Page 41 of Married to the Mafia

Mikey rolled his eyes and released her chin. “I don’t even want to hear that from you.” He paused for barely a heartbeat. “Either of you, actually.”

“I didn’t say a word,” Dante replied as he passed behind Brandi. He flashed Mikey a chilling smirk. “There’s no rule that work and play can’t mix. It’s all about results.”

Brandi watched the two continue forward and leaned closer to Mikey, whispering, “Are they terrifying, or am I way too nervous?”

Mikey returned his arm to around her back and moved her forward, quietly replying, “I’m sure you’re a little nervous. If you weren’t officially family, though, it would be highly advisable to be scared shitless right now.”

The guest house opened to a small mudroom, and the one guard that had stationed himself there was standing ramrod straight by the time Mikey led Brandi inside. Dante and Cris had chosen to wait, and Mikey realized quickly Dante was going to let him lead. Likely more because this was a personal matter than because it was his property. The lines were thin in their family.

So Mikey guided Brandi down the wide hall and around the bend, into the space that would normally have been a living room. The furniture had been repositioned to accommodate their unwanted guest, who was tied with the standard zip ties to a tall wooden chair from the kitchen. The more comfortable furniture had been pushed away to frame the space and remained vacant, the two other guards standing ready.

Both guards stood a little straighter when their gazes slid past Mikey’s figure.

Mikey pretended not to notice—he was more than used to it—and stepped enough to the side to make room. “I heard you’d dropped by, Wesley. I have to say I was surprised.”

Wesley Richardson’s eyes widened, barely flickering to acknowledge Dante and Cristiano as he stared holes into his daughter. He seemed so stunned he’d forgotten he could speak.

“Wesley,” Dante said. “You came all the way to my brother’s home. The least you could do is respond when he greets you.”

Finally Wesley’s head jerked back, a wildness overtaking his eyes. He flexed as if he thought to stand, but of course he couldn’t. A grunt escaped him and he exclaimed, “Brandi! What the fuck have you done, you disgusting whore? Is this why you’ve been ignoring me?”

Mikey tensed. He’d honestly expected the man to at least start a little slower.

Brandi huffed, but made no move to step from his hold. “Gee, I’m sorry, did you try to call me after that dinner failure? My phone got destroyed by the asshole stalker I told you about. Turns out he was sent after me because you never pay your goddamn debts. Which reminds me, whoever it is you owe now, they want their money. And I’m not going to bleed for it again.”

Wesley visibly seethed. “How dare you! You filthy, lying—”

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Mikey snapped. “I won’t tolerate you speaking to my fiancée that way. Do it again and this conversation becomes much more unpleasant.”

Silence filled the room for a long second as the older man gaped at him. “Your what?”

“Surprise,” Brandi said. She leaned in to Mikey at an angle so she could still see her father. “I’m getting married. Isn’t that great? I won’t be your burden anymore.”

Mikey tightened his arm around her. He really couldn’t wait to slice Wesley Richardson open like a fucking fish. “Of course, since you didn’t know—”

“Over my dead body!” Wesley shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. Veins popped on the sides of his face as he strained against his chair. “I won’t accept it!”

“You may want to rethink your choice of words, Wesley,” Cris said.

Wesley kept yelling. “You’re my daughter! I’ll decide—”

Brandi’s hands tightened in Mikey’s shirt.

“Shut him the fuck up,” Mikey said, projecting his voice to be heard over Wesley’s wailing.

Cris moved into the room, but instead of throwing a punch that might break the man’s jaw, he angled around and took hold of Wesley’s throat in one large hand. Wesley went completely still, barely daring to breathe. “Yeah,” Cris said, “I heard you were a blustering coward. Now answer my cousin’s questions when he speaks to you or this gets messy.”

Wesley’s nostrils flared, but he said nothing.

Brandi eased her grip enough to allow Mikey to step away.

Mikey took only two steps forward and tucked his hands into his pockets in the interest of self-control. “I only have two. Start by telling me why you decided to come to my private residence, Wesley.”

Wesley’s thick brow furrowed and he sucked in a breath, eyes darting from Mikey to Brandi to Dante and back again. “I was looking for my daughter,” he said.

“Try again,” Dante said.

No one spoke as Wesley swallowed hard, the action visibly straining against Cris’s steady hold. “I was!” He sucked in a breath. “That ungrateful bitch refused to do what I needed, and then she said something about one of your guys following her around. When I tried to call her a couple days later, she didn’t answer. She never answered again, so obviously one of you was responsible, and since you were the one I sent her to, I thought I’d check here first.”

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