Page 62 of Until Death or Defeat

He fucking asked me ifIwanted to invest in his ridiculously overpriced lounge?

“I don’t know about being partner still, I just became the Head and?—”

“Yeah, yeah. But I could help with that too anyway. Family is always here to support each other.”

I can sense her tension immediately when Leo offers to help run the family. Then there is more she isn’t telling me, of course. Why wouldn’t there be?

“Caesar doesn’t need help with that anyway. If he did, he’d call me, right?”

When she asks, Caesar seems pleased to have her support, but I know he wouldn’t ask her. I also know that he knows her well enough to just nod and agree.

“Well Gigi, you must be busy yourself, aren’t you? I’m sure Artem is keeping you busy welcoming you,” he says, and I want to fucking jump across the table.

He thinks I don’t notice the way he quietly wars with me?

“I mean I know you’re probably not doing anything for the bratva right? They’ve always been a tight-knit bunch. Not open to outsiders.”

I can’t fathom why he’d say that to her. To hurt her? Humiliate her? He surely knows her well enough to know her situation losing to her brother. I know he knows about our arrangement.

“Actually, she’s going to be helping with some things.” I say impulsively, and his eyebrows raise. She quickly turns to face me—surprised by my words. Why did I just say that?

“Really? I didn’t think you’d involve my cousin in something so dangerous. I’m sure her father wouldn’t approve.”

“Great that her father isn’t here then, I’m the one who?—”

“Ooookay let’s take a breather,” Caesar interrupts me before I can finish. Fucking pompous shithead.

Why do I hate him and her family so much? It’s easy. They think they’re everything, just because they’re the largest family in New York. As if it means they’re the strongest, or that other Families can’t take what they have. They have influence but they’re not indestructible. Yet all the men of the family have that fucking look to them, like they walk on water.

“Aren’t you and your father barred from the family?”

When I say this, she slaps my arm. But I know she noticed the way Leo paused.

Now I’m sure no one in her family knows. I thought it was just a rumor Roman heard, but it seems I pinched a real nerve.

“You don’t understand anything about my family or me,” he says lowly.

“Is someone going to fill me in what the fuck this is about?” Giselle asks and Caesar sighs.

Does he know the same rumor? Does everyone just keep her in the dark?

“The past is the past. I regret the fight my father and uncle had, and I was forced to pick my side in it. But we’re all older now, and we’re family. Family sticks together.”

It’s bullshit. I smell it a mile away.

“I’m going to take my wife to the bathroom,” I say as I start pushing her out of the booth.

“What? But I—” I give her a look and she furrows her brows but reluctantly goes along and we walk off.

“What’s your problem now?”

“He’s up to something. I feel it.”

She scoffs and stops walking. “Youfeelit, huh? You know what Ifeel? Ifeellike you’re pissed that we’re reconnecting because of your ten-year-old feud. Can’t you guys just get over it now? I want my family to reconnect, Artem.”

I feel for her. I do. I know though she pretends otherwise, but deep down she’s emotional and needs connection. But I can’t just let my wife walk into something blind.

“We can’t talk about it here,” I mutter and she stares daggers at me.