Page 21 of Dark Prince

“Which is why you’re my second favorite in this family, girl,” G tells her, a smile spreading across his worn features.

“Who is your first?” She crosses her arms, much like Sasha’s still are, and arches both brows.

“Curls, upstairs. She’s hilarious, which trumps you. Sorry, toots.” His admission softens Sienna’s defense, and she relaxes back on the sofa.

“It’s settled,” I say, thinking this is finished.

“It’s not,” Sienna fires back. “With all due respect, Dad, boss, I’m going to plan my own wedding.”

“I’m going to ignore that rude shit you spouted off and we’re going to move on after I say this, Si. As the only person who has had a successful wedding,” I flick my eyes to Ren, pausing and glowering at my son before looking back to his sister, “I know how to plan and pull off a wedding. And since I’m paying for it, it’s on me.”

“Then I’ll pay for my own damn wedding,” she snaps, her inner Ari showcasing itself. If this was another time, I’d laugh and point it out, but since the boys just learned the truth about their mother’s death, I can’t do it. Hell, it’s still too fresh for me and may always be. I hate that I didn’t put two and two together. I should have known.

“You absolutely will fucking not, daughter,” I snap back, harder and meaner. “All your smart ass has to do is pick out a dress that I will pay for and show the fuck up when I say so. Capisce?”

She clucks her tongue rather than answering. When Sienna doesn’t respond, Lorenzo pipes up. “Do we need a redo? Will that get you to stop with the low blows, Dad?”

“There are no redos. You should have thought about that, but you and Sasha can see what you missed out on when you attend your sister and Matteo’s wedding in a month’s time.” I look at Matteo for the first time. For someone that has as much of a smart mouth as my daughter, he’s been silent the whole time in my office. His face doesn’t give anything away and I like that about him. He doesn’t have many tells unless his guard is down. If he could stop that measly little antic then he’d shape up into the perfect son-in-law that I expect from him when my daughter takes his last name.

“We’re getting married in a month?” Sienna’s mouth drops open, gawking at me. “That is not enough time with all the crap you just told us we have to accomplish in New Orleans, Dad.”

“Guess you all might want to get started then.” I flick my eyes to Ren and then to Dom. “Domenico, Lorenzo, and Sasha will leave tonight. Matteo and Sienna will follow later in the week.”

“Me?” Sasha points to the center of her chest like she didn’t understand the seriousness of my earlier statement. “I can’t go. I have a job too, a real one. I have upcoming fights to train for.”

“You can train there and you’re free to travel to wherever your fights are. As far as your job is concerned, you don’t have one.”

“I most certainly do,” she argues a losing battle.

“Then you’re fired,” I tell her.

“You’re not my boss.” She says it with too much triumph. Watching that bubble burst is going to be glorious.

“I am your boss now, but since you’re referring to your employer at the strip club, I’ll let that slide.” Cutting my gaze to Ren, I say, “Fire her.”

“You’re fired, Sasha.”

“You can’t—” She stops speaking, silence filling the space. “No. You don’t,” she accuses.

“I do,” Ren says, confirming he’s the owner of the strip joint she’s been working at for the past couple of years. “Did you not question why you never work any of the stages on the main floor or even the upper level? Why you’re only placed on the schedule for the private shows?” He snorts. “Baby, do you think I’d allow my wife to strip for anyone but me?” A dark smile spreads across his face.

“You motherfucking piece of—”

“Enough!” I yell over her. “Settle your marital shit later. You three need to pack and be at the airport by five.”

“Tony,” Matteo interjects, saying my name through clenched teeth. “I can’t leave either. My daughter starts school in a couple of weeks. I have clients to train. This isn’t going to work. Sienna isn’t going.”

“Why didn’t I just shoot you?” I say more to myself than to him. “There are schools in New Orleans, dumbass. She can attend one of those or she can stay here with me and I’ll get her to and from school. You can drop your clients. You work for me now.”

“I don’t fucking—”

“I do fucking think so,” I yell, cutting him off the same as I did my daughter-in-law. “Your job is to knock any motherfucker that tries to harm anyone in this family straight to Hell. Sienna is going, so you are going. One or both of you are allowed to fly home one to two times a week. I’ll compromise, but only that far. This is the end of the discussion. All of you are dismissed. I don’t want to see any of you again today. Get out of my office now, including you, Giovanni.”

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