And apparently for drugging people.

But Becca was single.

Very single like all of Ilaria’s friends and an only child. So who could she possibly be working with?

She has a huge social media following and makes money being in the spotlight. Could there be something hidden there?

There is no use in denying that I know her because I know that she will be part of my wedding party and I am not foolish enough to think that the men in the Cartel wouldn’t realize that. But I’m also very aware that if anything happens to her Ilaria would never forgive me.

“This is my fiancées friend. You are sure she is involved?”

There is a relief that washes over Caesar’s face and I have to keep my hands from clenching as I think about how he probably had research done. Research that involved him looking into my girl as well.

The idea of someone watching Ilaria makes me want to feel skin under my fingernails to watch the way life leaves someone’s eyes when your hand is around their throat and you‘re aware they’re looking at you like their God, their only hope and their curse.

I could have lied about knowing her but as soon as I did that all the goodwill would have stopped flowing between us.

“She is involved. I am sure. There are almost 20 million over two years that have been stolen from our casinos because someone is counting cards. And they don’t play at the chip games but they find the table with the people throwing cash on it. It’s careless but it’s causing me to lose business as these people don’t want to play tables where they are losing money.”

Twenty million dollars isn’t a light amount of money but I could offer to pay off her debt.

“She is very close with my fiancée. I can’t have anything happen to her.”

Caesar nods like he understands what I’m saying but I don’t think it settles in. The Cartel has no problem killing women if they are in the way. A body is a body regardless of the sex.

“If you can get the information of who she is helping I can look the other way for her involvement as a favor to you, Dante.”

The way he says favor makes me regret agreeing already but there is nothing that I can do in this situation but agree.

My blood boiling as I sit through the meeting thinking about the fact that Ilaria has been watched by the Cartel. Thinking about how I didn’t vet her friends enough and brought this danger upon my family. How Ilaria could have been with her friend and been a casualty because of the wrong place, wrong time.

My inability to protect her washes over me again and I know I need to leave. I need to have my eyes on her to make sure she is okay.

“You will get back to me in a few days when you know more?”

Caesar is looking at me, he wants my word and I’m more than aware that I can’t make promises to him about this right now.

“I get married in ten days and then have a honeymoon with my wife after that.” I’m not backing down on this, “After that is settled I give you my word I will find out who is stealing from you.”

He takes this in and holds out his hand, giving mine a shake as I finally breathe out in hope that this is all done.

“If I don’t hear from you in three weeks we will come for the girl.”

It’s not a threat but a promise and I hate that I can’t say anything back to him because he has a right to his money. Instead, I just nod, taking my leave from the hotel suite and thinking about how I want to be as far away from all this business as soon as possible.

The elevator lets me out on the ground floor and despite knowing I should get out of there I head to the bar needing a drink to make me feel better after the last forty-eight hours of my life.

I should go apologize to Ilaria.

I should fix things with my father.

I should knock out Francesco for touching her.

But all those ideas go out of my head as the last person I expect to see is sitting across from me at the bar, smiling looking slightly drunk as she leans her face against her hand.

Ilaria.

I am going to kill Francesco.

As I get up, I feel a hand on my shoulder, looking at the person who I had just been thinking about murdering. He gave me a look and I knew something else was going on.

“She came here with Sammie who is currently in the bathroom fucking the singer that just performed his shitty 90’s heroin chic rockstar set. Let her grieve after you broke her heart earlier.”

I don’t know why he thinks me sitting here is better than going to comfort her but it’s not.

“Make sure that Sammie gets back to Ilaria’s fathers house in the next hour. And I need you to try and get more information on Becca. She was the target of the Cartel. I’ll explain more to you tomorrow after the meeting with the family.’‘ He nodded his head at me but I noticed the way his eyebrow cocked just slightly at Ilaria’s blonde friend’s name.

I really do not need him sleeping with Ilaria’s friends. It’s better if he keeps his eyes in his head and away from people that he will just hurt.

Francesco is a good man.

His mouth and his dick get him in a lot of trouble, which is why he can not be near her friends.

“Francesco, not a word about Becca to anyone.” It comes out as an order to him.

He understands this.

Blood is thicker than water and as he pats me on the back I’m aware he would do anything for me. We share a dream that I will make a reality for us both.

“Love babysitting our brides’ friends.”

I hate how he says our but everything Francesco does is to piss people off so I let it slide. Can’t let him know how badly he is getting under my skin. That will just make him go harder

Walking over, Ilaria notices me as I pull out cash, settling her bill and holding out a hand that she hesitates to grab.

She is still mad at me about earlier and I know she is debating on turning around to order another round. But I need her.

I need her in my bed tonight. I need the smell of her champagne sugar skin and the way her legs lock with mine when she starts to drift off.

I need her kissing me and her fingers in my hair reassuring me that life is indeed worth living.

I need her so desperately that I will beg her if I have to.

“Ilaria, please, let’s go home.”

But I don’t have to beg her, she takes my hand when I say home and stands up, looking at me like she wants to give me a piece of her mind but I’m kissing her before she can.

I’m kissing her like I’ve been thinking about since my office last night.