Rocco smiled at them. He had used his “connections” to have Stone fired from his job. Rocco didn’t always use violence to prove a point. Some men feared a lifestyle change more than they did a dagger. Rocco knew Scott Stone would suffer more from the loss of his position than he would if Rocco made him physically suffer. He had crossed a line with Rocco, sniffing around the family, and he made it happen.
I could see the fire in Scott’s eyes. He wanted retribution, but he knew it was futile to even try to retaliate. I assumed that was why the sheriff had showed up. He was going to ask Everett to reverse whatever Rocco had done. My father-in-law knew people in high places, as this party alone proved.
“Innocent.” Rocco smirked. “I would say there is nothing innocent about harassment.”
Darius cleared his throat before he took a sip of his expensive drink.
Sheriff Stone stared at Rocco for a moment before he looked at Everett. “We haven’t said hello to the birthday girl. We best do that.” He tipped his head. “Gentlemen.”
A bunch of grunts and nods went around the group in response. Then the Stones disappeared in the crowd. The conversation picked up without the hostility afterward.
Rocco almost hummed next to me. My brothers were used to getting their ways. Or feeling as though they came out on top of any fight. They were bred to be gentlemen but also savages. Even though Rocco threw the first punch, metaphorically speaking, he would have rather used his fists.
I downed my glass of whiskey and then followed up with Scarlett’s champagne. The conversation didn’t hold the same attraction as it had before. My eyes were hard on the dance floor.
Guido and Scarlett had gone around once or twice. She waved at me as she made another round, having a great time. A few minutes later, people started to take steps back, forming a circle. There seemed to be something going on.
I tore through the crowd, Rocco on my heels, to find Romeo and Brandon Stone nose to nose. Yeah, Brandon Stone was a tall son of bitch, wide in the shoulders too, but no match for the blood that ran through Romeo’s veins. He’d snap his neck before he could even take another breath.
Donato was on one side of Romeo, Dario on the other, and both men were attempting to cool the situation. Scott Stone stood next to Brandon, the smug smile stuck to his face. The sheriff was in deep conversation with my mother-in-law and her friends, and when our eyes met, he lifted his glass to me.
Juliette and Scarlett stood behind the scene. Scarlett had a hand on Juliette’s arm. She was trembling. Guido stood in front of them, ready to make a move if the men did.
Rocco went to assist with the situation. I stood next to Guido.
“Tell me what happened.” I spoke to him in Italian.
He answered in Italian. “I was dancing with Scarlett when one of those men—Scott?—asked to cut in. I told him no, we had just started. The other one attempted to speak to Juliette. He made a comment about her being a dirty woman for leaving him for blood money and no class. He went to take her hand, to see her ring, when Romeo shoved him to the floor. Scott made a comment about Scarlett’s ring in comparison. She did not take this well.”
“The comment,” I said, making eye contact with Scott.
“Her ring was cheap—and so were her morals for marrying a man who was related to a murderous, at best, family. She shoved her rings into his face and asked him if twenty thousand dollars was considered cheap, but she said it did not matter, she would have married you with a ring from a cereal box, or with no ring at all. ‘Better to marry a man of his word than someone who can’t stand to lose.’
“He really did not takethiswell, but I stood between him and your wife. Now the situation is this.” Guido nodded toward the two men about to go at it like two bulls in an arena.
The Stones were strong men, but Romeo would hurt Brandon. Possibly kill him.
“Enough! Enough!” Everett broke through the crowd, clapping his hands. “This is a celebration! Come with me,” he said, wrapping a strong arm around Brandon’s neck. “You too,” he said and nodded toward Scott. “Let’s find the sheriff.”
As he took them with him through the crowd, he bellowed, “Too much drink, too much fun! Everything is Jake!” He laughed at the twenties slang.
Romeo stared at nothing for a moment before Rocco said something in his ear and knocked him on the shoulder. Romeo blinked a few times, attempting to collect himself, but the veins underneath his skin were swollen, and his eyes had hardened to stone. He turned sharply, took Juliette by the hand, and almost dragged her off.
I took Scarlett’s hand and kept her close to me, but I couldn’t take my eyes from the three Stones and my father-in-law. He had taken them to a dim section of the ballroom, but the glowing lights were enough to see the severe set of Everett’s face.
Sheriff Stone was under no man’s control, and he couldn’t be bought. He was an honest man of the law. Respected. But in the midst of his life, I seemed to be the bane of his existence—the spawn of Luca.
My brothers were on his radar too. Not that I could fault him for hating and resenting the Fausti name. After all, Luca had killed his wife and second—unborn—child. Years later, my life had been spared from the train when his only son’s hadn’t.
I had sensed years ago that something existed between my father-in-law and the sheriff. Everett had never used his clout to swindle or use, but when he felt the sheriff was coming down too hard on me, he was the only man who could get him to see reason.
As Everett continued to talk, Sheriff Stone stared down at the ground, nodding every so often, but his two nephews were riled up, shaking their heads and interrupting. I felt what was coming a few seconds before it did.
“Get behind me,” I said to Scarlett.
“Brando!”
“Do it.”
