Page 48 of To Have and To Hold

His lips came together, and his nostrils flared. “You asked that in the wrong order. Try again.”

Fuck. Not the best start.

“El patr?n, I would appreciate your permission to marry Isabella Luciano.”

“Fuck, Em. We have more important things to think about.” When I didn’t speak, he asked, “How old is she?”

“Eighteen.”

Exhaling, he retook his seat. “Mia thinks we should do away with arranged marriages.” He gestured with his hand. “Consent of the woman…blah blah…”

“I believe she’d consent.”

“Why her? She’s a frightened child.”

I started to speak.

Jano lifted his hand. “She lives here. I know what she is. What about someone older? Mia’s cousin Giorgia should be past her mourning period after the death of her husband.” He grinned. “I’d recommend marrying a widow over a frightened child.”

“Eighteen is an adult. She isn’t frightened around me.”

“Remember Liliana?”

“With all due respect, I’m not my uncle, the asshole Gerardo Ruiz.”

Jano shook his head. “I can’t think about this right now.” He inhaled. “I’ll speak to the capo on your behalf. Candidly, I don’t anticipate Carmine Luciano accepting your offer. Giorgia’s father, on the other hand… He wants her out of the house.”

“Isabella is an adult. She doesn’t need his permission.”

“We can’t fuck with the alliance. We’re getting close to Volkov, especially now with the help of Ivanov’s man. Once we get Volkov, we’ll be a step closer to Herrera.”

“There have been two marriages since yours. They’ve strengthened the alliance, not fucked with it.”

He lifted his hand again. “I’ll speak to the capo. For now, this is tabled.”

“She asked to see San Diego. She’s been on lockdown since she arrived. I’d like to take her for a tour.”

“A date? In the middle of a fucking war?”

“I was on the streets today. Tension is high, but the threat level is down. Volkov is evaluating his strategies with the uniforms patrolling around since the car bomb. The bomb was ingenious. It’s his calling card, and the uniforms fell for it.”

“You’re a lieutenant. You don’t need my permission to give a tour. Don’t you fucking get her killed or injured.”

“Gracias. I’ll return her safe and sound.”

“By ten o’clock. No fucking tour goes on that long.”

A smile came to my lips. “Sí, jefe.”

He ran his hand through his ruffled hair. “Fuck, it’s like I’m herpadre.”

“She’s under the protection of the Roríguez cartel. That means you.”

He shook his head. “If I ever have a daughter, she’s on lockdown until she’s twenty-five.”

A look at my watch told me I had enough time to hurry home, shower, and get to the apartments. Once I was back in my Mercedes-Benz, I sent a text message to Horace.

“I’m takingIsabella on a tour of San Diego after work. Stay with her until I arrive. I’ll return her toel Patr?n’shouse before ten.”

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