Page 2 of Forbidden Arrangement

“Hmm.”Bruno pressed his thin lips together and handed me another glass.“He never did get over Patti leaving.”

“Yeah.”I nodded.Patti was my mom.My brothers and I hadn’t seen her in twenty years.I didn’t like talking about her, but I didn’t mind Bruno bringing her up.Bruno and my dad had grown up together.“Thanks.”I placed a twenty-dollar bill on the bar top and grabbed the last beers.My brothers and I headed to the corner of the bar near the dartboards and started drinking.I sipped on my cool brew and licked the foam off my lips.Someone changed the jukebox to the Rolling Stones, and I nodded my head in time to the beat.

“So, I got an idea,” Stefano said, beer in hand, looking around at us.Stefano was the second born and my second in command, though he liked to act like the boss.

“What’s the idea, Stefano?”I didn’t really think it would be a good one.Stefano’s ideas were hit-or-miss.Though now that I was in charge, I was trying to listen to my brothers and not just boss them around.They didn’t like being told what to do, which was one of the reasons my dad had finally retired.

“Let’s have a bet to see …” He paused for dramatic effect.Stefano should have been an actor.He had the looks for it.Though, to be fair, all of us brothers were pretty fit.Our father was considered an Italian stallion in his day, and our mother had been an English rose.Though she’d wilted pretty quickly.

“Come on, Stefano.”Sergio groaned at the theatrics as he downed his beer.“Santino and I want to play darts, and we don’t have time to listen to you—”

“If you would shut up, I could tell you what I was going to say.”Stefano looked over at me, and I shrugged.Sergio had a point.Stefano could be long-winded, and we weren’t here to listen to one of his crazy-ass ideas.

“Hey, boys.”A sexy redhead walked up to Stefano and looked around at all of us.There were two other women behind her.They weren’t as cute, but if the way they were fucking me and my brothers with their eyes was any indication, they looked just as easy.The sexy redhead pouted and leaned into Stefano, pressing her bust into his arm.

“Hey.”He grinned at her.“How can I help you, ma’am?”

“I seem to have an itch.”She licked her lips.“And only you can scratch it.”

“Oh yeah?”He laughed as he looked her up and down.I could tell that the girl thought she had him, but she didn’t know Stefano.He liked women he had to chase.The more a woman pursued him, the faster he ran.Even if it was easy sex.

“Yeah, you want to get out of here?”She grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast.I looked over at my other brothers, and I could see them laughing.

“My trophy girlfriend wouldn’t like that.”He chuckled as he gave her breast a quick squeeze and winked.I didn’t know how Stefano got away with his antics, but he always did.The redhead pouted and then looked at me.

“How’re you doing, blue eyes?”She fluttered her eyelashes, and I tried not to roll my eyes.I hadn’t had sex in two months and was starting to get fed up with the morning and evening jerk, but I wasn’t about to accept my brother’s sloppy seconds.

“Not tonight, love.”I shook my head and looked over at Stefano, who was trying not to laugh.

“Your loss.”She looked at her friends, who both seemed disappointed, and they headed to the next set of guys, who seemed much happier to see them.

“Really, Sam?”Stefano grinned as we took a seat in one of the booths.

“Really, what?”I took another chug of my beer.

“You didn’t want a redhead for the night?”

“I’m not in the habit of taking my brother’s rejects.”I stared at him and watched as he threw his head back in laughter.“Are you ready for the fight tonight?”

“As ready as I can be.”He nodded, and his expression immediately became more serious.“If I win this fight and the next three, I can get entry to the World Underground Fighting Championship, and if I place, well, I could bring home millions.”

“Don’t people get seriously hurt, though?”I frowned as I stared at him.He looked away and over at Sergio and Santino, who were throwing darts right next to us.

“Hello, are you the Valentis?”A deep voice sounded from next to me.It was the voice from the phone.I looked away from Stefano and up at the tall, distinguished man in a suit standing next to me.His piercing blue eyes looked Stefano and me over.I could tell this man was made of money.His suit cost ten grand, easy.I looked down at his shoes and knew the fine Italian leather cost another fifteen hundred.My eyes made their way to his cuff links, which were definitely twenty-four-carat gold and another two thousand dollars.And then I saw his watch and felt the excitement bubbling up inside me.It was a Patek Philippe, and if I wasn’t mistaken, it cost about three hundred grand.I sat up a little straighter and gave him a cool smile.

“I’m Sam Valenti, head of the Valenti Fix-It Agency.This is my brother Stefano.”I pointed at Stefano and then at my other brothers.“And those two knuckleheads are Sergio and Santino.We run the agency.How can I help you?”

“I spoke to you on the phone earlier.”The man took a seat next to me.

“Yes, I believe so.I don’t believe you told me your name?”

“Hamilton.”He didn’t blink.“Hamilton Ford.”

The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

“And how can we help you, Mr.Ford?”

“I have a problem.”He frowned and sat back.I watched as he played with his cuff links.Whatever the problem was, it was causing him distress.

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