommi famiglia.”
I nodded. “As long as he is not a threat to us, I would have no reason to harm him. And besides, if he’s that connected with Aria, I would not like to tempt her to put a knife to my throat.” I muttered the last part.
Nino smirked at me. “At least she can handle herself. No one wants to go near her after that shit with Bianca.”
I ran a hand down my face. “Yeah, that was bullshit. I can’t believe Bianca pulled that shit.”
“You should have been the one to intervene, Maximo. She disrespected my sister.” His tone hardened. I looked at him, and for the first time, he did not lower his eyes.
“Watch how you speak to me, Nino. I am your El Capo.” My tone was as hard as steel.