The Underboss Voted No So I Chose A New Life Chapter 02
The night we went to try on clothes, Hadrian was forty minutes late.
The sales clerk had already pressed the white shirt I’d picked out for him twice.
When he finally arrived, Chloe was with him.
Chloe De Luca was the daughter of a former allied Family boss, and one of Hadrian’s childhood friends. Her political marriage had just been dissolved, and upon her return to New York, she was temporarily under Bellini protection.
She was also the only woman on the Hamptons trip without a partner.
“Ran into Chloe on the way,” Hadrian said.
“She needed to pick up a few things, so she tagged along.”
He took the water the clerk offered him.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
Before I could answer, Chloe smiled.
“If Mireille minds, I can leave right now. Wouldn’t want to step on the future Mrs. Bellini’s toes.”
That was what she said, but she was already settling onto the sofa.
Hadrian frowned and lowered his voice to me. “Ignore her. She’s just being difficult because of the poll.”
The clerk came over carrying two shirts, one white and one pale blue.
“Mr. Bellini, your fiancée picked out the white one for you earlier. The other was selected by this lady from the window display. Which would you like to try?”
“The blue.”
Hadrian reached out and took it.
“Chloe’s always had good taste.”
The clerk glanced at me.
I’d come in three days ago to have his measurements taken and choose the style.
After we registered at city hall, we were supposed to formally announce the marriage at the Bellini family’s long table dinner.
Hadrian hated any kind of hassle. He hadn’t even looked closely at the photos of the shirts I’d sent him.
When he stepped out of the fitting room, Chloe walked over and smoothed his collar into place.
“This color is more youthful. It won’t look too stiff in the registration photos, but it’ll still look good at the long table that night.”
Hadrian glanced at himself in the mirror.
“Yeah. Better than white.”
“So this one?” she asked.
“Ring it up,” he said.
I spoke up. “This is for our marriage registration.”
Chloe drew back her hand.
“Sorry. I almost forgot you were still here.”
The shop went silent.
Hadrian looked at me, a warning in his tone.
“Chloe means well. She’s here under the De Luca family name, and she’s under our protection. Don’t twist her words.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your expression did.”
He walked over and pressed his thumb lightly between my furrowed brows.
“You’re about to be the underboss’s wife. You need to stop making everyone guess what you’re thinking.”
I pulled his hand away.
“Let’s postpone the registration.”
Chloe froze.
Hadrian, though, smiled as if he’d been waiting for it.
“Fine. We’ll move it.”
He didn’t even ask why.
“When do you want to move it to? After we get back from the Hamptons, or after you’ve cooled off?”
“I’m not throwing a tantrum.”
“Fine, you’re not,” he said, but his expression told a different story.
The clerk asked softly if we still wanted the clothes.
Hadrian took out his credit card.
“Wrap up both.”
“The white one, too?”
“Yes. She likes it.”
He said it so naturally, as if buying the one I’d picked was some kind of consolation prize.
After he paid, Chloe took a phone call by the door.
She spoke for a few seconds, then suddenly covered the mouthpiece.
“Hadrian, the estate manager is asking about room assignments.”
“Weren’t there four twin rooms?”
“One of the bathrooms has a broken pipe.”
She lowered her voice. “Now there are only three twin rooms left, plus one oceanfront suite with a king bed.”
That suite was near the only emergency staircase and was usually reserved for whoever needed the highest level of protection.
Chloe looked at me and asked half-jokingly, “Should Mireille come after all? You’d just have to share the suite with Hadrian.”
Before Hadrian could speak, voices erupted from the other end of the phone.
“God, no. If the future Mrs. Underboss comes, we won’t be able to relax.”
“Let Chloe take the suite. She’s still under Bellini protection.”
“So who’s Hadrian rooming with?”
Chloe lowered the speaker volume a little but didn’t turn it off.
I heard my cousin Emily say, “Who else? It’s either his fiancée or Chloe.”
All eyes landed on Hadrian.
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Chloe takes the suite. I’ll share a twin with Leo.”
“And Mireille?” Chloe asked.
“She wasn’t going in the first place.”
His answer came too fast.
The paper shopping bag with the white shirt in it suddenly felt lighter.
The bottom hadn’t been sealed properly.
The shirt I’d spent three days choosing slipped out onto the floor. Someone walking past stepped on it, leaving half a gray shoeprint on the pristine fabric.
Hadrian bent to pick it up.
As he did, a restaurant reservation slip fell out of his pocket.
In the notes field, it said: *Celebration dinner. Chloe likes white roses.*