Chapter-7.1 Party (Part 2)

The Ammassari mansion was adorned with lights that could be seen from miles away. A seemingly endless line of luxury cars filled the driveway as guests arrived for the event. This party was not only in celebration of my wedding to Gianna, but also to mark the second anniversary of the peace treaty signed between the Ammassari and Baldocchi families. We entered through the private back entrance to avoid the crowd of guests and security gathered at the front. As soon as we came to a stop, I pressed a button to activate the privacy screen before Gianna could get out of the car.

“What happened?” she demanded, turning to me.

“If we need to convince Leonardo…we would need to do a fucking good job,” I said.

“That’s what I said,” Gianna muttered, looking blank. I shook my head and with a slight tug of her hand, I pulled her closer until she was almost sitting on my lap. Her dark eyes widened in surprise, hands pressed on my chest to support herself.

“Wh…what are you doing?” she mumbled.

“Acting won’t be enough to convince Leonardo and the others…especially not the chemistry…” Gianna looked a bit lost, and I had to admit, she was a very, very distracting sight to behold.

“I don’t understand, Nico…”

“Let me explain,” I murmured, my voice softer than I intended. My fingers tightened in her hair, guiding her closer until our breaths mingled.

Then, I kissed her.

Soft, unhurried. A test, at first. Her lips were warm, hesitant against mine, as if she wasn’t sure whether to surrender or resist. But when I deepened the kiss, coaxing her with slow, lingering pressure, she responded.

A quiet sigh escaped her, and I felt it more than heard it—a soft tremor against my mouth. Her fingers curled into my shirt, anchoring herself to me, as though she was afraid to fall. I kept it slow, savoring the taste of her, the way her lips parted for me, allowing me to explore the warmth of her mouth. The tension in her frame melted, her body molding against mine as if she belonged there. As if this wasn’t a kiss meant to convince others, but something real.

Damn, it felt real.

I finally pulled back, my forehead resting against hers as I caught my breath. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed, lips slightly swollen from the kiss.

“That,” I murmured, brushing my thumb against her jaw, “Is how we convince them.” Gianna looked dazed, and I must say the soft blush that spread through her cheeks made her even more mesmerizing. She looked so fucking sexy yet at the same time so damn innocent. It was a dangerous combination.

“I am sorry for yesterday,” I added, fighting the urge to kiss her again. “I really, truly am. It’s never my intention to hurt you. Please believe me on that, Gianna.” Her dark eyes studied me, and she honestly didn’t seem convinced.

“Then what are your intentions?” she asked, her voice breathless. I gently ran my fingers through her soft hair, and for some reason, this closeness didn’t seem uncomfortable or weird.

“How about I tell you when we get back home?” I said.

“Nico…we really…” she sighed, and I was a bit surprised when she rested her forehead against my chest, fingers still clutching to my shirt. A part of me wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her close but there was so much resistance inside me, as if something was holding me back. Something even I didn’t understand. “I know what I signed up for, but at least we….we need to find some way to…”

“I know,” I nodded. “Let’s talk when we get back home…” Even if I had no idea what we were going to talk about.

“Do you promise?” she asked, peeking up at me and holding out her pinky finger. It almost made me smile.

“I promise,” I nodded. “But can you make me a promise too?”

“Anything,” Gianna said, without an ounce of hesitation.

“Promise me that you won’t ask me about…about her because I cannot tell you, Gianna,” I said. Her face fell instantly. This was exactly what she wanted to know.

“It’s in the past and nothing ever happened between us,” I added, because just seeing that look on her face made me very uncomfortable.

“Did you…did you ever touch her?” her voice was barely audible. And somehow it felt like her life was depending on this one answer from me.

“No,” I answered, looking straight into her eyes. “I never touched her, trust me. But that’s all I can tell you, and that’s all you need to know.” Gianna chewed at her lips, but then, much to my surprise, her red lips lifted in a smile.

“Okay,” she nodded.

“Okay?” I raised a brow.

“We should learn to walk before we can run, Nico,” Gianna said. “I am in no hurry. We have an entire life to spend together.” I blinked as she climbed out of the car, still processing her words.

Okay, I didn’t see that coming.

Cameras flashed, and dozens of curious, watchful eyes followed us the moment we stepped inside. My hand rested firmly on Gianna’s waist, holding her close. She smelled incredible—soft, feminine, yet undeniably seductive, just like the dress she wore.

