Reckless & Ruined (44 page)

“Get those bags from the trunk,” Joel ordered the waiting enforcer.

The man nodded and rushed to do what he was told.

Alessa stood in a familiar driveway, feeling more confused than ever as she stared at the large home.

“Here’s how this is going to go,” Joel said. “You’re going to follow behind me, stay quiet, and do whatever the fuck I say. After I leave, I don’t give a shit what happens to you, Lissa. That’s all on Adriano and his father to decide.”

“You’re an asshole,” Alessa muttered.

Joel shrugged. “Maybe so. As I said earlier, you’re forgiven, but I won’t be stained by your shame. The Contis, on the other hand, can hide it however they please. But if you want things to go smoothly, you will let me handle my side of it however I see fit.”

Alessa didn’t know what her brother was planning, but he had taken her to Riley Conti’s home with a great portion of her belongings. It didn’t seem like Joel had any intention of taking her back home, either.

“Take them to the front step,” Joel told the waiting enforcer.

The man went.

“What are we—”

“Hush,” Joel interrupted. “Follow me, Alessa.”

Too tired to question her brother, Alessa followed along. She trailed up the stairs behind Joel as the enforcer dropped her bags at the bottom of the steps. Joel rang the ornate doorbell and the chimes echoed within.

Alessa thought it was odd that they had been able to just walk right up to Riley’s front steps.

“Where are Riley’s guards?” Alessa asked.

“We’re peaceful,” Joel said with a hint of bitterness coating his words. “They’re watching us, no doubt, but they have no reason to send us away.”

Alessa noticed a form darken the frosted glass of the front door. It disappeared before another came and the door opened. Riley Conti stood on the other side, his expression unreadable as he surveyed the people on his front step.

“Evening, Joel,” Riley greeted.

“Evening,
boss
.”

Alessa cringed at her brother’s tone. It almost sounded like he was mocking Riley’s position.

“This is a surprise,” Riley said, glancing over Alessa’s quiet form.

“I bet. Where is your son tonight?”

“Working, Joel. Just like you should be.”

Joel said nothing and instead, grabbed Alessa’s arm and tugged her forward so she was standing in front of Riley. “Here, a mess for you to clean.”

“A mess?” Riley asked.

“She’s pregnant. Your son is the father.”

Riley’s brow shot up high as his mouth opened with a denial right on the top of his tongue. “Now, just you—”

“Don’t bother denying it. They’ve been running around for years. A few phone calls was all it took for the mouths to start talking with what they’ve seen and what they know. You don’t even look surprised, boss. My guess is that you knew, too. She was promised to be engaged and your son knocked her up at some point during that time. That’s unacceptable, disgusting, and shameful.”

Riley’s jaw ticked. “And what do you expect me to do about this, Joel?”

Joel grinned. “Oh, I’m sure we can figure something out.”

Alessa wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that.

“But for now, a marriage to protect my sister and her child’s standing will suffice,” Joel added before Riley could say another thing. “I’m sure you agree.”

Riley said nothing.

Joel waved at the bags on the step. “Her things. Your son can do with them what he wants.”

With that, Alessa stood still and stunned as her brother turned on his heel and left.

Adriano cupped Alessa’s cheeks in his hands and rolled his thumbs over her cheekbones in the sweetest, most soothing way. Alessa needed that. Waiting for him to get to his father’s home had been nerve-wracking enough. Riley had said not one single word to Alessa, but he watched her like he was two seconds away from blowing her brains out.

“You okay?” Adriano asked.

Alessa nodded, smiling. “Better with you here.”

“This was not what I expected to happen when Joel found out.”

“Me either,” she admitted.

“I wonder why,” Adriano mused, tracing her lips with his thumb.

“Because he fucking wants to advance and this is a good excuse to use,” Riley said as he entered the living room.

Adriano’s shoulders stiffened and he scowled. “Not right now, Dad.”

“Oh, I think now is the perfect time, son.” Riley flicked a hand in Alessa’s direction like she was a piece of garbage he was shooing away. “And what am I supposed to do about this, huh? Look what you’ve done, Adriano. Your stupid, foolish recklessness has cost me a great deal today.”

“I think this is perfect,” Adriano replied, never taking his gaze off Alessa.

She chewed on her inner cheek, feeling happy and worried all at once. Riley didn’t seem pleased, but Adriano was over the moon.

Alessa was inclined to go with Adriano’s mood.

“I had him, Adriano,” Riley growled.

Adriano shrugged. “I don’t care.”

“No, I wouldn’t think you do,” Riley spat. “Why should you?”

Adriano smirked but said nothing.

“And do you know what he demanded when he brought her to my doorstep?” Riley asked.

“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me,” Adriano replied.

“A marriage! Between you two!”

“I’m game for that,” Adriano said, giving Alessa a wink.

How was he so blasé in the face of his father’s rage?

“Have you never heard of a condom?” Riley asked.

Adriano chuckled. “It’s done, Dad. Drop it.”

Riley didn’t. His anger exploded in a violent shout of words.

“I had him! I had Joel by the fucking throat and just like that … just like that, Adriano, you fucking ruined it. Your recklessness ruined everything.”

“For you,” Adriano murmured, turning to face his father. “It ruined things for you. But for me, Dad? I got everything I fucking wanted.”

