《The Heiress》


 Chapter 1

    Knelt down with her gun out as she hung around a corner of an underground parking lot, Grace Morris looked over at her partner, Roger Gibson, and nodded.


    "Freeze, dirtbag," Grace said as they came out from their hiding spots, and pointed their guns at the criminals caught stealing red-handed.


    Bang. Grace shot one of them in the hand when they reached for their gun.


    "Arg!" they cried out in pain and held onto their injured hand.


    "We told you to freeze! We have this place surrounded, so don''t even think about running." Grace and Roger inched closer to them. "Umph¡ª"


    Another man grabbed Grace from behind and put a knife to her neck, making her drop her gun. "Put your guns down if you don''t want me to slit her throat," he warned them.


    Roger cursed under his breath and went to drop his gun.


    "Don''t! We''ve been after them too long to let them go," Grace yelled and glanced upwards to give him a signal.


    "We can''t lose you, Grace!"


    "Tch, I said, put it down!" the attacker yelled at him.


    I have to do this right... Grace thought as she braced herself. In one fell swoop, she pushed the knife away from her, twisted his arm, knocked the knife to the ground, and downed the attacker. With his arm still twisted back, she kept him on the ground with a knee to his back.


    "Arg." He wiggled around, but she wouldn''t give him an inch. "You''ll pay for this!"


    "Catch," Roger said as he tossed her his spare gun and kept his gun locked onto the other two, who had gone still.


    She caught it mid-air. "Thanks."


    The sirens blaring in the background were getting louder.


    "It''s over." Grace laughed.


    Eight cop cars pulled up surrounding them. Once one of the other cops came over to cuff the man who attacked her, Grace stepped back and watched the others in action.


    "That was dangerous back there." Roger came up beside her. "You''ve got to stop doing things like that, or you''ll give me a heart attack."


    "You''re only thirty; a little young for that." She rolled her eyes.


    "You''d be surprised how young one can be and still have a heart attack."


    "Well, we''re cops and partners, so you should be used to it by now."


    "I should be, but I never get used to it. Maybe I should get a less reckless partner. It might be better for my health."


    Grace''s jaw hung open. "You''d abandon me after all we''ve been through?"


    "Ahem..." Their chief cleared his throat as he approached them. "Good job, you two. I expect your report to be written up tonight."


    "Tonight!" Roger looked at his watch. "You''ve got to be kidding me..."


    "Problem, Roger?"


    "No, sir." Roger saluted and waited until their chief walked away before deflating. "I don''t think he likes me..."


    "Because you''re always complaining," Grace said, and let out a giant yawn.


    "And you''re ready for bed."


    "Yes, but we have work to do still. Let''s go." She nudged him along towards their car.


    "Can I drive this time? You can take a nap on the way there."


    "Sure..." She yawned again.


    They hopped into their squad car, and she was out almost instantly.


    "You''ve got to stop pushing yourself too much, or you''ll either find yourself in a no-win situation or drive yourself into the ground." Roger sighed and kept his eyes on the road.


    "Wake up." Roger nudged Grace. "If you keep sleeping here, I''ll draw on your face with a permanent marker."


    She swatted his hand away and stayed asleep.


    "Grace, someone''s stealing your sandwich!"


    "What?!" Her eyes shot open, and then she remembered where she was. "What was that for?" She punched him in the arm.


    "Ow! Damn..." He rubbed his arm. "Why do you hit so hard?"


    Grace held her fist in front of her. "Because I am a woman of steel!" She laughed. "I''ve trained more than you."


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    "You''re kinda small for that, aren''t you?"


    "Tiny tank?"


    He nodded. "I think it fits you. Ow! What? I just agreed with you..."


    She glared at him and headed into the department, straight to her desk. Her computer was on and waiting for her. She started to type up her report, but couldn''t stop yawning.


    A can of iced coffee appeared in front of her face. "Can''t have you passing out here." Roger wiggled the can.


    "Thank you. Ah... Tastes good." Just the right amount of sweetness. Now, hopefully it''s enough to keep me up. They both refocused on their work.


    "And, done!" It took a while, but they both finished their reports.


    "If the chief liked me, I''d swear I''d be up for a promotion," Rogers said as he loosened his tie.


    "What promotion are you looking for? Are you hoping to become a detective? Because you have to do extra training and whatnot for that, and you know how you get."


    "But at least I''d be moving up. I feel like I''ve been in this same position for so long."


    "Me too..." Grace nodded and tossed her empty can in the recycling bin.


    Roger looked at his watch. "I think you missed the last bus... Do you want a ride?"


    "Na; I don''t live that far, so I''ll walk. Thanks, anyway."


    "Walk home alone at this time of night? I don''t know if that''s a good idea..."


    "I just want to get some fresh air. And don''t you dare offer to walk me home; I''m already good enough to take you down, and you know it."


    "Everyone in this precinct probably knows it... Maybe I should start training again... Ugh, but I''m so tired..."


