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Chapter One
ACE
The guy shifts under my heavy boot as I press down on his windpipe. “It’s simple really.” I sigh, lighting my cigarette and inhaling. “You keep your hands to yourself and show respect. Which part did you not get?”
He coughs violently, reaching for my boot and tapping like he’s in a wrestling match. “Please,” he croaks, desperately trying to refill his lungs.
“Come on, Pres, we’re wasting time.” Scar pats my shoulder.
“I’m a little busy,” I growl.
“The wedding starts in ten minutes. Lucy will have your balls if we’re late.”
At the mention of my daughter’s name, I feel instant happiness and lift my boot from the guy’s neck. He scrabbles to his feet, gasping. I grip his shirt collar and haul him to me so I can look him in the eyes. “Stay away from Angel,” I warn. “You two are finished. Pack your shit up today and be gone by the time I drop her home tonight.” He nods, and I shove him away from me like the dirty shitbag he is.
“Get me to my girl,” I say, smiling at Scar.
“What’s the deal with you and Angel anyway, Pres? Are you claiming her?” he asks as we head over to our bikes.
I laugh. I’ve never claimed an old lady, and I have no intention of doing it now. “Nah, she needed my help. She turned up at the club last night all beat up and shit.”
“She’s a club whore, Pres, what does it matter?”
I stop walking and glare at Scar. “Watch your mouth, brother. Club whore, old lady, cook, cleaner . . . who gives a fuck? Men don’t beat up on women, and in my club, everyone is important.”
Scar gives a quick nod before throwing a leg over his bike. I don’t ask much from my guys at the Rebellion MC, just that they show respect for one another and look out for everyone, and that includes the club whores.
We drive straight to the church where my daughter, Lucy, is marrying Matteo Corallo, also known as Tag. He’s a good man, an MMA fighter and crime boss with Mafia connections that run deep. He can look after my girl, and seeing as she’s only been back in my life for a year, it gives me peace to know she’s happy.
We park the bikes and head towards the groups of people gathering outside. I shake hands with a few of the associates from various Mafia families. Since the death of their Capo, Conner Martinez, we’ve been doing more and more business together. Conner’s son, and Tag’s friend, Anton, is now heading up the organisation, and let’s just say, I trust him a hell of a lot more than I did his father.
I head inside and take a seat in the back pew with the rest of the Rebellion. When Lucy announced her marriage to Tag, I didn’t expect an invite, mainly because her mother, Sylvia, hates me.
I met her when I was sixteen. I was a cocky, womanizing teenager, and she was a rich bitch. I had the world at my feet, or so I thought, jumping from one woman’s bed to the next. But when she announced she was pregnant, she floored me. Nevertheless, I offered to do the right thing, but she turned her snooty nose up at me, telling me her parents would never approve. She was destined to marry a rich man, and from what Lucy tells me, she did just that. I spent a long time after that thinking I wasn’t good enough, that I was scum because of my lifestyle.
Sylvia let me have contact with Lucy for the first year, just occasionally, whenever she could sneak away from her parents. But eventually, she met another guy and told me I couldn’t see Lucy again. I walked away without a fight, the biggest regret I’ve ever had. Getting Lucy back is a blessing, and I’ll never let her out of my life again.
My son, Hulk, slides along the pew. “I hate churches. Am I the only one who feels like I’m gonna get struck down at the doorway?”
I laugh. “Even God can’t strike me down today. I’m the happiest man alive right now.”
Hulk rolls his eyes. “Married to the Mafia, what’s to be happy about?”
“You like Tag, so shut the fuck up.”
He smirks. “I like the money the club makes from him.”
People begin to stand, so we follow their lead. The music begins to play, and I straighten my kutte. Lucy insisted we wear them, saying we should never hide who we are.
I inhale sharply as she steps into the church. She looks stunning, like an angel floating down the aisle. Next to her stands her stepfather. I don’t begrudge him the right to walk my girl down the aisle because, as Lucy explained, he raised her since she was ten years old, and I’m happy just to be here to see this whole thing happen.
Lucy catches my eye, and I give her a small wave. She halts her step and then unhooks her arms from her stepfather. I hear her whisper an apology before asking him to wait for one second. She holds out her hand to me. “Why are you sitting back here?” she asks, grabbing my hand firmly in hers.
“I’m just fine back here,” I explain, but she shakes her head.
“No, you and Hulk belong at the front.” I look back at Hulk, who scowls at me. He pretends he hates Lucy, but I know he’s warming to her.
I let her lead us down the aisle with everyone staring wide-eyed. She makes the guests in the second row shuffle along the pew until there’s enough room for me and Hulk to squeeze in. She kisses us both on the cheek and then marches back towards her stepfather, uttering words of apology to the guests. My wide smile falters when I notice that Sylvia is glaring at me from the row in front. Hulk finds the whole thing hilarious and nudges me, grinning. I flip him off, making sure it’s behind the pew so Sylvia can’t see.
