Becoming Mrs DeLuca novel Chapter 103

VALENTINA

I smiled, trying to mask my nerves. “Good evening, Rico. I’m sorry to disturb you. Can I have a word with you?”

Rico glanced behind me at Elia and the look in his eyes sent a chill down my back. “I didn’t expect you, Valentina.” He said as his wary gaze settled on me.

We were family, but that didn’t mean we were close or that Rico trusted me the slightest bit. He didn’t trust anyone. After a moment, he nodded and opened the door for me. “Come in.”

I walked past him. “Elia will wait outside. What we have to discuss is private.”

Rico raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment as he closed the door. According to the rules in our world, this was inappropriate. A married woman wasn’t supposed to be alone with another man, but I’d never bothered with these rules and wasn’t going to start now.

Rico motioned me toward the seating area of his suite. I sank down on the white sofa. He took a seat in an armchair across from me, then returned his gun to the holster around his chest, but the suspicion remained on his face. “Does Adrian know you’re here?”

I pursed my lips. “No, and I’d appreciate it if it would stay that way.”

Rico narrowed his eyes. As my husband, Adrian had a right to know if I met with someone, especially a man, especially the Don.

“What is it you need to discuss with me that you don’t want your husband to find out?”

He looked down at my belly and my eyes grew wide. “It’s not about this baby,” I said quickly. “It’s about Stefan and Sofia.”

I hesitated, knowing that I was doing a dangerous thing and it could go south very fast. Adrian respected Rico. He called him the best Don the Brotherhood had ever had, but trust each other? No. Men like them couldn’t afford to trust many. But Rico was the only one who could silence my parents. I had to risk telling him because otherwise the truth would get out without a doubt. I figured all I had to do was claim that both kids were Lorenzo’s. Rico wouldn’t know that I knew he was also involved with Serena, and I also wasn’t going to say anything about Stefan potentially being his son.

“What about them?”

“They aren’t Adrian’s.”

Surprise crossed Rico’s face. Then his expression became even harsher. “How would you know?”

“Because Ernesto told me. He did a paternal test after the thing with Lorenzo and Serena.”

I looked away. I had to be very careful here. One mistake, and I could destroy my entire family. I swallowed. “Ernesto suspected Adrian wasn’t the father and the test confirmed his suspicions.”

“And now you’re here because you want your son to become Adrian’s rightful heir instead of Stefan.”

“No,” I whispered, horrified. “I don’t want Adrian to find out. I don’t want anyone to find out, which is why I’m here. I’m asking you to force my parents into silence. They know the truth and they’re eager to spread the news.”

Rico regarded me, and some of the brutality slipped away. “You don’t want your son to become Underboss.”

“Stefan is my son too.”

Rico stared off to the side for a couple of heartbeats. I thought I saw something flash across his face, but it was gone in a

second. “Keeping this kind of news a secret is difficult.”

“Nobody knows except for my parents, my brother, and Ernesto. Ernesto won’t tell anyone because he fears Adian’s reaction, but my parents will. My father is terrified of you. If you talk to him, he’ll keep his silence.”

A dark smile curled his lips. “You want me to threaten your parents?”

“It’s enough if you threaten my father. My mother will do as he says. She’s obedient.”

“A trait you didn’t inherit, obviously.”

I flushed, unsure if it was praise or not. “I do what I think is right.”

Rico stood up, towering over me. “Your husband told me he killed Lorenzo because he was a rat. Now I find out he just killed the man for fucking his wife. Adrian lied to me about one of my soldiers. I need to talk to him.”

The ground opened up under me as I realized what it meant. Adrian had lied to his Don. That could be construed as betrayal.

A part of me struggled to make sense of the situation. I knew that Rico knew about Serena’s infidelity. He was literally a part of it. So how could he pretend so easily? It almost made me wonder if Adrian had imagined Rico being there that day at all.

I stumbled to my feet and staggered toward Rico, grabbing his arm. I didn’t care if his expression brought grown men to their knees, if he was one of the most feared men in the States, only rivaled in his cruelty by the monsters in Vegas. Rico wouldn’t kill his pregnant niece, but he might kill the father of an unborn child..

“He was broken up over Serena, out of his mind from pain and anger. He didn’t know what he was doing.”

