Page 39 of Mafia Rules

I shrug, pretending like I don't understand his comment. I focus on my drink, aware of Sasha's legs as she folds them toward me, drawing closer. Eve also notices her hand moving closer to me, which I pretend not to see. My father couldn't know about me and Eve. He'd ruin it with pleasure.

"Let’s get this over with.” I break the awkward standoff between Sasha and Eve and try to get my father's attention. Saving this deal to add to my portfolio was crucial if I ever wanted to run the family business, but Eve's sadness weighed me down. Before, if a girl I liked pouted, I’d be done. But when Eve pouts, my insides want to explode.

"You mean now that you've graced us with your presence?" my father says, finally putting his phone down on the table.

"Where have you been these past few years, besides fucking randoms?" I respond. It didn't matter what I said. My father always saw me as a failure. I could have stopped to save someone's life, and he would have something bad to say about it.

"And she looks worn out." With a secretive smile, Sasha leans in, ensuring only I hear her comment.

"I’m interested to see why I had to wake up early on a Saturday morning,” Hardy questions.

“Dad looked at the cleanup plan and Ash’s fuckups, and he has a plan,” Golden-child Ford states.

I bite my tongue as I stare down at the drink in my hand before gulping it all back. The less I say, the quicker this will be over.

“Ash didn’t fuck up, Carl did,” Hardy speaks up for me. Of all our brothers, he’s the most brash. He doesn’t give a shit what people think.

“It doesn’t matter at this point whose fault it is. We have to pay out the people the debts are owed to. The numbers keep rising.” Sasha passes around copies of a list of people and how much they are owed.

“How could you put the McKenzie name on such a dirty deal? Instead of adding an asset, we are taking on a debt. I fucking huge one,” my father says, leafing through the papers.

“If I had known the full debt list, I wouldn’t have made an offer.” My only mistake was trusting Carl.

“A deal that seems too good to be true should have told you,” Lane says, throwing his papers down on the table.

I sit back, my cheeks burning with embarrassment at what Eve must think. If her opinion of me will change with every punch they throw my way.

“We need more capital. The number is on the last page.” Sasha nervously flips her papers, her breath held, stealing quick glances at my father. “Three million… more,” Sasha quickly blurts out.

Sitting motionless at the table, my father's lack of reaction hangs heavily in the air, causing an uneasy silence to fall over everyone present. Eve sets her drink on the table, hitting her fork and making a noise, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Who is she?” Eve becomes the sole focus of my father's intense and angry gaze. “And why are you a part of the family business?”

Eve sits frozen, her mouth agape, trying to form coherent words. “I work for Ash,” she finally utters.

“Ash?” My father leans forward. “You mean Mr. McKenzie.”

Sasha smirks, looking at me from the corner of her eye.

“This is Eve, just my secretary, of no importance to you, and we use first names in 2025,Father.” I stress Father, as I’d never call him by his first name.

“I vouch for Eve.” Hardy throws a wink at her, making her face flush.

“We have the money to pay it. I’ll make sure we recover it once we get control of the operations.” I bring the conversation back on track.

“You want me to go to jail? So this is your plan?” My father bites back. “Sasha has a plan. Thank God for this woman. She’s used to cleaning up your messes.”

Under the table, I clench my hands into tight fists. My father knew all about her infidelity and the reasons behind our breakup. I wouldn’t get into it with him in front of Eve, only because I never wanted Eve to see that side of me. I have to keep a tight grip on my emotions.

“We sell part of the casino services. We would contract them out, anyway.” Sasha takes additional papers out of her bag and passes them out.

“We?” I question, reluctantly taking the papers from Sasha, my eyes scanning her face for clues to the hidden agenda behind it all.

“Sasha’s coming on management,” my father says, smiling and patting Sasha’s back. “I couldn’t feel happier seeing you both working side by side.”

All I can hear is the soft sound of Eve's hands squeezing her papers tightly. Her cheeks flush, a perfect match to the bold red of her lipstick.

“Wait, Sasha, working with us again?” Hardy sits at the edge of his seat, his eyes darting back and forth between our father, Sasha, and Lane. “Yeah, let's just forgive her fuckups and what she did to Ash.”

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