😘

I sat at the bottom of the stairs, trying not to listen to the boy club meeting upstairs. I had learnt my lesson the first time. Don't listen to business that deep down you don't want to be a part of.

It's true. I had never envisioned my life to be ruled under the laws of the Mafia world. I knew it was in my blood and I knew that I pretty much had no choice being my father's heir. The only way to avoid the matter was to marry a man that knew this life inside out.

Looks like I found him. Well, technically, Pappa found him for me.

I wanted to laugh when I thought about what Pappa had asked him at the wedding.

Treat her well. That's all I ask

You have my word

My word my ass. He hasn't treated me well since.

Patrick and I hadn't talked since this morning. After our argument, he ran off to find Garrick and the others and I disappeared to my room to change.

Even though he said he wasn't jealous, it was as clear as day that he was. Whether he was jealous because his men were looking at me or even because I didn't hate talking to them, he was jealous.

And another thing. I turned him on? I guess that was a step forward, if he found me attractive. I don't know what it was a step forward to, but a step just the same.

My head shot up when I heard a click but regretted it when the study doors opened. A groan escaped my mouth when the boy club flowed out. I turned back around and huffed, resting my chin on my arms. The sound of their shoes on the tiles got louder causing my eyes to look up at the man that walked by. My eyes narrowed when I realized that it was Patrick, trying to ignore the ache in my heart as he continued to walk. He didn't even notice me. Stuff what I said before. I hated him.

The other five followed him, snickering amongst them.

"She looks like a sad puppy," Alberto whispered to Piero making him smile.

I scowled though they didn't see. I didn't hate them, I didn't know them. But they were closer to Patrick than what Nickola seemed. So, I didn't like them.

Knock, knock

I sat up and frowned. Who the hell was here?

Knowing the no one else would open it, I got up and walked to the door.

I gasped when I spied the person behind it.

"Miss me?"

"Zoey!" I screamed, pulling her into a bear hug.

Her laughs filled my ears as I felt tears in my eyes. God, finally someone I could talk to.

"God, how the hell did you get through the gate?" I asked, pulling back, but no where near leaving her grip.

"I called Oscar Maestri," she told me, proud of her balliness.

"You, what?!" I yelled.

I didn't even have the guts to do that.

"Yep, was like, buddy, if you ever want to see this marriage consummated, then you better give me the means to their mansion because my baby girl has no skills."

I screamed out in laughter, hugging her even tighter.

"Oh my God, I love you, I love you," I groaned, squeezing her.

"Okay," she wheezed, "I love you too, but I can't breathe."

"Oh," I said, pulling back and allowing her to catch her breath.

She smiled, regaining composure, "so how's married life."

I scoffed, "horrible, he's an absolute ass."

"And, he's behind you."

I froze, my heart stopping. Zoey, cupped her hand over her mouth trying to hide her laughs. I heard snickers too, telling me that the boys were there as well. I groaned, closing my eyes. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening.

"Hi, I don't think we've met," I heard Patrick say causing my eyes to open.

He was right next to me now and shaking Zoey's hand.

"I'm Patrick, the absolute ass," he smiled, making his face ten times hotter.

I scoffed at myself, hating my female urges. Zoey kept it together though, smiling like she was meeting a family friend for the first time. But I knew my friend. Her eyes were telling a different, lustful, story.

"You were at the wedding," Patrick stated, not really a question.

"I was the maid of honour," Zoey corrected, spreading her smile.

"Zoey's Brandon Walker's daughter. He works for my father," I told him, not knowing if he would make the connection.

"Oh, your Walkies daughter," Patrick smiled, looking back at the guys that half hanged out of the dining room doors.

"You know him?" Zoey frowned.

"Yes, I've had some very fun nights with him. He's a good man and good at what he does," Patrick said.

I was stunned. Who the hell was this person and what did he do with my ass of a husband? He wasn't just being polite but he was having a conversation. A good one.

"Yes, well, I hate what he does but hey, I'm just the daughter," Zoey said bitterly, surprising Patrick.

I didn't blame him. Not many people knew Zoey's true feelings towards this life. It put her father in harms way every single day so that he could protect someone else. It made sense. I couldn't deny it.

Jumping conversation, I took a hold of Zoey's arms, "please tell me your staying the night."

She giggled and awed, "missed me that much, ay."

"God, yes," I groaned, ignoring Patrick's look and the boys snickers, "your staying even if I have to chain you here."

There was a wolf whistle from the boys but like pros, we ignored it.

She smiled and nodded, "not that you need chains to keep me here. But we should have them anyway."

I snorted taking her arm and leading her to the stairs.

"I'd be into that," we halted at the sound of Garrick's voice, spying him leaning against the doorframe, his cheeky grin giving him away.

The boys snickered, bowing their heads.

"Don't you lot have somewhere to be?" Patrick asked, crossing his arms and giving them a warning look.

"Yep."

