9. Ryan

Chapter 9

I'm sitting at my desk, the glow of my laptop illuminating the otherwise dark room. The clock on the wall reads 11:15 PM, but my inbox is still buzzing with a steady stream of emails that need answering.

Earlier, I helped Michela unpack a few boxes and then took her to dinner at The Broadway Steakhouse. She's sound asleep in my bedroom right now, and I'm down here in my study trying to concentrate on work while my cock urges me to forget about everything but my kitten.

I ignore the fucker since business waits for no one, especially in my line of work, and I've been slacking over the last week while I wooed my little kitten. I'm halfway through my last email when my phone vibrates on the desk, the name "Lorenzo" flashing on the screen.

Motherfucker. My friend calling me at this hour can't be good. I pick up the phone, bracing myself. "Hello."

"Ryan," he states, his voice is hard and clipped, lacking the usual camaraderie. "We need to have a little talk."

Fuck me. There's only one reason he'd be calling me so late. "What's up?"

"I don't want to discuss this over the phone. Come to The King's Castle. Now." What the fuck? Lorenzo came to Silver Spoon Falls without letting me or Michela know.

My stomach tightens as my heart pounds in my chest. The King's Castle is not just any place; it's a private strip club owned by one of the most influential mafia bosses in the country. It's a place where deals are made, and secrets are kept—and a place where things can get very dangerous very quickly. "What's going on, Lorenzo?"

"This isn't the time for questions," he snaps, impatience clear in his tone. "Just get here. I need to talk to you. Immediately."

I clench my jaw, resisting the urge to push back. "Alright. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Make it fifteen," he says before hanging up without waiting for a response.

I stare at my phone, cold dread settling in my chest. This isn't just a casual summons—something serious is going down. I just hope it isn't my murder.

I quickly shoot off the half-finished email, shut my laptop, and grab my jacket. Heading out the door, I debate waking Michela up to let her know I'm leaving, but I don't want her to worry. I know my little kitten won't be happy with me, but I also know she'll understand. First, I'll deal with my future brother-in-law, and then I'll make it up to my future wife.

The drive to The King's Castle feels longer than usual, my mind racing through all the possible reasons Lorenzo could want me to meet him there. Thoughts of Michela creep in, but I push them aside, needing to stay focused.

I pull up to the nondescript building, the neon sign casting an eerie glow over the dark street. Taking a deep breath, I get out of the car and head to the entrance. The doorman gives me a knowing look and lets me in without a word.

Inside, the air is thick with the scent of expensive cigars and the low hum of whispered conversations. I navigate my way through the dimly lit corridors, finally reaching the private rooms in the back. Antonio, Lorenzo's head of security, stands by the door, his expression grim.

"He's waiting for you inside," Antonio says, opening the door.

I step into the room confidently; it's the only way to deal with my friend. Lorenzo sits at a table, a glass of whiskey in front of him, his expression unreadable. Across from him sits another man I recognize—Dante Arakas, the owner of The King's Castle and a notorious mafia boss in his own right.

"Ryan," Lorenzo says, his voice measured but icy. "Sit down."

I comply, pulling out the chair opposite him and glancing briefly at Dante. His presence here only heightens my sense of foreboding.

I sit back in the chair in a casual pose. "I'm here. What do you need?" I ask, staring into his eyes, looking for some clue as to what he's thinking.

Lorenzo takes a sip of his whiskey and then sets the glass down with a deliberate slowness. "You and Michela." His nostrils flare. "What in the fuck were you thinking taking my sister to a goddamn BDSM club? Have you lost your motherfucking mind?"

At least he didn't just shoot first and ask questions later. All the speeches I've been practicing for this exact moment evaporate. "I'm a single, adult male, and Michela is a single, grown woman. We can go to The Sterling Rope together if we want to." Probably the wrong thing to say, but the words are out there now.

Dante leans back in his chair, observing me with keen interest while Lorenzo stares at me with enraged eyes. "Ryan, you and I have history. I've always thought of you as my best friend." He pauses to take a deep breath. When he pinches the bridge of his nose, I realize he's trying to maintain his control. "But Michela is my sister."

