I shudder at the thought. There’s a reason I stay hidden in the woods. I hate my father. Carlo may be the head of the family now, with all that entails, but I don’t like the way he’s turned into him.
I’m a thorn in his side, the black sheep of the family, preferring to hide in the woods with my sex club then embrace family life.
Still, I love my niece, and I can’t bear to think of the beating her father will give her.
“Give me some credit, Lorenzo,” Axel drawls. “My man’s serving her virgin cocktails. She and her friends don’t suspect a thing.”
“She can’t be in your club, Axel,” I warn him. “Carlo won’t give a shit that she didn’t touch a drop of alcohol. He’s unrelenting when it comes to his daughter.”
Axel takes another slow sip.
“I know. But I didn’t think your brother would want a scene. I’ve put her in the VIP booth and we’ll keep her there, plied with no-vodka, vodka cocktails until Daddy can send his men to collect her.”
I rub my forehead with my hands, banishing a headache that’s threatening to form. Isabella must have evaded her security detail. But I can’t blame her. It can’t be easy living with my brother.
“Anyone else recognize her?”
“We’ve got some of the Wild Riders in tonight.”
He’s referring to a motorcycle club that have their HQ in the mountains. They’re decent men, mostly, ex-veterans who love to ride. But they’re still men. My brother will hit the roof if one of them makes a pass at her.
“Any of them try anything?”
“The Prez sure looks like he wants to.” Axel chuckles. “Damn fool. She must be half his age.”
The president of the Wild Riders MC isn’t stupid enough to hit on a mafia princess. He’s an honorable man, so honorable that I don’t have many dealings with him. They stick to their side of the mountain, and we stick to ours.
Damn fool will probably try to protect her more than hit on her.
“He recognize her?”
“Oh yeah. Can’t take his eyes off her. Moved his guys into position around the club. I reckon it’s to make sure she comes to no harm. Maybe our friendly MC need a favor from the godfather.”
Axel chuckles, but he might be right.
I rub my eyes. This is a distraction that I don’t need. My brother can get his own house in order.
“I didn’t call to discuss my niece.”
“No?” Axel says, suddenly alert. “What’s on your mind.”
“One of your waitresses, Greta.” He doesn’t make a joke or say anything which I’m grateful for. “She won’t be coming back to work.”
“Oh? She’s one of my best.”
I can believe that. With her sweetness and her figure, I bet she gets a ton of tips. My fists clench at the thought. I don’t want her waitressing anymore. Not where men can see her. I’m the only one that lays eyes on Greta from now on.
“You’ve not got her locked up in your sex den, have you Lorenzo?”
He says it as a joke, and I chuckle along. He has no idea how close to the truth he is.
“She’s with me now. I’ll have someone stop by and collect her things.”
There’s silence on the end of the phone. When Axel speaks again, it’s slow, and he picks his words carefully.
“I’ve known you a long time Lorenzo, and I don’t get involved with your business….”
“No, you don’t.”
