The Billionaire’s Prodigal Wife
Chapter 53

Mackenna couldn’t lie, she was loving the dress Alessandro had insisted she wear tonight for dinner. It was a black cocktail dress but to call it a little black dress was an understatement. The dress fit her body tightly, contouring her every curve as if a glove but the material expanded with her. Mackenna was convinced the dress was magical because she felt tucked in yet able to breathe all at once and kept turning to look at herself sideways in the mirror. She didn’t know what kind of soft luxurious material the dress was made of so, she told them all, it was made of angel wings and pixie dust.

The dress came up in a mock neck but just under the collar, which she had jokingly said reminded her of a priest’s collar, the material was cut away almost in a diamond shape to her navel and was held together with black lace, her skin peeking through, revealing the swell of her breasts without being overtly s****l. It was sexy but not s*x, she had tried to explain as she continued to stare at herself.

Samuel had expertly covered all her bruises on her face and even any on her torso which had threatened to show out the side of her dress. Her make-up was minimal apart from the dark red lipstick he insisted she wear.

Alessandro had specifically requested she wear her hair in a high ponytail the way she had the night they’d gone dancing, and Samuel had trimmed her fringe delicately framing her face. Alessandro had asked Samuel to put a clip of a bright purple hair around the base of the ponytail and then trail it through and when his eyes met hers in the mirror as Samuel worked on her, she knew he was enjoying how glamourous she was.

As Samuel walked away muttering something about shoes, Alessandro leaned over her. “I am regretting agreeing to dinner. I want to go home and have my dessert first.”

She pursed her lips and accepted the k**s he gave her, laughing as Samuel screeched about ruining his perfect lipstick.

“K**s her after,” Samuel pushed him away from Mackenna and draped a material over his shoulder before kneeling to help her step into a pair of shoes. “Mac, walk in these please so I can see whether I need to adjust them.”

“How do you adjust a shoe?” Mackenna scowled at him but did as he instructed.

He held up a tiny piece of fabric, “I’ll have the girls stitch this in the back to keep the heel from slipping.” He made her step out of the shoes again and then passed them to Esme who hightailed it back to the girls. Mackenna heard one of them mumble something about not being cobblers and she chuckled at the words. They were all tired. It was now gone six.

Mackenna looked at Alessandro, “so I’m all gussied up, what are you wearing?”

“My suit is in my office,” he shrugged, “it will take me ten minutes to change and shave.”

“Don’t,” she and Samuel both spoke at the same time and then she giggled. “I’m learning this but I’m pretty sure Samuel and I have different reasons for not wanting you to shave.”

Samuel smirked, “girl, I’m sure you’re right but it gives a less refined look and if you’re trying to make things appear less intense than the media is portraying, having Mackenna dolled up and you looking a bit rough round the edges is better from a PR perspective.”

“I just want to feel the stubble on my,”

“Mackenna,” Alessandro spun her to face him, pulling her to his chest, “enough of such talk in front of my staff.”

“Staff,” Samuel grinned, “Mac and Savannah once spent an entire night in my apartment while I cried brokenheartedly into a bucket of Ben and Jerry’s. I might be your staff, but I’m her friend.” He winked, “you can tell all later doll.”

Mackenna giggled as Alessandro vehemently protested such a conversation and turned back to look in the floor length mirror. The only thing throwing off her entire look was the white bandage running from her wrist to the middle of her bicep. She made a face at it and then looked to see Alessandro and Samuel both laughing at her in the mirror. “What?”

Samuel pulled the material he’d flung over his shoulder. “Well, we had the option of Breakfast at Tiffany’s gloves or this,” he reached out and very gingerly lifted her arm. It was the same lace covering her cleavage but thicker somehow, “bolero,” he gently pulled it over her arm and then adjusted it up over her shoulder before helping her with her other arm. He fit the cover to almost be tucked into he collar so it appeared a seamless transition.

Mackenna couldn’t lie, she was loving the dress Alessandro had insisted she wear tonight for dinner. It was a black cocktail dress but to call it a little black dress was an understatement. The dress fit her body tightly, contouring her every curve as if a glove but the material expanded with her. Mackenna was convinced the dress was magical because she felt tucked in yet able to breathe all at once and kept turning to look at herself sideways in the mirror. She didn’t know what kind of soft luxurious material the dress was made of so, she told them all, it was made of angel wings and pixie dust.

“Damn,” Esme said as she reappeared with the shoes. “Alessandro, you’re a bloody genius.”

“Thank you but my muse gets all the credit, she makes the dress,” Alessandro was eying Mackenna the way she expected a child eyed sweets in a candy shop.

Mackenna shivered under the intensity of his golden gaze in the mirror and swallowed deeply as he simply turned on his heel and walked away in the direction of his office.

“One of us is getting lucky tonight and it’s not me,” Samuel whispered in a sing-song voice while Esme got her into the shoes.

Daria approached, “Alessandro reminded me to put her in earrings. Just earrings and no other jewelry.” She held up a tiny black box. “Also, he pulled this out of thin air so I’m not sure where it came from.”

Mackenna laughed as she opened the box and found a pair of pristine diamond stud earrings.

“There’s a reason he’s the best of the best,” Samuel whistled lowly as he watched Mackenna put them in her ears. “You look youthful yet elegant, sexy yet demure, dangerous and safe. You Mackenna Giordano are every straight man’s fantasy right now.”

Mackenna blushed at Samuel’s words. “Thank you.”

Esme pushed a small black clutch in her good hand. “This should fit your cell phone, the lipstick and a credit card but that’s about it.”

Mackenna shrugged, “I’m not paying for dinner so won’t need a credit card.”

The sound of the office doors opening made them all turn and Mackenna grinned widely as her bodyguard stepped onto the floor. “Nuncio!”

