Page 61 of Enforcer

“He said to give him three days to get it done. He’s on an active case and has been super swamped.”

She nods. “Gives us time for the wedding. How’s security coming along for that?” She throws this question over to Antonio, who’s going through Celine’s bits and bobs on the table like a nosy cod.

“Good. We’ve got around thirty men, Ricci and Bianchi, who will be on guard during the wedding and the reception in shifts. Weapons are ready, and there’s an exit plan in place. I can show you evacuation routes after this if you’d like.”

Brynne merely grunts as Celine tugs the dress from the back.

“We’d like that, thank you, Antonio,” Slate pipes up. His eyes are glued to his bride-to-be, and who can blame him? It’s so good to see him this way—to see him happy.

It’s all any of usmademen can hope for before we get put in the ground.

“Why does it need to be so tight?” Brynne asks, and Alyssa fights a laugh.

“Beauty is pain, my dear.”

“I know, you’ve told me, but this particular pain might cause me to stop breathing. Can we loosen it just a bit?”

Celine sighs, rolling her eyes as she loosens the dress. “Do you not want to look snatched for the wedding?”

Brynne laughs. “Who taught you that word?”

Celine gives Alyssa a sidelong glance as she bursts out laughing.

“Did I say it wrong?”

Alyssa covers her mouth. “No, Ms. Celine, you didn’t say it wrong.”

“Of course, it was you,” Brynne says, still laughing.

“Alright, you two girls, be serious. I have much work to complete, and you’re distracting me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both echo simultaneously, and Slate licks his lips and straightens them.

“We have one more detail to discuss before you let everyone go,” Alyssa says, and Brynne’s face straightens.

“Please tell me Lorenzo hasn’t gotten annoyed about the flowers again. His taste in them is dreadful.”

“Hey!” Lorenzo adds.

Brynne looks over her shoulder at him from her raised podium, and Celine smacks her shoulder so she can turn back around. “Sorry, forgot you were here.”

Lorenzo looks affronted as Brynne winks at me and turns back around.

“No. We didn’t plan bachelor and bachelorette parties. Now, I know this technically was my fault, but you did give me a lot of shit to get done in a small time frame, so…”

Brynne cuts her off, “Eh, don’t worry about it. I don’t need one.”

I open my mouth to interject, and Alyssa does first. “No, ma’am. We’re going out tonight, and you’re going to have a fucking blast. That’s an order.”

“Here, here!” I add, to which Slate eyes me and shakes his head.

“Last time I checked, I’m the boss,” Brynne tells Alyssa.

“Don’t get cocky,” she shoots back, and I have to cover a laugh.

“I think a night out would do you some good, bunny,” Slate chimes in, and I give him a look that saysyou’re not gettingoff easy, either.He shakes his head at me, but I have already planned something for tonight with the guys.

Brynne looks around the room, taking stock of the mood before sighing. “Fine. I’ll go.”

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