I thought I was stronger than this.
“I’m fine. I just needed to freshen up,” I replied, walking past him. He followed me to the kitchen.
I desperately hoped he wouldn’t bring it up. I didn’t want to relive the moments when I was at my most vulnerable and he rejected me. I didn’t want an explanation from him. I didn’t want an excuse.
He didn’t want to fuck me, and that was that.
I felt his eyes boring into my back while I filled a glass from the faucet. I had to force myself to turn and look at him. It’d have to be done sooner or later.
Tristian watched me from under his strong dark brows, following my every move.
“We have to go,” he said.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Just grateful he hadn’t up…the other thing.
“Go where?”
“To meet my family.”
“What? Why?”
“Nobody really knows you. They have no idea who you are. They need to meet you and come to their own conclusions.”
I drank the water but my throat still felt dry and scratchy. I tried to keep my hand from shaking. Just the idea of entering a mafia lair made me nervous. It made me more than nervous.
I didn’t trust anybody in that world…except Tristian. And I didn’t know why I trusted him. I shouldn’t have.
“It’ll be okay, they’re not going to hurt you,” he added.
“I’m not afraid of your family.”
“Well, you should be.”
My nostrils flared and Tristian’s eyes roamed over me. Head to toe. They settled on my heaving breasts, my belly, then down my legs. He looked at me like a man who liked what he saw, but that wasn’t the way he acted. I didn’t know what to believe.
“Come on, let’s go. The sooner we get this done, the better,” he said, leading the way to the front door.
When we got there, he stopped and turned to me.
“The next time you decide to go for a walk or something, leave a note,” he groaned.
I wasn’t sure there’d be a next time. I didn’t know what would happen after the meeting tonight. Maybe they’d decide they didn’t trust me and…and do what with me?
What did the mafia do to people they thought were fucking with them?
Eight
Tristian
This was my idea—bringing Elsie to the Doherty home. After my meeting with the family, I suggested that I’d bring Elsie over so everyone could interview her and figure out next steps.
Now that Elsie was here, I wasn’t sure it was such a good idea. I saw how visibly nervous and shaken up she was. Her last experience at a mafia home hadn’t gone very well. Aldo Baron must’ve treated her unkindly, made her feel like a prisoner.
If I was to believe the story she told me—then, she had every reason to be suspicious and anxious now as she walked into my family home.
At least I’d resisted the temptation of fucking her.
It was probably one of the hardest things I had to do in my life, when all I wanted to do was fuck her. But I’d learned the hard way, everything wasn’t always what it looked like on the outside.
I couldn’t trust anybody. And as much as I wanted to make Elsie mine, I had to resist.
She walked slowly behind me as we entered the grand hallway of the house. There were armed men everywhere since security had been heightened in the past few weeks. Seeing the weapons on display must’ve made her uncomfortable too because Elsie barely trailed behind me.
Just then I saw our stepsister, Isabelle, walk out of one of the rooms.
“Hey, you!” she exclaimed jovially and came over. I was relieved to see her.
“Hey, you think you can do me a solid?”
She glanced at Elsie, and just as gracious a host as she always was, she gave her a winning smile. If there was anyone in the family who’d put Elsie at ease, it’d be Isabelle.
The rest of my family were pretty intimidating. There was no doubt about that.
“I have to do something, can you keep Elsie company for a bit?” I said.
While Isabelle smiled at her, Elsie glared at her sheepishly.
“Sure, I was just going to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. You want one?” Isabelle turned to Elsie who shook her head.
“I’m not hungry, thanks.”
Elsie threw me a look, almost like begging me not to leave her with a stranger.
“You should go to the kitchen with Isabelle. She’s my sister.”
Elsie didn’t move a muscle and I fought the temptation to take her in my arms. Was it possible this girl actually trusted me?
Isabelle already made her way to the kitchen while Elsie lingered behind.
“I’ll come get you in a bit, you’ll be fine,” I said.
As much as Elsie wanted me to believe she was strong and fully capable of taking care of herself, the truth was, she relied on me. She wanted me to protect her.
I didn’t know if I could. If I was ready to.
When I entered my father’s office, the others were still there.
“You brought her here?” Killian asked. It looked like none of them took me seriously when I said I would.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”
Killian and Nolan exchanged looks and I had a feeling I knew what was coming.
“Because we figured you’d want to keep her away from us,” Nolan said with a grin.
“What the fuck are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I bring her here? I want to figure out what to do with her. Just because she’s staying at my place doesn’t make her my sole responsibility.”
Aidan nodded while our father tapped a pen on his desk. He watched us squabble, but hadn’t chipped in with his two cents yet.
“You don’t have to get all defensive of her,” Colin cut in.
“I’m not being defensive! I’m just fuckin’ trying to do my job, maybe you should do yours.”
“Boys!” Dad finally interjected.
