Page 117 of Scarlet Sins

Her face twists into pain and grief as she glares at me. “How could you?”

“You’re better off without that sack of shit,” I mutter. “He didn’t care about you, just what you could bring him. He treated you like shit.”

Her eyes flash and her grief recedes. Stefina shakes off the man holding her and crosses her arms. “I’ll find a way to make you pay if you don’t fix things!”

“Fix things?” I shake my head. “He’s dead. What do you want me to fucking do?”

“Marry me like you promised.”

I start laughing. “You don’t want to marry me. You and me, we don’t spark. We’d never last and you’d be miserable.”

She swallows and stomps up to me. “What am I meant to do without him? How do I survive?”

“Your daddy had money.”

“You don’t get it. He did, I don’t. It’s set up that my husband gets everything to be shared with Rocco, and failing that… it goes into trust until I have a son. From one of four families. At least you’re young and good-looking. So… what am I meant to do?”

The wordsget a jobcome to mind, but she’s a mafia princess, brought up to be only that.

I’m guessing her father figured I wouldn’t kill him as Rocco and I would never mix, given my history with his family. And Rocco wanted my power. I was going to be killed, no doubt.

But I don’t think she knew that. And I only have pieces I put together.

I can’t leave her penniless. I look at Ilya. “I’ve got an idea. Call Vince, have him meet us here. I’ve got a proposition.”

And Stefina’s face lifts to mine. “Vince?”

Vince is minutes away,and I use Alek’s phone to change our chartered flight to an earlier one. Fuck, I’ll fly commercial if I have to. But I know a private chartered flight is easier. When I have it set up, I breathe out.

I want this nightmare in here to be done. I want to be with my family as soon as I can. I was insanely stupid allowing them to go early. Freedom? I almost signed their death warrants.

Erin might think she’s still in the regular world, but she isn’t. She’s mine and the most precious thing ever. I need to protect her and my children, no matter what.

I should have been there.

Vince arrives and Stefina’s eyes light up, her dead father forgotten. I’m seeing her in a different light, a woman forced into a role she hated. Oh, I think she’s probably still shallow, but Vince is decent and he likes what he sees. And since he’s stepping in fresh, he just might be what she needs. And he might need her to help navigate some parts of the world since he’s spent so long out of the game.

“What’s this about?” he asks.

I let him take in his dead cousin and Sergio. And of course, Stefina.

Then I lead everyone into the club.

“You and I have a deal, correct?” I ask him.

He nods. “Ilya and I see eye to eye on this, and you took care of the bad blood in my family. And then some. You operate the way I always suggested, before they pushed me out.” Vince shrugs. “I took that option, made my own money, but this business is in my blood. Are you saying you want me to leave Chicago? Rocco’s business isn’t set up here, so that wing of the family business isn’t mine to carve up or control?—”

“I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in taking care of Stefina, and Sergio’s business.” I explain to him what she told me and how I think it’s set up, but I know she’s right. If her father is dead, it all goes to the husband and Rocco. And since Rocco’s dead… Just the husband. In fact, I’ll bet the Rocco part isn’t set up yet except by a handshake and a word.

“Marry Stefina,” I say.

“And give you half or all of her father’s holdings?”

“No. All I want is what we arranged. The ability to do business with you and the people he controls. Like I always did. If there are things I want, we’ll discuss. You and Ilya set it up, and I trust him.” I look at Stefina who’s now eyeing Vince. He’s young and good-looking, and I’m pretty fucking sure she’s forgotten her fake devotion to me.

Thank fuck.

“Marry her, join your interests with hers, and take control over your brother’s and Sergio’s territories. And our deals stand.”

---