Page 159 of Theirs to Possess: The Marriage Claim
A name I haven’t heard before. “And who is he?”
The tension in the room grows and stretches, and I search both of their faces.
Dorian’s expression tightens. “He worked as…” Choosing his words with care, he goes on. “Anassociateof the Morettis.”
I’ve read plenty of books, enough to know what a mobassociateis. Not a member of the family, not a made man, but someone on the edges.
Brennan confirms my suspicions. “Enforcer. Cleanup guy. Depends on the job. He’s loyal to the Morettis, not to us.”
I push further, even though part of me is screaming that I shouldn’t know this. “So Moretti is trying to hurt you?”
“No.” Dorian’s answer is careful.
“So…” My mind spins wildly as I attempt to put the pieces together. “Vale Imports was moving goods for the family.”
The two men exchange glances, and Brennan pours two glasses of whiskey and gives one to Dorian.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Marco is in jail. He wants protection.” Brennan’s voice is dead calm. “And he’s trying to buy it. With secrets.”
“Secrets?” I take a step back, like that might help me process the bombshell being dropped on my already-overloaded system. “What kind of secrets?”
There’s another beat of silence. Another unspoken answer.
Dorian lifts one shoulder. “It’s a long story.”
I’m undeterred. “I’ve got as long as it takes.”
“Isla… Please.” Brennan raises a hand in plea, adding his voice to Dorian’s efforts. “You do not want to know any more than this.”
I bring my chin up. And for the second time, I insist that I have the right to know.
Dorian frustratedly shoves his free fist into his pockets, showing how agitated he is. “In that case, we should sit.”
“Thank you, but no.” Refusing to be swayed as I have a dozen times before, I keep my distance from them. If they want to have a seat, fine. But I need to be free to move around.
Since I remain standing, so do they.
After finishing his whiskey and setting his glass down with a thud, Dorian regards me. His eyes are haunted, and he suddenly looks older. “One evening, I was at the warehouse, working in my office, and a member of Marco’s crew—Vinny—was checking a shipment.”
There’s a heartbeat of silence, and I place my wine on a nearby coffee table before it spills.
“Lena—the woman you were asked about—came to surprise me.”
I blink.Surprise you?Meaning that she was someone special to my husband?
My knees wobble as the sentence hangs between us. Of course he’s had other lovers. That shouldn’t come as a shock. But it’s his delivery of the words—loaded with meaning and emotion—that twist my insides into a knot.
“Other than Vinny and me, no one was expected to be onsite.”
A hundred questions crowd into my mind, but I can’t force any of them past my lips.
Brennan’s voice comes from a long way off, as if he’s standing at the far end of a cave, shouting in. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”
I want to shake my head. Instead, I remain where I am, even though I’m growing more chilled by the moment.
After pacing to the window, Dorian faces me again. “Could have been feds, cops, another family…”
