Page 24 of The Mafia King's Stolen Fiancée

I tried not to dwell on the fact that this couldn’t last forever. Although, I’d had a healthy dose of reality the morning after we first slept together. I’d run a bath for Vivienne, then stepped out and finally called the boss.

Nic hadn’t been very pleased that I’d waited so long to tell him what was happening, but he’d also understood. He’d told me to take a couple more days with Vivienne while he began moving our plans into place.

It was moments like that when I knew people outside the Family would never understand how deep our loyalties ran. Not everyone was blood, but when you joined the Family, you werefamilyand almost nothing came before that.

It reminded me of how my cousin Matteo had described the ties that bound the brotherhood of a motorcycle club. There was one major difference, though, that Matteo viewed negatively when he really should have seen how it could be an asset.

Once you were in the Family, the only way you left was in a box. Now, whether that meant you simply died or you were nudged along as a punishment…the result was the same.

And when Matteo patched with the Hounds of Hellfire, an alliance was forged. King and Blaze—his VP—were well aware of that, but we all chose to let Matteo live in ignorance if that was what he chose. However, we’d always be there to back him up if he ever needed us.

My thoughts were turning heavy, and I wasn’t ready for that yet, so I tightened my arms around Vivienne and shoved my nose into her silky hair.

Unfortunately, life rarely went according to plan.

When my phone vibrated, I twisted my head to peer over at the screen, trying not to move too much so I wouldn’t disturb my angel. But it was the number for the guard shack at the front gate.

It seemed my reprieve was over, and reality was determined to intrude. Gently, I untangled myself from Vivienne and grabbed my phone as I carefully exited the bed. I took it into the bathroom so I wouldn’t wake her when I answered.

“Cosa vuoi?” I snapped, asking what they wanted rather than greeting them.

“You have a visitor,” Alec muttered.

“They’ll have to come back.”

“I’ve been telling him that for half an hour, during which he has been constantly cursing me out. I don’t think he’s going to leave. But more importantly, I doubt we want him whining to the press about how you’ve kidnapped his fiancée and won’t let him see her.”

Chanler.I should have known.

“Have Domenico and Dante escort him to my office and make sure he stays there. And for fuck’s sake, tell them to shut him up so he doesn’t wake Vivienne.”

“Will do.”

I stabbed my finger against the end button and tossed my phone onto the counter with a disgusted grunt. It pissed me off that I had to let that motherfucker step foot in Vivienne’s home. This should be her sanctuary. I’d always been very careful about who I met with in this house so that it always remained a safe space. But it was unlikely that Chet would be reasonable enough to move the location of our meeting to my office in one of the warehouses at the back of the property.

After grabbing a quick shower, I chose my clothing carefully. I donned one of my most expensive Armani suits, a Patek Philippe watch, and a pair of shiny black leather Ferragamo dress shoes. Then I retrieved my Beretta from the safe in my closet and tucked it into the back of my pants. I exuded wealth and power at a level Chet would envy and secretly hate because he knew he’d never have it.

By the time I reached my office, I’d left him waiting for at least twenty minutes, letting him know that he was not the one in charge.

“Salve, Chanler,” I greeted him formally as I strode into the room.

He whirled around from where he stood in front of one of the giant windows overlooking the east lawn and the path leading down to the stables.

“Where is my fiancée?” he shouted.

I pierced him with a steely stare as I rounded my desk and took a seat. “Keep your voice down,” I ordered. “Vivienne is no longer your fiancée, nor is she your concern.”

Chet marched over to stand in front of my desk. It was an attempt to take a power pose, standing over me to make me feel like he was in charge. However, tactics like that only worked on the weak. We both knew I held the power, and my sitting while he stood wouldn’t change that. Besides, I was at least a half foot taller than him, and with my desk between us, he couldn’t “tower” over me like he clearly wanted to.

“You have no right to keep her from me,” he snapped, taking a few steps back when he realized he couldn’t intimidate me.

“I don’t know what gave you the impression that I was preventing Vivienne from seeing you, Chanler. The choice has always been hers.”

“I want to hear it from her,” he growled.

“We can’t always have what we want, Chanler. Didn’t your mother ever teach you that? Or were you so spoiled that you expect the world to bow at your feet and let you stomp on them to make you feel better about your own insecurities?”

Chet’s eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed together as he took several deep breaths through his nose. Then he spoke through clenched teeth. “What do you want for her?”

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