Page 82 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

I flipped him the bird. Callahan remained in his spot, his brow furrowed.

“What is this information, Cassio?” he inquired. “I don’t want Áine mixed up in anything dangerous.”

Callahan didn’t even realize she already was. Between the belles auction and running The Rose Rescue, she was in danger all the time. I would have to discuss The Rose Rescue with her, and if she needed help, I’d help her. But she wouldn’t be putting her life at risk like that.

“Our prestigious state’s attorney is working with Marco,” I told him. There was no need for elaboration. His expression darkened. “Callahan, he’s mine,” I growled in warning.

“You make it fucking fast, Cassio,” Jack gritted. “Otherwise, I’m finishing him.”

He walked away from us and headed straight for his wife. The word on the street was that he shared everything with her. I believed it, although it was slightly ironic that a woman who once supported a prime minister now supported the head of the Irish mafia.

I couldn’t blame him. Those images of the beaten girl were seared in my mind. I couldn’t even imagine the impact it had on her.

Ten minutes later, we finally sat down for a late formal dinner, being almost nine at night.

A little groan left her lips as her eyes searched out the waiter, realizing he was nowhere in sight. She sat straight, her lower lip between her teeth. It was as if she debated how to go about getting her food faster.

She looked beautiful, despite the fact that she still wore her business dress. The cream dress was elegant, but it showed off her figure perfectly. Strong and lean. And her hair. Jesus, even pulled up into a ponytail it reflected the lights, and it was like watching embers of fire dance around in her hair. Her slim arms and shoulders were at full display after she ditched her blazer that matched her dress. It wasn’t exactly an engagement dinner dress, but how was she to know she’d be getting engaged?

I wouldn’t have cared less if she wore jeans. I just wantedher.

The ring on her finger fit just right. When I took her cold fingers into mine and slid the engagement ring onto it, she uttered with sarcasm that it was a good thing her and Margaret wore the same ring size. They didn’t, but she didn’t need to know that.

I flagged a waiter from the other side of the room.

“My fiancée is hungry,” I told him. Áine stiffened at the title. “Ensure she gets her dinner first.” Her ocean blue eyes snapped to me and a blush colored her cheeks. Before she had a chance to say anything else, I asked her, “What are you in the mood for?”

For a heartbeat of a second, I thought she’d argue with me but she must have been more hungry than eager to argue.

“Food,” she muttered. “Anything. Just not liver. Yuck, not liver. But please don’t take forever. I’m ready to chew on my arm.”

Luca chuckled, hearing her words. “Hungry much?” Only the three of us were seated at our round table. Luciano headed back home. Missing his wife, no doubt. Margaret was supposed to be seated at our table too, but she disappeared, which was fine by me; though I was surprised she didn’t stick around for her cousin. Those two were close.

I watched my soon to be wife as she placed her order. Could this woman and I have a decent, happy marriage? My sister and Nico were finally at the point of happiness despite the rough beginning. At least that was how it looked. Bianca made it clear she appreciated Luca and my offer to eliminate her husband if he gave her grief, but she was keeping him. She loved him, and I was happy for both of them. Luciano and Grace found their middle ground and worked out their shit.

Fuck, I wanted the same. And Bianca’s words of forcing my bride down the aisle rang in my ears. Truth was I didn’t want to force Áine down the aisle, but I also didn’t want to wait years.

“I didn’t have much for lunch,” Áine admitted reluctantly, once the waiter left our table.

“You should never skip a meal,” Luca told her. “Never know when the next one is coming.”

Irritation flashed across her face but she quickly hid it. “Hmmm-mm.”

“So, you are an architect?” Luca inquired, trying to get her to talk. “Your father mentioned you are working on a big project.”

She shrugged her one shoulder. “He thinks every project I work on is a big project.” Then realizing she referred to Jack Callahan as her father, she continued, “And it’s Jack. Just Jack.”

“He’s proud,” I told her. It was true. The pride in Jack’s eyes was hard to miss when he watched his daughter.

The day I carried her into the plane from the rescue mission seemed centuries ago; there was so much that happened since then. I had a suspicion about Jack being Áine’s father from the moment I realized he wasn’t using her to garner a favor with the prime minister. But it was his actions that confirmed it. The way he watched Áine was his tell. There was pride, unconditional love, and devotion in his eyes each time he spoke to Áine. She and her mother were the most precious things in this world and he would give up everything for them. I was surprised nobody else could see the connection between father and daughter. It was so obvious, but everyone seemed oblivious to it for years.

That was fine by me. Their blindness was my gain. I stored that information along with the debt he owed me for the right time. The night Áine ran into me at my nightclub two years ago, I knew how I wanted Jack’s repayment. In the form of his daughter.

“How is the designing project coming along?” I asked her, although I knew. I owned the company and she got that project by design. I trusted her to do the job, and I knew she loved that project from the little we talked about over text messages.

She was working on a skyrise project that would become a secured shelter for women that fell victim to sexual trafficking. It was befitting that she was working on a resolution that my father and brother Marco caused. The majority of human trafficking over last thirty years was initiated by the King family. Obviously, she knew that considering how much she hated them… us.

“It’s going well,” she replied without elaborating. It would seem Áine wouldn’t be the type of woman to reveal it all or even volunteer information. At least not until we reached some middle ground. She might hold the grudge for a while because I omitted the full truth from her. “So what business are you two in? Export and import? On top of nightclubs, hotels, and casinos? That must be strenuous.”

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