Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Feel fine about it,” Erick says, elbowing my arm. “It means you’re worth our time.”
“He won’t tell me why he married her though,” Jayson says. “He’s pretending like it’s love.”
Erick snorts. “Unlikely.”
“That’s what I said. Big brother here doesn’t take a piss without having an ulterior motive.”
“I piss for blissfully simple reasons all the time.” I lift my chin up, annoyed that they’ve already dragged me to their level.
Whenever we’re together, this is what happens—we bicker, fight with each other, compete, push buttons, talk shit. It’s inevitable. We can’t help it. Except underneath everything, the four of us understand that we’re in this together, that we aren’t enemies. The world might want to destroy us, but we won’t help the bastards drag us down.
Even if sometimes it feels like that’s all my brothers want to do. Drag me down and stomp on my bones.
“You’re really going to pretend like you’re with Casey because you magically found a heart?” Erick asks, leaning in between me and Jayson.
“You can believe whatever you want.”
“That’s a problem.” Erick looks serious as he glances at Jayson.
And Jayson seems uncomfortable. “He’s right.”
“How’s that a problem? Who I marry is not your concern.”
Erick’s stare is pointed. Jayson clears his throat.
“Actually,” Jayson starts, “you’re wrong about that.”
I take a deep breath, keeping myself calm and buying a moment. “Explain.”
“You’re the head of our family,” Jayson says. Erick keeps right on giving me that annoying, pointed glare. “When you bring someone new into the family, it affects everything, from the top to the bottom. I don’t know this Casey girl, and from what I understand, nobody does. Not Con, not Erick, not Mom. Not even fucking Will.”
“Will knows her,” I say.
“Barely,” Erick replies and takes a big sip.
“The point is, your new wife is on the inside now.” Jayson leans closer, pitching his voice lower, even though there’s nobody around to overhear. The couple to my right is too drunk to notice much more than the digital cards six inches from their nose. “Our business is much more than fleecing tourists of their lunch money.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Are you?” He frowns slightly, head tilted. “Because you brought a stranger into our life. If she begins to poke around, she might notice there are certain—” He hesitates.
Erick speaks up. “Illicit activities.”
“Exactly.” Jayson snaps his finger. “How sure are you that we can trust her?”
“I’m sure.” I speak through my teeth, frustrated by this entire conversation. I understand where my brothers are coming from, but they don’t know Casey like I do.
How could they? I’ve been around her for years. Watching her from afar, following her around the casino, looking into her home life, making sure nothing’s amiss. Casey has been a part of my world for a very long time now, and though it seems like this is entirely random and impulsive, it’s anything but that.
Only I can’t explain any of this to them.
Jayson won’t understand. Despite his California-infected demeanor, he’s still practical at heart. And Erick would attempt to have me usurped the moment I suggested that I’ve been secretly stalking one of my dealers.
No, they won’t understand, because my brothers are like me.
Or at least the way I used to be.
Back before my life changed. Before the fallout from my fight with Tony. Before I met Casey and understood that there’s more to life than running casinos and managing a mafia family.
Does that make this love? In some ways, yes.
In others, it’s more like an obsession.
Which is equally dangerous for a man in my position.
“You might be sure, but we aren’t.” Erick stares at the enormous, wall-sized televisions playing Korean baseball, the only thing on at this odd hour. “That’s the problem.”
“Then meet her and decide for yourselves. Con likes her, you two will also.”
“Maybe.” Erick doesn’t look sure.
“I don’t want to be the one to say this, but maybe you made a mistake.” Jayson takes over as Erick turns his back to the bar, looking out over the casino floor toward the slot forest. Flashing lights, confusing noise. “It’s okay, don’t get pissed, but maybe you rushed into this marriage. Maybe you could take a step back.”
I breathe in through my nose. “Are you asking me to leave my wife?”
“I’m asking you to reconsider your decision,” Jayson says, speaking carefully.
Anger rocks through my spine. I keep trying to tell myself that he’s only doing what he thinks is best for the family—
But fuck him.
And fuck the family.
Casey is my wife. She’s mine. They don’t know about the deal I cut with her—for good reason.
The deal’s fucking bullshit and always was.
That’s why I can’t tell them the reason I married her.
Because she doesn’t even know.
“I want you both to hear me.” I speak slowly. Cautiously. Enunciating. Because I’m worried that if I go too fast, I’ll say something I’ll regret later. “I am not leaving Casey. She is my wife and will remain my wife for the foreseeable future.”