Page 47 of The Gangster King

Guilt floods me.

I want to tell him about the wedding today and have both my parents there, but it’s too dangerous.

Gianna has been upset, even though she understands almost more than anyone why she can’t tell her mother she’s getting married and have her mother there. And with her father dead, he’s not around to give her away.

It’s a lot and I’m trying to be understanding, while feeling guilty about my own family not being in the know.

Not that we’re having an actual wedding.

Today we are going to city hall.

When Gianna learned what her family had been involved with—namely the human trafficking—it had made her sick. Literally. She ran into the bathroom and threw up.

Planning today has been a curse but a good distraction for her. Plus, Connor said it was in my best interest to do it quickly, as the women in the crime families are treated as a commodity.

“Put a ring on it. Both of them,” he said.

Today is a very heavily guarded event, because of who she is. Then after, friends and my parents have been invited to what they think is a casual dinner.

There, we will announce we got married and apologize.

Not that I’m genuinely sorry for not putting anyone at risk. Not for a fucking second.

“Brax, we had a visitor earlier,” Dad tells me.

I slide on my jacket and force myself to stay interested. If this is another one of his squirrel stories, honest to god, it’s going to take at least thirty minutes.

“Oh, yeah? Hey I have to—”

“The mafia.”

What? WHAT?

What the fuck?

I freeze, my entire body going into defense mode.

“Are you alive?” I ask, then press my eyes closed at the stupid question. “I mean Mom. Is she...is she okay?”

“Yes. She’s okay. Shaken. We both are,” Dad tells me as I curse over and over.

“Fuck, okay. Shit. Stay right there. I’ll be there in a minute...”

Crap. I can’t go.

I have to be at city hall in thirty minutes.

But...

“They’re gone,” Dad says firmly. “I don’t think you need to come over, but son, they terrified your mother. And me if I’m being completely honest.”

Of course they did.

They would terrify anyone.

Especially an everyday middle-aged couple.

I start typing a text to Connor and he replies immediately.