Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“It’s not about age, Enzo.” He didn’t know how to put in words his reasoning of why he hadn’t just given him his old placeholder position back … until he did. “It’s about trust.”
“Right. Well …” A fully understanding Enzo bent his head to set the hat back in its place. “I suppose I’ll be going, then.”
“I think that’s best,” Lucca agreed.
As a family friend, he had seen the tall, slender man leave a thousand times over the years, but lately, he hadn’t looked at him that way but as a Capo.
Now, however, Lucca looked at Enzo De Santis in a whole new light.
Not as a Caporegime, but …
As a suspect.
TWENTY
SURPRISE, MOTHERFUCKER
Chloe woke at Lucca’s kiss.
“I brought you breakfast.”
Becoming wide awake, she sat up so Lucca could set the tray down over her lap. There was no way this was part of the apology.
“What did I do deserve this?”
“Just want your day started off right.” Lucca shrugged like it was no big deal. “I want you wide awake so the girls won’t be able to convince you of some hideous color for their bridesmaids’ dresses.” Suddenly, his mood soured. “If Vincent tells me one more time yellow isn’t his fucking color, I’m going to whack him.”
Chloe giggled. “You wouldn’t.”
Lucca’s face showed no trace of humor.
“Okay, no yellow. Got it. Any other colors I should stay away from?” she asked, making a mental note, but even she didn’t expect the boogieman’s answer.
“Black,” Lucca instructed, not wanting to see her in that color on their wedding day. “Black is for funerals. Our wedding is to be a celebration.”
Considering her wardrobe consisted of only black clothing, she was growing nervous of the thought of her in a wedding gown. “All right, no black.”
Frowning, Lucca brushed the veil of hair that was covering her scar behind her ears. “I thought you would be more excited about planning our wedding?”
“I-I am.”
He picked up the butter knife and smeared butter across a piece of toast. “I don’t believe you.”
Chloe took the toast away from him. “I can understand why you want a big wedding, I really do. It’s just … I don’t like being the center of attention. What if I trip as I walk down the aisle? All I really wanted was a small wedding with us, Elle, and Nero, in a secluded spot. Then we could just go to a nice restaurant where you and Nero could argue about who cooks the steaks better—you or the chef.”
“We could do that, if you prefer.”
Lucca’s sincere expression had her about to wrap her arms around his neck in happiness. Then guilty thoughts about who would be left out intruded, and she didn’t want them to feel bad they hadn’t been invited.
“Maria could come …” she hastily inserted.
“Dom wouldn’t want her coming alone.”
“Okay, then he can come, too,” she agreed.
“I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Vincent if a Luciano was there and he and Amo weren’t.”
“They can come.” Chloe wouldn’t want them to feel left out. “Lake and Adalyn, too …”
Lucca raised a brow. “No Kat and Angel?”
Quickly, the simple wedding plans went right down the drain. “We can do the big wedding. It’s just my nerves getting to me.”
Smiling, he made her an oath, “I promise you won’t trip, darlin’, and I’ll be there to catch you if you do.”
“Okay …” She smiled back sweetly. “Oh, and if you can promise One-Shot won’t whack one our guests, I just might dance.”
Lucca’s eyes narrowed. “You’re never going to let me get away from saying whack, are you?”
“No.” Her laughter spilled out at his pained expression.
Buttering another spear of toast, he ate it in one bite before getting off the bed. “Now, hurry up. Your friends are waiting for you. The shop has called twice already to confirm the appointment, so you don’t want to be late. I also have a special surprise when you’re done with the fittings.”
A surprise? Setting the tray aside, Chloe jumped out of bed, knowing when it came to surprises, her fiancé never went halfway. “What is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see, darlin’ …” he teased. “And because I’m such good fiancé, I even let Adalyn invite your new friend.”
“Gia?”
Lucca nodded.
Yikes. She mumbled what she thought was indiscernible under her breath, “You should have let Elle or Lake invite her.”
“Why not Adal—”
“No reason.” Rising up on her tiptoes, she placed a tender kiss on his lips. “You told me not to be late!”
Leaving her confused fiancé, she went to get dressed for the day and was ready and downstairs in what seemed like no time to find a serious Lucca on the phone in the kitchen. While she had been trying to pick an outfit to wear, he must’ve gotten dressed, as he was freshly showered and donned in his all-black tailored suit.