Page 29 of The Heir

"You found your bride?"

"Yes. And you are not going to fucking believe what I just found out."

"Must be something, for you to be calling me after all these months to tell me about it."

"Does the name Claudio Maniotti mean anything to you?"

He's silent long enough to let me know it does. "That fucker." He heaves a deep breath. "Pleasetell me you didn't see him on our turf?"

"Nope. His daughter is my chosen." I ignore Joaquin's long suffering groan. "Apparently his ex went on the run twenty years ago after she found out what he was tied up in, and as luck would have it, the fucking paparazzi snapped a picture of us out on the trail this morning. I paid them off but this is New York. They're stationed around with long lenses like roaches all over the place, there's no way I'll be able to catch each one. How far up the hierarchy and how dangerous is this man?"

"I was wondering why it took you so long to find a wife. I see now, that you just had to wait until you could step in some dog shit, huh? Drama king." Joaquin heaves another deep sigh. "Claudio runs in the top circle, but he's just a minion, doesn't call any shots -not to say he's not dangerous, Hendrix.Don't mistake my words."

"Can you help me, friend?"

"Well, do you really have to ask? Of course, I'll help you, dumbass." We share a laugh before his dissipates. "Hey, your brother Mason called me recently-"

Equal parts anger and annoyance rises up in me nice and thick. "The answer is no. Sorry J, no disrespect to you but King Dynasty cannot get caught up in the mafia. It's just not how we operate. You tell that stupid fucker no."

"None taken, old friend. I'm happy your old ass is finally settling down. We'll be on the lookout for Claudio and I'll let you know what we hear."

"I'm not old, I'm only thirty-seven, fucker," I growl into the phone. I don't like being reminded of my age, I get enough shit from Mason and my sister Teresa.

"Well you better hurry up, before she's meeting you at the altar and your ass is in a wheelchair."

I hang up on him. We don't ever say bye, it's not our thing.

A couple minutes later we pull up through the massive gate into King Compound, and I look at my phone, seeing a text come through.

Yeah okay. What are you going to do about it? I can walk away from whoever I want.-Isobel

The text accompanies an apple payment for ten grand.

I smirk, denying it and then texting her back quickly. As I type, I think about how cocky she is to do that, because I saw her account, she doesn't have enough in it to justify spending ten grand all at once like this. Part of me truly is impressed, but the other part of me is livid because I know she only feels comfortable enough sending money because she thinks that fuck up of a boyfriend will be there to bail her out.

Her words to me from the trail, when she had her hand on my arm comes to the forefront of my mind; "I need dependable…nice, quiet, boring life," she'd said.

Is she legit out of her mind?She truly has deluded herself into thinking she'd be satisfied with boring. Mundane. The status quo.

No, that's not good enough for my baby. I mean, she's not even beingfuckedright. She's too full of life, adventure, and spunk to be held back like this. It's just not fair to her, and I won't let her do this to herself.Looking out the window at my parents' expansive property I rub my hand across my lips.

Boring.I scoff, ignoring Dennis glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

Well too fucking bad, Izzy. You're not getting it.

Even if she was the type of woman who needed that in her life, I still wouldn't give it to her at this point, because whether she likes it or not, a boring, safe man will not protect her. And she needs protecting.

You got money like that? I'm impressed. As far as what I'm going to do about it, I'm not sure yet. I'm busy racking up your infractions until I feel like dolling out the consequences to your actions.-King

Because it'll be on my time, not hers. She doesn't even realize it yet, but she's in for one hell of a punishment fuck when I get her to my house.

You're too cocky for your own good, King. I'm in a relationship, remember? And you keep talking to me like me and you are together and we are not!!!-Isobel

I sigh, irritated that I can't even get the fuzzy feelings from flirting with her because she won't cave and lean into this thing between us. When I pick her up, I'm going to be dealing with her feisty fucking attitude, and God knows what else. I'm sure she won't be trying to let herself fall in love with me.

Ihaveto do something about this Christopher guy.

I just don't know how she doesn't see the man's cheating on her. I mean,I did, and I'm a stranger. Even without knowing that Anna and Christopher were having an affair, I knew something was up when that overly decorated bitch looked me in the eyes last night when I shook her hand.

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