    Grace patted him heavily on the back. "Quit worrying about everything so much and go home. I agree to more training for you, not that you''d beat me even with it." She snickered and took off, grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair on the way out.


    "Hey, I could totally beat you if I trained!"


    "In your dreams," she said in a singsong voice.


    Grace walked outside and looked up at the bright moon in the sky as she took a deep breath of fresh air. Finally, this long day is over.


    Grumble.


    And I need to get some grub. She rubbed her stomach.


    The streets were mostly empty on her way home, outside from a few cars and a couple of people lounging in the park nearby.


    "Grace Morris?" a man called out to her as she walked by an alleyway.


    "Nope..." She kept walking and braced herself for an attack.


    A large hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. She grabbed his hand and twisted it as she turned and flipped him over her shoulder.


    "Arg!" He hit the ground hard.


    "Big one, ain''t you?" Grace heaved and pulled out her phone. "You attacked the wrong woman."


    Smack. Her phone went flying out of her hand, and arms wrapped around her from behind.


    Grace swung her head back, cracking him in the nose, stomped on his foot, elbowed him in the gut, and flipped him over onto the other guy.


    I need to be more careful. A chill ran down her spine, and she could feel more people behind her. She glanced back and ran as soon as she spotted the group of people heading her way.


    Crap! What the hell did I do wrong?! Scratch that; I''m a cop. I''ve done plenty for bad guys to want me dead. She ran down the alleyway, quickly hopped over the metal fence, and headed for the park. Once she had a bit of distance from her pursuers, she climbed one of the trees and sat on a thick branch, hoping it''d hold, and that no one would find her.


    A hand over her racing heart, she steadied her breathing as watched the men run through the park searching for her.


    Grumble.


    Oh, shut up, you! She cursed at her stomach, always wanting food at the wrong time.


    The group of men searching for her spread out. A bunch of them used their phones as a flashlight as they scoured through the park.


    "Where''d she go?"


    "There''s no way she could''ve vanished."


    "Boss is going to have our hides!"


    "You shouldn''t have grabbed her like that." He shoved the one who spoke to her earlier.


    "How else was I supposed to stop her?"


    "And you, you grabbed her from behind; what were you thinking? We need her safe, not running scared."


    "Did you see how she took him down? I was afraid of the same happening to me."


    "And yet it still happened..."


    What''s with these guys? Sounds like they wanted to capture me... without hurting me? That makes no sense.


    Even after they were long gone, Grace waited in the tree in case anyone lagged back to keep an eye out for her. Once she was certain no one was around, she climbed back down.


    I can''t risk going back for my phone... And if they know my name, it''s possible they know more, like where I live. I can''t go home. Ugh, I don''t want to bother him at this time, but I don''t know who else I can go to now.


    Still being careful, she tiptoed through the park, heading for her friend''s house.


    Ding-dong. Grace kept looking around as she waited for her friend to answer the door to his townhouse. "Come on... Hurry up..." I probably look like the sketchy one at this time of night.


    When they didn''t answer, she spammed the doorbell.


    The door swung open and an angry Roger was about to go off on her until he realized it was Grace. "What are you doing here? I thought you went home." Roger glanced outside and urged her in.


    "I... got attacked on my way home." Grace rubbed her face and mentally cursed them.


    "I should''ve walked you home... No, I should''ve driven you home." He tugged on his hair and paced around his living room.


    "This wasn''t random."


    He froze for a moment and turned to her. "What are you talking about?"


    "They knew my name... and who knows what else. They were after me specifically."


    "Do you think it had to do with today''s bust? Those guys were bigger fish, but still not the top ones."


    "I have no idea, but they... It sounded like they didn''t want to hurt me." Although having a gang of men like that makes me wonder.


    "Maybe they were only saying that in hopes you were listening and hoping you''d come out."


    Grace sighed and shook her head. "They weren''t that organized at that point. I was hiding in a tree in the park by then."


    His eyes widened. "Geez... How many were there?"


    "At first, two men. Afterwards, I don''t know. It seemed like there was an entire gang after me." Grace sighed and combed her fingers through her hair. "From those I did see, I didn''t recognize any of them from the recent gang bust, including all the files I looked into."


    "Have you seen any of them before at all? Like, were they stalking you before this or something?"


    "Not that I''ve noticed. Everything''s been normal for me."


    "As normal as your life is, anyway."


    "True."


    "Well, I don''t want you going home until we find out what''s going on. You can stay here," Roger said and pointed at the stairs. "There''s a guest room you can use."


    "Thanks, I''ll use it for today, but I can''t avoid going home forever. I need clothes... and my toothbrush, at least."


    "Don''t worry about the toothbrush; there''re new ones sitting in the cabinet under the sink. Feel free to use one."


    "Thanks..." Grace sighed again. "I''m sorry to dump this on you."


    "If you can''t go to your partner, who can you go to?" Roger grabbed a beer from the fridge, popped it open, and held it out to her. "I''d give you something stronger, but we have work tomorrow."


    Grace nodded and took the drink. She downed the entire bottle and sighed. "We have to look into this."

