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Keeping the Glock at my side, I get out of the car. The men who are with me today have all worked for my family for a long time. We pay them well and treat them right unless they cross us. I have faith in our soldiers, but I don’t entirely trust anyone apart from my brothers.
“What’s going on?” I demand as Stefan approaches.
“Sorry, boss. I didn’t want to call you with Mrs. Volante sitting right next to you.”
I guess I should applaud his initiative. Emilia needs to be kept away from the family business, just as the other women are protected from knowing what goes on outside their cozy little bubble.
“Why? What happened?”
“The mansion is compromised,” Stefan says. “Security caught three assholes in an SUV staking out the place.”
“It wasn’t just someone driving by who got lost?” I already know the answer since my men wouldn’t bother me if they weren’t certain there was a problem, but I have to check.
“No. When Jake challenged them, they opened fire.”
“Fuck!” This is not some sleazy neighborhood in the city. People around here won’t take kindly to having their peace disturbed. “Was Jake hit?”
Stefan nods. “Took a bullet to the shoulder. We chased the SUV and shot out their tires. Two of the fuckers died in the crash. We’ve got the other one in the basement for questioning.”
“And the cops?” I ask, because there is no way this escaped their notice.
“It’s being handled.”
“Good. Let’s go find out what he knows.”
“Sorry, boss.” Stefan grimaces. “Antonio needs you back in the city ASAP.”
“You spoke to him before you talked to me?”
“Rico did.”
My jaw clenches. This is what I hate about the old guard, the men who’ve been with us since my father’s time. They always go straight to the top with any issues.
“So you’ll handle the interrogation?”
“Of course.” A grin spreads across Stefan’s face. He relishes the opportunity to try out new torture techniques.
“If my wife was their target, I want to be the first to know.”
“Sure thing.”
I dismiss Stefan with a curt nod. He starts to walk away and then turns back to me.
“Antonio says family dinner at seven-thirty, your mom’s place.”
I grit my teeth. I was hoping to have more time to settle into this marriage before subjecting Emilia to the scrutiny of my family. My brothers will want to see that she understands her place and my mother will be looking for any hint that I’m not treating my new bride right. Livvy will probably try to recruit her as a partner in crime. Sighing, I get back into the car.
“Is everything okay?” Emilia asks as I settle in my seat.
“Yeah. We just have to head back to the city.”
“Oh.”
She sounds sad about that, which, perversely, makes me happy. It suggests she wanted to spend longer out here with me.
“Take us to my mother’s house,” I instruct Tomaso, before raising the privacy screen again. I turn to Emilia. “We can come back to Westport soon if you’d like that.”
She claps her hands together in obvious delight. “Yes, please. I want to explore some of those little gift shops we passed, and I’d love to take a boat out on the water.” She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”
