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Does she really not want to get married? For a split second, I’m ready to take Shea up on her offer to delay this. Something isn’t right. My parents aren’t here. Gabe is off the rails. My bride iscryingabout having to marry me.
“Judge Donnelly has to get back to his hearings.” Ewan Quinlan pops his head inside to inform us. “He’s out for a week after today.”
Just then, Balor steers Shea out of out the conference room we used to get ready, holding two bouquets. I stare at my family standing in the hallway. Shea, Rior, Lach, Eoghan, Balor, even my best friend, Ewan, is here for me. I can’t call this off.
It’s just the opposite behind me. All Isabella has is her piece-of-shit father and creepy uncle. Friends. She mentioned she had friends, but they’re not here. Is she ashamed of me? Of her marriage to me? Perhaps I should have asked questions, but we put this together in twenty-four hours after I killed a man. I spent much of last night in my basement gym, burning off the rage from taking a life.
Now I’m taking another life.
Isabella’s…
Jaysus, I’m married.
The ceremony lasted a shockingly short amount of time. Shea spent more time pinning the boutonniere on me.
Isabella looked out of it. I gave her a chaste peck on her lips. I’m so filled with rage that I can’t touch her.
“Patricia has a spread of food ready for us at the house,” Shea says, and I wonder what she did about the unused room at the Orchid. If she’s stuck with it, I’ll pay.
“Behave.” Gabe waves his finger at Isabella.
“You’re not coming back to my house to break bread and celebrate?” Not that I want to look at his face. We’d drifted apart over the years, me keeping out of his business. The way he treats his daughter disgusts me. He’s not someone I would be friends with now, even if he weren’t the enemy.
To continue to hurt Isabella after I’ve made her mine is an even bigger insult that enrages me.
“We’ve got better things to do.” Dante steps in front of Gabe and levels a stare at Isabella over my shoulder. “Do as your papa says,mia cara. Be a good girl.”
Mia cara?
They turn to leave when Balor clears his throat. “Oh, Gabriel… Any day now, I’ll have all your capos’ phone records. I already have Stasia’s last known mobile number and call logs. I’ll find out if anyone carrying your water was communicating with her on a regular basis. Especially the days leading up to her disappearance.”
“Don’t even think of planting evidence on me, hacker,” Gabe scowls.
“MIT-educated computer specialist, thank you very much. Not a hacker.” Balor keeps his eyes on his phone and then gives Gabe the finger when he turns around.
“Stasia was a beautiful young woman who wasloose, from what I heard,” Gabe says with no emotion. “I’d be shocked if any of my men didn’t fuck her.”
“Including you?” I meet his eyes.
He just shakes his head. A man like Gabriel Parisi wasn’t faithful to his wife. My throat goes tight, realizing Isabella might see me the same exact way since I admitted to using a sex club. Fuck, it’s not the same thing. My club will allow me to burn off steam so I won’t hurt my wife.
I stalk over to Gabe and take him by the arm until we’re out of anyone’s earshot, sneering at Dante, who wants to follow. “Just confess right now that you killed Stasia. Or that you trafficked her. Talk to me, Gabe. I can help you. I’ll get you out of this. I have no love for the Russians.”
He and Dante exchange glances, and he scoffs, “You’d love that, wouldn’t you? I don’t trust you.”
“You’re on your own.” I let go, and he staggers away, Dante just watching us.
“Go easy on my daughter with that giant dick I recall you swinging around in the locker room,” Gabe mutters instead of addressing what I just said.
Gasps sound out around me. I push Gabe, watching him teeter at the top of the stairs. “Take your filthy, inappropriate mouth, and get the hell out of my sight.”
I lock eyes with Isabella as her father storms down the steps without even a look in her direction. Dante slowly ambles behind, staring at her, though.
What’s up there?
How did Gabe’s relationship with Isabella get so bad? I’m forty years old. I cut the cord a long time ago with my parents. But I have their love and respect.
At least I hope I still do when they find out I got married without telling them.
