Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
KNOX
Three Days Later…
“Oh, my God!” Heather squeals as we approach the tall black metal gates.
I don’t know where this Raven guy gets his money, but he definitely isn’t hurting for cash.
The house is surrounded by a gate with armed security outside, telling me that he’s either famous or does something illegal to afford this mansion.
I’m guessing it’s the latter. I’m slightly nervous since Heather knows very little about this man.
Are we putting her in danger by being here?
The fact that he has the same last name as us doesn’t bother me.
Plenty of people share names without blood.
Carter stops the vehicle and waits as he fangirls over the color of the home.
“See. I told you. People have black houses. We could’ve done that, and you told me it wasn’t possible. Bullshit.”
Killian chuckles as he grabs Heather's hand.
“Remember what I said. You stay with us. You may trust this man, but we do not. Trust is earned, and he hasn’t earned ours.”
One of the four security guards approaches the window, and Carter lowers it.
“Any weapons?” He asks with a thick Irish accent.
Carter answers him with a quick yes.
“No weapons allowed.”
The gates open, and he nods at my brother to drive through.
“You sure this is a good idea, Tesoro?”
Turning to me with a warm smile, she nods slowly.
“I would never put any of you in danger. I promise, we will be safe.”
I’m not worried about any of us—only her. Our lives have become protecting her at all costs. Heather is the thread holding us together. We lost her once and cannot allow that to happen again. We have experienced life without her, and none of us can live with it.
Carter drives through and parks the car. Heather stares at me reassuringly, as if she can read my mind.
“I promise you, Raven would never hurt me. Bianca would never forgive him, and he’s like you are with me. He will do anything for her.”
I kiss her on her forehead, inhaling her sweet floral scent.
“I trust your judgment, Tesoro.”
Both Killian and I put our guns under the seat while Carter puts his in the glove compartment with a groan.
“I don’t like this, Little Heathen. He will be armed, but we will not be. I hope you’re right about this guy.”
She crosses her heart and speaks confidently.
“You’re worrying about nothing.”
We get out of the car and I wrap my arm around Heather to keep her close to me. Killian comes up on the other side of her, and guards surround us. I watch Carter as the guard informs us that they will be patting us down.
Heather breaks free from me and immediately goes to my brother.
“Focus on me.”
Carter swallows hard and nods. He places his hands on the side of the vehicle and turns his head to her, and stares at her with a clenched jaw.
His breaths are heavy as the guard pats him down.
He steps away when he doesn’t find anything and pats the rest of us down before nodding to the front door.
“You may go.” He says, his accent thick, making me wonder if this Raven guy is Irish as well. I chuckle to Killian.
“We definitely aren’t related to anybody Irish.”
He shakes his head, agreeing with me.
“Nope. Italian through and through.”
We all walk up the six steps to the door, and Carter rings the doorbell before stepping back.
Heather squeals excitedly when a brunette opens the door.
“You’re pregnant! Oh my God, you’re pregnant!”
The woman throws her arms around Heather, and I quickly assume she’s her friend, Bianca.
“Raven was concerned about you bringing three men with you. He’s overprotective. His brothers are here, but I promise they are mostly good guys. Nothing to worry about. I said you’d be safe and you will be.”
She takes Heather by the hand as she giggles excitedly.
“Triplets? Hot triplets? Not so shabby, Bestie.”
We walk inside, and Killian speaks low to me.
“Obviously she knows I’m the hot one.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I laugh and state the obvious.
“We are identical, dick. We all look the same.”
When Bianca said brothers, I imagined one or two, but when we walk into a massive living room, I quickly count five of them. I think two of them are twins, but the others are obviously brothers.
Bianca points out each of them.
“This is Bones. He’s the head of the family.”
She moves to the rest of them.
“Reaper, Kage, Psycho and Raven.”
Strange names.
My mind keeps going over the ‘head of the family,’ comment. Did my beautiful Tesoro bring us into a mafia family’s home? Killian is the head of our family, and although we aren’t a mafia family, we do run a criminal enterprise.
The man she introduced as Bones stands up and stretches out his hand, “Bones Bonetti.”
Killian reaches out his hand, “Killian Bonetti,” and Bones immediately retracts his. The tension in the room shoots up as I watch the expression on this stranger's face turn from somewhat friendly to anger as he demands answers.