Page 66 of Mafia and Protector

“Just go, both of you, now.” Gabriel’s voice had risen and the twins looked at each other in alarm. They knew that now was not the time to argue and so Nancia grabbed Nate’s hand and together they went to the den.

Gabriel put his head in his hands, and we sat all sat in silence for a minute. Then looked up with pain in his eyes.

“I should go too,” I said quietly as I started to gather up the dishes.

Before I could leave the table, however, Gabriel started talking. “Our father has fucked us over again.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rafael slowly. I could see the dread in his navy-blue eyes—he knew Gabriel wouldn’t be like this unless he was truly worried.

“I was going through his files, and I found this.” He pushed a sheaf of papers across the table.

They looked similar to the engagement contract I had signed.

I put the dishes back down on the table. “Is that an engagement contract?” I moved closer to see what the papers said.

“Yes.”

“Whose?” asked Rafael, turning the papers around so that he could read them.

“Nancia’s,” replied Gabriel.

“What?” I felt the blood drain from my face.

“It’s for when she turns eighteen,” added Gabriel. It wasn’t unusual for Mafia families to arrange marriages before their child came of age, and when the child was a minor, a parent would normally sign the engagement contract on their behalf.

“Who is she supposed to marry?” I asked.

“Leoluca Veneti.”

“Fuck that,” said Rafael, slamming his fist on the table. “That man is an animal.”

“Agreed. Our father arranged this just before his death and signed the contract on Nancia’s behalf, conveniently forgetting to tell any of us. That bastard only cared about power, and he didn’t think twice about signing over his own daughter to that savage.”

“What happens now?” I whispered.

Gabriel looked at us. “We forget any supposed alliance with the Veneti family. I’m Capo now and my sister is not marrying that madman under any circumstances. Not when she is eighteen, not ever—even if it means war.”

And it would mean war. We all knew that. An engagement contract in the Mafia world was sacrosanct once signed and could not be reversed. Leoluca Veneti would take it as a professional and personal insult that Gabriel did not want his sister marrying into the Veneti family.

She had only been asking me earlier about marriage, unaware that her psychopathic father not only had promised her already but also had given her away to a rival family.

CHAPTER 21

RAFAEL

The next morning, I got up earlier than normal and put on my workout clothes so that I could train with Nate.

As I pulled on my shorts, Jess looked at my body and then reddened when she saw me watching her.

I gave her a grin and she smiled back at me. She was utterly gorgeous in the mornings, her chestnut hair tumbling over her narrow shoulders and her face flushed with sleep. My dick stirred and I wished I could go back to bed, back to my wife.

Kissing her before I reluctantly left, I told her I’d be back in a bit. “Then we’ve got time to go for a run…or do anything else you want,” I growled into her ear, making her shiver and her nipples visibly tighten under her silk chemise. I loved how responsive she was to me.

I headed to the guest room where Nate was sleeping. “Nate, get your lazy ass out of bed now. You missed training yesterday, so you’ll be doing double today to make up for it.”

“For fuck’s sake, it’s too fucking early,” complained my fourteen-year-old brother.

“Hey, watch your mouth, or I’ll leave Gabriel to do your training.” That was enough to get Nate to haul his ass out of bed. He knew Gabriel was still pissed with him.