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Chapter One
Felicity
“For crying out loud, Nico!” I yell at my brother, who is sitting at the head of the table.
All eyes are on me, probably because I’m screaming at The Boss. Title or no title, I give a damn. He’s still my brother. My controlling, shithead of a brother.
“Felicity,” Nico warns. “Now is not the time or place.”
“I give a damn,” I say, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms.
“Enough,” he growls.
Basque Casserino, Nico’s newly appointed underboss, is sitting to the left of me and gives me alet-it-golook. He knows me better than anyone else so he should know I’m not letting this go. I’ve had enough of Nico’s controlling habits. Just because he’s the head of the family now, doesn’t mean I answer to him.
“And, if I don’t?” I grin. “Going to drag me down to the basement?”
“For fuck’s sake, Felicity.” Nico glares at me.
“There’s a simple way to shut me up,” I smile. “Stay out of my business.”
“You’re a Santoro.” He slams his fists down on the table, shaking the dishes and silverware nearby. “A Santoro woman will act as they are told to act.”
He definitely picked the wrong words. His new wife, Mia, who is sitting across the table from me, snaps her head in his direction. If looks could kill, my brother would have fallen over dead.
“Excuse me?” she growls.
All of the guys quickly lower their heads out of respect, since they can’t leave the room without my brother’s permission and they’ve just entered the danger zone. A fight between the boss and his wife is the last place anyone wants to be; except me. I don’t mind a little entertainment and I just so happen to get along great with Mia.
“Mia, you know what I mean,” he sighs, turning in his chair to face her. “This is between Felicity and me.”
“No. It’s between you and the Santoro women, which last time I checked… I am,” she says, waving her left hand and flashing her wedding ring. “Or is this a better reminder?”
She hops out of her chair and points at her very pregnant stomach.
“Which one makes me a Santoro woman? Or maybe sharing a bed with you every night? I mean, which one, Nico? Huh? You tell me since you make the calls and I’m just supposed to be a good Santoro woman.”
“Mia, that’s not what I meant at all,” my brother says softly.
“Leave her alone. Stop nagging her. Let her date whoever she wants and you worry about keeping your wife happy!” she bursts into tears and runs out of the room.
Pregnancy hormones are a bitch,I think watching her leave. Part of me wants to chase after her, but I know Nico will be going after her. She has him wrapped around her finger and he knows it.
Nico pushes his chair out and stands. He straightens his suit and looks at me.
“This is your fault,” he growls, pointing a finger at me.
“Don’t blame me for your mouth,” I retort.
Basque squeezes my leg secretly under the table. Another way of asking me to calm down, but I’m not backing down. I’m tired of Nico. It was bad enough being under my father’s controlling thumb. I thought Nico would give me my freedom since our father passed away, making Nico the head of the family. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Nico’s first order of business as the boss was to lock down the compound and take away all of my car keys. I can only go somewhere with his permission and if his guys take me. It’s a whole circus performance to go anywhere. Even the simplest of places like the grocery store.
“We will discuss this later,” he warns, storming out of the room with Basque, Vinnie, and Gregg behind him. They moved super fast but I didn’t miss Basque’s smirk when our eyes met.
And you call me the troublemaker,I chuckle to myself.
Chapter Two
