Scandalous Prince (Mafia Royals 2)

I knew it the minute I said my vows.

She would never forgive me.

And I would spend the rest of my life alone in Seattle, praying for the day that she walked back in that door and told me it was worth it—that we were worth trying, that even though Breaker was dead, I was very much alive, that she was what kept me alive.

“I don’t suppose…” I found my voice even though it still hurt to breathe. “Any of you know how to get into Chase’s house without getting shot on sight?”

Serena snorted. “Yay, another funeral.”

“Serena,” Junior hissed. “That’s not nice—besides, he looks half dead already, he probably can’t even get it up, forget trying to sneak into that fortress.”

The adrenaline seeped out of my system, leaving weakness in its wake, and I lay back against the cool bloody mat and stared up at the ceiling the fan whipped around once, twice, three times.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and then someone was laying down next to me.

Ash.

“You here to finish me off?” I saw two of him. Damn it.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you—just one.” The entire gym was quiet.

“I love you,” I whispered. “That’s my reason, and it will always be my reason. I love you. And sometimes love asks us to do the impossible, and all we can do is hope it’s strong enough, big enough, to cover a multitude of sins.”

With a groan, I relaxed into the mat. Then, with a foul curse, he pushed himself up and then reached down and actually pulled me to my feet. With another curse under his breath, he glared at me. “I’m still pissed you slept with my sister.”

I barked out a laugh and winced. “Ouch, it hurts to laugh.”

Junior was the first to speak. “Probably not a good sign considering you’re going to Chase’s tonight. You plan on eating through a straw the rest of your life or what?”

“He won’t get caught.” Ash assisted me out of the ring, and Junior helped me not fall flat on my face as I got down. King and Maksim must have left when Violet did, leaving only Serena, Ash, and Junior.

“Um…” Serena raised her hand. “Sorry to be the negative one here, but Ash, you got caught at least a dozen times last year sneaking back into your own house; how the hell is he going to sneak in? You know your dad’s probably sharpening his knives with a smile on his face in hopes that Brea—Valerian stops by.”

I tried not to flinch at the sound of my old name and reached for one of the folded towels to wipe it down my face. “She’s right, you know.”

When I looked up, Ash was grinning down at me with a knowing look and then nodded to Junior. “The things I do for a dead man…”

“What am I missing?”

Ash sighed. “It’s not as if I have a heart anymore anyway, and since Junior has Serena and nobody would believe it, I guess I’m taking one for the team.”

“Taking what for the…the—ohhhhhh…” Junior burst out laughing. “Sorry man, at least you know you’re going to get caught and then lectured. God, I hate their lectures.”

“I’m lost.” I shook my head at Serena. “You lost?”

She smirked. “What’s the one thing that pisses the dads off more than anything else?”

“Weapons next to the lasagna?” I guessed.

Ash smacked me on the back of the head like I hadn’t just gone five rounds with him and one with the devil, aka my wife.

“Outsiders brought inside,” Ash said proudly. “And not just any outsiders. They hate it when we bring girls over because, according to them, they gotta be vetted first, just their way to control everything.”

“Last time we—” Junior flinched when Serena reached for her knife. “I mean last time Ash brought home girls that weren’t even pretty and were… uh… short—” She lowered the knife to his dick as if to say keep talking.

Ash groaned. “Okay, killer.” He flicked the knife out of her hands. “It was years ago, and Junior was too heartsick over a psychopath with the last name Abandonato to even touch one of them. The point is, the dads were pissed, so pissed that we would be so irresponsible and also because I may have been slightly intoxicated and half-naked with not one, but two of them splayed across my lap doing… things. Anyway, it might be enough to get Valerian in. We’ll have to rely on Dad’s tender spot for Violet to get you out, though. But she can handle him, she always does. Plus, we could always tell Mom.”

“Bingo!” I snapped my fingers. “Tell her to keep him in bed.”

“Don’t think that will be a problem.” Ash scrunched up his face. “Mom bought bagels so…”

“NOOOOO!” Serena plugged her ears while Junior started gagging.