Page 55 of Ruthless Reign

Roman and Leo continued to make plans and deliberate the best way to get the other underbosses on their side, but I chewed my lip and stewed in panic.

“We’ll need to get most of them in our pockets before the wedding,” Leo said.

“Uncle Frankie,” I cut in. “You need Uncle Frankie.”

Leo sighed. “I’ve been trying. He won’t hear me out.”

I knew how to get to him, and it wasn’t with threats and underhanded politics, the way my brother had been playing it.

“I’ll meet with Chesco,” I said. We had been close growing up. He was as good as another brother to me and the eldest son to Frankie. He stood to inherit that piece of territory once Frankie passed, so if there was anyone he would listen to, it would be his son.

“I don’t know about that,” Roman said, furrowing his brows.

“I agree,” Leo said. “I don’t trust our cousin, haven’t in a long time.”

“You can trust him with me,” I retorted. Leo had every right to be skeptical. Chesco had always been more of a wild card than him. But where my brother’s vices were drugs and beautiful women, Chesco’s were violence and unpredictable behavior. He’d once beat a man nearly to death for continuing to pursue Della after she’d told him she already had a boyfriend.

Roman looked at Leo, who pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, come on,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I’m not a prisoner. Della and Chesco were my best friends before all of this. I miss them. I want to see them.”

Leo tsked through his teeth and dropped his gaze, but I turned to my husband.

“They’re my family. I don’t need permission from either of you to see them,” I said. “This will be a good thing. Have I not proven to be a dedicated informant? I’ve faced more dangerous men than Chesco, you included.”

Roman ran his hand over my hair and brushed it back from my face. “Okay. But you will take three Roses with you, and if anything happens, I meananything,you’ll call me. Understood,mia cara?”

“Of course.” I smiled and leaned in to kiss him, full and deep, not caring my brother sat on the other side of the table. “It will be fine; I swear it.”

Roman glanced at his phone and stood. “I have to head to the clubhouse to clean up before work. You’re okay here?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’m okay.”

He kissed me one last time before grabbing his coffee, wallet, and keys, and heading toward the door. “Be good.”

“I will,” I said with a smile, watching his hips sway in his jeans as he left. I took a deep breath to calm the rising emotions in my chest, wondering how this could still be pretend when he set my heart to pitter this ridiculous patter.

When I glanced back at Leo, he still had an eyebrow halfway up his forehead and an indignant smirk on his expression. “What?”

“You are still so very spoiled,” he said, laughing as he sipped his coffee.

“You’re the one that insisted I marry him,” I said. “So what if he spoils me? He understands how to take care of me.”

“Uh-huh,” Leo said. “And how is the rest of your marriage contract going?”

“You mean the part where you insisted he impregnate me within a year?”

“Oh, I heard how well that’s going at two o’clock this morning,” Leo teased, and I picked up a napkin to toss across the table at him with a guffaw.

“Don’t be disgusting,” I said.

“I meant are you happy, dear sister?” he asked. “Is he treating you right? Was this worth it?”

I took a deep breath and remembered our conversation about kink, about how much I liked when he took control. I thought about how he looked last night when he pointed at me and said I was his in front of his entire club. The look of rageand vengeance in his eyes had been terrifying and emboldening. I shouldn’t have liked it as much as I did. I shouldn’t like any of this as much as I did, but I couldn’t help the smile on my lips.

“Yes,” I said. “It was worth it.”

“Good.” He grinned and ran the back of his index finger down my cheek. “I’m happy to hear it.”

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