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Couture Criminals

Cheeky owner of a struggling fashion boutique, Poppy Fields dreams of having her designs rocking the couture runways in Paris and Milan. While fantasizing about the glamorous life, her world is about to collide with the devil himself in the form of a dangerous mafia leader, Roman D’Amico, out for revenge for his dead brother. Often mistaken as the future wife of one of Chicago’s most notorious crime bosses, and Roman’s rival gang member, everyone who enters Poppy’s little shop believes they are doing a favor to the Gambino family. When her doppelgänger waltzes into her boutique, the women are shocked to find they look like twins. Leaving her identification behind as a ruse to flee the country, Claudia switches lives with the unsuspecting fashion designer. When Luke Gambino falls for the ploy, he believes Poppy is his runaway bride, forcing her to take on the persona of the real Claudia Ricci. Following the murder of his brother, Roman D’Amico is looking for revenge. When he suspects the Gambinos are behind it, he plots to kidnap the rival gang member’s wife. Unknowing that the women have switched places, Roman kidnaps the wrong couture diva. With Claudia missing, Poppy must keep up the ruse, and convince Roman to keep her alive or fall into the hands of the murderous Gambino family.

LorettaKAuthor · Urban
Not enough ratings
159 Chs

Chapter 14

The next day Roman was stomping around his office like a mad man. His shipment was blocked by the authorities and he was fuming. He was just glad he had taken his sister out to the opera to get their mind off everything because the weight of their brothers death had him on edge, and now this. Thinking about the gun shipment, it was looking like Luke had tipped off the police to piss him off. Maybe trapping his fiancé in the restroom wasn't such a good idea after all.

His sister sat across the room with her legs crossed, with a wide smirk on her face. When his eyes met hers, he almost growled in response with irritation at her very presence. She was such a brat. He loved her, but as his older sister, she worked extra hard to annoy him.

"Get that smug fucking look off your face."

"What? I'm just sitting here watching you act like a grown child throwing a temper tantrum. Our brother's funeral is tomorrow. You know he's going to be there."

"He fucked up my shipment, Remi."

Standing, she walked over to her younger brother with a cocky swagger. "Nah, you fucked it up. What in the hell were you thinking by trapping Claudia in that bathroom stall?"

"I was trying to get answers."

"Nope," she said with a giggle. "You were trying to get your dick wet. You've always thought she was hot, and it pisses you off that she tried to run a hustle on you before you got a chance to sleep with her. Oh, and the fact Luke is screwing her now and not you, gets under your skin."

"I don't even like the bitch," he grumbled.

"Maybe not, but you've slept with plenty of women you didn't like. You're just pissed she got one over on you, and you hate anyone to play you for a fool. You got played little brother, admit it."

Roman looked down at the floor, trying to not to laugh. His sister always knew how to get him out of foul mood, and was always trying to taunt him. "You're such a brat."

"Listen. Can we just forget all that for now? You can't change the fact the shipment got busted, but we have other things to worry about. Our brother's funeral is tomorrow, and I don't want you going off half cocked and start shooting up shit. His wife and kids deserve to put him to rest peacefully. Understand?"

"I know. I promise to not do anything as long as he keeps in his lane. Luke shouldn't even be there."

"If he doesn't behave, I'll shoot his ass myself," Remi said patting the gun on her side holster. "Our brother deserves a proper burial."

A knock came to the door when suddenly a sad woman stepped in, rushing into Roman's arms. "He's really gone."

"I know, Olive. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for him," Roman said, hugging his brother's wife.

"He loved you so much. You know that? Roman, I needed to come to ask you a favor; as the Don."

"Anything," he said, leading her over to the couch on the other side of the room.

"I want the man dead who killed my husband. Avenge his death."

Nodding, he wiped a tear from her face and cupped her head in his hands to look her in the eyes. "Already on it."

"Was it, Luke?"

"We don't know for sure," his sister noted, before Roman could reply.

"Yeah, we're looking into it and there are some leads."

Sitting down on the leather couch, the woman looked like she had aged five years in the last few days. "I'm taking my kids out of the city for a few months after the funeral. I want them safe. I called your father. He's coming to the funeral and taking us to return to Italy for the summer."

"I think that's a good idea. Father loves his grand kids. He'll do whatever he needs to watch out for you all. The family has more men there anyway."

She reached for Remi, seeming worried. "And you, darling? What will you do?"

Remi smiled, knowing full well what she planned to do. She was a daredevil and loved a good fight. "I'm staying. I have to watch out for this jackass, so he doesn't do something stupid to get himself killed."

"Well, I have an idea, but I'm not sure you both will be up for it."

Roman went to sit at the large modern oak table in his office, sitting back into the plush leather chair to give the widow a listen. It was the least he could do. "I'm listening."

"Luke. He's getting married."

"Yeah, we know."

Standing, the woman walked over, leaning on the table to look Roman in the eyes. "If he's the one who took my Beau, take his wife."

"We already planned that. She'll be as good as dead."

"No, I want you to take her. Use her as bait to find out who the hitman was. When you find The Razor, I want to be there when he bleeds out. I want to watch him die like my husband did."

Roman could see the anger in her eyes, and it almost made him worry for the woman. "Olive, you know Beau wouldn't want you seeking revenge. He knew the risk of going into the trap houses was. He was trying to minister to people, and you're not talking like a preacher's wife."

"I'm not a preacher, Roman. He was. I didn't take any vow. I love him, and I want the person who did this to suffer."

Standing from his desk, he went to her. Tilting her chin, he forced Olive to look him in the eyes. "I'm not letting you turn into a monster. You're the woman who saved my brother's life and got him into a better one. I'm not going to let you go down that path for the sake of your children. I won't let you watch when I kill that man. You're not part of this life and I won't have that on my conscience. My brother wouldn't want that. Do you understand?"

"But—"

"But nothing. I made my brother a promise to protect all of you, and that's what I'll do. I want you to go to Italy and leave this to me. I promise you, The Razor will suffer."

Pulling away, she didn't seem satisfied with that, but knew he was right. Watching a murder, or even being involved, would destroy her more than seeing her dead husband being lowered into the ground. "Okay, my kids need me. I'll trust you'll take care of it."

"Good. Now, let Remi take you to get some tea. I'll take you and the kids to dinner tonight, and we can talk about things as a family. Agreed?"

"Yes, Don D'Amico."

"Really? You're addressing me as the Don? I'm your brother-in-law. You'll address me as brother."

"Okay, you big jerk. Just take care of it. Promise."

"I promise, turtle."

"I hate when you call me that."

"I love that you hate it," he said ushering her out. "Don't worry. I have it under control."

Remi just smiled at him, knowing he was clueless about what to do. Behind Olive's back, he just shrugged at his sister as if to say he was grabbing at straws at this point.

Walking by she whispered, "Nice Save."

"I'm winging it as I go," he whispered back.

"I can tell," she softly giggled.