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“Where is your dad now? I mean, the man you thought was your dad,” I asked.
“Dead. Both him and his son.”
Holy crap.“How? I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
“Blaise said Huck saved you when Gage had you tied up with a gun to your head. You had been cleaning the house of a man who had wronged the family. Everyone in that house was to be taken down. You’re lucky. You knew from the first day what they were. I hadn’t. I was clueless and fell in love with Blaise before I knew he was the next boss. Anyway, they killed the men I thought were my family. Because they were going to sell me.”
I had no words. I sat there for a moment, letting that sink in, then asked, “Boss of what exactly?”
She laughed then. A soft one that sounded as perfect as she looked. “Maybe you don’t know what they are. I’m not surprised Huck hasn’t explained. They keep their secrets close. But you’re living in their home. Hayes was your fiancé, so you’re family now.” She shrugged, as if that made sense. “The boss is exactly what it sounds like. He’s the leader, calls the shots. The guys don’t just go around, killing people. It only happens when business goes bad. They beat all around the bush, explaining it to me, to make it sound better. I am going to just be blunt with you. They’re the Mafia.”
I started to smile. “You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head. “Not even a little.”
Holy shit. Okay. Whew. I needed a minute.
“Horse racing is their main thing. They’re good at it, but the Hugheses come from a long line of crime bosses. They have those around them who work for them. Families pass it down from generation to generation. They’re wealthy and smart with money, but they’re powerful and connected. Those connections are how they control things.”
So many questions were swirling in my head, and I wasn’t sure what to ask first or if she’d even answer. Finally, I asked, “And Huck is one of them? Since he works for your husband?”
Her husband was a Hughes. That had to be it.
“Huck and his father and his father and his father. The Kingston men have been loyal to the Hugheses for generations,” she replied. “And, yes, Blaise is who Huck answers to because they’ve also been best friends their entire lives. When my father-in-law steps down, Blaise will take his position. But until then, Garrett is the boss.”
Huck was in the Mafia. I shook my head. Hayes hadn’t been.
“But Hayes was a Kingston.”
Maddy gave me a sad smile. “Yes, but their parents died when he was young. I’m sure you know that. He chose to stay with his grandparents and eventually the ministry. Huck only ever wanted this life. This world.”
I stared at this sweet, delicate blonde in front of me. The adorable little blond boy, full of laughter, and this house, which was so clearly a happy place. How was this family not only in the Mafia, but also the head of the Mafia? I’d never imagined it this way. But then all I knew about organized crime was what I’d seen on television.
“What Huck said today, that wasn’t like him. I was shocked and disappointed. I don’t know what is going on in his head, but he’s a good guy. He’s saved me more than once from people trying to kill me and from myself. He is someone I consider a friend. Although the words he said were horrible, the passion he said them with, I’ve never seen it from that man. He never shows his emotions like that. It was different. Don’t … don’t write him off just yet.”
There was nothing to write off. She didn’t know that though. I was a burden he hadn’t asked for, and as mad as I wanted to be at him, his words had held truth.
A chime went off, and Maddy stood up. “Uh, someone is here.”
We were two women, alone with a kid.
We had passed a mansion on our drive back here that she had referred to as the big house. But we were about a mile away from that house.
I stood up to go with her. She went over to one of the paintings of Cree on the wall and opened it like a door. My eyes widened as she pressed in a code, and another metal door opened. She reached in and pulled out a gun.
Oh shit.
She glanced back at me and smiled. “It’s probably nothing. Whoever it is got through the guards at the main gate, mansion, and our gate. I’m just being careful since the guys are gone.”
I managed a nod, but no words were coming out. She walked casually back through the house and held the gun at her side. I stayed back, unsure of what I should do. When she got to the door, she opened another secret compartment on the wall behind what looked like artwork, and a screen appeared. On it was an attractive, well-dressed guy with dark hair standing outside the front door.
She laughed and shook her head. “Nosy,” she muttered, closing the artwork and going to answer the door.
“What are you doing? Why didn’t you call first?” Maddy asked as she held the door open for him to come inside.
The guy walked inside and looked down at the gun in her hand. “Nice. You’ve gone all badass. Have a baby with the future boss and start answering the door with a Glock in your hand,” the guy drawled, then winked at her.
Maddy closed the door and rolled her eyes. “Trinity, meet Trev Hughes. My brother-in-law and oftentimes a smart-ass.”