 Chapter 2

    The next day, Grace went to work with Roger and got ready for her day. Part of her fellow cops whispered about her showing up with Roger, but that was nothing new; they liked to gossip about everything. Roger was a good friend and partner to her, but she had no interest in him as a man.


    "Where should we start?" Grace hummed as she thought, while sitting at her desk. "Ideally, we could take a look at the security cameras to search for the men..."


    "Not always the easiest," Roger said as he leant against her desk and drank coffee. "That park also has cameras."


    "But I wonder if any of them are good enough to see in the dark."


    They both sighed, their shoulders slouched.


    "Maybe we should ask Pez?" Roger suggested. "He''s the best we''ve got for intelligence."


    "But he''ll want something in return. This isn''t official business." The last time Grace asked him for something, he got a dinner date out of her.


    "He''s a big eater, despite the petit body, so I hope your wallet is full."


    "Ugh..."


    A newspaper swatted her desk, startling both of them. "Finish that bust, and you two start slacking off?"


    "Uh... No, sir." Roger stood up straight.


    "Get back to your old patrol root," the chief said, and left.


    "How does he always pop up out of nowhere like that?"


    "No idea. He must''ve had ninja training," Grace joked.


    "That would explain a few things."


    Roger and Grace headed out of the office to their patrol car.


    "Let''s hope today is uneventful," Grace said as she started the car.


    "You cursed us at the start, didn''t you?" Roger complained after they stopped another fight in the streets. "It''s like people have gone crazy."


    "Maybe it''s a full moon tonight; brings out all the crazies." Grace put another man in the back of their car.


    "But it''s so much more work for us..." Roger leaned in close. "And how are we supposed to have time to look into your issue?"


    "I''ve been trying to keep an eye out for people staring at me, but I haven''t noticed anyone."


    "Maybe they gave up after yesterday''s failure?"


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "Since when do the bad guys give up that fast?"


    "Maybe they''re waiting for nighttime again."


    "They could be... It''s easier to strike when it''s dark out." Grace slammed the door shut and got back into the driver''s seat. "Let''s process these people and then go see Pez."


    "Okay."


    "Fine, I''ll help you, but in exchange... I want a date at a fancy restaurant." Pez tossed the stick from his lollipop into the garbage.


    "Seriously? My life is at risk, and you''re extorting me for high-end food? You know my pay ain''t that good." Grace pouted.


    "You know what you''re asking for is against the rules, and we could both get into trouble. If you''re so against the dinner date, then go turn this into an official investigation."


    "You know they won''t let me investigate it when it''s about me! They''ll try to keep me away from it, and if it turns into something bad, I''ll be put into protective custody, or I''ll have cops watching me all the time."


    "You know you''re a cop, right?"


    "Yes, and I don''t like them watching me."


    "The choice is yours, Grace." He swivelled, turning back to his keyboard.


    Roger leaned in close to whisper, "Just do it. I''ll help you pay for it if it''s that bad."


    "Arg!" Grace stomped away from both of them. "I''ll just find another way. Let''s get back to work."


    Roger rushed to catch up to her. "Do you really think we can figure things out without him?"


    "There has to be another way. How about we go old school and ask around in that area? Someone''s bound to have noticed one of those sketchy men hanging around."


    He grabbed her shoulder. "And what if someone attacks you again?"


    "I''ll fight and then run... or you could try to save me."


    "That''s one way to say ''I''m going regardless of what you say''." Roger sighed and let go. He knew she wouldn''t listen to him once she made up her mind.


    "You know me so well." She smiled and kept going.


    "I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not..." There was no way he''d let her do things on her own, so he knew he''d be dragged in ¨C as per usual. "Quit walking so fast." He rushed to get in-step beside her.


    "How about you quit walking slow? We don''t know how long we have."


    "By the way, you should probably stay at my place again."


    "Depends on what information we find."


    "This is where it started," Grace said as she looked down the alleyway the man who called out to her was hiding in. "Now... where would this guy have been spotted from?"


    "And what about the whole group? Where''d they come from?" Roger asked.


    "I think it was a black SUV that drove up after I downed them."


    "Always so amazing..." he muttered. "There are quite a few of those around."


    "I know, but I couldn''t see the licence plate. Scratch that. I had no time to even try to look."


    "I can only imagine. How in the world are you able to come back here so quickly? No traumatization or anything."


    "I''m a cop; I''ll do what I have to. Besides, I''m too busy trying to figure out what''s going on to be that afraid." Grace pointed at a camera across the street at the Chinese restaurant with an apartment on top. "I''m not sure if it''ll be good enough to spot them, or get a licence plate, but it''s worth a shot."


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    "If they let us see it."


    Grace quickly looked around as she headed into the restaurant.


    "Welcome, a table for two?" the person at the front asked them.


    Grace showed him her badge, and their expression dropped. She pointed at the entrance where the camera was. "I need access to the camera outside to check on an incident last night."


    "Uh..." He looked between Grace and Roger. "I''ll go get the manager." He tripped over his chair as he rushed into the back of the restaurant.


