AMORE MIO (on hold)

xxv.

GUILIA

"What are you doing?" a voice that I least expected to hear catches me off guard, making me bang my head into the desk as I try to get up. A tiny yelp escapes my lips before I quickly stand up, smoothing my top out before my eyes come to meet those of Angelo.

My eyes quickly glance past him, wondering where the hell Nicolas is, and why the hell Angelo is here in his office, before my gaze falls back on Angelo. I swallow hard, suddenly nervous considering Angelo is Don, and I being in a confined space with this man is something I'm suddenly uncomfortable with.

"Snooping around? Seems to me like Nicolas has security and guards on the wrong people," Angelo hums as he steps forward, his eyes focused on my face. I don't move, simply because I don't know how to act or react. "You know...you're technically still property of Chicago. I could kill you right now for looking through what doesn't belong to you, not that I need a reason."

I stop my chin from quivering, but look up at him as he nears me. I would step back and away, but I'm too terrified to move. "I wasn't...I was just looking for a pen."

Angelo raises an eyebrow at me, and my eyes focus on his facial features. He looks like Nicolas, but also so different. Nico is terrifying, sexy, and demanding, but Angelo is something else completely. His look his quite literally murderous, even when filled with cockiness and humor.

Angelo smirks slightly, and my eyes flicker down to watch as his hand picks up one of the dozen pens sitting in a pen holder on Nicolas' desk. I close my eyes for a second, regretting even speaking and trying to make an excuse for myself. I really couldn't have chosen something other than a pen?

"Here's that pen you were looking for," he states, forcing me to open my eyes and look at him again. I swallow hard again as he holds it out to me, waiting for me take it from him. It takes everything to steady my hand enough to reach out and grab it, but just as I do, he yanks me forward by grabbing my hand.

I nearly flinch as a gasp escapes my lips, suddenly too close to Angelo, and I immediately feel sick. My hand throbs as my freshly healing wound is pressed by his hand. And not only does this now look highly inappropriate, but it most definitely feels it too.

"Look at me, bambola," Angelo's voice is stern, and I force myself to look up at him even though I don't want to. "For a smart girl, you sure are stupid."

I frown at his words, trying to step back, but his hold on my hand is too strong, and I once again flinch as he reaches up to brush my hair out of my face, gently tucking it behind my ear. I'm too scared to speak, knowing very well that power he has over me here. This is his world, and I'm a visitor.

"You know, if I weren't going to be Don, I probably would have been the one marrying you instead," he grins wickedly, and I feel shivers run down my spine. What the fuck? Why would he say that?

For the first time ever, I'm hoping that Nicolas walks in on me with another man. In fact, I'm praying to God he does, because I have never felt more uncomfortable than I do right now with Angelo.

"Rendered speechless. I tend to have that affect on women," Angelo's other hand comes up, his knuckles brushing my cheek as he glides it against my skin before brushing his thumb against my lower lip. It quivers as I take a shaky breath, just wanting to get out of his grip. "If you're to snoop around behind your finacé's back, I suggest you get better at it. You don't want someone like me catching you in the act."

Angelo suddenly let's go of me, causing me to stumble backwards. I catch my step, but I continue to step a few feet back, feeling nauseous. Immediately bump into the desk chair, and still completely.

"You don't look so good, mia cara," Angelo chuckles as he takes one step forward. Enough to startle me even more.

Where the hell is Nicolas?!

"Don't worry, the big bad wolf doesn't bite....yet," he lets out a chuckle, and for some reason, I can't imagine Nicolas being related to this guy. Even with the slight resemblance, this man is absolutely next level with the terror, and somewhat...disgusting.

"I better get going. I don't want anyone to come down here and think I've defiled the pretty princess. Might not look too good for you," he winks, flashing me a grin, completely satisfied with his act of terrorizing me. He sets the pen down on the table, glancing up at me once more, before turning and walking right out of the office.

The second he's gone and I hear the sound of his footsteps going up the staircase, I sit down in Nicolas' chair, trying to calm myself down. Ever since that freaky panic attack I had in the bathroom, my nerves and emotions have been all over the place. The smallest things frighten me, and it's almost as if all the confidence I had has slowly dwindled.

I hunch over, feeling nauseous, and take a few deep breaths. My eyes are slammed shut, and I'm just trying to hold it together. The last thing I want is to freak again, or even worse, have Angelo truly figure out that he's absolutely gotten under my skin.

Nicolas warned me about him, and I think I might have been over my head in provoking him before, because it seems like he's either out for me, or out for Nicolas, and I honestly don't know what's worse.

A large hand on my shoulder makes me shriek, and immediately the hand clamps over my mouth. My head jerks up to find Nicolas standing over me, confusion flashed across his face as he gently drops his hand from my mouth.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I can't have you screaming down here. People will assume the worst," he remarks, and I take in his chiseled jawline, the gorgeous eyes, and his stunning hair. I swallow hard, not knowing if he's saying that in a crude way, but I guess it is rude. People will either assume we are fucking, or that he's hurting me. "What's got you all worked up?"

I blush, shaking my head, and looking away from him. "Nothing, you just caught me off guard. I have the worst cramps right now," I blatantly lie, knowing very well that he'll buy it. I'm a good liar. I've learned from years of lying to the sisters from Catholic school, and my parents, especially my mother.

Nicolas looks a bit concerned for a second, but he's going to assume what any guy would. That I'm on my period or something, and he brushes it off immediately. I feel awful, seeing the concern on his face, because I know how hard it is for him to open up to me. But I also know that if I tell him about Angelo, it's going to be bad.

Angelo is still higher in rank here, and he's the next Don. Nicolas reports to him, and until we are both back in Chicago, nothing could save us from Angelo's wrath. The last thing I want is to start something and end up in some terrible war zone. It's better he just doesn't know.

"Uh, let's go then? I'm not sure what you want to eat, but we can get it to go if you don't feel well," he suggests, helping me up out of his seat. I stare down at the pen on the desk, before forcing my gaze to meet Nicolas.

"I honestly could go for a pizza right now, and maybe some cannolis," the suggestion comes from my stomach, not my mind. I tend to eat in stressful situations, and I need something Italian, and fast. "Nothing fancy. I want the good stuff."

- -

AN:

hello!!! i can say a thousand apologies, but nothing excuses my absence. I have so many things happening, and I'm trying my best to keep up, but I haven't even been keeping up with my reading goals. I fully understand that I may have let you down with updates, but I don't plan this story, it just comes when it wants.

so I won't make any promises, but I also don't want to freeze and post on a schedule when I have them prepped. I love posting as I write, so I'll keep doing that. I hope some of you continue to read if you're interested in the story!

Thank you for 100K on Amore Mio, and 150K on Want. I am more active on my Instagram if you need me, @luxlovin but I do reply to messages here! Ily all so much!