Ruby looks him over, glances at Milly, who just shrugs, then looks back to him, sighing in resignation as she makes a show of rising from her seat. “All right, mafia boy, buy me a beer.”
“Aren’t they free?” another of the brothers speaks up, the one with glasses. I think he’s the second oldest, if I remember from the dossier we did on them once we found out who Milly really was. Bobby, the one dubbed the brains of the Leone family.
“Not for you.” She looks at the group, finally settling on Tommy as he stands. “But if you play your cards right, I’ll buy.”
“After you, my lady.” Tommy gestures with one hand while the other goes to her back.
“Oh, and he has manners too.” She giggles as she turns back to speak to us, only to run into someone. “Oh, sorry—” Once she sees who it is, her polite apology turns sour. “Kooper, what do you want?”
He looks her over for half a second, then ignores her completely. Instead, he holds out his hand to the person behind her. “Tommy.”
“’Sup, man.” He takes it easily and smiles big. We might not call Tommy a club brother, but the six of us got really close to one another. It’s inevitable when you go on a mission you don’t expect to come back from.
“How’s the neck?” Kooper turns to look, and Tommy gives him the angle to see the bandage as he tilts his own head and pulls his shirt collar down a bit.
“Still hanging. Let me catch up with you later. Got a girl to talk to about a drink.” He barely lets Kooper nod before he’s ushering Ruby away, who didn’t stop glaring at Kooper the entire time.
While the couple goes about their way, the rest of us notice things. In particular, how pissed off Kooper is before he storms off. We all know Law wouldn’t approve of this. Even after the connection we now have, Ruby is always hands off. She isn’t meant to be involved with anyone—not a brother, not a politician, and definitely not the mafia. Girl’s meant to be single all her life, if her dad had a say.
But things change.
“Your brother’s aiming for a beatdown.” I chuckle. Just because things have changed, doesn’t mean the club can’t step up and make things known.
“Anyone who touches him won’t be walking tomorrow,” Danny, the third oldest, says as he watches his brother and Ruby go into the clubhouse and out of sight.
“Oh, are you the fun one?” Abigail says with a wide grin, and I just groan. These women are going to kill me. Thinkwe’re going to need to have Casper issue some sort of declaration that mafia guys are off the market for anyone with connections to the club. Unless they want out. Then that’s on them.
Danny doesn’t laugh at her words, though. None of the remaining brothers do, actually.
“Yeesh, tough crowd. Think I’ll see who’s willing to getmea beer.” Abigail leaves, and the table stays silent till the oldest Leone speaks.
“You moving back home?”
“Nope,” Milly’s quick to answer, and a part of me warms at my center. Not a single doubt from her, and if that doesn’t say she loves me, I don’t want to know what does.
“Figured. I’ll keep the house. Take it as a wedding gift when you’re ready, and we can put it in your name.”
I damn near spill my beer at his words. I had no fucking clue they were here or saw that whole ring-passing thing. Sure, it’s obvious that the skull-and-bones ring on her left hand is masculine, but it’s not that fucking obvious. Or it isn’t to me.
But my girl doesn’t even bluster at his words, just uses her normal sass to snap back, “Gee, thanks. Nothing like being traded to a man for literal property.”
“What can I say? I’m romantic like that,” Vinny says as he looks about.
“Wait, was that a joke? Bobby, write down the date. Vinny made a joke.”
As the youngest Leone continues to give shit to her brother, I pull her in close and let her rest against me as I look out at my family. I never expected to be here, but I’mdamn glad I came back when I did. A day late and I would have missed the woman who’s not only captured my heart but has given me hers as well.
As luck would have it, her brothers already blessed the marriage. I just need to convince the sassy Brooklyn that it’s going to happen.
As I look at her, and she smiles back at me, I know it’s a fight worth having.
Just like sheis.
Epilogue—Casper
“We need to tell her,” Kooper barks at me as I look over some files. Bastard just barged in and sat his ass down across from me. Couldn’t wait for a fucking invitation. I know he’s pissed, but I’m tired and pissed too.
I throw the paperwork down on my new presidential desk and look at him head-on. If it’s a fight he wants, he’s going to get it.