    "Scaring people again?" Roger shook his head.


    "I didn''t do anything."


    "You flashed that badge with that serious expression of yours. Don''t turn it on me." Roger shuddered. "Didn''t you know you scare people?"


    "Normally, only bad guys."


    "I''m sorry to tell you this, Grace... partner..." He rested his hand on her shoulder. "But you''re intimidating to a lot of people."


    "But why?" Now that I think about it, people seemed afraid of me in high school, too.


    He pointed at her face. "You get this serious look that says ''get out of my way or I''ll run you down'' or ''you better do what I''ll tell you, or else''."


    "Tch." She shoved his hand away. "If I was so intimidating, Pez would''ve helped us."


    "Pez knows you."


    "You know me better, and yet you say¡ª"


    "Ahem," the manager cleared their throat. "My employee has explained the situation. Can I see your badges?" Grace and Roger both held up their badges, and he leaned in close to inspect them and nodded. "Let''s speak in my office."


    He led them to the back and closed the door behind them.


    "You''ll excuse me for being wary; too many fakes these days, and too many walls have ears. I don''t want any trouble."


    "Then you''ll show us the security footage?" Grace asked.


    He flopped back into his chair and swallowed hard. "It can''t be known that I''m friendly with the police around here. With all the gangs who like to stop by to eat here while they chat, if anything goes wrong, they''ll blame us. It doesn''t matter if we did anything or not. Do you understand my predicament?"


    "Do I have to come back with a warrant?"


    "No, no, no. That''d make it worse." He turned his attention to his computer. "When did you say it was again?"


    "Last night around eleven, at the alley across the street."


    "Last night..." he mumbled as he brought up the security footage. "Uh... this can''t be right."


    "What is it?" Grace went around his desk to look and saw scrambled video footage. "It''s gone?"


    His hands shook as he went back a bit on the recording. "I-it cuts out here."


    "Tch..." If they were able to do that, it''s likely none of these places would have footage of them.


    "I swear we didn''t do anything to it."


    "Don''t worry; I don''t think it was you. Thanks for showing us, anyway. We''ll see ourselves out."


    He bowed his head as they left.


    "Are you sure about that?" Roger asked after they closed the door. "They could be in on it."


    "Nope; I don''t think they are."


    "I never understand how you''re so sure about things and end up being right."


    "Never doubt a woman''s intuition, or a cop''s detective nose." She tapped her nose.


    "Wait, is that your way of saying you''re going to go for detective? We''ve all known you could for some time now."


    "I have no plans for that at the moment," Grace said as they walked back through the restaurant to the entrance.


    "If we can''t use the cameras as our lead, and likely anyone who saw anything around here would be too afraid to say anything, then how do we continue?"


    "I have a bad feeling I know who is behind this, but I don''t know why."


    "Wait, you do? How?"


    "Well, there are only a few people who have much influence around here. I think it''s someone in the mafia."


    "The mafia? As in... mobsters? That''s pretty high up compared to the gangs we''ve been dealing with recently. I don''t see why one of them would be after you, unless you got in their way somehow. Do you think yesterday''s gang was connected to one of the mafia families? It was a pretty big bust."


    "I didn''t think they were, considering how small they seemed in comparison, but they could be linked. If the Bertolottis family has been expanding even more than we knew, it wouldn''t be surprising if they were recruited into it."


    "But didn''t you say they didn''t want you hurt? Wouldn''t the mob want your head for busting their new deal?"


    "Or they want to try to recruit me. They do love having dirty cops on the force."


    They headed back to their car, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings.


    "Do you feel that?" Grace asked, a chill running down her spine.


    "Like someone''s watching us? Yes, but I don''t see anyone."


    Grace walked past their car, and Roger followed her without question.


    "The park is nearby," Grace whispered. "Best place to lose them."


    "But there are kids around at this time of day."


    "Dammit... Maybe the convenience store nearby. There are too many people here."


    "Maybe that means they won''t attack; they''re just watching us."


    "Roger, they''re just after me, so go get back up." She handed him the car keys and kept walking.


    He stopped for a moment. "Wait... You expect me to leave you here alone?"


    "You think we can fight off a whole mob of people? I know you''re a good fighter, but know your limits."


    "I''d still rather fight with you than leave you to fend for yourself. I don''t care if you are better than me; I still can''t abandon you."


    Goosebumps trailed up her arms. Crap, they''re on the move. "Roger, I don''t have time to argue with you. Go, now!"  She nudged him back towards where the car was.


    A black SUV came to a screeching halt beside them.


    "Roger, run!"


    Another car pulled up in front of them, blocking their path.


    "I think it''s too late," Roger grumbled as a bunch of gruff looking men got out of the vehicles and surrounded them.


    Grace looked past the ones in suits in front of them at the alleyway nearby and thought about trying for it, but she couldn''t leave Roger behind.


    "Don''t even think about it, missy." The one in the purple suit with a scar over his eye blocked her view. "Try to run, and your partner gets it."


