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Amelia's the polar opposite to her sister and has gone limp in my arms. "I think I'm going to be sick," she utters like she’s in a trance.
"We need to get them out of here," I call to Devon. He's got Andy, so I don't wait for them. I rush for the emergency exit with Millie, just in time, before she leans over the landing and pukes. I hold her up as best I can and rub her back. “It’s going to be okay, baby," I try to assure her, but I’m not sure how.
"Why did you pull me off her?" Andy whines to Devon, and I know they've made it outside behind us.
I look over my shoulder to see Iwan and Teo as well.
"Oh, shit, Millie. Are you okay?" Andy comes running over to her sister. "I'm sure she's just full of shit, mouthing off because she didn't get what she wanted."
Millie comes back to face us all, looking ghostly she’s so pale. "Andy, I'm sorry, she's not. He's the head of all organized crime around here."
Andy looks at her sister, her expression blank. And I'm not surprised, I can hardly believe it myself, but it all adds up. "Mafia?"
Millie nods. The boys are all looking at me in disbelief.
"What does this mean, what do we do?" Andy says to her sister, her voice panicked.
"This means we go into damage control to save you girls from getting caught up in your father’s mess," I tell them.
"We need to call Brandon," mutters Amelia." She reaches out for Andy's hand. "It's going to be okay. He will know what to do, he can fix this, I'm sure of it."
I look at the two of them, knowing she's right. He's the only one with connections who can help them right now.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
AMELIA
Heaththrowsdownthelast newspaper in the pile I collected this morning. "I have checked every paper, every online media outlet, but the story hasn't run anywhere."
"Brandon must have got it canned," I say, relieved, my shoulders relaxing a little.
We have spent the entire morning camped out in my office, making sure the story didn't slip through somehow. But it looks like whatever Brandon was able to do last night has worked. There is no slanderous story about my father. It doesn't change who he is or what he has done, but it means we are the keepers of that secret, for now anyway. Last night I sat down with Andy and Jasmine, and we got Cassie on the phone again, and I told them what I know, what Mom admitted about our relatives. This time Jasmine wasn't so protective of him. I think Axel might have been on to the same conclusion because she didn't even look surprised, just sad.
"Lucky for your connections." Heath wraps his arms around me, lacing them through my hair and tugging so my head tilts back. Since we got married, he has upped the steam in the bedroom even further, if that is possible. It seems he can't keep his hands off me. And if I'm honest, I'm the same. I just have to meet his gaze across the room and I want him to take me to a dark corner and have his dirty way with me. "Now you can stop stressing about your father and we can get back to more important things."
His lips are on mine in a possessive kiss, and for a second I let his kiss take me away to a better place. This is the only thing I want to be doing right now. We’re newlyweds, we should be enjoying a romantic honeymoon together, but instead we’re dealing with the implosion of my family and the crisis after crisis my father has caused.
There is a knock at the door, and I pull out of our kiss, cursing the interruption. But when I realize who it is, my scowl changes. Brandon fills the doorframe, and I rush to him, throwing my arms around his large body. "I'm so glad you're here," I tell him, so grateful that just one phone call and he comes to my family’s rescue, even after what my father did to him.
He hugs me back tightly. "Heath." He nods his head in acknowledgment.
"Brandon, thanks for coming."
"I brought some friends who might be able to help." He stands aside, making way for three scary-looking guys. Their presence fills my office, making me feel claustrophobic in my normally roomy space. “Leo, Jet, and Kobe. This is Amelia Harper, Shortcake’s sister, and her..."
"Husband, Heath Riley," I cut in.
"Oh, we know who you are. Sick music, man, I’m still playing your last record on repeat."
"So I guess it’s Amelia Riley then? Cassie mentioned you got hitched. Congratulations." Brandon smiles, and I can tell he is genuinely happy for me.
"Thank you." I smile at him, trying to grasp on to my little bit of happiness through all the shit.
"Brandon, who are these guys?" asks Heath, looking as uncomfortable as I feel.
"The Rivera brothers. They’re here to help you make sense of what your mother worked out. See, after you called, I talked to Leo, and everything fell into place for the first time since the factory fire."
"Umm, okay, should we go to the conference room?" I say, feeling like the walls are closing in on us with these particular five men squished into my office.
