Becoming His Wife by Hayley Faiman

Chapter Thirty-Five

TIZIANO

Dropping Maci off to work the day after our shopping trip, I stop by Salvatore’s office before I leave her there. He’s sitting behind his desk, his head tipped down as he writes something on a legal pad of paper.

Clearing my throat, I close the door behind me before I walk over to the chair across from his desk and sink down. He lifts his head when I have completely sat down in the chair. He shakes his head, then arches a brow as if to ask me a question.

“Her bags are packed. You have full control of your place as of today. I’ll be moving everything out while she’s here at work. Thanks for giving us a few days,” I offer.

He nods his head once. “I’m glad things are going well, she’s okay?”

I hum, shifting in my seat. “She is, at least she seems to be.”

“Good.”

“You have my contract with Gavino?” I ask.

“I do,” he says, grabbing a file that’s on his desk and holding it out for me. “Are you sure you don’t want another attorney to look at it?” he asks.

Shaking my head, I reach for the folder and open it immediately. “I know what we discussed, and I know you and Gavino are fair. I’ll just look over it really quickly and get it signed.”

Salvatore doesn’t say anything while I read over the agreement. The bullet points are exactly what we discussed. I’ll be the boss of the Bianchi famiglia. I’ll be completely and totally in charge, but in a partnership with Gavino.

This is the first share of power that he’ll have. Unlike with the Ricci famiglia, he is not completely in control, and unlike the contract that we had before, I’m not just the face of the Bianchi’s.

I’m in control, but I don’t make a move without discussing things with Gavino. His cut will be small, but he will have one. Any new ventures are agreed upon with one another before pursued. It is a partnership, just not fifty-fifty. That is unless I give up my place, then he will take full control.

I think it is the best option for us, especially since everything has changed from the original one. At least for me it has. I’m grateful that Gavino is willing to compromise with me.

He could have told me to fuck myself and demanded I sign the first one. Signing the papers, I hand them back to Salvatore. He goes through them, then hands me a copy to keep.

Smiling, I clear my throat. “When are you going to marry?” I ask.

Salvatore arches a brow. “When I’m ready, or maybe never.”

I hum. “I think you’ll find someone, you’re really the last of us that is single, Sal. It’s time.”

Standing to my feet, I can’t stop smiling at the completely hopeless sonofabitch, he’s going to fall flat on his ass over some woman soon and I can’t fucking wait to watch it unfold.

Before I walk away, I thank him for the paperwork, and the use of his home one last time. Leaving him alone in his office, I head toward my wife who is standing at a filing cabinet.

“Tiziano,” she exhales as I approach.

Her eyes are wide and her nostrils flare. Reaching out, I cup her cheek in my palm. “I thought you were satisfied this morning, do you need me again, zuccherino?”

I watch as her cheeks tint pink, her eyes flick down to the floor, then back up to meet my own. “I feel like I always need you. I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, will you come and take me?” she asks, changing the subject quickly.

“I’ll be here,” I promise as I lean forward and touch my lips to hers.

“We find out if it’s a boy or a girl,” she says.

My lips curve up into a grin. “I can’t wait,” I say, and I mean it.

I can’t wait.

I’m fucking excited to start planning. Tonight, we’ll be in the townhouse officially and we can, after months, finally begin our lives. Leaving her with a touch of the lips, I promise again that I’ll be back in time for her doctor’s appointment.

I have work to do today, and that work includes meeting with my father’s Capos. I have to see if they’re going to be able to stay on as mine or if I’m going to need to get rid of them. And get rid of them I will, if I need to. I have no fucking problem with that shit.

Elio sends me a text confirming that he’ll be coming to America with Di Stefano and the rest of the men by the end of next month. I smile and text him back immediately. Maybe I can talk him into staying and being a Capo, I am without a doubt that I’ll have a few empty spots as of today.

The good thing about my father’s men, is that I know them all very well. I am certain I know which will be okay with my taking over, and which ones will have an issue. I’ve already called all of the men to my father’s home, technically my home, to have a meet.

Pulling up to the driveway, I’m not surprised to see that they’ve all arrived and are waiting on the front porch area. Exiting the car, I clear my throat as I jog toward the front door and open it. Nobody says a single word to me, but I can feel their eyes on me with each step that I take.

Once I’m inside, I lift my hand and signal them to follow me to his office. Silently, they do just that. Walking around his desk, I sink down in his chair before I make eye contact with any of them.

Most of their faces are expressionless, but there are a few that have looks of surprise in their eyes. Keeping my own face even, calm, and as expressionless as possible, I clear my throat before beginning to talk.

“Tussio is no longer in charge of the Bianchi famiglia. I’m the boss now,” I announce. A couple of the men let out hisses, the others clench their jaws. “Unlike what he had heard rumors of, I will not be giving control to Santoro or the Zanetti famiglia.”

A couple of the guys start to rumble, but I don’t listen to what they’re saying, instead, I lean back in my chair and watch them until they shut the fuck up, and they do when they realize I’m not going to clammer for their attention—that I demand it.

“There will be a partnership of sorts, an on-paper friendship between the Zanetti famiglia and ours as there should always have been. If anyone has an issue with me being the Bianchi boss and feels they cannot give me their complete loyalty, then please tell me now.”

Two men take steps forward. They don’t say anything right away, but I watch as they both jut their chins upward and look down their noses at me. They’re older, closer to my father’s age, and no doubt only think one way—old school.

“Tussio was my boss, he’s the only boss I know and I’ll be his servant until the day I die. You’re a disgrace as a son, Tiziano,” he spits.

Turning my head, I look over to the other man. “You feel the same way?” I ask.

