I watch the interaction with bated breath. Things are definitely not happy in the house of Maricuso. There is certainly a divide. I wonder if I can force that gap a little wider.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Gregor. I am still head of this family, and while I remain so, I will give orders. Xavier will breed Tori. He might not be blood, but he is as much my son as your daughter is yours.” He smirks evilly, and Gregor pales. “Ah, you didn’t think I knew that Stacey wasn’t your child. I know we both suffer from the same ailment, neither of us being able to continue the family line. You thought you were one-upping me by allowing your wife to get pregnant by someone else. She told me everything when I bent her over your kitchen counter andfucked her, promising her that I would make her my next wife once you were out of the picture.”
Gregor starts to splutter but quickly shuts up when Mario pulls a gun from his jacket. We all take a step back. A gun shot in a tiny elevator can go very wrong. Xavier steps in front of me with both Colton and Tristan flanking him, completely blocking me from the two older men who seem to be having a standoff.
“You thought, with the Maricuso blood inheritance stipulations, that when I didn’t produce a blood heir, everything would go to your branch of the family, right? Well, it won’t. Only Casey was the true Maricuso of her generation. Our sister was the only one of the family who was able to produce a child, which would have been fortunate since she was also carrying a blood Russo. It would have been perfect, but alas, that is no longer the case.” He doesn’t sound too upset. I guess yesterday’s performance was an act for the FBI agents.
He shrugs. “So we will do the best we can in this situation. Now that there is no longer a blood Maricuso to carry on the legacy, it reverts to the head of the family’s line, which is me and whoever I give my name to. I am so sick of you and all your whining. Just be glad your daughter is more ruthless than you are. She is going to make my son a perfect wife and will do exactly what is needed when asked for. I have plans for our dear Stacey. After she marries Tristan, she will be given to our potential partners as a goodwill gesture to use for their pleasure. What better way to establish a partnership than sharing one of our own?”
“What? No. My daughter is not a whore.” Gregor straightens his shoulders and pushes out his chest, finally growing some balls and sticking up for her, even if she isn’t his blood.
“She’s whatever I say she is, just like your wife. I wonder if she’s enjoying her time with our new cartel friends.”
My stomach rolls, and I feel an ounce of sympathy for Stacey’s mom. She was a raging bitch, but nobody deserves to be given to the cartel. I can’t help but feel a little gleeful about Stacey’s future though, because it’s nothing more than the bitch deserves.
The tension in the small box is excruciating, and I peer around the boys to see Mario’s finger twitch on the trigger. I wince and brace myself for the shot, but Xavier reaches out and puts his hand over the top of Mario’s gun. “Not here. Deal with it later,” he mutters as the doors open, and the executive offices appear. Susan is at her desk, her eyes wide with alarm as she takes us all in.
“Fine,” Mario mutters, putting the gun back in the holster inside his jacket before straightening it. “Don’t test me, Gregor, you won’t like the outcomes,” he threatens before stepping out. Gregor’s eyes glimmer with malice, but he keeps his mouth shut. Oh yes, I can probably work with this, but what does he want more? His brother’s approval or to be head of the family? Fratricide is definitely not off the table though.
He follows his brother out, muttering under his breath, and the tension in the elevator lowers once more.
“Come on, let’s get this shit show on the road,” Tristan mutters, looking tired. Xavier and Colton follow their adoptive family, leaving me to take a deep breath.
Fuck, it’s going to be a long couple of days, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I can practically see it.
Chapter Eleven
“Today was fun,” I slur as I lean my head on Vienna’s shoulder and survey the shambles our living room is in once everyone has left. After opening the safe for Mario and introducing the management team to the new “CEO,” I was sent home to try on bridesmaid dresses. It was hell. I walked into an impromptu bridal shower with twenty women cooing and fawning over Stacey as she had her final dress fitting. I then suffered through her catty remarks as she made Vienna and me try on our bridesmaid dresses.
“I didn’t want these two as my bridesmaids,” she explains to the women present, but my uncle insisted. Look at them, they are both fat cows.” She glares as the two of us stand still while the dressmaker makes a couple of final adjustments.
“I think they look smoking,” Felicity mutters into her glass of champagne, and Nikki agrees, nodding her head.
“They are. I would kill for a body like theirs.” I can see annoyance in Nikki’s eyes. I can’t believe Stacey invited her and that she came. After their falling out at the club, I thought their friendship was done, but from what I understand, they are pledging the same sorority, and I guess Nikki didn’t wantto look bad to the rest of the women who were invited. Most of them are from the sorority.
Stacey glares at them, but Fiona just shakes her head and puts a reassuring hand on Stacey’s arm.
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to take photos with them if you don’t want to. Nobody wants to ruin wedding photos with fat bridesmaids.”
Some of the sorority sisters murmur their agreement with Fiona, but a lot more keep their mouths shut. The president of the sorority, a girl named Bianca, narrows her eyes calculatingly. “I thought you two were cousins.” She gestures between Vienna and Stacey. “And isn’t Colton your brother? Are you fucking your brother, and are you marrying your cousin?”
There are sharp inhales of shock, and Stacey starts to look panicked, but Vienna just smirks with amusement.
“They are adopted. None of us are related by blood,” Stacey says quickly, horror in her eyes.
“Yes, but you would know all about that, wouldn’t you, Bianca? You are fucking your stepbrother, aren’t you?” Vienna says, and Bianca turns pale and shakes her head.
“What? No. Why would you suggest that? That’s disgusting.”
Vienna points to the tattoo that winds elegantly around one of Bianca’s legs. “I’m sure I’ve seen that tattoo on a masked sub at the sex club I go to, one which was collared and happily being led around by her dom—a dom who looked very much like your stepbrother. Tattoos like that are easily recognized. I would invest in some cover-up if you don’t want your dirty little secret to get out.”
There are more gasps and giggles as Bianca turns an unsightly shade of red, and I can’t stop the gasp of laughterthat escapes my mouth. Hmm, maybe this bridal shower isn’t so lame after all. Maybe it will turn into a cat fight.
Vienna continues, waving her hand airily. “Don’t be embarrassed. Taboo is fun, and nobody should be shamed for enjoying their kinks. You get yours, girl. Hell, I have three boyfriends.” She waggles her eyebrows, and again, there are gasps and giggles of surprise, but I can tell the girls are more intrigued than disgusted. Bianca gives her a grateful look, and everyone’s shock turns to interest—all except Stacey, that is. She’s seething with jealousy.
“You’re such a fucking whore, Vienna. You don’t even know which one of them is your baby’s daddy.”
There’s an awkward silence before Bianca shrugs. “All the more love to give the child, am I right?” The rest of the girls add their agreement like sheep, but all the previous tension eases, and I grab the pitcher of cocktail.
