Page 78 of Declan's Dove

“Yeah, Pres.”

“Although I agree with you, to some degree, I won’t ever allow anyone to come into my clubhouse and threaten my family, this club. We will all go to the grave to protect our own.” Gabe turns his attention to Vincenzo, who’s still staring at me. “Respect goes both ways, Parisi. You want to come into my clubhouse and throw your fucking weight around, then we can go toe to toe. Declan, you ever pull a stunt like this again, overstepping my authority, and I won’t just take your cut. You got me?”

“Got you, Pres.”

“Huh.” Vincenzo looks at me, seemingly amused. “You are an honorable man, Declan O’Malley. Reckless and unwise, but honorable nonetheless.” He turns to Matteo, then to Gabe, and gives a curt nod. “I approve of this relationship.”

“The fuck?” I’m about to beat his fucking head in. “I don’t need your approval for shit. Especially not where Violet is concerned.”

He raises a finger in the air as if to make a point. “Actually, you do. Or, rather, you did.” He smiles. “I have a contract that says as much. You know, your friend who rescued Violet? We have a deal. It states that I am responsible for her and her son. To ensure their protection and prosperity. If I didn’t approve of your relationship—it wouldn’t happen. It’s that simple.” Parisi shrugs.

My fists balled at my sides, I lean in enough where Vincenzo can hear, and no one else, then whisper, “What would you do to keep your son safe?”

His eyes flare with rage, but he says nothing.

Yeah, fucker. I know some things too.

“I’d be very careful with my next words, Mr. O’Malley,” Vincenzo warns, his voice hard, cold, free of all emotion, but the threat is clear.

“I’m simply making a comparison.” I put my hands up, taking a step back. “Men who are pushed go to irrational lengths to keep what they love protected. At all costs. I’m just saying, the lengths you’ve gone to for your son are no different from the lengths I will for mine.”

My son.

I know it’s not official yet, but saying it feels right. Carter will be my son when all is said and done. Something settles deep in my gut. A hole I never realized I had feels like it’s been filled. By them. There’s no discussion needed. The boy, like his mother, is mine. End of.

Vincenzo scrubs the scruff on his face, contemplating my words. He doesn’t know the information I have on him. I could be bluffing for all he knows, but I’m not. The secrets of his past I’ve uncovered, I’ll keep so long as he backs the fuck down.

It’s part of my job as enforcer to know our enemies. Vincenzo hasn’t proven himself to be our enemy yet, but he’s a cunning fucker and will do whatever is in his best interest in the end. Like hiding the true identity of his son’s mother and what happened to her. Why she’s no longer in the picture.

“You understand what I’m saying?” I word it as a question, but Vincenzo knows it’s no such thing. It’s a threat. A promise to expose him if he pushes me too far.

“Are we done? Can we get on with whatever the fuck you’ve come to ruin my day with?” Gabe snaps, leaning forward on the table. “I’d like to get this shit over with and get back to my bottle of whiskey if it’s all the same to you fuckers.”

Vincenzo’s eyes are still narrow and locked on mine, but he knows I have him. He wants to fuck with my relationship, then I’ll fuck with his. It’s that simple.

“Yes,” Parisi draws the word out. “Perhaps we should get this over with. I have other places to be. People to care for.”

Everyone finally takes their seats.

“Fine. Get on with it then. To what do I owe this migraine?” Gabe huffs. Sitting back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “What do you know?”

“I’m sure you are all aware of the break-in at Violet’s apartment, since you chose to change out the security system for one of your own.” Vincenzo smirks, his eyes wide as if he’s just caught us in some big secret. “It’s my building. I own it. The system you upgraded was mine.”

“I thought you said it was owned by a company named APRM?” Hawk looks at me. I nod because it’s what Wyatt told me when he researched the owners and reached out to get approval to upgrade the system.

“APR. Anthony Parisi Real Estate Management. It’s a shell company in my son’s name. An investment for his future.”

Hawk tilts his head. “I guess we should’ve dug a little further.”

“Ya think?” Jake slaps the back of his head.

“Ow. Hey, Wyatt was in charge of that one, not me.” Hawk flips Jake the finger.

“It’s not a problem. My property manager agreed to the upgrades, and I figured it was a good deal financially. The system is not of importance. What is, is the fact someone broke into her home. I’m not comfortable with her returning to the apartment without my men being there to guard the premises,” Parisi states, as if he has a final say in this situation.

Fuck that.

“She won’t be returning to the apartment except to collect her and Carter’s things,” I answer before Pres can dispute the idea. “They’ll be moving in with me.”

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