    More vehicles pulled up, and the group surrounding them grew.


    Holy crap... She''d never seen so many mobsters in one spot before. Grace looked back at Roger, who was clutching the keys tight enough to make his hand bleed. I''m sorry, Roger, for whatever I got you involved with.


    The man inched closer to her. "Come with us quietly, and no one has to get hurt." He zip-tied her wrists as one of the other men grabbed her gun and did a pat down.


    "Hey, watch where you''re touching." Grace jerked away from one of them.


    "We''ve got to be careful, girlie." He chuckled and backed away. "She''s clean otherwise."


    "So is this one." Roger, also with zip ties around his wrists, was pushed beside Grace.


    "You''re only after me, right? So let him go," Grace said. She could feel Roger''s eyes boring into her, begging her to look at him, but ignored it.


    The purple suited man laughed and grabbed her chin. "You''re in no position to negotiate, and he''ll be coming to make sure you behave yourself. Got it."


    "Tch." She wrenched herself away from him, and he chuckled.


    "I like a girl with fire..." he mumbled to himself. "Put her in the car." He nudged his head towards his own vehicle.


    One man grabbed her from behind, and she reacted automatically. She elbowed him in the stomach, grabbed his arm, and flipped him over her shoulder into a couple of other men. Even with her hands tied, she was dangerous.


    The purple suited man clapped and whistled. "Great to see you in action, but did you forget the situation?" He pulled out his handgun, cocked it, and aimed at Roger.


    "I''ll get in, but I don''t want any of them touching me." Grace resisted the urge to spit on them.


    He smirked. "Okay, I won''t let them touch you." He put his gun away and approached her. "You asked for it, missy." He ducked down and pulled her over his shoulder.


    "What the... What the hell are you doing?" She pounded on his back.


    "Not letting them touch you."


    "You''re one of them, though!"


    "Grace..." Roger called out to her. A wave of helplessness washed over him as they ushered him into a different vehicle.


    "Arg," Grace groaned as she was tossed into the backseat, and the man followed her in, closing the door behind him. He''s probably an underboss, not a capo.


    He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her into a sitting position before she could kick him.


    "Go," he said, and the driver took off. "Glare all you want, but you''re not getting out of this."


    "Why are you doing this?"


    "I''m under orders."


    "Why does a mafia boss want me?"


    His eyebrow twitched. "I guess you''ve figured out at least one thing, but I''m not going to tell you. He will be the one to explain the situation."


    "Tch." She looked out the dark-tinted windows and concentrated on keeping her breathing steady. They want me for a reason, but why? I''m not important enough to drag that many people into it. She bit on the inside of her lip as she tried to keep track of where they were.


    "You have a lot of bad habits, don''t you?"


    "That''s rich, coming from a mobster."


    "Mannerisms, speech... biting your lip." He sighed and shook his head. "He''ll be disappointed with how unrefined you are."


    "Like I care."


    "You will."


    She glared at him again. "Who''s a thug like you to judge someone else''s behaviour?"


    "Aren''t you the one judging me? What do you know about me?"


    "You''re a mobster who handles women roughly."


    He rolled his eyes and cursed under his breath. "You think that was rough? Are you sure you''re a cop?


    "What would you call picking up a woman over your shoulder and shoving her into a vehicle like that?" Never mind threatening us and pointing a gun at Roger.


    "That''s a bit of fun, if you ask me."


    That''s concerning, but not surprising.


    "Whatever." Grace turned back to look outside again. "How far are we going?"


    "Does it matter? It''s not like you''re going anywhere."


    Wait, where did I miss a turn? Where are we now? She lost track of their location because of the man beside her. "Tch..."


    "It doesn''t matter if you know where we are; you won''t be leaving soon."

 Chapter 3

    "We''re here, missy." The car stopped. The man got out and waited. "Well?"


    "Well, what?"


    "Either get out of the vehicle and follow me on your own two feet, or I''ll carry you over my shoulder again."


    "Ugh... Do you have to be such a thug?" Grace shimmied over and exited the vehicle on her own. She finally got a look at the surroundings as a few other vehicles pulled up behind theirs. The residence was massive, even for a mansion, and included its own fountain at the roundabout they parked in.


    "I could be worse if you wanted me to. Trust me, it''d be easy."


    He gripped her shoulder and walked her into the mansion, where two men with sunglasses in suits guarded the entrance.


    Most well dressed mafia I''ve seen... if you discount the grungy gang that chased me the first night. I guess there are all kinds here.


    Their footsteps echoed down the halls as he escorted her to a large double-door in the left wing of the mansion.


    Knock, knock. "Boss, I''ve brought the girl," the purple-suited man said.


    "Come in," a deep, growly voice invited them.


    Grace took a deep breath, bracing herself as he pushed her into the huge office with a desk the size of a bed at the back of the room.


    Overboard much?


    An older, gruff man with white hair and a scowl swivelled in his chair to face them. Grace glared at him, but an odd sensation took over. He seemed familiar and looked at her with soft eyes.


