Page 4 of Married to the Mafia

And the way she’d lied to him that morning. She hadn’t done that before. That, and the fact that she hadn’t left her desk even once after, had him concerned.

Mikey watched her walk quickly from the elevator, across the parking lot, to her vehicle. She’d extracted her keys before leaving the elevator, but she didn’t beep the car unlocked until she was practically at the door. She didn’t linger beside it, instead ducking inside as soon as she had the door open. The lights blinked again, indicating she’d locked it immediately after. Did she always do that?

He frowned. He didn’t always watch her coming and going. He didn’t know. I’ll have to pay more attention.

two

Unwelcome Guest pt I

“So, how’s work?” Brandi’s father asked after they’d settled at the dinner table.

Brandi refrained from rolling her eyes and reached for the half glass of cheap wine she was allowing herself. Her father liked to keep up pretenses, but since it was only her, he couldn’t be bothered to break out the expensive stuff. She hardly cared. She took a slow sip, swirling the too tart red liquid across her tongue before swallowing it down and lowering her glass back to the table. “Work is fine,” she said, as if it were an ordinary conversation. “It’s busy and it challenges me.” She lifted her fork as if she were actually interested in the meal.

On the opposite side of the oversized square table, Wesley Richardson made an exasperated sound. “Brandi.”

She stabbed some vegetables onto her fork and dutifully lifted her gaze. “Yes?” She popped the bite into her mouth, feigning obliviousness. Of course he knew she was faking. She was past the point of caring.

Her stalker had followed her to her father’s, sticking a little closer than usual. She didn’t know if that was to make sure she was going to show up or simply to avoid losing sight of her in the late afternoon traffic. Regardless, it was infuriating. She was twenty-six-years-old, living independently, earning her own money, paying her own bills, and still her father wanted to control her life. She knew it was because he wanted to use her. He always wanted to use her.

He’d been using her, in some way, since she was six.

Wesley drummed his fingers on the table. “Don’t pretend you like that job,” he said. “Tell me what I need to know.”

Brandi narrowed her eyes at him and set down her fork. “As a matter of fact, I do like my job.” She squared her shoulders. “As for what you want to hear, don’t be ridiculous. You owned a technologies business for more than thirty years. You should perfectly well understand that I cannot tell you a single thing.” She let a shadow of a smirk lift her lips. “Well, I suppose I could mention how ironic I find it that a man you consider your enemy pays me better than you did when you forced me to work for you.”

Wesley slammed his fist onto the table, nearly knocking over his own wine glass. “Who cares about NDAs? Those monsters don’t care about the law!” He stretched his arm out, pointing aggressively. “I didn’t send you to the De Salvos so you could make them more money! I sent you so you could see from the inside what kind of shit they get up to, and how to ruin them!”

Brandi pushed the tines of her fork into a potato, schooling her expression into a calm façade. “I believe that’s called corporate espionage,” she said, “and I never agreed to it.” She brought the potato to her mouth as her father’s predictable temper took hold.

“The hell you didn’t! You took the job, didn’t you?” He grabbed up his wine and tossed it back, nearly emptying the glass before slamming it down again. “Don’t be so ungrateful, after all I’ve done for you—”

Brandi let her fork clatter against her plate. “All you’ve done for me?” She leveled her own glare on the outrageous man across from her. “How far back, exactly, would you like me to go before I start listing my blessings?” She pushed to her feet. “There’s a reason Mom left you and we both know it wasn’t that you worked too many hours.”

Wesley knocked his chair back as he shoved to his feet. “This is hardly the time for that argument, you ungrateful brat.”

This time she did roll her eyes. “Yes, I’m so ungrateful. I’m ungrateful for all the summers I had to spend cooped up in long sleeves and pants because of you. I’m ungrateful for all the friends I never made because of you. I’m definitely ungrateful for the way you dragged me back and forced me to work for you at barely more than minimum wage the moment I graduated college. That’s certainly a life I should be thanking you for.”

Wesley stalked around the table and Brandi took a step back. “I never claimed to be a perfect father—”

“The only honest thing you’ve ever said about yourself.”

“But you’ve hardly been a perfect daughter, you disloyal little slut.”

She reared back. If she were still in reach of her wine, she’d have thrown it at him. “Excuse me?”

“You’re sleeping with your boss, aren’t you? I should have put you in the other one’s company. At least that brother’s married.”

Fresh rage burned in her chest and Brandi curled her hands into fists at her sides. “Forgive me, would you prefer I was sleeping with the stalker you’ve had tailing me recently? Or should I change career paths altogether and find my way to a nunnery?” She gave him her best scathing glare. “I’m a grown woman. Who I choose to sleep with, or don’t, is my business.” She pivoted on her heel and started for the hallway. “Call off your watchdog or I’ll escort him to the police station on my next lunch break.”

“Getting into bed with the De Salvos will only ruin what’s left of your future,” her father called after her.

“Go to hell.” If anyone was going to ruin her future, it was the man who’d ruined her childhood.

Her father traipsed behind her. “What was that nonsense about a stalker? Are the De Salvos already suspicious of you?”

Brandi whirled on him. “Don’t go out of your way to be an ass!” She shoved a pointer finger in his chest. “The De Salvos were suspicious of me the second my application hit their inbox thanks to you and your horrible behavior. I’ve been clawing my way up from that judgment every day since.” She pushed harder. “You’re the one who hired the stalker and I’m sick of it, do you hear me? Call him off.”

Wesley smacked her hand away, her skin stinging with the sharp moment of impact. “I was only fighting for my own rights. Those criminals are the ones misbehaving. Why in the hell would I pay someone to stalk you when I could just trace your phone or call you home? I always know where you are, Brandi. I wouldn’t waste money like that.”

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