Page 71 of Lethal Vows

CHAPTER43

Rya

When we approach the estate, I pale. “Are you kidding me?”

Crue says nothing as we motor up the property's long driveway thirty minutes outside the city. I know exactly whose home this is.

“You cannot seriously be taking me to the Torrisi’s house while I’m mid-case with them. Do you know how bad that looks for me if I’m seen being chummy with them?”

“Chummy?” he says as if that’s the most offensive part of what I have just said. “Would it not be seen as flattering that you have such a great relationship with your clients?”

“No, I’ll look like a sellout.”

“Consider it an opportunity. You can even hand out your business card. I’m sure there are plenty of criminals here who need to be defended in court.”

Crue pulls up at the entrance, and I turn to him, doing all I can to hide my trembling fury. This man knows exactly how to push my buttons. To make me go from zero to one hundred with only a few words.

“Why are we even here?”

He pulls an invitation out from his suit jacket. “I received an invitation, of course.”

I narrow my gaze on the invitation. No, these families have bad blood between them. More factually, Crue has bad blood with most people unless they’re like the majority who fear him and do as he says.

My door is opened for me by a hostess who smiles brightly. “Welcome to the celebration of Andreas Torrisi’s fiftieth birthday. On your right, please take a welcome gift with the freshly branded Torrisi whisky line and a special surprise.”

I shudder at her rehearsed lines.

Crue steps around the car and offers his hand to me. I consider refusing it, but I know better in a social situation such as this. Whether it be with my father or Crue, I will just have to smile through the entire evening until it’s over.

“Why am I really here?”

“Because you will be my wife and will soon represent the Monti family,” he replies simply.

“We agreed you would stop with that.”

“We agreed I would stop asking.”

I grit my teeth and smile as another staff member tries to hand me a white and gold bag. Inside, there is a bottle of whiskey and what looks to be a bag of… “Is that cocaine?” I ask Crue incredulously.

“Looks like it will be a lively party after all.” He declines the offering.

“And seriously, a whisky line?”

The moment we step into the monstrous mansion, a waitress offers us two flutes of champagne.

“Easy to hide behind a business for another business,” he explains.

I roll my eyes as I take a mouthful of the bubbly alcohol. The cocaine was probably bought from the same warehouse.

I down the glass completely, and he watches me with a half-cocked smile.

“What?” I demand as I place the empty glass on the tray of a passing waitress.

“You haven’t changed one bit.”

“Excuse me?” I scoff, my nails biting into the sleeve over his wrist.

“The first time I met you when you were sixteen, you downed a flask, then chased it with wine.”

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