Page 69 of Twisted Trust
If I had my way, the party would be canceled and Maeve would be in the compound with Scott until I found out who the fuck had been manipulating both of us for five years. But Maeve won that argument by threatening never to kiss me again, and I’m a weaker man than I realized.
“I still think this is a huge security risk but as long as you stay by my side, I will allow it.”
“Kinda possessive, don’t you think?” She glances up at me from under her lashes. “Everyone has been so lovely so far.”
She doesn’t know that Antony and his father, my uncle, are seething with rage and stormed out of the party before I could introduce them. My father explained that they had hoped to present Antony with a bride as well to get him back in the running for Don, but the woman never showed and Antony couldn’t face the humiliation.
A pity. I would have loved to rub this in his smug little face.
“Everyone will always appear lovely,” I warn her. “But you have to be on your guard at all times.”
“I know.” Straightening up, she turns back to where Scott plays a few feet behind us under the very watchful eye of Chip. “I think we’ll stay for another hour, then I really should get him home.”
“Sounds perfect. Chip?”
Chip grunts his acknowledgement but doesn’t take his eyes off Scott. He’s taking his bodyguard role extremely seriously.
“Can you take Scott down to the animal pen and let him mingle with the other children? I want to introduce Maeve to Naz.”
Chip glances up at me and our gazes meet for a brief second. “Understood.”
“Who is Naz?” Maeve asks as she kisses the top of Scott’s head. “Be good, baby.”
“I will, Mommy!” Scott grins up at her, waves at me, then heads off hand in hand with Chip.
“Nazario Baudino is the Don of The Wolves, an organization we’re in alliance with.”
Maeve’s hand tightens at the crook of my elbow. “Wait, I remember them. The Wolves. They were…” She squints up at me. “That’s who you met five years ago, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you guys are friends now?”
“Through a lot of hard work, we have a quiet understanding that most don’t know about. For a while, he believed the same lie I did about you and what happened. He actually began to suspect something was off before I did.”
“Sounds like I should be marrying him instead,” Maeve says with a teasing smile that vanishes when we reach the bottom of the stairs and run into exactly who I was looking for.
“Levi.” Naz smiles widely and clasps my shoulder. “Congratulations on a wonderful party. I haven’t been able to drag my daughter away from the animal pen all evening.”
We all look past him to the small petting zoo Maeve organized. Scott and Chip are there watching a beautiful, colorful bird flap its wings in the face of an adorable girl with jet-black hair pulled into bunches and a red floral dress.
“She’s beautiful, is she yours?” Maeve asks gently.
“Yes. Isabella, my daughter. It isn’t often I would bring her to something like this but when she heard about the animals, I couldn’t say no to her face. She plans on being a vet when she’s older, and I do not have the heart to tell her about the world we live in.”
Near Isabella stand several of Naz’s men watching over her like silent guardians. “She’s precious.” I flash him a small smile. “Naz, this is my fiancée, Maeve.” With a subtle lift of my brow, I give Naz all the info he needs as he takes Maeve’s hand and lightly kisses her knuckles.
“You look a vision. When I heard that someone had finally tamed Levi, I said to my wife that she must be one hell of a strong woman to put up with him.”
Maeve’s cheeks flush a dark pink and she laughs. “I don’t know about strong but I’m definitely determined.”
“And that little one over there…” Naz glances back at the animals. “He is yours?”
“Yes.” Maeve nods.
“A tragic end for his father, so I’m told,” Naz says with a glance at me that hints he suspects more than he’s letting on. “I trust the same fate won’t befall Levi when you are with child.”
To an outsider, Naz’s words easily sound like a threat and even Maeve seems to think so, but I know the truth. He’s wishing me well in the most secretive way he can.
