The Billionaire's Mistake

Chapter 260 blushing

Eric drew a sharp breath through his nostrils, leaning forward to grind out his cigarette amid the groaning protests of the buttery leather beneath him.

"You always were too damn quick for your own good," he growled. A humorless grin twisted his mouth. "Yeah, pride goeth for that fat fuck after all. Tried to hire out an unassuming hit on what he must've assumed was a small piece of the Shaw outfit, only for it to turn out he put a bull's-eye right between Mathew's new wife's eyes."

He shook his head in disgust while Liliana blinked in surprise, her delicately arched brows shooting skyward.

"A wife? When in Dio's name did that ruthless bastardo finally settle down?"

Her imagination conjured forth visions of the infamous Mathew Shaw escorting a glamorous, bejeweled woman worthy to stand at his side as head of his shadowy empire. The image caused a jealous flare of resentment to bloom in the pit of Liliana's belly, deepening her scowl.

Eric huffed a dark chuckle, lips parting to reveal a slightly wolfish smile. "Well there's the thing, sorellina. From what I hear, this wife of his is some dolce piccola attrice he plucked from the gutter, showered in diamonds and furs to remake as his personal escort and arm candy."

Liliana's grip tightened fractionally around her glass at that proclamation. So Mathew had chosen himself some vapid, useless ornament to parade around, had he? She couldn't deny the flicker of vindictive satisfaction at knowing this mystery woman was likely to have the constitution of wet paper. A far cry from the tigress she often envisioned matching the brutal crime boss's own nature.

"And what of the wolves?" she prompted, sipping her amaro to cover the slight thickening of her voice. "Let me assume Don Gambino's coffers ran dry once more?"

Eric nodded grimly. "Their attack teams hit the new missus's convoy on the way to the hospital this morning. Now the few survivors are spending eternity pushing up zinnias in an unmarked mass grave courtesy of the Shaw family's lethal retribution."

That caused Liliana to snap upright in her seat, eyes sparking with ire. "On his home territory? And now la famiglia has directly paid blood tribute for this...signora Shaw?"

"Looks like those wolves over-reached after all," Eric remarked blandly, albeit with a twinge of respect tingeing his gruff timbre. "Should know better than to strike the serpent when you poke at his mate's nest."

"No..."

bouncing against the sharp column of her throat as she rose gracefully to her feet. Placing her empty tumbler

with chill command while barely rising above a whisper. "Mathew Shaw would never permit something as precious as a true mate into the bloody heart of his world. No, this wife is nothing more than an ill-advised infatuation, a mere

as she squared her shoulders. "I will simply have to pay a visit to this new...signora Shaw.

niece's bedside. She loved to watch her sleep. Maya remained sound asleep, aided by the lingering sedation from her procedure. Nurses checked in every half hour to monitor her vitals and intravenous medications. Each time they emerged with a soft smile and a reassuring nod to

Never before had a silent, unremarkable hospital room felt so much like sacred ground. So intent was her focus upon Maya's sleeping form that the gentle rap of knuckles against the doorframe startled her upright, heart leaping into her throat. Vivian's head

offering Mathew a weary albeit warm smile as he stepped over the

he replied lightly, carefully carrying an extravagant arrangement of flowers and plush stuffed animals to place on the room's cabinet surfaces. "I'd heard they were keeping you both on lockdown here and wanted to check in. Make sure my girls were safe

of protectiveness coloring his tone sent an unexpected thrill lancing through Vivian's heart. She averted her gaze back to Maya, worrying her lower lip between her teeth to prevent a ridiculously

finally allowed the churning question that had been plaguing her all day to

morning, don't you?" Her voice was hushed, barely

have to clarify, simply meeting her searching gaze with a stoic nod. It was all the confirmation

without sounding too presumptuous. Or accusatory. "Was parading me around like that meant as some kind of message? To draw that sort of aggression?" Mathew's brow creased infinitesimally at that, taking her aback slightly. For

public events put a

felt her

***

lunchtime rolled

recovering at. Though fraught with risks if anyone caught wind of their meeting, Hazel felt

unceremoniously drawn into his

universe.