Page 21 of Forced Vows

"My birthday party?" She looks at her uncle, clearly confused.

Brogan pats his pockets, finds a cigar and pulls it out. "Miceli will be hosting your 21st birthday."

The mob boss chews on one end of his cigar but doesn't light it. Sev does not allow smoking in his office, or any other part of the Oscuro building.

"What? No, we're going to—"

"You know birthdays and holidays have to be sacrificed sometimes."

"For the good of the mob." Róise's tone reveals what she thinks of that truth.

And it's not good.

Brogan is unfazed.

"What were you planning to do for your birthday?" I ask. Maybe it can be incorporated into the plans.

But she shakes her head, clearly unwilling to share.

Róise insists on reading every line of the prenup agreement before she's willing to sign it. Brogan blusters, but I push the document toward her and ask her uncle a question about a weapons shipment we are getting from him.

It's small arms and ammunition, not like the large weapon purchase I was in Portland to negotiate with the Hades Brotherhood. The first rocket launcher they sold us came in handy down in Colombia.

After reading the first couple of pages, Róise looks up. "Why are we signing this when divorce is not an option?"

"Once we have a child together, the alliance between our families is set."

"So we can divorce after that?" she asks a little too eagerly.

"Under certain circumstances." The De Lucas don't divorce, but neither am I going to kill my wife if we find ourselves egregiously incompatible.

She grabs the prenup and starts to read again.

Putting her finger down to hold her place on the page, she looks up. "You retain full custody of our child, or children?"

"Only if we divorce."

"Duh." She bites her lip and looks at her uncle furtively.

He's busy talking to Big Sal.

Róise's shoulders relax. "If you're too much of a manwhore for me to stay married to you, I'm not giving you custody of my child."

"Read the next page." It spells out what happens if either of us is unfaithful.

After I kill the man who touches her (which is not spelled out in the prenup, but should be obvious), the divorce terms will not only grant me full custody, but discretion about visitation. And her settlement goes from ten million to zero.

If I cheat, which I won't; a De Luca's word is binding. But if I did, I would have to share custody equally with her.

Since there is no settlement for me in the event of divorce, that punitive result does not apply.

"You're not that progressive after all." Her frown judges me and finds me wanting. "You only have to give me shared custody, but I lose all access to my child."

"I won't cheat."

"Neither will I."

"Good." Then no one has to die. "The point is moot."

---