    "My, how you''ve grown." His eyes practically sparkled as he looked at her.


    "Excuse me?"


    "I haven''t officially seen you since you were a baby and fit so comfortably in my arms." He chuckled.


    We''ve met before? Grace frowned and tried to back away, but she bumped into the purple-suited man behind her.


    "Where do you think you''re going, missy?" he scoffed.


    The older man got up, grabbed his dragon-headed cane, and approached. "Why are her wrists bound? How dare you do that to my granddaughter?!"


    "I''m sorry, Boss, but she''s not an easy woman to capture." He bowed to him.


    "Did you not explain the situation to her? Did you not want to come?" He turned his attention to Grace, who froze with eyes wide after he said granddaughter.


    "What are you talking about? My grandparents are dead, and so are my parents, for that matter."


    "Your grandparents on your mother''s side might be dead, but I''m alive and well." He reached out to ruffle her hair, and she flinched. "I am Pablo''s father, Raymond Bertolottis, but you can call me Ray or preferably grandpa."


    Grace frowned as she tried to think back. She didn''t remember meeting him, but if she was as young as he made it seem, then it made sense she didn''t.


    "Why haven''t you taken the restraints off her, Zain?" He glared at the man behind her.


    "As I was saying before, she''s quite dangerous, and unless her attitude has completely changed, we''re all safer with her like this."


    "She''s my granddaughter; I won''t have her tied up like a hostage."


    Even though I am one...


    Zain sighed and moved in front of her. He pulled a switchblade knife from his pocket, and she inched away from him. "It''s for that." He pointed at the zip tie on her wrist. "Don''t try anything." He leaned in close and cut the zip tie off her.


    Ray pushed him aside right away and took her hands to look at her wrists. He lightly touched the red marks on her wrists and frowned.


    "I''m fine." She pulled away from him. "And I don''t... I don''t know if you''re telling the truth, but if you really are my grandpa, where have you been these past few decades? Why reach out now?"


    "I can give you a DNA test to prove we''re related if you want, or I can show you pictures of your father when he was younger. I also have a photo of the one time I was allowed to meet you."


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    "Allowed to meet me?"


    "Zain, leave; I wish to talk to her alone."


    "But¡ª"


    "Zain, go."


    "Yes, Boss." He bowed his head, glanced at Grace and left, the door clicking shut behind him.


    Grace looked up at Ray.


    "You look so much like your mother. Here, I''ll get out the photo album." He hustled back over to his desk and pulled out an album from a drawer. "Come, come." He urged her over to him.


    With no real options, she went over to him and looked at where he opened the album to. There was a photo of her parents, along with Ray.


    "This was before they ran away," he said.


    "Ran away?"


    Ray cleared his throat. "Your father was to take over the business, but he wanted a normal life for you and your mother, so he ended up running away. He wanted to stay far away from me and even took your mother''s last name as his own. They hid from me. They hid you from me. I missed all your important events in life because he ran away."


    I can''t tell if he''s feeling regret or anger.


    He turned the page to a picture of him holding a baby, smiling gently as he stared at her. "It''s the one time I got to hold you, my precious granddaughter."


    "If I''m so precious, why did you order me here?"


    "I... I don''t know how much time I have left, and in that case, I need an heir. Your father was supposed to be that, but..."


    "On that thought, where were you when they died? Did you go to the funeral? I have trouble imagining someone as powerful as you wouldn''t have been able to find them and know what happened."


    His expression darkened. "You''re right. I eventually found out where they were hiding, and the accident happened not too long after that. I was at a loss as to what to do..." He gripped his chest over his heart. "It hurt so much... to end up losing both sons at such young ages. Since you''re a cop, I''ll be honest with you; it wasn''t an accident. His link to the mafia is what ended up killing him. They killed him to hurt me."


    Both sons? I had an uncle?


    "But if you two weren''t talking, then why?" Grace fought back her tears. She thought she was over their deaths, considering it was decades ago, but it hurt to think about. She was only a child when they died, and her mother''s parents ended up taking her in.


    "It doesn''t matter the distance, or if we were in contact; we''re blood. We value blood the most, so it didn''t matter where he was, he was still a part of this."


    "Once in the mafia, always in the mafia..."


    "Yes."


    "I went to the funeral, by the way. I wanted to approach you, but I didn''t know how to. You were still so young, but had grown so much. You were being comforted by your grandmother."


    "I have to ask, do I have another grandmother, too?"


    "No, not anymore. She would''ve loved to see you again, though." A tinge of sadness touched his eyes.


    "Oh, I see. I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be." He shook his head. "She was an amazingly strong woman, much like you."


    Grace sighed. "Okay, fine, I buy that you''re my grandfather and whatnot, but what do you want from me? I''m a cop; this can''t be good for you, since I''ll never turn into a dirty one."


    "I wouldn''t ask you to. You are my rightful heir¡ª"


    "But I''m not a part of the mafia; I have nothing to do with this, so you should find someone who''s already in this business. How about your underboss?"


