Page 21 of Sunrise Malice

But a boyfriend isn’t a husband, especially not a husband that runs a serious crime organization.

Life won’t be the same. It just won’t be. That’s why I’m going to marry him—and why I feel a stab of sudden sorrow run down my spine.

Already mourning all the nights I won’t get to have again.

Chapter 9

Julien

Iraise a cup of good espresso to my lips. “Coffee without a cigarette is like sex without an orgasm,” I grumble.

Ronan’s eyebrows raise. “I don’t really want to hear about your sexual habits.”

“I’m sorry, do you not come when you fuck? Don’t act like this is such a big surprise.”

He rolls his eyes and sips his own coffee. We’re at the back of a fancy cafe run by a friendly associate of mine, one who is good about keeping his mouth shut and doesn’t have any cameras inside of his shop. The smell of roasting beans and pastries fills the air, and the machines hiss and hum as the barista makes drinks. Pleasing jazz filters in from old speakers hidden in the ceiling.

Ronan’s a prick. That goes without saying. But in this case, it’s because he always wants to meet so fucking early in the morning, and I swear he does it just to piss me off.

“If you set this meeting just to discuss your sex life, I’m gonna head out. Valentina’s back at my mom’s place waiting for me.”

“And how is my favorite Italian girl doing?”

Ronan gives me a hard look. He still hasn’t forgiven me for threatening to kill his wife. Except she wasn’t his wife back then and it wasn’t like I wasdefinitelygoing to murder her. It was just within the range of possible outcomes, that’s all.

“Valentina’s fine. Do me a favor and don’t ask about her again.”

I wave that away. “You act as though I actually care.”

“Alright, Julien, you’ve officially annoyed me. What do you want?”

“I want to talk about Brianne.”

Ronan nods as if that’s what he expected and leans back in his chair. “She came to me the other day.”

“Yeah? And what did she say?” I shouldn’t care this much, but my heart rate ticks up for some reason. It isn’t like Ineedher—there are plenty of other Irish girls Ronan could send my way if Brianne decides she doesn’t want to go through without our marriage—but I find myselfwantingher anyway.

It’s the list. It’s the girl herself. She’s angry and stubborn, but also strangely innocent.

She’s also beautiful, and I keep looking at all her little fantasies and wondering which one we’ll do first.

“It seems like this match is going to work out after all,” he says, sounding honestly surprised, the asshole. “But let me ask you something first. Did she mention her father to you at all?”

I tilt my head side to side. “She doesn’t want him involved in our life. I gather they don’t have a good relationship.”

“No, they don’t.” Ronan’s expression darkens. “He’s a drunk. There are too many of those in our line of work.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I say softly and sip my coffee. “Should I be doing something about him?”

Ronan shakes his head. “He’s one of mine, which means he’s my problem. You worry about Brianne.”

“I can do that. If you don’t care either way, I’d like to make our marriage official sooner rather than later.”

“You in a rush?” Ronan’s lips tug into a frown.

“Something like that. Unless you have a problem with it, I’m going to bring her to city hall in a few days.”

“That’s fine, so long as she’s okay with it.” Ronan drums his fingers against his cup and looks away. “I need you to be good to her, Julien. I don’t like the idea of arranging a marriage, and I’ll be very unhappy to find out that this ended because you were a shitbag.”

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