Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Papa nods his head slowly. “Aiy, Bubba.” He turns and I follow his eyes to Wicked.
“I didn’t know they had a kid.”
Wicked grins so wide he flashes his straight white teeth. It’s the first time that I’ve noticed the mafia in him. It never made sense, why Papa would make him a made man. It went against all of the rules and commandments.
“So why are you here? Playing biker?” I ask, running my palms down my thighs. Does he remember what happened to his family? Probably not. I read one time that trauma tends to drown out memories.
“Because they’re my family and I don’t give a fuck how it looks like on the outside. The Irish knew that, and that’s why they came here. They knew about Wolf before I fucking knew about Wolf, Ruby, and they knew I was his father. You getting your pussy wet almost cost lives.”
“I hate you.”
Lion interrupts, “I know this is a family affair, but this MC isn’t exactly conventional and doesn’t stick to the norm. Having Wicked as a member, we always thought was going to be a short-term thing, but—”
“—but I’ve decided to keep the patch. This is my family now, not the Cosa Nostra. I ain’t interested in it.”
“But you’re a made man.” I sneer. “Blood in, blood out.”
“I can do both.” He stubs out his cigar. “When needed anyway.”
“And why did Papa have to fake his own death?”
Papa stands from his chair and makes his way to the corner of the room. He’s agitated, I can see it in his eyes. “Because the family that killed his knows about my involvement with him as a boy. It’s complicated, principessa. I’ll handle all the details.”
“Of course. He’s Sergio Amante’s son.” I chuckle, shaking my head and running my fingers through my hair, shifting it to the side. “Sergio was an elder, the Capo Dei Capi of the Commission which—” I rest my elbow on the table, massaging my forehead. “Makes sense why Gio and Marcu were scared of him. It also makes sense now how close you and Papa are. Can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” I gulp past the swell in my throat. It tastes a lot like betrayal and cigarettes. “So Papa faked his death because the family who took yours out now wants his blood because they’ve found out that you’re alive…” I shoot up from the table. “Do they know you have a son?”
Wicked bares his teeth. “I barely knew I had a son. Sit your ass down.”
My body instantly lowers. “So who is it? Who is it that killed your family? We can take them out.”
Wicked shifts his head over his shoulder slightly to look at Papa behind him. There’s information they’re both keeping from me. That’s obvious and not a surprise. Both of them have been joined at the hip since the beginning. I don’t know why I was surprised to hear that Papa wasn’t really dead. No body. No other explanation but that there was a shooting and he was the fatality. How dumb and naive, so wrapped up in my grief to ask questions.
“I am coming home tonight, Bubba. You can step down.” The corners of his eyes wrinkle.
“Good luck taking that from her. From what I hear, she’s been having far too good of a time out there, leaving a blood trail behind her.” Wicked’s eyes are on mine, darkening.
“Jealous, lover?”
“Fuck you,” he whispers, winking at me.
“Jesus…” Royce mutters, looking between the two of us. “Well, we need to handle this impending war.”
“Agreed.” I find Lion. “And thank you all for taking this on. We are forever in your debt.”
“They know that, Ruby!”
I ignore the child at the head of the table. “So, who is the family that is about to be the new Lost Family?”
There’s silence before Papa murmurs, “Volkov.”
All of the blood leaves my veins, but I keep my eyes locked on him. “Okay.”
“What was that?” Wicked bites again, and I’ve had enough. I push up from the chair I’m sitting on. “Ruby!”
Papa’s silence is loud enough, because he knows. He knows what this means to me. Because he has known all along.
I play with the ring on my finger. “My fiancé.”
“Your fucking what?” He pushes up from his chair, the muscles in his arms rippling. “Everyone the fuck out! Now!” Bodies move out of the room. “You too, old man!”
Papa kisses the top of my head in passing. “I’m sorry, Bubba. It was time that he knew.”
“I know…” The air tightens around me, and when the door clicks closed, the urge to run claws its way up the base of my back.
“So you’re telling me you’ve been in bed with my fucking enemy?”
“I didn’t know who killed the Lost Family!”
“Wolf’s family, Ruby. They killed Wolf’s family, and when they find out that he is mine, what do you think they’re going to do to him, hmm?” It’s not until he finishes his last words that I realize how close he is to me.