Chapter 4 #2
“I haven’t done anything to you.” Kane shrugs, not taking the threat to his life seriously—even though we both know my brother would shoot him point-blank in the head without thought. “And from what I’ve observed, you both are honorable men.”
Honorable … what a fucking joke. My brothers and Lorenzo might be honorable, but Kane is nothing but a deceitful asshole who played with my emotions last night.
“Get to the point,” Matteo demands, obviously losing his patience. “What do you want?”
“I want what my father was owed,” Kane says easily. “Our families made an agreement years ago, and I’m here to collect. A third of the business and”—his eyes go straight to me—“her.”
Oh my God.
My heart starts to race as I wrap my head around Kane’s words.
He wants to marry me.
The way Anthony was supposed to marry me.
This can’t be happening again.
Thankfully, before my panic attack hits, Dominick says, “My sister isn’t a chess piece to play with. Besides”—he grins—“you really want the woman your brother was obsessed with?”
“Anthony wanted her,” Kane says, his gaze not leaving mine, “but—let’s be honest—he never had her.”
He smirks, no doubt remembering that he had me last night, and I sneer his way, which only makes his smirk strengthen.
“Our father’s biggest mistake was thinking with his dick, the same way Anthony and Enrique did.”
“I never wanted him,” I hiss. “The same way I’ll never want you. You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
Kane laughs—and not just a small laugh, but a full-blown belly laugh. “We’ll see about that.”
He slides his tongue across the seam of his lips, and I glare, hating that I was stupid enough to be with him. Nothing I say will change that he was already buried in my pussy, and he knows it.
“How about this?” Kane says, moving his focus from me to my brothers.
“You guys think on it, and while you’re doing so, keep in mind that I’ve already gotten the approval for my Section 8 housing project that will conveniently be built adjacent to your waterfront project, thanks to the newly appointed city official and a certain video that involves him snorting powder off a prostitute’s ass. ”
“What a fucking cliché,” Dominick mutters dryly, trying to appear unaffected when I know he’s pissed.
The South Harbor Point waterfront expansion is his baby. He’s already dished out millions of dollars and spent thousands of hours on it.
“You want to talk about cliché?” Kane scoffs.
“When you guys were fighting with my idiot brothers, I bought out twenty acres of waterfront property right out from under your noses. I honestly thought it would be harder than that.” He shakes his head and tsks.
“But it was like taking candy from a baby. And you know why?” He pauses for dramatic effect.
“Because you are no different from my father and brothers. You’re so busy thinking with your hearts and dicks that you can’t make proper business decisions. ”
“Jesus fuck,” Lorenzo bites out. “You not only resuscitated a dying company, but you got enough funds to purchase all that property—and for what? Revenge?” He whistles softly. “A for fucking effort, man.”
I glance around, unsure what’s going to happen now that Kane has thrown down the gauntlet when Matteo pulls out his gun and points it directly at Kane’s head.
Dani and Peyton gasp while Dominick and Lorenzo step toward Matteo to show a united front. And I stand frozen in my spot as memories of my father killing my boyfriend flash before my eyes.
“Please don’t do this,” I beg as my father’s men grab Owen’s arms and twist them behind his back. “Please, Dad, I love him.”
My eyes meet my father’s, and it’s in this moment that I realize my mistake. I was trying to appeal to his emotions, but how do you do that when he doesn’t even have a heart?
I should’ve promised to leave him alone, but it’s too late to take my words back because at my father’s demand, one of his men pulls out his gun and, before I can stop him, shoots Owen between the eyes.
“Stop it!” I scream, caught somewhere between the past and present. “No more bloodshed,” I plead. “Please. I’ll … I’ll marry him.”
“Bri, no,” Dominick says.
“Yes,” I hiss. “I can’t keep doing this.
Owen, Anthony, Enrique, Lorenzo and Dani’s parents …
” My baby, I think, but don’t voice. “So much fucking blood on everyone’s hands.
You guys were supposed to be making this place safer.
You have three babies,” I say to Dominick.
“A baby on the way,” I tell Matteo. “It’s not worth it.
He’s not worth it.” I nod toward Kane but keep my eyes on my brothers.