"On it, Boss."

"We were just leaving."

They said, hurrying away.

"Who was that? He was kind of cute - actually they're all really cute," Zoey asked making me giggle.

"Don't worry about them, they're -."

"Eliza," Patrick's voice stopped me before I could continue, "can I speak to you for a second."

Oh crap, what have I done now? Was my shorts and shirt too revealing for him? Was my attitude too distracting for his men?

"It's okay, your rooms upstairs, right?" Zoey asked, not seeing the tension between Patrick and I.

I nodded, "go down the corridor turn right, two doors down on the right again."

"Right," she stated, climbing the stairs.

Taking in a deep breath, I prepared to fight, "look, I know what your going to say. I shouldn't have asked her to stay, I've only lived here for two days, you don't know her and don't trust her. But, I don't care. She's the closest thing I have to a sister and I'm sick of not having someone to talk to."

"Okay well, when you've finished, you can allow me to stay that I'm glad you did invite her to stay," he told me, stepping from foot to foot.

"What?" I frowned.

"I meant what I said the other night. This house is as much mine as yours. I want you to feel comfortable inviting whoever you want, especially if they're close to you."

Who the hell was this person? It's not like we were being watched. We were all alone. So why was he being, I don't know...nice?

"Now, are you going to be right tonight?" He asked, returning to himself.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "I'll be fine. You still not going to tell me what's going on."

"Nope, not at all," he bluntly said.

"Of course not," I scoffed.

He snickered, shaking his head before walking over to the dining room.

I groaned, frustration sinking into my skin. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.

When I got to my room, a smile spread across my lips at the sight of Zoey. Spread out like Jesus on the bed, looking extremely relaxed.

"I see you found my room," I snorted, crossing my arms.

"Yep, but man, with this bed, I'm surprised you haven't slept with him," she groaned, moving her arms like she was making a snow angel.

"I haven't slept with him, because he's a bastard," I told her, climbing in next to her.

"He seemed perfectly lovely," she grinned, winning a stare from me that made her laugh, "maybe you should just gag him and then sleep with him."

I scoffed. Yeah, like that's going to happen.

"What did he say to you?" She asked me.

I frowned, "he was surprisingly nice. Considering he was a dick to me this morning."

"He was, what? What did he say to you?" She demanded, sitting up on her elbows.

I scoffed at the memory, rolling onto my back, "he thinks I'm sluting around to entice his men."

"He, what?" She growled, "you don't even know how to entice men."

"I know! I was sun baking yesterday and he thought I was doing it on purpose to distract his men."

"What?"

"And this morning, he accused me of trying to make him jealous by coming down to the dining room in my pjs."

She frowned, "were you trying to make him jealous."

I went to tell her no when I stopped myself.

"Maybe. I don't know," I groaned, "maybe I just want him to notice that I'm not his business partner. I'm supposed to be his wife."

"Well, what did he say to you when you came out in your pjs?" She asked.

I almost laughed at the memory, "he said, it was going to take a lot more than wearing my underwear in front of his men to make him jealous."

"Well, what about other men?" Zoey suggested, biting her lip as excitement filled her eyes.

I frowned, "what do you mean?"

"Let's go out tonight," she said, making my heart drop.

"I can't. Patrick won't let me," I huffed like a child.

"Wait, what?" She asked, looking just as pissed as I did.

"Something's going down tonight and he doesn't want me out," I explained.

"Ah, since when do you let a man rule your life?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Since my wedding," I told her.

She scoffed, "hell no. If you want this guy to notice you, then you have to start playing by your own rules. You're your own Queen and no damn king can tell you what to do. If you want to go out tonight, then you can."

I smiled at my friend's bravery, still not sure if I wanted to risk Patrick's fury. But then, what did I have to loose. Patrick and I argued all the time anyway and the worse he could do was divorce me which really was what I was looking for.

"Okay," I said surprising her, "but we can't go until Patrick does. And we have to try and convince Nickola to let us go too."

She frowned, "who's Nickola?"

"He's in Patrick inner circle. He's kind of my personal bodyguard."

"Is he hot? I could make him my personal bodyguard."

"Zoey," I cried, slapping her on the knee."

"What? It's not like I'm going to marry him, if he is. I want to get out of this world, not be directly in it like yours truly," she scoffed.

"Hey, that wasn't my choice," I told her, "either way I was going to have to find someone that was."

She giggled, "yep. That's what happens when you're daddy's heir."

"Mmm," I hummed, "not everyone is as lucky as you and get to have their pick of rich Wall Street men."

She giggled, knowing the inside joke. Zoey had always said that her ideal man was someone from Wall Street because they would be rich but wouldn't have the connection to the Mafia that she had always avoided.

"I'm really glad your here, Zo," I told her, "I want you here all the time, okay. Just show up whenever you want. Please."

She laughed, pitying me and wrapping her arms around me, "sure, Baby. I'll come almost every day."