He nods his head once. I don’t respond, instead, I take my gun out of the holster, point it at them, and pull the trigger once, then twice. They drop down to the fancy as fuck carpeting that my father insisted on having.

“Anyone else feel the same way? Anyone else feel that I haven’t and won’t earn your loyalty because I killed a man who put a hit on me and my pregnant wife? A man who kidnapped my wife and brought her back here to be sold as a whore? Enlighten me on just how fucking wonderful Tussio Bianchi was, please.”

The other men’s eyes widen, but only one takes a step toward me. “He did that?” he asks, his voice almost a whisper.

“He did,” I say with a nod.

“Then he’s no fuckin’ boss of mine,” he spits and the other men agree. “We’ll get our men to fall in line.”

“And if they don’t?” I ask.

His lips curve up into a grin. “Then you don’t have to worry about them anymore, and for the record, Gavino Santoro is a good and clean Made Man, I’m proud to be working with him and part of the Zanetti empire. You have my loyalty boss, unwaveringly.”

Fuck. Me.

Maybe I finally fucking did something right in my life. If these men are backing me, if they’re pledging their loyalty, those words are not said in haste, they fucking are meant and they are downright fucking true. It’s how they feel.

I thank them, shaking their hands and welcoming their congratulations on my wife and new baby. They all promise to report by end of day on how many men pledge their loyalty as well and how many have to be dealt with.

As soon as the door of my father’s office closes, my phone rings. I’ve got my old number back, a new phone, but finally it feels good to have all my contacts and shit at the tips of my fingers. When I look down at my phone, I curse.

Miais in bold letters staring back at me.

Fuck. Me.

MACI

I checkthe clock on my desk again. Five minutes. That’s how late he is. I shouldn’t be upset, he promised he’d be here and five minutes isn’t that bad. Lifting my hand, I chew on the side of my nail as I continue to flick my gaze between the clock and the doorway.

“You okay?” Salvatore’s deep voice rumbles.

Lifting my head, I look over to him and nod my head once before I shake it a few times. “I don’t know,” I whisper.

He frowns, but doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, he looks at his watch, then at me. It’s then that I decide to tell him why I’m upset, or at least getting that way. Standing, I clear my throat and press my lips together before I speak.

“Tiziano said he would be here to pick me up and take me to the doctor. He’s eight minutes late.”

Salvatore nods his head, then reaches his hand in his pocket. He takes his phone out, touches a few buttons then lifts it to his ear. I wait for him to speak, but he doesn’t. Instead, he ends the call, then searches for someone else and lifts the phone to his ear again.

“Where is Bianchi?” he demands in a growl. There is a moment of silence, then Salvatore curses before he ends the call. “Grab your bag, I’m taking you,” he barks.

“What? Why?” I cry.

He shakes his head once. “I can’t get ahold of him and Gavino hasn’t seen him today, but I know what he was supposed to be doing.”

“That is?” I ask.

He grunts. “Business.”

I know enough about this world to know that business means I keep my mouth shut. It’s not my business—it’s business. Shifting down, I tug the bottom drawer of my desk open and grab my purse. Hiking the strap over my shoulder, I hurry behind him.

“You don’t have to take me,” I breathe once the elevator doors close behind us.

Salvatore grins as he turns his gaze toward me. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, bella.”

I don’t call him on the lie. It is just that though. I have no doubt that Salvatore would rather be a million different places than going to the OB-GYN with me.

Licking my lips, I press them together and try not to cry at the fact that Tiziano is missing one of the most important baby appointments, the first one he’ll be able to attend. He just didn’t show.

“Is it always like this?” I ask softly as the elevator moves downward.

He doesn’t speak right away. The door opens and I take a step out before he does the same behind me. With his hand on the small of my back, we walk toward his car. It’s parked in the same place it always is. He clears his throat as he continues to move toward the car.

“What?” he asks.

He knows what I’m asking and it’s irritating that he is making me say it out loud. Slipping into the passenger seat of the car, I put the seat belt on as he jogs around and folds into the driver’s seat.

“Missing things because of business? Important things?”

He touches the start button on the car, then shifts it into reverse. He doesn’t say anything right away, instead he clears his throat as he eases into traffic.

“Probably, bella.”

Scrunching my nose, I place my palm against my belly, unsure if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m not sure that I want to live life as a single parent. Rolling my lips together, I watch out the window as the tall buildings fly by in a blur.

“He’s starting all over, from scratch. He has to build his reputation back. Tussio no doubt poisoned his men’s minds. He has to prove to them that he isn’t untrustworthy, that he can handle being their boss.”

Dipping my chin, I look down at my hands, twisting my fingers together. I shouldn’t be so selfish as to be upset that he wasn’t able to come today. The way Salvatore explains it all is right, Tiziano is going through a lot and giving him grief over missing this appointment isn’t worth causing him any more pain and stress.

Looking over to him, I smile. “Thank you, Salvatore,” I whisper.

“For?”

“Being a friend, to both of us.”

He doesn’t respond and I’m glad for that. Instead, he takes me to my appointment. I’m quiet the entire drive. I can’t help but think about the future, about Tiziano and me, about this baby. Looking down at my wedding ring, I run my thumb along the underside of the band.

This is for life.

Not just because he owns me, but because we both want it to work with one another. As disappointed as I am that he isn’t here, I feel a sense of pride that he is working for us—for our future. Even if it’s illegal, even if I’ll never know what he’s doing. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t working hard.

I decide that when I find out what we’re having, I’ll buy some cookies or cupcakes for dessert, then maybe a little baby outfit and surprise him with a gender reveal party for two.

My lips curve up into a grin at the fantastic idea I’ve just had. My spirits are lifted and the excitement for the moment returns almost immediately.