“Wow, you clean up good Signora,” Nuncio grinned at her as he approached. His footsteps faltered as he took in Samuel. “I know you from somewhere.”

Samuel started singing his rendition of Papa Loves Mambo and Nuncio froze before erupting into a wide grin.

“You are my man crush!” he immediately clapped Samuel on the shoulder and brought him in for a hug. “Your performance was incredible Friday night. Loved it.”

“Do I even want to know?” Carlos who was coming in behind him asked. “Why is my baby brother hugging Alessandro’s gay assistant?”

Nuncio grinned at his brother and then back to Mackenna and Samuel as he made introductions. Carlos looked less than enthused. “We have to bring them.”

“We do,” she agreed, “I already told Alessandro we’re going.”

“Excellent, next time Savannah gets a night off, we’ll all go.” Nuncio was all teeth with his smile.

“She messaged me earlier, she’s working another double?” Mackenna made a face.

“Yes, and if she hated her job, I would complain on her behalf, but she loves it.”

“Where were you two all day?” Mackenna asked them. The brothers exchanged a look, and she rolled her eyes. “Seriously, you’re not going to tell me?”

“Signora, there are things you need not worry your pretty head about,” Carlos met her gaze head on, and she had an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

“Is everything okay? I haven’t been online or anything,” she suddenly worried the entire world had collapsed while Alessandro had monopolized her day.

“Everything is fine, Mac,” Nuncio reassured her. “We had some security things we needed to sort out because Salvatore is home on house arrest.” As Carlos growled Nuncio turned to him. “It is her safety I am concerned about and hiding things from her is not going to keep her safe. Alessandro would tell her anyway.”

“It’s fine,” she smiled at Carlos, “I already knew he was released.” She saw Carlos’ eyes widen in surprise. “Alessandro told me Saturday when I was in the hospital. Salvatore has friends in low places, but I know you will all keep me safe. I am not afraid of him.”

“Where is Alessandro,” Carlos asked and then moved in the direction Mackenna pointed.

“Why is he so uptight?” Mackenna wrinkled her nose at Carlos as she linked arms with Nuncio, walking away from where Samuel and his team were cleaning up from their day. All her new clothes had been boxed and a delivery company was due in minutes to pick it all up. They were making sure everything was accounted for.

“Salvatore made a threat today.”

“Oh, how do you know this?”

“Because we have his house bugged but he also said it straight to Alessandro’s father,” Nuncio explained.

“Am I in danger?” she asked earnestly

“No, he is though,” Nuncio grimaced quietly, “the Giordano family is tired of the old man being a loose cannon. I believe Rosetta threatened to expose a bunch of dirty secrets if he didn’t reign himself in. He threatened to have her killed.”

“What is his problem?”

“Who knows the mind of a sociopath,” Nuncio patted her hand. “Tonight, you have fun with your husband, enjoy the food at this fancy restaurant you are going to and relax. I do have a favor though.”

“Of course, Nuncio, anything.”

“Please do not run off from Alessandro tonight.” He held her gaze seriously and tilted her chin. “We will keep you safe but if you start ducking in and out of alleys and coffee shops it will make our job so much harder and so I beg of you to please, reign your bad temper in for one night.”

She nodded slowly, “I promise Nuncio, I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

“If you need to leave, if he pisses you off or you can’t take the people you are dining with tonight, then you give me a hand signal and I will take you out of the restaurant and home. Understood? No drama, no hysterics and no running.”

“Hand signal?” She grinned suddenly as she held up her middle finger, “like this?”

He pinched her cheek, “sassy. Just motion for me. I will know.”

“Okay,” she took a breath. “How sad is it we are considering he will make me so angry I will bolt from a dinner?”

“You are both short-tempered passionate people. I am hoping for both of your sakes you can behave appropriately.”

“Do I even want to know what you two are discussing?” Alessandro had quietly approached them, and he almost smiled at Mackenna’s jump but they appeared to be plotting.

“Nuncio was telling me he can’t protect me if I bolt from the restaurant in the event, you make me angry.” She felt no need to hide anything from him.

“There is always a distinct possibility isn’t there?” he smirked suddenly and drew her to his side, kissing her temple. “I will be on my best behaviour. No need for Nuncio to worry.”

Carlos approached, “the car is waiting downstairs. Let’s go. You have twenty minutes before your reservations. Rio is in the car with the driver. We have a team already stationed at the restaurant and I paid the owner a stupid amount of money to allow us to sit at a table near you.”

Mackenna realized the man was revealing this information for her benefit and she looked at Alessandro in surprise as they walked towards the elevators.

He shrugged at her unasked questions, “it is of no use for me to hide anything from you, my love. It simply gets me in trouble and upsets you. Salvatore threatened your life and my mother’s life today. He told my father he said it only in anger and frustration, but he’d never truly carry out such a thing, but we don’t trust him. He’s a fool if he thinks we believe anything coming from his mouth.” They entered the elevator. “He spent many years manipulating us and I won’t allow him to do it any longer. We will live our lives as we are meant to and if it means we have Carlos and Nuncio providing extra protection for a short while, then this is what will happen.”

She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he looked down at her in surprise.

“For talking to me like your wife and not your child,” she smiled up at him. “I appreciate you treating me as your equal.”

He gave a throaty laugh, “we are not equals.” As she swung her clutch at him, he laughed, “you are by far superior to me in every way. I am simply learning my place.”

“Damn right,” she grinned as she hugged him tight. “But I mean it Alessandro. There was a time you would dictate and order and not talk to me. It makes my heart happy when you talk with me.”

“Just proves it then, doesn’t it?” he asked with a half-smile.

“What?”

He winked at her, “you can teach an old dog new tricks.”