Page 42 of Stolen Bride for the Don

I’m not letting her go., I doubt that if they smell a hint of a ruse, they’ll back down. If they demand I release her, I won’t be responsible for what goes down. She’s mine, no one can change that now. She glares at me. “Do you think I don’t know that? I’m not a complete idiot, Hudson.”

Before I can say I don’t think she’s a complete idiot, she gets out of the car. I sigh again and follow her. “They’re in the study,” I tell her retreating back as her pace increases.

I nod at Crew to give us some privacy as we enter the study. “Ezra!” Andrea rushes to her brother who’s pacing the length of the room. He immediately snatches her into a tight hug. My hands form fists beside me. I have to remind myself he’s her brother. Of course they’re going to hug.

Behind them, Alex unfolds himself from the armchair next to my bookshelf. He glances at me coolly as he walks to Andrea and Ezra. “You were at Liquid Elixir the night before Ezra’s wedding,” he states and I nod. So, he remembers.

“What?” Ezra pushes back from Andrea to glare at me. “Why were you there?”

“To see me, dufus. Why else would he have been there?” Andrea rolls her eyes as she hugs Alex. “I told you that we met a few months ago and shared an…intense night. We parted on the assumption that it was a one-time thing., I didn’t have any way to contact him until he came back to my bar the night before your wedding.”

Andrea steps back from her brothers and flashes me a warm smile, “Wipe the frown off your face, Hudson, and come meet your in-laws.”

“In-laws,” Ezra chokes out. Andrea waves her ring finger in front of his face. My shoulders relax as I step into the study.

“I would have preferred a heads-up from my in-laws. Showing up out of the blue like this can be considered a lack of respect or even a threat in my world.”

“You’ll forgive our tardiness, Hudson. We were worried about our sister,” Alexander says. His expression is unreadable so I can’t tell if he believes our story or not. Not that it matters, either way. “But you wouldn’t understand that since you don’t have a sister.”

But I did. However briefly, I had a sister and know I would never allow her to just run off with some man, if she were still alive. “It’s Massimo,” I correct him. One brow goes up, but he inclines his head in acknowledgement.

“Tell me the truth, Andie,” Ezra says and whispers something into her ear. Trying to poison her against me? My hands form fists again, and I speak without thinking.

“Come here, pet.” I stretch my hand out to her.

“Pet?” Ezra growls.

Andrea rolls her eyes, but comes to me. I expect her to stop in front of me or by my side, but she walks right into my chest, tucking her head under my chin and murmurs so only I can hear, “You’re not acting pleasant enough, Hudson.”

I’m too stunned at the feel of her pert breasts pressed against my chest to react. Her scent overpowers my senses. I stare at her in an arrested silence, my lips slightly parted. She glances up, and her eyes dilate. “Much better,” she insists.

“Since it seems we’re going to be family, why don’t we all sit down and get to know each other,” Alex suggests.

Alex and Ezra sit next to each other on the sofa, and I take the armchair. Andrea goes to sit on the ottoman, but I grab her hand and guide her to my lap. Her breath hitches, and my gaze drops to her lips.

“When did you two meet, exactly?” Ezra asks glancing between Andrea and me skeptically. I raise my brows at Andrea. She lifts her left hand to my face, the light catching her ring as she rubs the tips of her fingers through my five o’clock shadow. My eyes flutter at the endearing touch, and I instinctually lean into her palm.

The corners of her lips tilt up as she turns to face her brother. “I already told you on the phone. He came into my bar one night. We both liked what we saw, and I took him up to my apartment. The end.”

“You mean to tell me you went into my sister’s bar without knowing who she was?” Ezra asks, his voice dripping with disbelief.

I anchor my arm around Andrea’s waist and drag her into my chest; her butt grazes my cock, which makes the damned thing stiffen immediately. Her gaze shoots to my face, and I smirk.

“Of course, I knew who she was. I went into her bar with nefarious purposes, but when I saw her, it was like being hit by a freight train; she took my breath away. Captivated me.” My gaze doesn’t leave Andrea’s as I answer him.

“And you did do nefarious things to me…on my bed,” Andrea whispers but she makes her voice loud enough to carry to her brothers.

“Alright. Alright. We don’t need the details. It seems we’ve misjudged the situation–”

“But Alex,” Ezra starts to interrupt but stops when Andrea raises her hands in the air.

“Great, you both misjudged the situation. Now that you’ve admitted that, what the fucking hell do you think you’re doing here, Ezra?” She pushes away from me, and I let her go.

She marches to her brother, hands on her waist. “Do you have any idea of the danger you’re putting yourself in? Not to mention Charlie, the babies! What if you’re seen? You’re supposed to be dead.” She whispers the word as she comes to a stop in front of him.

“I had to make sure you were okay. You didn’t think I’d just listen to you then sit back and do nothing while you could be in harm's way, did you?” Ezra replies, getting to his feet. He tosses me a glare, “Despite this Oscar-worthy performance between you two, I still have my reservations.”

“Oh great, you thought I might be in danger and came here to risk getting hurt yourself, or worse dying. Did you even think about what that would do to your family?”

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