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“So, is it always like this?” He frowned at my question, glancing around then giving me a confused look.
“So normal?” I clarified. The Priamos Family meals were like funerals, quiet and somber, and the only one who spoke was Eros. Unless he asked a direct question of someone, speaking could have deadly consequences.
“Yes,” he laughed. “We’re just having dinner, not a business meeting. That’ll be after, so relax and eat up.” Feeling more at ease, I dug back in, trying not to think about how comfortable I was among them now. Well… most of them.
Everyone continued to eat, Angelina and her other helpers replacing dishes as they emptied. Honestly, I was in awe of the amount of pasta that disappeared. But eventually, like a well-oiled machine, the table was cleared within minutes, all eyes now on Keir.
“Onto Family business,” he announced, and the remaining younger members were ushered out until there were only adults left. “Now, I asked around about anyone who hadn’t met check-in. Apparently, the only ones unaccounted for are Jason and Seth. Anyone know where they are?” Whispers erupted until a woman halfway down the table stood.
“Jason mentioned going on a longer shipment run,” she announced before taking her seat.
“Kill?”
“One sec,” Killian answered, already swiping and tapping at his phone, searching for something. “Confirmed. He’s on his way to the Theron clan, but check-ins stopped halfway back home.”
“And Seth?” Keir asked, and everyone glanced at each other, their worry palpable. “Ky, was he one of yours?”
“No, he wasn’t even on duty. He’d just had a baby, so he’s with his family for now.” My heart clenched at the news. I loved that they took care of their people like they did.
“Here’s the bottom line. Your queen was gifted a hand yesterday,” Keir started, all focus swinging to me. Knowing how this worked, I kept my head high with a mask of indifference, and I was relieved to see a significant lack of hostility directed at me. “The hand held our mark, so it’s one of our own. Clean-up is on it, and they’ll send pictures out if they find identifying marks. Until then, we have a missing person, and we need to work on a retaliation.”
“Boss, no retaliation needed. Apparently, the Lachs were careless again,” someone yelled. The triumph in his voice made Keir stand, leaning forward with his hands on the table. “We have a prisoner.”
“In transit?” Keir asked.
“As we speak.”
“Well done, Xander,” Keir praised, already pulling me up as we stormed from the room. Angelina’s protests followed us, but Kyrell answered back.
“Sorry, business, send some dessert our way later!”
Now this is how I expected a Family dinner to end.
“Are you dropping us off?” I asked as I nearly lost my footing on the gravel in the driveway, but Keir laughed it off and kept me upright.
“What part of queen did you misunderstand? You go where we go,” he said, pulling me right into the car with him after wrenching the door open. Ky started it as Kill got into the front seat. My heart pounded at the prospect, but I kept any objections to myself. At this point all that was holding me back was my timeline, not them or the life itself. Seeing everything I had today, I was more than impressed.
The blood and adrenaline of our lifestyle called to me like a siren’s song, and the way they ran it was the icing on the cake. But if I was being honest with myself, it wasn’t the mafia I hated, but my grandfather and the way he used me. To him, I was a pawn, but to them, I was the queen. And that‘s everything.
“Where’s Dani?” I demanded before my thoughts could start circling, but Ky was already peeling out of the driveway. Keir chuckled and plopped me in the empty seat next to him, reaching over and buckling me up.
“Let’s not kill her on the way,” he prompted, but Ky just scoffed at the questioning of his driving skills. In all fairness, he weaved expertly through the traffic, and we arrived quickly and in one piece. Despite my relentless and probably annoying questions, they were quiet.
“Dani is with the Family; she’ll be fine,” Killian finally answered as we all climbed out. They silently keyed into their building and went straight for the elevator, entering a code. I held my breath, the memories of last time flooding me as we entered the basement.
When we went through the door into the main room, there was a new guard at the desk, this one built like a brick house with the face of a bulldog. I couldn’t help but smirk as I took him in, loving they ‘d had to upgrade because of me.“Don’t look so smug,” Killian laughed, shaking his head, but Keir was focused, stalking forward with purpose.
“The room is ready for us?”
“Yes, Boss,” he said, his voice deep and gravelly.
“Perfect. And this, Carlo, is our queen, Otsana. Remember her face because she will have the same access we do. Understood?”
“Yes, Boss,” he said, directing a nod at me this time.
Satisfied, Keir led us further into the basement, the guys sandwiching me between them like I was being herded. When they opened the next door, my feet faltered at the sight of the man before me. He was one of my newer regular customers. Over the last few weeks he’d come in more and more, buying something different each time. He’d seemed a bit weird, but I’d never pegged him as mafia.
“Anna?” the man asked, the sound garbled by the swelling on his jaw.
