Page 21 of Married into the Mob
“Yes, I am.” What else could I say? You’re keeping me captive and I’m going to tell the police wouldn’t go down well. “But Iwish we could leave.” That was as far as I was willing to push the issue.
He nodded but didn’t respond.
“Isn’t it a coincidence that Odell is… you know.” Ranger pulled a face, and I scowled. What the heck was he saying about me? That I was poor? I wasn’t part of the mafia? I didn’t know about the realities of life?
“I may not be rich or influential, and my uncle made mistakes, but neither I nor my family deserve to be in this position.”
My words hung in the air, and I was prepared for a reaction from Hunter and his family. What, I wasn’t certain. Hunter caught my eye, and I sensed an apology. Much as I hated being brought down here and wanted to go back to my life, no matter how much it sucked, Hunter had helped me when I panicked. That was a check in his column.
“This is not your fault,” Hunter said. He hovered near the armchair, and I leaned toward him while Aunt Louisa hunched up in the opposite direction, her eyelids fluttering and closing as she covered up a yawn.
“It’s mine,” Uncle spoke up and looked at my aunt, but she turned her head.
Flint waved away his words. “No, this is all Draven. But the question is–and I have two of them. One, did he let Hunter take Odell because he wanted to start a war? Hunter steals Draven’s mate and breaks our law. That’s a crime. So Draven has every right to find you and mete out a punishment.”
Aunt Louisa’s head tipped to the side. She’d had no sleep last night and was exhausted.I was pleased she’s missed most of what Flint said.
“Can my aunt lie down?”
“Of course.” Hunter ushered my aunt and uncle into the first bedroom with the bunk beds. I made sure they were covered up,as the temperature was frigid from the air-conditioning. They didn’t protest, but Uncle grabbed my hand and apologized.
I wasn’t ready to hear it, so I turned off the lights and left the room.
I stood awkwardly, not wanting Hunter and his brothers to know I craved his presence. The brothers were huddled together talking about mates when Rudy came out of the other bedroom. Two of the little ones were watching a kids’ movie while the youngest was asleep.
“Wouldn’t you like to sleep?” Hunter asked me. “You must be tired after all that’s happened.” He extended an arm, but I stepped away.
“No, thanks.” I was running on empty and could have used a coffee, but I didn’t want to miss what was being discussed. Besides, those bedrooms were tiny, and I wasn’t staying in there.
“He can’t have known who Odell was.” Ranger tossed some nuts into his mouth.
“You don’t remember a lot about the Silverback pack.” Rudy sat between his sons’ husbands.
It was odd they referred to themselves as a pack, but when I compared that to my situation, it was a big fat nothing. So I ignored it.
“There was a rumor about a man who could see things. Or should I say ‘sensed’ things.”
“That’s an old tale that was never proven, Dad,” Flint reacted. “They were battle-hardened and had a huge war chest, but there was nothing mystical about them.”
Maybe I was too tired to comprehend what was being said. Pack. Mates. Perhaps the mafia was cult-like. But I had to bring up the marriage issue.
“Can anyone explain why Hunter wants to be both my mate and to marry me?”
That stunned the family into silence.
“One is for people like us and the other is for the rest of the population,” Ranger explained.
This was something I’d missed about the mafia. That they didn’t marry but preferred to be… friends? It didn’t make sense.
“But Draven was like you and he wanted to marry me.” This discussion was going round and round and my anxiety was spiking.
I put a hand on my chest and wished Aunt Louisa was here. She’d recognize the symptoms and help get me through the episode. I had to get out of this place, but before I could beg them to open the door, Hunter was at my side, reminding me of the breathing technique we’d practiced earlier.
I focused on him, breathing and holding up four fingers, then another four, and finally six. It was partly effective, but he stayed with me and barked at the others to get a fan from another room. Not being able to make sense of the need to have Hunter close, I clutched his hand.
“Sounds. Tell me five.”
“Kids, TV, baby crying, fan whirring, a glass being put down on a table.”
