Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

48. Dante

Chapter 48

Dante

“ H mm, that’s weird?” Nico muses, rubbing his chin like a cliché movie villain.

“What?” I ask.

“Well, unusual as it is, my sister isn’t attached to you.” Nico smirks sardonically while Matteo laughs.

“Fuck off,” I bite out, shooting them both a glare.

Nico chuckles. “What? It’s the truth. Since your return, wherever you are, Allegra is usually two steps behind.”

“She has taken your son to the beach with Ocean and Valentina,” I grate out, running a hand through my hair.

“Convenient, considering I wanted to talk to you alone, don’t you think?” he raises a brow.

Searching his face, I huff out a laugh.

“You planned it.” It’s a statement, because he damn well just told me as much.

“Like I said, I needed you alone. And my sister clearly doesn’t want you out of her sight, so I had to do something.” He shrugs. “Now let’s get down to business. Matteo,” Nico orders his right-hand man. I briefly wonder how I will fit back into the fold when all this shit is over.

Matteo clears his throat handing Nico a manilla folder. “That’s everything.”

“What is it?” I ask, intrigued.

Nico flips it open, thumbing through the paperwork. Once he is finished, he glances up at me.

“This is the evidence we needed. Seems your second death caused quite the stir. The private investigator I have following Riccardo witnessed a very interesting meeting between him, Vincenzo, Benito, and the one that surprised me the most,” I hear the sarcasm in his tone, “Anatoly Novikov, the man that replaced Mikhailov as the head of the Russian Bratva. They met in Chicago. Thought they were flying under the radar by using a warehouse belonging to one of Vincenzo’s associates. It was all very cloak and dagger shit, but fortunately for us, the PI was there to capture it.” He grins, sliding the file across his desk to me.

Snatching it up, I flip through the pages, my veins heating with anger the more I see. Just from their mannerisms, their smiles, in the pictures you can tell they are close, familial. It begs the question; how did we not see it before?

How did we not find any signs of these relationships?

They clearly covered their tracks well.

Nonetheless, you can only hide for so long until the truth is uncovered, and it may have taken time, but we finally found what we have been searching for.

Slamming the file shut, my jaw clenches tightly when I grate out my next words. “Did you speak to the commission?”

Nico shakes his head. “Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Fuck,” I growl, running a palm across my face. “With this evidence, do you believe, for sure, that this was all a part of a plan on Riccardo’s behalf to get me out of the picture? In doing that, he knew that the marriage arrangement with Allegra would go ahead. He might even have anticipated you not challenging it so that you could avoid a war.”

Nico blows out a tired breath. “Yeah. You don’t remember my papà’s funeral. But the way Riccardo looked at you…” he trails off. “There was pure hatred in his eyes as he watched you comforting my sister. It was telling. I should have seen it then. I can only apologize for ignoring the signs. I was so caught up in my own problems after Ocean ran from me that I couldn’t see anything else.” I hear the apology clearly in his voice, but there is something else that caught my attention…

“Ocean told me parts of her story. I can’t imagine how difficult that time was for you,” I say, changing the subject.

“Yeah. But I got her back home where she belongs and that’s all that matters.” He shoots a knowing look at me. “So stop changing the subject and accept my apology. Had I been more observant, things would never have gotten this far. You wouldn’t have missed all this time with Allegra or lost your memories.”

Mulling over his words, I take everything in. I could be angry with Nico but what would that achieve? It won't change anything.

“It’s done.” I wave him off, shifting in my seat and uncomfortable with this version of Nico. I only know him as the cold, detached mafia boss.

Nico sighs. “How is your therapy going?”

I smirk at him now changing the subject.

“Good. There have been no big changes, and I still don’t remember anything, but I do keep having vivid moments where things involving you and Allegra flash in my mind.” I tell him.

It’s been just over two weeks since I started working with Dr. Baddour and his team. And though I am frustrated with the slow progress, I am seeing improvement.

The flashbacks, despite being vague, are proof of that.

“That’s good to hear.” Nico clears his throat, and I can tell he is uncomfortable with our little broment . “Anyway, there is something else I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Go ahead then, Nic. It’s not like you to stall.” I freeze.

Nico’s eyes widen.

Where the hell did that come from? I mean, it could just be a case of picking up his mannerisms in the weeks I have been here, but it feels like more. A memory of sorts.

“How do you know that?” he asks.

Shaking my head, I frown. “I don’t know. The words just came out of my mouth.”

Nico smirks. “You’ve said that exact same thing to me, many times before.”

Hope builds inside me, but I tamp it down. Until I speak to Dr. Baddour, I don’t know what I am dealing with or what it means.

“Say what you have to say, Nic,” I grunt out impatiently.

He clears his throat. “Right, well. I don’t think you are going to like this, but to be honest, I don’t give a fuck. We do this my way, or we don’t do it at all.”

I glower at him. Without Nico even saying it, I know I will hate whatever comes out of his mouth next. “Tell me.”

“I want Allegra to go ahead with the wedding,” he states bluntly.

I am up and out of my seat in an instant, Matteo right beside me, gripping me by the shoulder. Glaring, I shrug him off me, my palms hitting Nico’s desk. I don’t miss the way he doesn’t even flinch at my outburst. Clearly, he expected it.

“No.” I grate out.

I am clenching my teeth so hard; I’m surprised they don’t turn to dust.

“Sit the fuck down and listen to me,” Nico barks, leaving no room for argument. Knowing he won’t continue until I do as he asks, I drop back down into my chair, waiting for him to speak. “As I was saying, Allegra will go ahead with the wedding.” I have to grip the arms of my chairs to stop me flying off the handle again. “Of course, it will all be a front. I won’t actually be allowing her to go through with it.” I relax a little with those words. “Once I go to the commission and inform them of Riccardo’s betrayal, I know I will have the other families' full support to take action.” Drumming his fingers on his desk, he smirks. “The wedding will be a ruse. A trap. Riccardo thinks he is marrying my sister. But in reality, it’s the day that he will die,” Nico finishes.

Mulling over his words, I exhale a weary breath. I don’t like the idea of Allegra being used as a pawn or anywhere near that church when we execute our plan. But I can’t deny it’s the perfect idea. Riccardo will be blindsided. He will never see it coming.

“When is the wedding?” I ask, my blood heating with the four words.

“Next Saturday.” Nico answers without hesitation.

I nod. “Okay. But I want to be the one to kill that motherfucker.”

It’s the only condition I have, and I expect it to be adhered to. I’m going to enjoy torturing the asshole who stole not only my memories but time with my angel.

“Agreed.” Nico grants me my wish without hesitation. Rising from my chair, I turn to leave, only to stop in my tracks when Nico speaks once more. “But… I don’t want Allegra to know anything.”

Spinning to face him, I pin him with a glare.

“Why the fuck not?” I bark.

Nico rolls his eyes. “Because it’s better that way. Let her believe she is going through with it. She still has a couple of dinners with Riccardo, and I don’t want her to slip up anywhere.”

“She didn’t slip up about me the last time they had dinner,” I argue.

“I know,” he agrees. “But trust me. It’s better this way.”

Sighing, I scrub a palm across my face, suddenly tired. I just want this shit over with once and for all so we can get on with our lives.

Meeting Nico’s stare, I concede, giving him the answer he is looking for.

“Okay. We will let Allegra believe the marriage is going ahead. But when she gets angry about not being told, I am blaming you,” I warn.

Nico laughs, giving me an amused look. “I think I can handle my sister.” The cruel mask drops into place. “We are going to show that motherfucker the meaning of a red wedding.”