Shattered Dreams (Boys of Bellerose, #3)(78)

“Was there another reason for this call, then?” I pressed, noting that Hannah had finished wrapping up the paperwork to get us into the country. I was running out of time.

“Ah, yes,” he continued, still with all the Italian cheer. “Have you seen or heard from Valentina?”

There was not an ounce of fucking cheer in my reply. “No. Why is that?”

“Her father is most worried about her. She hasn’t been seen for a few weeks, and we don’t know if a rival family has her or if she’s been killed. You’re her husband. Why do you not know where she is?”

This fucker would pick up even the smallest detail if I let it slip, but again, I was too experienced with him to ever betray Vee like that. “You know we don’t have a close relationship, Father. She does her thing and I do mine. We don’t regularly check in except to fuck when she’s fertile. For the Ricci-Altissimo heir.”

“That should be soon then, correct?”

The fact that he knew her cycle should be terrifying, but I had zero doubt that Vee’s father kept a close eye on that and kept mine informed. Old fucking perverts.

“Correct. But I’m not in America, which I assume she’s aware of since I left her a voicemail before we took off. I’m sure she’ll turn up eventually. When she needs money.”

It pissed me right off that I had to act like Vee was just another brainless mafia wife, spending our money and gossiping with the other wives. Vee could have run the whole fucking family with half of her brain tied behind her back, but she couldn’t show that. Neither of us could. Until we destroyed the leaders of the family, our only way to stay safe was to not break the traditions of the older generation, like strict gender roles.

“You will contact me the second you hear from her, Angelo.”

“Yes, Father,” I said dutifully. “Is there anything else you need me to take care of while I’m here?”

Billie, who I’d had one eye on since starting this conversation, released her hold on Rhett and wandered in my direction, no doubt to tell me that it was time to get into the row of black cars waiting for us.

“Just keep Bellerose in line. That fucking Adams kid thinks he’s top shit, but I run his show now.”

I barely heard his disdain for Jace; he’d always hated the effortlessly talented and charming personality of my oldest friend. Nope, I was too focused on Billie as she smiled mischievously, running her hand down the buttons of my shirt.

It felt as if I could still taste her on my tongue, and that just made me want more. I barely fucking stopped myself from groaning into the phone, and wouldn’t that confuse my asshole of a father.

“Bellerose just plays their show and travels to the next,” I bit out, voice gruff. “There’s nothing else to worry about.”

“What about all the fucking?” Billie breathed, just audible enough that I could hear, but I was fairly sure Giovanni wouldn’t. “There has been a lot of fucking.”

This time my groan was covered in a strangled laugh because there really hadn’t been enough fucking. Not with us anyway.

“Angelo?”

“Got to go, Father. They’re waiting on us.”

I hung up the phone, knowing I’d pay for it later, but I had my girl’s dirty mouth to deal with now. “All the fucking,” I said softly, dropping the phone into my pocket so I had both hands free to reach out and wrap around her waist. “Is that right?”

She gasped softly when I yanked her into me, lifting her slowly until her face was even with mine. The flush on her cheeks reminded me of the girl I’d first fallen for and how she’d look after we fucked. “I think we’re up to the third date now, right?” she breathed, pupils dilating as she licked her lips.

A possessive sort of rumble I hadn’t expected shot through my chest, and when I pulled her into my body, she immediately wrapped her arms and legs around me, holding on like she’d been desperate for this sort of hug all morning.

“Third date done and dusted,” I whispered against her hair. “Next time, I will have all of you, Bella. I’ll settle for nothing less.”

The jerk of my cock, buried between us, only reiterated that statement.

“Thank fucking fuck,” she breathed. “I was actually concerned that you were practicing a new torture technique: sexual deprivation.”

“If anyone was being tortured, little love, it was me.”

“Hey, fuckhead, you need to bring our girl to the car now.” Rhett was hanging halfway out the window of the first car as he bellowed. “We have a schedule to keep.”

A burst of laughter from Billie followed, and she started to wiggle, indicating she wanted to be let down. But I just shifted my hold under her ass to keep her more secure and set off for the second car. Vee was in the first one too, but she’d be fine. I needed to show Rhett that he could demand all he fucking wanted, but that asshole didn’t own Bella. He was going to have to learn to share better, and I was about to become a fantastic teacher.

A few of his curses reached us as I placed Bella in the middle seat, next to Jace, before sliding in on the other side of her. “Rhett is going to murder you in your sleep,” Jace said with a laugh.

A derisive snort was my initial response to that. “Not fucking likely. The last time someone got the drop on me while I was asleep was when we were thirteen and you fart bombed me. I still owe you for that, by the way.”