"And she's my woman. I fucking love her." I want him to know this isn't some fling for me.

He blinks at me for several minutes silently. "You love her?"

"I do," I tell him and glance over to find a smirking Dante Arakas glancing back and forth between us.

Lorenzo lunges to his feet and slams his hand down on the table. "How long has this been going on behind my fucking back?"

"Nothing has been going on behind your back. I haven't seen Michela in years."

"Then how the hell did you go from not seeing her in years to being in love in one goddamn week?"

"It isn't unusual in Silver Spoon Falls." Dante Arakas speaks for the first time. "They say drinking the water in town helps romances along."

Lorenzo turns to stare at the other man like he's grown a second head. "Excuse me?"

"It's a legend in town." He shrugs nonchalantly. "You can't argue with the number of happy couples here in Silver Spoon Falls."

"This whole town is fucking nuts." Lorenzo downs his whiskey in one gulp and then turns to me. "I'd shoot your ass myself if I wasn't dealing with a fucking meltdown in New York. The head of the Grimaldi family died suddenly without naming a successor. Now, his family is fracturing. They have two factions determined to seize control.

"One of the dumb fucks vying for control decided to flex his muscles by taking on the other New York families. Yesterday, his men took it to a-whole-nother level."

That gets my attention. As the most powerful "family" in New York, the Amante family doesn't usually have to deal with this bullshit. "What happened?"

"Marty Cierra was gunned down in front of his wife and daughter yesterday." Fucking hell. Marty was Uncle Leon's right-hand man. "It was a message for us to watch our backs. All the families are on high alert."

"Fucking hell." I rub the back of my neck as I pull out my cellphone to make sure I set the alarm on my house before I left Michela sleeping soundly in my bed.

"Where is my sister?" Of course, he'd ask that.

"At my house." A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders now that our relationship is out in the open, but I still don't want to rock the boat and give Lorenzo a reason to off me.

"I'm taking her back to New York so I can protect her." Oh, fuck no, he isn't.

"The fuck you are."

"You can't keep her safe from these people, and her safety comes above everything else. If you want to pursue this relationship once the smoke has settled, we'll sit down and have another talk. But right now, I need to make sure my sister is safe."

My fists clench at my sides as I growl through clenched teeth, "I will keep her safe." Lorenzo's eyes narrow to slits. "No matter what it takes."

"These motherfuckers don't play around. Your house security system isn't going to deter the Grimaldi goons." Lorenzo stares me down, waiting for me to back down, but he'll be waiting a long fucking time.

"No one is taking Michela from me. That's not negotiable." I stare into his eyes. "I love her, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

For a moment, the room is silent, the tension palpable. Lorenzo exchanges a look with Dante, who nods subtly before mumbling under his breath, "Motherfucking hell."

"I'm not going to say I told you so." Dante smirks. "But I told you so." Lorenzo glances over at the other mafia boss, and I can see some silent message passing back and forth between them. Hopefully, they aren't planning where to hide my goddamn body.

After what seems like a lifetime, Lorenzo leans back, his posture relaxing ever so slightly. "Dante has a compound on the edge of town with several guest cottages. He's agreed to let you and Michela stay there until the threat is over. I'm leaving a team of my guys here to be a protection detail for her since I know my stubborn, pain-in-the-ass sister won't agree to stay hidden. I'm giving you this chance to prove that you can be trusted with my sister. But know this: one misstep, one moment where you fail to protect her, and there will be consequences for you. Permanent motherfucking consequences."

I glare at my asshole former best friend. "And you suddenly planned all this with one look?"

Lorenzo smirks and shakes his head. "Naw, I had all this planned out before I even called you. At first, I planned to murder your ass, but Dante convinced me to give you a chance to prove yourself. I was testing you to see if you would be staying at Dante's with my sister or if you'd be in a shallow grave, never to be seen again. Lucky for you, you passed my test."

I have no idea why a mafia boss I've never met before went to bat for me, but I'm grateful since I'm still breathing. "Fucking hell," I mutter, glad things went my way.