As I scanned the crowd, the blinding bursts from paparazzi cameras hit my face, and unease slowly crept in. I hated crowds. I hated people. And I especially hated events where I had to slap on a fake smile and pretend to be charming—pretend to be someone I wasn’t.

Dealing with people had never been my strength. That was Leonardo’s domain. He thrived in settings like this, his effortless charm making parties like these feel as natural to him as breathing.

But I wasn’t Leonardo.

I never will be.

A gentle squeeze on my arm distracted me and I gazed down to find Gianna smiling back at me with that silent understanding in her eyes. As if she understood my discomfort without me ever uttering a word.

“Remember…walking before running,” she said softly. “You can do this.” I was surprised again and not gonna lie, a tad intimidated. What was this woman?

“Yeah,” I nodded, focusing on her soft presence and intoxicating scent to fight the discomfort that popped up. And this time, as I walked through the sea of people and flashing cameras with Gianna’s soft presence beside me, something felt different. My gaze landed on one of the monitors displaying the live feed of the party, capturing every movement in real time. For a brief moment, I saw us on the screen, and I had to admit—we looked great together.

“Gianna, Nicholas,” The squeal that escaped Gianna as the annoyingly striking, dark-eyed guy stalked towards us kind of melted my heart. She left my arm and jumped straight into his and I watched as his whole stance that thrummed with dominance and somewhat arrogance softened immediately.

“Fratello,” Gianna smiled, hugging him tightly.

“Aw, you sure did miss me,” Leonardo laughed, his eyes brimming with love for his beloved sister. “I am happy to see you too, Gi.”

“Leonardo,” I greeted with a nod, not bothering to hide that he wasn’t one of my favorite people on the planet. Two years ago, I hated him with every fiber in my body so this was still a progress.

“Nicholas,” he greeted coolly, emphasizing my full name just to get under my skin—he knew how much I hated it.

“Where’s Xavier? And mama? And Aria and Amara?” Gianna asked eagerly.

“I’m right here,” Xavier Ammassari’s voice rang out, his smile easy and confident as he strolled over to us.

Both Ammassari brothers were devastatingly handsome, carrying the undeniable presence of men who led one of the most powerful mafia families in the country. The only difference? Xavier wore his power with effortless charm, while Leo carried his with arrogance.

“Xavier,” Gianna hugged her oldest brother tightly and I won’t deny, I felt a twinge of longing and jealousy to see the close-knit bonding between the three of them. I have never even had a proper family, to begin with, let alone a beautiful bond like this.

“How are you, Gi?” Xavier asked, and I did notice Leonardo’s eyes trailing Gianna from head to toe, as if checking for some sign of mistreatment on her. But Gianna seemed to be radiating with happiness. I would not want to take the credit because I have not done anything to make her happy but could it be because of the kiss? Or the decision to talk things out? Was that all she needed to be happy?

“Never better,” Gianna grinned. “Though I miss you guys so much.”

“It’s just been one day and we don’t live a million miles away,” Leonardo said. “Now, Nicholas, if you would excuse us for a moment, I would like to steal your bride away for a bit. I have a special surprise for her.”

“Surprise?” Gianna grinned, looking excited already. “What surprise?”

“You will see,” Xavier smiled. “You don’t mind, Nico?”

“Of course not,” I shook my head and then turned to Gianna, managing a smile for her. “I will be waiting right here.” I placed a kiss on her hand which earned me a blush from her and a skeptical look from Leonardo before the two brothers dragged their sister away.

Wanting to avoid any unnecessary interactions—at least until Gianna returned—I headed straight for the bar. I needed a drink. Desperately. It had been a long day.

“Scotch. Neat,” I muttered to the bartender, lighting a cigarette as I exhaled slowly.

“Nico…”

I froze. That voice. It reverberated through me, sinking into the marrow of my bones.

Slowly, I turned around, and there she was—standing before me like a vision in a sleek black dress, her dark hair elegantly pinned up, green eyes shimmering under the warm glow of the room. She smiled, and just like that, I forgot how to breathe.

We stared at each other, the weight of unspoken years pressing between us until she finally reached out and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t hesitate. My arms wrapped around her instinctively, my pulse hammering against my ribs.

And there she was… the woman I had loved for over eighteen years. The woman I still loved.

Amara Rossi Ammassari.

Leonardo Ammassari’s wife.

Gianna’s sister-in-law.