His Forbidden Mafia Princess

Chapter Seventeen

Aleena - POV

I look at my phone constantly, waiting for Brian's message. I get out of bed to grab breakfast, then head back to my room.

"Someone's been crying." I looked up to find Caldwell. Dressed in a black T-shirt and blue jeans, no suit, no acoustic tube earpiece.

"Off duty?" I asked. His blue eyes lingered on my face a beat too long.

"You good?" he asked.

My eyes probably looked swollen from crying. I'd done my best to mask it. Failed, apparently.

"I'm fine." I gave him my best smile. He looked at me for a few seconds, unconvinced.

"No instructions from Jared yet," he said. "Guess my job starts when you leave the house."

I sighed.

"Don't bother. I'm not going anywhere."

His eyebrow c****d upward.

"I'll just rot in here. Like a prisoner." I let out a sharp breath, shook my head. "Maybe they'll bar the windows next. Make it official."

"Not a bad idea. You did escape once already," Jared said. I turned to meet his onyx gaze.

I glared at him.

"Relax. I come bearing good news," Jared said.

I narrowed my eyes. "Doubt it."

"You don't believe me?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "Caldwell, you're on Mrs. Bellini detail. Wherever she goes."

"Wait. Really?" I looked at Jared.

He smirked. "Yes."

"Oh, my God." The smile that broke across my face made both of them stop and stare, like I'd lost it. They had no idea what this kind of freedom felt like. I rushed to my room, the door shut behind me.

"Caldwell, get ready. We are leaving in twenty minutes," I called through the door. His footsteps followed, heading to his room across from mine.

I pulled out an outfit for the board meeting. I needed to be there for Brian. I wasn't about to let that asshole Francis takes over as CEO of Black Vault Security. The company would be doomed.

I checked myself in the mirror: a black satin blouse, a cream pencil skirt, black stilettos, and a handbag in hand. Hair pulled into a bun, not perfect, but good enough. I snapped a selfie to send to my sister, El.

Hey, you're still not good at buns. Let your hair down in a ponytail. You look better that way.

I rolled my eyes as I read her text.

"I'm not changing it," I typed back. My phone buzzed with an emoji shaking its head in disapproval.

A gentle knock on the door.

I stepped out to find Caldwell, suited up in his bodyguard uniform. His blue eyes looked over me with that familiar curiosity, gleaming, taking in my outfit. He always did that.

"Making a run for your company, huh?"

My gaze found Nico, who looked like he was heading somewhere too, dressed in a navy blue suit. His green eyes raked over me. Something flickered across his face, too fast to read.

He walked up to me and took my hand in his. I struggled, tried to pull away. He clasped it tighter, then slipped a wedding band into

my palm. I tried to shake it off. He held my hand firm. His head lowered, and he whispered, "Don't even think about removing this ring. Everyone needs to know you're a married woman." His tone sent chills down my spine, and something in it told me he wanted this marriage act to look real.

"Why aren't you wearing one?" I asked. "Oh, right? You want me to show the world I'm your wife while you're off gallivanting with other women?"

He scoffed.

"I'm not wearing this." I tried to remove it. It stuck to my knuckles. "Damn this ring."

"Don't bother." He turned and walked away. I glared after him. "Asshole," I hissed.

"Let me help you." Caldwell stepped closer, taking my hand gently in his rough, calloused one. He worked at the ring, back and forth, and the friction of it irritated my skin.

"I'll deal with it later." I tried to pull my hand back, but he held on, staring at the ring like it had personally offended him.

"Hey. It's okay, Caldwell." He looked up, and whatever had flashed across his face was gone. He let go of my hand.

We got into the car Bellini had arranged and headed for my office. Anxiety crept in the closer we got. What's going to happen to my company now? I'd poured every cent of profit from this firm back into it, and now it teetered on the edge because of the man whose ring sat heavy on my finger.

Urgh. I groaned internally. I dare you to ask me about that wedding band.

As I stepped out of the car, "I never knew you had a business," Caldwell said. He'd been talkative lately.

"Yeah," I said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to my father."

"I don't work for Mr. Caruso anymore," Caldwell answered.

"So Nico made all those Caruso men switch sides to join his gang, and you're one of them?"

"No. I quit my job at Caruso's . After I found out you married Mr. Nico." I went still, turning to look at him as the elevator doors closed around us.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I want to work for you, Ms. Caruso," he said.

I narrowed my eyes. I need someone in my corner. Nico can do anything, even resort to physical threats. I can fight him off, sure, but

having Caldwell around could still work for me, right?

"I don't know a thing about you," I said. "Keeping you on without earning my trust isn't possible."

His blue eyes met mine with a calm gaze. "I agree," he said. "Let me earn it."

I looked away from his intense blue eyes, the kind that had a way of holding your attention too long. My pulse picked up. Why?

The elevator doors opened. Brian stood there, lost in thought, hands in his pockets.

"Why are you here?" he asked the second he stepped out.

"I can handle the board," I said. Brian's hand landed on my shoulder, but Caldwell stepped in, blocking him.

"He's my friend. It's fine," I said. Caldwell let him go.

"Seriously, why do you have a bodyguard?" Brian asked, then shook his head. "Forget I asked. Go home. I've got the board meeting."

"What's going on, Brian? Really." I studied him. "You're acting weird."

Brian tried for his casual smile, the one that never reached his eyes. His posture stayed stiff. "Why worry about work? I've got it handled."

"Seems like the other owner of the company is here." I looked at the old man standing near him. I'd seen him before. Wait, I saw him leaving the Bellini estate this morning from my window. What's he doing here?

"So today, we can sign the deal and hand the company over to them," the old man said.

I turned to Brian. Walked up. Grabbed him by the collar.

"Who are we selling our company to? Without my permission, Brian?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Brian's tone stayed calm. "We had no choice. We had to save the company by selling it."

"Who gave you that right? Huh." I let go. Sighing out loud. "I'm not signing a damn thing. I'm not selling this company."

"You're signing the papers today."

I froze. That voice. The one that pissed me off more than anything else in the world. I turned to find Nico standing there, tall, confident, ready to take everything I'd busted my ass for.