“You little bast—”

Adriano held up a single hand, stopping his father. Then, he dropped it and offered that hand to Alessa. She took it without question.

“Are you ready?” Adriano asked her.

“For what?”

Adriano flashed her with a sensual smile. “To go home with me.”

God,
yes
.

She was so ready for that.

“Yeah,” Alessa whispered.

She got it.

Right then, with Adriano’s hand in hers holding tight and promising to take her home, Alessa got why her sister did what she did. Riley would hate them, surely. The Outfit would again be upset as Riley was forced to make amends for his son’s mistakes and choices with Alessa.

That didn’t matter a bit to Alessa or Adriano.

They got what they wanted.

All was perfect.

Thank you, Ella
, Alessa thought.

She never would have been able to tell Joel on her own. Abriella forced Alessa into it whether she wanted to or not.

“Let’s go home,” Adriano said.

“Home,” she echoed.

The angelic tone of the choir filled the church with its melody. Alessa settled into the pew beside Adriano, comfortable and content. His hand rested on her eighteen week swell.

Like he usually did, Adriano kept one eye on the people around them, and one on what was most important to him. He never hid his affections for Alessa or the pregnancy no matter where they were. She figured they had spent so much time hiding one another that now that they didn’t have to, they didn’t even try.

Alessa loved Adriano all the more for it.

She couldn’t help but glance around the church at the guests. When they first arrived earlier, people had stared and whispered. It wasn’t uncommon, after all, her and Adriano had created quite a scandal together. Especially with the whole baby thing, now.

Evelina sat at Alessa’s other side, smiling but faking it. Alessa knew the truth. Her soon-to-be sister-in-law was pissed about the groom and bride.

Alessa wished she could somehow help Evelina. It had to be horrible to see her father moving on already after her mother’s death. But really, Evelina had been a big help and support to Alessa and Adriano over the last couple of months. When Alessa had been alienated from her family because of her choices with Adriano, Evelina was there. When Adriano worked late, Evelina was there to keep Alessa company.

She appreciated Evelina a great deal.

Alessa reached over and held Evelina’s hand silently. Evelina squeezed back.

“Another month, babe,” Adriano said quietly.

Alessa smiled. “And this will be us.”

“I can’t fucking wait, Lissa.”

She knew that, too.

Alessa and Adriano’s conversation quieted as the ending of the ceremony was performed at the front. Riley Conti’s young bride looked incredibly beautiful in her ball gown style dress standing next to her new husband.

Young
.

It was worth repeating.

Courtney was only three years older than Alessa.

It seemed like the wedding had practically come out of thin air. Not a man in the Outfit or the families around them seemed bothered by the fact that Riley Conti was marrying a new, young woman just months after his wife’s death.

The boss needs a wife
, Adriano had explained weeks ago.

Alessa thought it was all a little sad.

“Did your father talk to you last night?” Alessa asked.

They had gone to a dinner at the Conti home to celebrate the night before the wedding. Things between Adriano and his father were incredibly tense and had been ever since news of their pregnancy was announced. Riley practically turned his son away at every chance he could.

Adriano didn’t act like he cared.

“No,” Adriano said.

The couple’s marriage was announced by the priest and a thunder of clapping and hollers answered the first kiss. Alessa waited at Adriano’s side as the bride and groom made their way back down the aisle. Then the guests started to flood out as well.

Joel passed by Alessa with Abriella at his side. Her sister gave her a smile and a wave, but Joel kept his eyes forward and never gave Alessa a second thought. She wasn’t important to him anymore. He got what he wanted, in a way.

Joel had mysteriously become Riley’s underboss. According to Adriano, Tommas Rossi was the new front boss for the Outfit. But there was a lot of love lost between the three men and issues always had a way of creeping back in before anyone knew what happened.

Alessa and Adriano filtered out of the church with the rest of the people. Outside, she couldn’t help but notice how the people spread out into their usual groups. It gave her the chance to see everyone who had showed up to the wedding. It had been a large event with a rather big guest list. One group was missing: the DeLucas.

“Where is Theo?” Alessa asked.

Adriano visibly tensed. “Somewhere.”

His vagueness only made Alessa worried.

“Did something happen?”

Adriano chuckled. “Shit, something has been happening for a while.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t want you worrying about the Outfit’s nonsense,” he said.

“Too late,” she replied softly.

Adriano drew Alessa in to his side. “It started out quiet.”

“What did?”

“Theo’s moves. Quiet violence, little things. A man down here with no explanation and a shootout there with no witnesses. Bad shit, Lissa.”

Alessa shivered. “Theo did that?”

“Is doing it,” Adriano corrected. “It’s happening more and more every day.”

“What does that mean?”

Adriano sighed. “It means he wants to go to the mattresses again.”

War.

When was this going to end?

How many more people had to die?

“We’re good,” Adriano said, drawing Alessa from her thoughts.

“Are we?” she asked.

“Very.” Nodding at his father standing with his new bride at the bottom of the church steps, Adriano added, “But Riley, he needs to be careful.”

Alessa swallowed hard. “Careful?”

“Yes. And he can have fun doing it alone.” Adriano smiled coldly. “I gave him everything he wanted and he did nothing for me. My father can protect his own ass. I have nothing left there to save.”