“This is never going to stop. The waterfront expansion is your dream, and I’m not going to be the reason you don’t get it. ”
“Fuck the expansion,” Dominick barks. “You’re more important.” He steps toward me. “I’m not letting you marry that asshole.”
“Fuck him,” Matteo agrees, then glances at Kane. “I’ll kill you in your sleep, and then it will all be over.”
“Except I left everything to my mom,” Kane notes, throwing yet another curveball.
“Your mom is dead,” Dominick points out.
“Wrong.” Kane chuckles. “You guys were so focused on getting my brother that you didn’t dig deep enough.
” He glances at Lorenzo. “Your dad tried to kill her when he took out my dad, but thankfully, I was close by, visiting from college, and found her in time. No one, not even Enrique, knew that she’d survived.
I wasn’t about to risk her life, especially since Enrique had lost his shit after our father died, so I faked her death and hid her away to keep her safe. ”
“Holy shit,” Lorenzo breathes. “I remember this now. My dad said when he showed up to kill Joseph, there was a prostitute there, but …”
“She’s not a fucking prostitute!” Kane barks. “She was a woman in love with a man who was forced to be with someone else.”
“And yet you’re going to force our sister to marry you,” Matteo points out.
“He did what he did for the success of his business, and I don’t fault him for that,” Kane says.
“The only way to ensure that our families are unified is through marriage and producing an heir. That’s why our fathers made that deal, and that’s what we’re going to do.
” His eyes bounce between each of us. “My father lived and breathed and died for this city, and I want it back for him.”
“Why would you want to be part of a family who doesn’t want you?” Peyton asks.
“Because while I’m powerful on my own, the power of the three families is stronger, and I want to honor what my father wanted, even in his death.
Matteo and Daniella already secured the alliance between the Antonovs and Russos, so that just leaves us.
” Kane looks at me. “I don’t just want marriage. I also want a baby.”
I suck in a harsh breath, trying like hell not to cry.
He wants a baby … with me.
All my hopes of finding a man who will love me are thrown out the window.
Of creating a baby out of love …
Rather than stopping the vicious cycle, like my brothers did, we’ll be continuing it.
“Bri, you don’t have to do this,” Matteo mutters. “We’ll figure out another way.”
“I can’t let you do that,” I murmur. “He’s covered his bases, and if I don’t marry him, you’ll not only lose the waterfront expansion, but there’ll be bloodshed.”
And I can’t have more blood on my hands.
“I’ll marry you,” I tell him.
He nods. “You have a month, during which time I’ll publicly court you and then we’ll announce our engagement and plan the wedding.”
“Bri …” Matteo sighs. “I thought you wanted to marry for love. And what about Theodore?”
“She broke up with him yesterday,” Kane says with a smirk that I want to smack off his face.
“How the fuck do you know that?” Matteo barks.
“Stop.” I rest my hand on Matteo’s arm, not wanting to explain that I slept with Kane last night.
“I broke up with Theo last night. I got to experience love once, and I knew Theo wasn’t the one for me.
Besides, I’m starting to think that maybe we’re only destined to fall in love once in our lifetime. ”
“Bri …” Dani begins, but I shake my head.
“I want to do this for you guys … for our family.” I glance at Dominick. “Make sure Kevin double-checks the contract. I’ll be pissed if I do this and that asshole still finds a way to fuck you and your waterfront expansion over.” Kevin is the attorney my brothers have on retainer.
“ ‘That asshole’ isn’t going to fuck anyone over,” Kane says. “As soon as the marriage is official and you guys include Morgan Enterprises as an equal investor in the waterfront project, I’ll sign the twenty acres over to the project.”
“And what if I can’t have a baby?” I ask.
“You can,” Kane says confidently. “I had your records pulled. You’re healthy and able to conceive.” He grins. “I look forward to making a baby with you.”
“I think I just threw up in my mouth,” I mumble.
Kane chuckles and steps back. “I’ll let you guys get back to it.” He looks at Dominick. “I’ll be in touch.”
We watch him walk out the door, and once he’s gone, I release a harsh breath.
“I think it’s time for cake,” I say, trying to lighten the mood, only there’s no use because the afternoon has been ruined, and thanks to Kane, so has my entire future.