A Vow of Love and Vengeance

Adamo trailed behind her, a handbag slung over his shoulder, and I snorted at the sight. She hated having a guard, and I swear she went out of her way to punish the guy for getting dicked with babysitting duty.

“Unreasonable and irrational, and…?”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Overbearing.”

I pushed off the car as she approached. Sliding a hand around her waist, I pulled her close. “Overbearing is not the word you’ll use if I see someone try to touch you, princess.”

She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath about possessive assholes. “Why are you here?” she asked, eyeing the box in my hand. “Aside from being the best husband in the world and bringing me the best doughnuts in the world.” She made a grabby hand motion, and I smiled as I handed her sugar fix over.

“I have a surprise for you.”

“Doughnuts?”

“No, not doughnuts.”

She took the pink-frosted doughnut out of the box and bit into it, moaning. “Oh my God. So good.”

I licked frosting from her lower lip before adjusting myself. “Keep making noises like that, piccola, and you’ll find yourself bent over this hood.”

“Yeah?” She kissed me, the sweet taste of raspberry on her tongue.

Adamo cleared his throat, and I glanced at him.

“You can take Emilia’s car home, Adamo.” I held my hand out for her bag.

He took out the keys and handed it to me before scrambling inside the Range Rover.

Emilia moved to the passenger side of my car and got in, totally focused on her doughnut. I was a mafia boss, a hard man by most standards, and yet when it came to her, I’d drive half an hour out of my way just to get her the doughnuts she loved. After three years of marriage, I’d long since given up trying to fight my weakness for the woman.

I leaned across her and buckled her in while she licked her fingers. I gripped her wrist and sucked one finger past my lips before releasing it with a pop. Her gaze tracked the movement and then landed on my mouth. Little monster. I smirked before leaning back in my seat and driving away.

“Did you have a good day, piccola?”

“Yeah, we’re on the Renaissance.” She went into a full explanation of all the things she’d learned. All the things she was passionate about.

I didn’t know who any of the artists were that she spoke of, but I listened all the same, hanging on every word. I loved seeing her so animated.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I told you, it’s a surprise.”

She groaned. “You know I hate surprises.”

I snorted. “You do not. You got shot one time, amore mio. And you’ve had plenty of good surprises since then.” I glanced at her scowling face. “You’re just impatient.”

“Fine. Don’t tell me.” She turned up the music, and I laughed. She was such a brat.

I drove across town to Red Hook and pulled up outside an old industrial building. This area of the city was full of cool apartments, coffee shops, and art-covered walls. I owned some real estate over here because it always made for good investments.

I parked in an alleyway and got out of the car, opening Emilia’s door.

“Where are we?” she asked as I helped her out.

“This is Red Hook. And this…” I gripped her shoulders and turned her around to face the building behind us. “Is yours.”

“What?”

My skin was practically itching with anticipation as I took her hand and led her across the alley. I pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the huge steel door before sliding it open with a grate of metal. The building beyond was empty. Five thousand square feet of exposed brick walls with steel support pillars dotted throughout. The hardwood floors creaked as we stepped inside.

“What is this?” Emilia asked, her voice echoing off the walls. Curiosity lit her eyes as she peered around.

“This is your art gallery, Emilia.”

She whipped around to face me with wide eyes. “What?”

“I bought it.” I shrugged, my stomach churning nervously. I wanted her to like it. It suddenly felt like the most important thing in the world for her to like this place. I could have waited, let her pick her own place, but this building came up, and I managed to snatch it before it went on the market. Industrial spaces in Red Hook were notoriously hard to get.

“Well, I guess technically, you bought it. Your name is on the deed, so…”

She just stared around in wide-eyed silence for a moment, and I rubbed the back of my neck.

“If you don’t like it, I can find something else—”

“Of course, I like it, babe. I…” She shook her head. “It’s amazing. I can’t believe you did this.”

“I want you to have something of your own, piccola. Something you could have had if it weren’t for the mafia.”