Chapter 9

NICHOLAS

"What? Did you think you were going to seduce our husbands and sons if you bared it all?" I heard one of my aunts ask as I walked up to the dining hall.

So, they were taking advantage of the fact that I wasn't in the dining hall.

"That's enough, Maria," Daniella intervened. "I'm sure she didn't mean it that way."

I pushed the doors open, making my presence known.

"Oh, Nicholas. Thank goodness you're here," Maria cried, her voice high-pitched.

"What's going on, Maria?" I asked, walking over to my seat at the other end of the table where Giselle was already seated to my right.

"It seems like your wife lacks manners. She insulted me in front of everyone. Imagine her calling me a lazy, old hag who goes about spending her husband's money."

Giselle was slack-jawed. "I never said that!"

"Now, you're calling me a liar?"

"That's because you're lying. That never happened. You can ask anyone at this table. I never said..."

"That's enough from you!" Maria's husband thundered, slamming his hand down on the table. "I will not have you come into our family and disrespect my wife."

I chuckled to myself at his display of dominance. He turned wide-eyed a few seconds later after realizing what he had just done.

"First, I'm gonna pretend you didn't just disrespect my wife, and to an extent, me, by shouting at her." I turned to face Maria. "Pretty bold of you to assume my wife dressed up for anyone in this room. She could show up naked, and all of you would have to cover your eyes because not doing so would be disrespecting me as the head of this family. Let's refrain from such activities, yes?"

The threat was obvious. I wouldn't hesitate to punish any of them for disrespecting Giselle.

Maria's face turned the shade of a tomato as she looked down at her plate. From the corner of my eyes, I could feel Giselle's eyes on me, but I didn't look at her.

Matteo's eyes met mine, and the testa di cazzo was covering his smile with his hand. I rolled my eyes at him, digging into my food.

The conversation continued around the table, everyone soon forgetting the bullshit Maria and her husband had pulled.

I'd just taken another bite of my pasta when I felt a hand on my thigh. When I looked up, Giselle was already staring at me.

"Thank you," she whispered so only I could hear her.

"I didn't do it for you," I bit out, and at this point, I wasn't sure if I was saying that to convince myself or her.

I just knew seeing her get humiliated by my family didn't sit well with me.

***

GISELLE

Nicholas's family was loud and warm after the initial wariness had worn off. Well, the women had warmed up to me. The men and Maria? Not so much.

Matteo and Daniella tried to include me in as much conversation as they could, and by the time dinner was over, I had one of his aunts offering me her pasta and tiramisu recipe.

The others had extended invitations to birthday parties, and babysitting their kids.

"Thanks for tonight," I said to Daniella as we exchanged air kisses. "The pasta was delicious."

"Thank you. Now that you're here, maybe you can drag Nicholas out of his hiding hole more often. He rarely attends family dinners," she said, glaring at Nicholas who was discussing with a few of his family members a few feet away from us.

"Speak of the devil," I said when Nicholas broke away from them, making his way over to us.

"I was just telling Giselle to bring you out more often," Daniella said, exchanging kisses with Nicholas.

"Maria is one of the many reasons I choose not to come to family dinners like this."

Daniella waved him off. "Stop. Maria is always like that. Don't let it deter both of you. It was great having you two around. This is what family is supposed to be about."

"Sure, Daniella," I said. "We'll come to more family events in the future."

"Great. Have a wonderful night." Her eyes twinkled with mischief before she turned on her heels and walked back into the house.

"I had the issue with your aunt under control, but thanks for sticking up for me," I said to Nicholas when we were both in the backseat, and the driver was on his way back to Nicholas's mansion.

"Do you have a comprehension issue? I didn't do any of it for you."

"Would a simple 'you're welcome' kill you, Nicholas?"

He didn't bother replying again, instead, choosing to look out the window. We completed the rest of the car ride home in silence, but even then, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

***

NICHOLAS

"Help me with the dress, please. The zipper is stuck." Giselle said, coming to stand between my legs. All I could think of was the sweet blueberry scent wafting into my nose as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Her shampoo, I realized, had the same fragrance as her perfume; sweet, addictive, but not overwhelming.

She looked at me over her shoulder with expectant brown eyes. "Niko?"

My nostrils flared at her use of my nickname. Was this woman trying to make me lose my mind? I'd heard people call me Niko plenty before, but hearing it from her in that husky voice of hers had my cock jerking in my pants.

I stood from my bed, willing myself to regain control over myself. "Gladly," I whispered, tugging the zipper down her, baring her back down to the top of her ass open.

My cock rose to full mast at the sight in front of me. The woman had on just a pair of barely there G-string underneath her dress. She had gone commando with the bra.

Before I could stop myself, my hand reached out, brushing over the tattoo just above the strings of her panties.

Mostro.

"Monster," she whispered like a louder tone would have broken the tension in the air. "That's what the tattoo says."

"Why?"

"Because that is what everyone believes I am. Including you."

Forget the hushed tones. That was an instant dump of cold water over my head. I pushed her away from me, stumbling out of my room.

This wasn't right. I shouldn't feel any hint of desire toward her. She was Gianna's younger sister. I loved Gianna, not her. She took Gianna away from me and everyone else who loved her.

I needed space away from her. If I spent twenty-four hours away from her, I'd be back to my normal self.

At least I hoped I would.