Chapter 3

3.

The next day, I left the house at 5:45 PM, right on schedule.

Julian's black Bentley glided to a stop in front of me like a ghost, blocking my path.

The window rolled down. His expression was so cold I couldn't tell if it was Julian or Jax sitting there.

The Uber driver I'd called leaned out his window. "Ma'am, you heading to the docks?"

The man in the car's face changed instantly. He threw open the door and grabbed my shoulder.

"Nora, where are you going?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You promised you would never leave me."

I had promised that. Just like he had once sworn before God to love only me.

Chloe got out of the passenger seat, dressed in Chanel couture, her makeup flawless.

"Nora, I'm sorry," she said, her voice dripping with fake sincerity. "Jules didn't mean to not bring you to the charity cruise tonight. It's just that Jax introduced me to all the big bosses last time, and now they're all asking for me. If you want to go that badly, I guess I can stay home."

Julian visibly relaxed. "It's no trouble to bring one more person."

He soothed Chloe while forcefully dragging me toward the car like a prisoner.

"Let's go. I just didn't tell you because you seemed stressed."

"I'm not going," I said, trying to yank my arm away.

He gave me that chilling, "indulgent" smile. "Silly girl, you don't have to test me. I told you, I'll never give up on you."

He and his bodyguards forced me into the back seat.

In the car, I texted Adrian.

[Trapped. On my way to the cruise party.]

A few seconds later, he replied.

[I'll handle it.]

The cruise ship was ablaze with lights. It was a night for the powerful figures of New York's legal and criminal worlds to mingle―a money-laundering gala disguised as a charity event.

I found a quiet corner and observed the scene. I recognized all these faces. Three years as the Godfather's wife had taught me how to survive in this world.

Suddenly, a wave of laughter and catcalls erupted from the center of the crowd.

"Luca, brother, I lost, I admit it, but I really can't strip..." It was Chloe's tearful, delicate voice. "My body belongs to Julian."

She stood by a poker table, her sexy evening gown barely covering anything.

Julian pushed through the crowd and shielded her.

"Whatever she lost, I'll cover it. There's no need to corner a girl."

Luca, a Brooklyn kingpin who had a tense relationship with the Moretti family, puffed on his cigar. "Moretti, you know the rules. A bet's a bet. Your woman can't keep her word? How is that any different from the Moretti family not keeping its word?"

Chloe hid in Julian's arms, her tears smudging her makeup.

"So what do you want?" Julian's hand was already moving toward his waist.

Luca's gaze shifted past Julian and landed on me. "She doesn't have to strip. Let your wife do it instead. As I recall, Mrs. Moretti used to be the star attraction at the 'Blue Velvet' club. Her pole dancing was legendary."

Julian's body went stiff.

That was my nightmare―ten years ago, dancing in a place like that for my mother's surgery. One dance, one piece of clothing off.

Julian knew how much I hated that time in my life, knew the humiliation I endured.

Before, if anyone had dared to mention it, he would have broken their legs without a second thought.

But now―

"Julian, do you have any idea what you're saying?" I stared at him, my voice ice cold.

He avoided my eyes, his voice low. "Nora, please. You're both women. You've been through it... you wouldn't want a clean, innocent girl like Chloe to go through it too, would you?"

"You've looked out for other girls before, haven't you?"

I suddenly laughed, laughed so hard tears came to my eyes.

A clean girl?

Looked out for other girls?

Luca saw his opening and roared with laughter. "Looks like Mr. Moretti knows how to make the right choice!"

A few of his thugs grabbed me and forced me into a chair.

"I've always heard Mrs. Moretti had a great body. Today's my lucky day!"

"Come on, sweetheart, dance for the boys!"

They roughly tore at my evening gown, the expensive fabric ripping with a sickening sound.

Just then, a suit jacket was suddenly draped over me.

But it wasn't Julian's.

"Gentlemen," Adrian Cross's voice cut through the noise from behind the crowd. "This is no way to treat a guest."

He was wearing a dark gray three-piece suit, a glass of whiskey in his hand, as he walked calmly to the table.

"Luca, your shipping containers are passing through my docks next week, right?" Adrian said casually. "It would be a shame if something happened... like a surprise customs inspection..."

The color drained from Luca's face.

Adrian pulled out a checkbook, scribbled a number, and tossed it on the table. "This covers Chloe's debt. Now, this is over."

He turned to me and offered his hand. "Mrs. Moretti, let me take you home."

Julian finally snapped out of it and stepped between us. "Adrian, this is my family's business."

"Family business?" Adrian scoffed. "Then what the hell were you just doing? Watching your wife be humiliated?"

The two men faced off, the crowd watching the drama unfold.

I pushed Julian aside, pulled Adrian's jacket tighter around me, and said in a voice just loud enough to be heard, "Take me away from here."

The color drained from Julian's face.