Page 71 of Mob Star

“What do you mean he got my father fired?” Thea’s staring at me, and I hate being the bearer of this bad news.

“Corey wants you to go back to Boston, and he wants your dad indebted to him. He believes he can get both of you to do what he wants to save each other.”

Her gaze remains steady, but I can’t tell what she’s thinking. I wait, not wanting to rush her as she works things out in her head.

“Finn, I will do anything to protect my family. But I’ll kill my uncle before I go back to Boston, so those pervs can pass me around. I’m nobody’s bitch— not a biker’s or some piece of shit with a Napoleon complex. My dad’s already proven what he’ll do to protect me, but that was fifteen years ago. His arthritis means he’s not as strong as he used to be, and he’s in bad shape right now. He’s not in a position to fight anyone off.”

“I know, little one. I arranged for men to stay close to their house around the clock, and everyone in your family has a bodyguard assigned to them. They won’t know unless you want to tell them. But they’re there. Your nieces and nephew are at the same school. There are four guards, one on each street surrounding the building. There are two guards outside Jamie and Asher’s house while the nanny is there with Skyler. You are not going anywhere without a man in my family with you. I love Joey, and he’s my closest friend who isn’t a near match to my DNA. But my brothers and cousins know what it means for me to ask them to protect you.”

“What does that mean? Don’t they have jobs besides—” She gestures in the air not wanting to vocalize our crimes.

“They do. If it’s not straight to and from work, Mair goes nowhere without one of us. Dillan would lose his shite if she did. Work is predictable, so we have precautions and protocols put in place. If she deviates from the routine, then at least one of us is with her if Dillan can’t be. It’ll be the same if I can’t be with you.”

“But Mair’s married to Dillan.”

My fingers grip her hips as I lift her and turn her, so she straddles my lap. I slide my hands down the back of her pants and cup her bare arse.

“You’ve just told me something I doubt you’ve told anyone outside your family. You admitted your dad killed at least two people and shot another. You know more about my family than anyone who isn’t part of the organization. Would we have confessed those things to each other if we didn’t plan for this to be permanent?”

“I…” She doesn’t know what to say.

“Thea, I’m not saying we run off to Atlantic City tonight and get married. I don’t know what the future holds in store for us, but I think we both know neither of us wants something casual. Everything about this world you’re entering is on speed. Hell, some days it feels like this world is on meth. We are not morally devoid like civilized people believe.” My tone is mocking. “We have a strong code of right and wrong and swift justice. Corey knows that. He’s been skirting the edges since he was a teenager. He wants to play with the big boys while getting a pass for being an outsider. It doesn’t work that way. He knows we’re together.”

I watch her stomach cave at that last bit.

“Did he know when he threw the brick through my window?”

“I don’t think so since we’d only been out once. I told him when I saw him in Boston.”

There’s no point in pretending that’s not where I went. I knew she figured it out while we were on the phone. It’s obvious since I saw the piece of shite.

“Are you ready to meet my parents, Finn?”

“Yes. The sooner the better. I know you won’t like this, but I need to speak to your dad alone.”

She doesn’t like it, but she nods.

“Cailín, what you don’t know you can’t testify about. Please believe me about this. You’re placing all your trust in me, and I’m asking for more. I know that’s not fair, but I’m doing it to protect you and the people you love.”

“I know, but the unknown is scary.”

“How far out are your shifts scheduled? Do you have vacation days?”

“I do, but I’m scheduled for the next month. I have two days off in a week.”

I don’t like that, but I’ll have to accept it. “If this isn’t resolved by the time the following schedule is about to be posted, I want you to request vacation days.”

“I can’t wait that long. If I want a vacation in a month, I should have asked four months ago. I can try, but I can’t guarantee it.”

I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Part of me wants to say, “you can quit your job because my men can keep you plenty busy stitching them up.” But she’s not a surgeon, and we already have a doctor on call. Her work is too important to her and the families who depend on her, even if they don’t know it yet. I never want her to give that up.

“Would you stay here with me?” Would you move in with me?

That’s definitely getting too far ahead of ourselves. At least, it would be for her. I hated the few nights I had away from her. I kept dreaming about her sleeping next to me. I’d wake up alone, and it blew big chunks. I want her in my arms when I fall asleep, and I want her still there when I wake. I want to know she’s safe, and I want the calm she brings me. Contrary to what it seems, I’m pissed as shite right now, but I’m calm because I’m holding her. It’s not that I’m forcing myself not to rage in front of her. It’s that I don’t feel the need to rage while I’m holding her.

“I’d like that, Daddy.”

I cup her jaw, and our kiss is unlike any I’ve had with anyone but Thea. I stand, and she wraps her legs around me. I walk to my— our —bedroom and into the bathroom. With one arm around her, I push down the plug and turn on the bath. I don’t have bubble bath, so I squirt a few pumps of body wash under the faucet.

---