Page 4 of Vicious Addictions

“Daddy,” she calls out in a sweet-as-molasses tone to capture her father’s attention.

The man turns around, and I instantly recognize him as the Boss of the Crane Firm.

“There she is. The light of my eyes,” Victor sings, his gaze affectionately looking at his daughter. “Having fun, sweet pea?”

“Don’t I always, Daddy?” she says, clearly hesitant to admit that parties like this one bore her to tears.

“Good. I’m glad.” His gaze then shifts to his daughter’s hand, still clasped tightly in mine. “And I see you’ve made a new friend.” I quickly pull my hand away from Mina’s and extend it toward Victor’s for a proper handshake.

“Mr. Crane, it’s an honor to see you again.”

“Again?” He cocks his bushy eyebrows up. “And where did we meet, lad? I’m usually not one to forget a face.”

His handshake is strong, but I don’t falter under his grip.

“We met at my parents’ wedding, sir.”

“Did we, now? And who, pray tell, are your parents?”

“Vincent and Selene Romano.”

Victor’s eyes widen at the mention of my parents, his lips cresting into a large smile.

“Little Jude, as I live and breathe! My, how you’ve grown. The last time I saw you, you were just a boy. But look at you now—a grown man. Has it really been that long?”

I don’t say anything to his praise since it somehow makes me feel like I’m still a child.

“Nine years, to be precise, sir,” I reply instead, squaring my shoulders to look bigger.

Mina covers her mouth, but it’s not enough to muffle the little troublemaker’s giggle.

“Come to think of it, Vincent did tell me you were attending King’s College this year, but I had no idea you were already here. Don’t classes only start in September?”

“I came a couple of weeks early to settle in, sir,” I inform politely.

Crane doesn’t need to know that the real reason why I arrived early was because I couldn’t stand another day fighting with my mother and father back home.

Too many harsh words have been said already.

If I stayed, it would have only gotten worse.

“Ah, of course. And how are you finding things? Enjoying London so far?”

I nod, even though I haven’t seen much of it since I’ve spent most of the week preparing what to say to him.

“Well, you picked quite a night to pay us a visit. As you can see, we’re celebrating my sweet pea’s birthday. But I’d love to talk to you in the morning. How about you spend the night here, and you can tell me tomorrow over breakfast how your father has been? Mina, will you see that Agatha fixes a room for Jude?”

“Of course, Daddy.” She smiles, sliding her hand into mine again.

“Actually, I’d love it if I could talk to you privately tonight if that’s all right?” I say, shaking Mina’s hand away from mine and gaining a scowl from her father in return.

His well-tempered demeanor morphs into a stone, giving way to the Don of the Crane crime family to surface.

“Tomorrow morning, you’ll have my attention. Tonight, myinvitedguests hold that honor. Is that understood?”

Fuck.

“Of course. My apologies,” I say in defeat, letting Mina grab my hand again and pull me away from her father.

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