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I wrapped my arms around his neck and cried on his chest for a solid five minutes before I stopped shaking. This was the last thing I had expected. My mother was a lot of things, but I didn’t think she could kill. Sure, she was cruel and could give the Wicked Witch a run for her money, but I never thought she would stoop so low.
Marcello helped me back into my chair beside my grandfather and stood behind me with his hand on my shoulder. We sat in silence for a moment, everyone in the room staring at me. None of the Knights had spoken. I wasn’t even sure why they had to attend this shit show.
With Marcello, I always felt safe, and with Luca, I felt like every nerve ending in my body was on fire. Like I was losing control. It was an out-of-body experience I’d never had with anyone else.
Luca made me feel alive, but maybe it was just the adrenaline rushing through my veins. The fear and desire laced together.
My grandfather placed his hand on my knee, a forced smile in place. “The Devil’s Knights charter says the current Grand Master has to transfer his power to his oldest son within one month of his twenty-fifth birthday. Luca turns twenty-five on July thirty-first. I expect your decision by then. ”
“Okay,” I said, still deflated by the news about my mother, not the least bit thrilled about the shotgun wedding. “But I don’t think I can choose.”
His eyebrows raised an inch as he looked at me. “Why not?”
“Because I’m with all four of them.”
A gasp slipped past his lips, but he quickly slapped a stern expression on his face. “You can’t marry four men, Alex. Choose one of them, or I will choose for you.”
Because I was angry with him, I pointed at the dark handprint around my neck. “This is from Damian choking me during sex.” Then I showed him the black and blue marks on my shoulders. “Bastian gave me these this morning right before Damian tied me to his bed.” I lifted my skirt a few inches to show him the dark fingerprints on my thigh. “These are from Marcello when I fucked him in the car.” Then I shoved my hair off my neck so he could see the bite marks on the right side. “And these are from Luca’s teeth.”
My grandfather’s nostrils flared. He aimed a nasty glare at each of the Salvatore boys, and then finally one at Arlo. “Damian and Bastian were not part of the deal. We agreed Alex would choose between Marcello and Luca.”
Arlo raised his hands in surrender. “Carl, I assure you, I didn’t know. But it doesn’t look like any of them forced themselves on her.”
“She’s been living under your roof. How do you not know what your boys are doing to her?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t seen your granddaughter in weeks. This is a big house.”
“They didn’t force me,” I said to ease his anger, though it did little to help our case. “I wanted them to fuck me. I saved my virginity just for them.”
I thought I heard Sonny laugh on the other side of the room.
Pops flew out of his chair like it was on fire, hands clenched at his sides. “Don’t speak to me with that dirty mouth.”
“Are we done here, Wellington?” Luca asked my grandfather with a cocky grin. “I have another meeting in ten minutes.”
He pointed his finger at Luca. “You’re on thin ice, boy. Watch how you speak to me, or your family will lose their standing with The Founders Society. This marriage is only in play because I have allowed it. I don’t have to make this right between the Wellingtons and Salvatores.”
Arlo joined my grandfather and set his hand on his shoulder. “Carl, how about we discuss this in my office? A shipment of the Macallan Red Collection just arrived. You’re favorite.”
Pops nodded, never one to refuse expensive scotch. As he left the room with Arlo, he didn’t even look at me.
The second the door slammed shut, Sonny burst into a fit of laughter. “Holy shit! I’ve never seen Wellington lose his cool before.” He raised his hand for me to slap. “That was some gangster shit, Little Wellington. You showed him.”
Luca rose from the armchair and moved behind his desk, flinging out his arm. “All of you, get out of my office! This meeting is over.”
I approached him with caution, because he looked slightly unhinged. “We should talk.”
Eyes on the computer monitor, he clicked a few buttons and shook his head. “Not now, Drea. I have to prepare for a conference call.”
“Come find me later.”
He ignored me and went back to typing feverishly, his fingers gliding across the keys.
“I’m starving,” Bastian groaned. “Who’s staying for lunch?”
The Knights grunted in agreement.
After the meeting ended, I sat on the veranda that overlooked the bay with the Knights. I felt like their queen with how each of them showed their admiration. It was subtle for some, all in the way they watched over me. Where with others like Sonny, it was more obvious.