    "You will be my heir, and you won''t take over alone. You will marry into one of the mafia families to choose our next leader. You can choose Zain to be the next leader beside you if you wish, or you can connect with some of the other families. Either way, it''s you who will be the next boss''s wife."


    All this mafia stuff is so confusing. "Why would you need me when you have that right-hand man of yours? Let him take over and find his own wife¡ª"


    "No!" his voice boomed, and Grace flinched back, her heart racing. "Our family, our blood, built this empire, and our blood will continue it." A vein popped out of his temple as he spoke.


    "Let me get this straight. You''re popping up out of nowhere, and you''re trying to force me to marry some mobster? Who do you think you are to have that right?"


    "I am your grandfather. I am your blood. I am the boss, and I choose you, my blood, as my heir. I don''t care if you''re a cop; you will be at the top of this family."


    He''s delusional. "You can''t force me to be here. Didn''t you learn from your son who ran away?"


    "If he had stayed, he might still be alive."


    "You don''t know that."


    "I would''ve done everything in my power to protect him. I couldn''t do that since he was too busy running away from me. And I suppose I can''t force you to be here, but I can persuade you, and use whoever I must, to make you see things my way."


    "Careful, grandpa; you''re letting your mobster side show."


    "Because I am one, through and through."


    "I guess I don''t have a choice since you have Roger, right?" That means I''ll have to get him out of here, so he''s safe. Well, even if I can get him out, their reach is too big; they can go after him again even if he runs. She gritted her teeth. I''m... trapped.


    "I can see you''re still struggling to come to terms with your situation. I''ll give you some time to think things over in your room. I''ll talk to you again soon. Zain," Ray called out, and the door opened. "Take her to her room."


    "Yes, Boss." Zain''s dark eyes turned to her. "Let''s go."


    Grace rolled her eyes and left. There''s no way he''d listen to me, anyway.


    "So, copper, how''s it feel to suddenly be a mafia princess?" Zain asked as he escorted her through the mansion, upstairs to the fancy bedroom they had set up for her. She kept looking around on her way there, trying to learn the layout and look for anyone who could help her later.


    Once they opened the door to her room, she froze. Damn... is this really a bedroom and not a living room? Under different circumstances, I''d probably be able to enjoy it.


    "Coming around to our side yet?" Zain smirked.


    "No, I''m just a bit overwhelmed."


    Zain shrugged and nudged her inside. "If you need food or anything." He pointed at the intercom on the side and then explained the buttons. "Just call for it."


    "How about a way out of here?" Or my phone. I wonder if anyone found it.


    "Not going to happen, missy."


    Grace cringed. "Stop calling me that."


    "Whatever. Be a good girl and think over your new situation. Whether you like it or not, you''re a part of this family. I''ll see you soon." Zain closed the door and locked it from the outside.


    "Prick," Grace mumbled and kicked the door. "Ha... How is any of this real?"

 Chapter 4

    "Arg," Roger groaned as he was shoved into a cement room in the basement. It had a bed and a small window up above that he knew he wouldn''t fit through.


    The mobster who shoved him in took off his restraints. "You''ll be staying here for now," he said, smirking down at him.


    "You realize I''m a cop, right?"


    "We would normally avoid kidnapping a copper, but this time, it doesn''t matter; we need you."


    "For how long?"


    He shrugged. "Until the princess has accepted her fate and taken over... or rather, married the new boss."


    Roger''s eyes widened. "You''re going to force her to marry someone you chose?"


    "Not me, but well... The boss will give her options, but whomever she marries will be the new boss. She''s his blood; it''s her duty."


    "But she has nothing to do with him. And what if he didn''t have any next of kin? Wouldn''t it have to be someone else, anyway? Why didn''t they act like he didn''t instead of dragging her into this?"


    He shrugged. "I''m just a runt; I only know so much. I guess he couldn''t ignore her existence."


    "He could, but he chose not to."


    "I''m not going to question the boss." He turned to leave.


    "Wait, when can I see Grace?"


    "When the boss lets her come to see you." He left and closed the door.


    "Which could be never, I guess. Grace, please be safe. I don''t want to lose another partner."


    I have to find Roger and get out of here. Grace paced around the bedroom, going through as many scenarios in her mind as she could think of. If I broke the door down, it''d draw too much attention, and I''d be captured again. The vent is too small to use to go around. There is no tree near this window, and I''m on the third floor. It''s sad that jumping from the third floor is the best option I can think of.


    "Arg!" She ruffled her hair as she growled. There has to be a way out of this. Think, Grace, think. Roger is probably in the basement, or with the size of this place, he could be in any of the dozens of bedrooms. To find him, I also have to get out of this room. She looked through the window at the balcony. I wonder if I can get over to a different balcony and exit from there. But if I''m on the third floor, that''s extra stairs I might be caught at.


    Grace pushed opened the balcony door and stepped out into the fresh air. The only thing she was certain about was that she had to use the balcony somehow. She looked over and saw another balcony for the room next door, but there was light coming out from the bedroom.