Rico’s expression didn’t change. Maybe my words only made things worse? If he thought Adrian acted on impulse, spurred on by his emotions, he might remove him even faster.

Bile traveled up my throat. “Lorenzo might have been a rat anyway. I don’t know.”

Rico pulled his arm out of my grip. “I’ll talk to Adrian and he’ll explain everything to me.”

I stared up at him. “You won’t kill the father of my unborn baby.” It was meant as a question but somehow it came out as a threat, and for a moment I wanted to laugh at the insanity of the situation.

“A man would be dead for threatening me.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not a man.”

Rico took out his phone. “I’m going to call Adrian now and you’re returning home with your bodyguard.” He pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello, Adrian, I need you to come over.”

Adrian said something on the other end, and Rico’s answering smile made my blood run cold.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket. “Your husband is already here. Your bodyguard called him the second you entered this suite.”

“Please,” I said hoarsely, tears stinging in my eyes. They didn’t move Rico. Compassion wasn’t one of his character traits.

A knock sounded and he motioned for me to stay where I was. He pulled his gun and headed toward the door. My mind whirled, trying to figure out a way out of this.

“Good evening, Rico,” Adrian said calmly.

Rico stepped back and let Adrian pass then closed the door. Adrian scanned me from head to toe checking if I was hurt he then stalked toward me. He pulled me against him, his expression anxious. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I wanted to help and I ruined everything.”

Adrian searched my eyes before his gaze cut to Rico, who regarded us as if he was trying to decide if we were friend or foe. The change in Adrian’s body was immediate. He tensed, and the look in his eyes became predator–like as they watched one another. He was armed of course. Two guns and at least the same number of knives. Rico didn’t take his eyes off Adrian and regarded him in the same way as Adrian did him.

Adrian squeezed my hip gently then kissed my temple. “Let Elia take you home.”

Was he serious? I wouldn’t leave this suite without him.

“Adrian-”

He nudged me in the direction of the door. I glanced at him and whispered imploringly, trying to get through to him. “Rico

knows…”

Adrian nodded. “I know. Your brother called to warn me about your father’s plan.”

I froze. “What exactly did he say?”

Adrian stroked my hair gently. “That you’re fighting like a lioness to protect Stefan and Sofia and me.” His mouth pulled into a wistful smile.

I searched his eyes. Did that mean he knew they weren’t his kids? I didn’t ask from fear of revealing more than Marco had revealed, but his words led to only one conclusion. “I know you didn’t want to find out.”

Adrian nodded then glanced back at Rico, who was watching closely, the hand with his gun hanging casually at his side. “You need to leave now.”

“That she should. We have matters to discuss,” Rico said coldly.

Adrian tried to nudge me in the direction of the door again. I stepped back. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Valentina, everything will be fine. Let Elia take you home so you can have some rest.”

I sidestepped Adrian’s tall frame to fix Rico with a stare. “Will everything be fine, Rico?”

His gray eyes remained emotionless pools. “I think you should leave now like your husband said.”

“I don’t care what you think, and I most definitely won’t leave until you swear that my husband will return home to me.”

Adrian hugged me to his side. “Valentina, you will leave now.” I didn’t miss how he positioned his body between Rico and me as if he worried my disrespect might cause Rico to strike me down.

“No,” I snapped and let my legs drop away from under me. Adrian was startled and barely managed to soften my fall. I sank down on the ground like a stubborn child, or a very pregnant woman determined to save the man she loved. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here. You’ll have to drag me out.”

Adrian shook his head but his eyes reflected his admiration. He bent down and picked me up without trouble despite my protests. He carried me toward the door and set me down, his arm slung around my waist so I didn’t try to sit down on the floor again. I clutched at his shirt, wrinkling it. He cupped my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Go home, honey.” His voice was silky and imploring.

Tears blurred my vision as I clung to him. “Swear you’ll return to me.”

Adrian looked back to Rico and for a moment they simply stared at each other, “I swear.”

Elia appeared at my side and at a sign from Adrian, he wrapped his arm around me and dragged me away. I looked over my shoulder at Adrian. He gave me an encouraging smile before he closed the door. Had Adrian lied to me about returning

home?