Page 46 of Vows of a Mobster
“I want to get lucky,” Emma announced happily and Brianna rolled her eyes at her friends.
“Nobody is getting lucky tonight,” Brianna told her daughter and looked at both of her friends scolding. “Yes toBridgertonand maybe to alcohol.” My cousin and Daphne cheered in excitement. “But only if we have an agreement, no wild stuff.”
They both nodded eagerly.
“I feel left out,” I told them all. “You ladies seem to be having too much fun.”
Marissa smiled playfully. “But I bet you are getting lucky tonight.”
My eyes immediately went to Brianna’s form, like she was my magnet. Her eyes darted away, focused on her daughter, but not before I spotted a blush on her chest and neck, traveling to her cheeks.
“Marissa, may I have a word please?” I asked my cousin instead of commenting whether I’d be getting lucky tonight or not.
She looked at me in surprise, then looked hesitant to her friends.
“I’m going to get everything together and get Emma out of this bathing suit,” Brianna smiled. “We won’t leave without you.”
“See you in the office tomorrow, Brianna.” I told this woman that intrigued me so much. I wanted her and would have her. There hadn’t been a woman that interested me like her in… ever. She would be mine.
I walked away without a backward glance. Marissa caught up within a minute.
I was heading towards my car. I didn’t want any ears around me.
“What’s going on, Mateo?” she inquired as she fell into step with me.
I turned to her. “Is there anything you want to tell me, Marissa?”
She barely hesitated. She was getting good at hiding her emotions.
“No, I don’t think so,” she answered cheerfully. “But thank you for the gift.”
I knew she wouldn’t tell me whatever it was her girlfriends and she were hiding. But I wanted to give her a chance to come clean. She was family, after all. But she knew the rules in this family; nothing happened without my approval. And I intended to keep the order in my business.
“Good,” I told her. “Does Brianna know who I am?”
She paused, then answered with a deep sigh. “Not exactly.”
“Why have I never met her before?” I questioned her. Seeing how close Daphne, Marissa and Brianna were, it was odd I had never heard her name nor seen her face.
“Not sure,” Marissa mumbled her response, avoiding my eyes. My sixth sense was telling me there was a reason why I never crossed paths with Brianna before but couldn’t quite pinpoint it to anything. Eventually, I would find out. The fact that Marissa, Giovanni, or Daphne never mentioned Brianna’s name around me made it more intriguing.
“On Monday, I’ll move her to my floor.” There was no room for negotiation.
“Why?” she asked, a slight hesitancy in her voice. The moment she understood, I could see it on her face. She didn’t like it. She fought the urge to stand up to me.
I raised an eyebrow, waiting.
“Please, Mateo,” she finally spoke. “You can have any woman. Please not her.”
“You are acting like it’s bad when I’m giving her a promotion. After all, she’ll be my secretary. Brianna will be perfect for that role. I read her correspondence; she is very competent.”
“Please, Mateo,” she begged. Again. Twice in the same week and she hasn’t begged me ever. Even when Giovanni had been punished for crossing the line, she didn’t beg for revenge nor complain that he had been reduced to starting at the bottom again. “Daphne is pretty too. You said it yourself; she grew up in our world.”
I couldn’t believe she was trying to pass me Daphne to save Brianna. I had to scoff. There was mutual attraction there. I saw it. She intrigued me, but I could still see her body’s response to mine. She was attracted to me as much as I was to her.
“Please, Mateo,” she took my hand and squeezed it. But being soft wasn’t what made me head of the famiglia. It was my ruthlessness.
“Have Brianna send me her number tonight,” I ordered her. I cupped my cousin’s cheek. “Don’t worry, Marissa. I vow to you, I’ll take care of her. Do you really think so little of me?”
