Mafia Wife (Mafia Series Book #2)

Part 6

A/N: It's still Friday for me! Sorry everyone, I had a small emergency and I was away from the house all day. I literally just got home! Thank you!

***

Vermin.

The whole lot of them.

Niccolo was leaning against one of the bedroom's windows, watching the Mancini family crowding his garden. The old hag hadn't been enough - no, the others were here too. To meet their wonderful niece/cousin whatever.

Because Gabriella was such a darling. So lovely. So much like Isabella.

They weren't taking the approach he had expected. He thought they would be cold, avoid her, dismiss her. Granted, the resemblance made it difficult to do that, but still. No, instead they opted to be a loving welcoming family to her.

But he knew their real personalities. It was the one they showed to him.

They treated him like dirt.

Of course, they did. He didn't expect the red carpet treatment. They were everything. To them, he was nothing more than scum at the bottom of their shoes. That was fine; he was used to this.

Revenge. That was what he would do. Except he couldn't. He had to swallow his pride, take all the hits, and put a smile on his face while he gave a polite answer. He couldn't give them any ammo, he couldn't give them anything to use against him.

Niccolo already knew they would try to turn Gabriella against him.

Speaking with her while there were ears in the house was no easy feat. Meaning he didn't get to take the pulse, and see how she felt. Especially not since the hag swooped her away as quickly as she could.

And Gabriella followed her. As she should.

The right game to play here would be to pretend that they had her eating out of the palm of their hands. However, it wouldn't work if she showed disdain towards him. There was no logical explanation for her to marry him so quickly and to be just as quick to turn against him.

They needed coherence. Strength.

The bathroom door creaked, forcing him to turn his head to look back. Gabriella emerged, a towel in her hands, slowly drying her hair. From the way her white shirt clung to her, he could tell her skin was still damp.

For a split second, he regretted not taking Vanessa's offer. It had been a long time, too long. He planned on fully taking advantage of her family situation. A little payback for all of her teasing.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Your family is here." When he saw the light in her eyes, he knew he had misspoken. "I mean your new family. Not your mother and your brother."

"Oh."

"Did you not have fun yesterday?"

She scoffed. "I thought she was being... weirdly nice... but then... honestly? She was laying it on a little thick. She had a lot of questions."

"About?"

"Us."

He sneered. "Of course she did. She didn't try to hide her disdain for me."

Gabriella failed at her attempt to withhold her laughter. He figured she would find it hilarious that her grandmother's sister was a rude hag. He would also find it funny if he could actually retaliate. But he couldn't. At least not yet.