Page 97 of Mob Knight

“You didn’t know about me, but it’s obvious your husband did. Maybe you should find out why he kept that secret.”

“Just like your boyfriend should explain it to you.”

“Yes. Except his family didn’t put a hit on you like yours did to me.”

“What?”

Santiago grasps Joey’s arm and twists her. I can tell he isn’t rough, so he’s still breathing.

“A couple men followed me from the subway. Then someone tried to run me over a few days ago, and someone’s causing trouble at work for me. Now it makes sense.”

She fixes her glare on Luca, who narrows his eyes. The accusation surprises him. I shift my focus to Salvatore, who looks pissed as he glares at Enrique, who looks ready to laugh. This tableau is attracting too much attention from outsiders.

“Enrique, this wasn’t cool. Joey, people are staring. We’ll finish this later.”

“We finish this now, Cormac. We can all step out of the ballroom.”

“That won’t work. You know my family won’t let us go alone, and neither will Olivia and Luca’s. Between the Mancinellis and O’Rourkes, we make up at least a third of the guests.”

“You and one of your men come with me, and Luca picks a man to go with him and his wife.”

“You go nowhere without me,manita.”

Santiago wraps her arm around his, and I think it’s anchoring her in place as much as it is to show support. He’sprepared for the stubbornness I discovered when Joey and I met, and she refused to get her arm checked out.

I shift my attention to Luca and lift my chin. He dips his. He’s agreed to step outside the ballroom, but it presents a challenge for me. I don’t trust Santiago enough for him to be the man who leaves with me, but I know he won’t leave Joey.

“Salvatore, you come with us, and so does Dillan.”

I look at my cousin, who’s the closest family member to us. I tilt my head toward the door. He looks to Finn and Shane, who’re standing with their wives and Dillan’s. Our silent communication tells them to stay put.

I escort Joey out to the hotel lobby, followed by Santiago and Dillan, then the Mancinellis, who now includes Marco, Luca’s next younger brother. This isn’t where we can have our conversation. I steer Joey down the hall to where I know there’s an empty ballroom. The Diazes will have rented all the spaces in the hotel, so no other event can take place here. No one wants an enemy sneaking into the reception, looking like they belong at another gathering. I try the door and find it unlocked.

All of us slip inside and spread out, so no one from opposite families is within arm’s reach of one another. Joey and Olivia take a step forward at the same time. They both brush off the arm Luca and I attempt to wrap around our respective woman. I sense Santiago wants to stand beside her, but that’d only antagonize Luca, Marco, and Salvatore. That’d amplify the protectiveness I feel now.

“If your mother isn’t dead, then why don’t we know her or you?”

“Because my mother left that life behind.”

Joey cocks an eyebrow at Olivia’s response. Her gaze darts to Luca before she smirks. In turn, Olivia shoots me a disgusted look. Joey takes another dig, and while I don’t disagree, I want to cringe.

“She ran away to hide in America and look who she wound up with as in-laws.”

“And you’re not hiding here?”

“No. We can’t hide any more than you can when you married a man who’s clearly senior Mafia. Have you met our father?”

“Unfortunately, yes. It was when he tried to kill me.”

Joey’s only reaction is not to react. Fucking hell. What kind of training did she go through as a child? I hope it didn’t fucking match half of mine.

“Did you deserve it?”

Fucking hell, Joey.

“Do you deserve the hit on you?”

Joey casts a speculative gaze at Luca. “What do you think? How much did you pay for whatever revenge you seek against my father?”

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