    I guess it''s being used, which means I can''t just jump to the next one over.


    Grace peeked over the side of the balcony and smiled. It was built with offset balconies, so they weren''t all in a line. The ground might''ve been too far, but the balcony below wasn''t.


    Now, to drop down without whoever''s next door noticing. She climbed onto the other side of the balcony railing and bent down. After a deep breath, she grabbed the railing spindles and swung herself slightly as she let go, and dropped down onto the balcony below.


    Thud.


    Yikes, I need to land lighter. At least there''s no one in this room, but this is still too high up.


    Grace looked over the edge again and tried to ready herself for a repeat performance. The balcony below was bigger and spanned multiple door openings.


    Must be to the living room or something. I have to be careful.


    The lights were off in the living room, and since it was getting late, maybe no one would be around.


    Okay, Grace, one more floor, and then I''ll have to be stealthy. I have to get Roger out of here.


    Pulling off the same manoeuvre, Grace dropped to the balcony below.


    Thud.


    Things weren''t the same, though. She had swung down and ran into someone, knocking them over.


    "Damn it all to hell," she cursed and pushed off from them.


    "Arg..." Zain groaned and opened his eyes. "You..." His eyes went wide. "What are you¡ª"


    She rolled away and took off running, checking on the doors along the way until she found an open one.


    If only I wasn''t worried about Roger, I could''ve made a break for it for real.


    "No, you don''t."


    "Ah!" Grace yelped as her arm was yanked back. She automatically swung a fist at him, but he caught it, and crushed her hand a bit before pulling her over his shoulder. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" She pounded on his solid back, ignoring the pain in her hand.


    "I can''t believe you actually dropped down from the balcony above." Zain laughed as he carried her away. "I guess I''ll never know what to expect from you."


    "Arg! Put me down, you big oaf!" She elbowed him in the back of the head as she kicked, hoping to loosen his grip.


    "Ah." He stumbled a step, seeing stars for a moment. He regained his composure fast and growled at her. "Did you forget we have your partner?"


    No, I was trying to get to him!


    "If you don''t be good, we''ll have to take it out on him." Zain slapped her butt hard and kept walking.


    "Ah!" she squeaked out a yelp. "What the hell was that?!"


    "Me taking it easy on you, that''s what. I''m generally against hitting women, but with your behaviour, you deserve to be punished. A good spanking ought to do."


    "Try it and I''ll make sure you''re never truly with a woman ever again." Damn it all to hell! I had one shot to find Roger, and I screwed it up!


    Zain stopped for a moment, ruminating on her words, and cringed. Would she actually do it? From what he''d seen of her so far, he didn''t doubt she was capable of it.


    "Maybe I''ll stick with taking it out on your partner. Now, what shall we do with you?" Zain walked through the halls, heading for her grandfather''s room. "I can''t imagine he''ll be too happy with you right now."


    "Am I supposed to care about that?"


    "Poor Roger; you don''t think about him at all."


    "Tch..." Can I not do anything? Geez... Every chance he gets, he''s going to threaten Roger.


    "I wonder if that means we need to find more than one hostage, or should I say insurance package? Not that you seem close to anyone else. From our findings, he''s the only person you see outside the station since your other grandparents passed."


    "You researched me?"


    "Extensively; we had to be prepared. You didn''t make all of this easy on us, though. It''s a good thing we''re used to being organized."


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    Despite the late time of day, there were still people roaming the halls. They got quite a few odd looks, but no one dared to say anything to Zain about her.


    The man outside of Ray''s office cocked an eyebrow.


    "We need to talk to the boss about her," Zain said.


    "He''s retired for the night. I could wake him, but..."


    Zain sighed. "We both know he doesn''t take well to his sleep being disturbed." He turned to Grace on his shoulder. "What am I supposed to do with you now? We can''t have you running away. We need you to continue the family."


    "Only because of some crappy traditions," Grace mumbled. "You guys should be leaving that in the past. If anything, as a cop, I should be telling you to stop with all the crime in the first place."


    "It''s not like we''re only bad. We''re a family, and we support each other. And we keep even worse people off the streets. We are the protectors of this area. And if you actually knew something about us, you''d know our control over the drugs keeps it safer."


    "It''s drug trafficking! Can you not try to glorify it?"


    "Do you have any idea how many nasty drugs are laced with even worse things that would be out and about if we didn''t have control? Do you know the business we bring to the locals by being here? Do you know how a big mafia family like ours protects¡ª"


    "Can you stop talking to me while I''m on your shoulder?" Geez, I don''t think I''ve ever been this embarrassed since I became a cop.


    "I don''t know. You''re a bit of a flight risk."


    "Don''t I at least deserve to have a dignified conversation with you?"


    Zain rubbed his chin as he thought and looked at the guard, who averted his gaze.


    "And you guys want me to be the next mafia boss wife; I don''t think this would be a good way for the others to see me."


    "I think she has a point," the guard finally spoke up. "Boss lady will need to be seen as strong and in charge, or no one will listen to her. You know how rowdy our bunch can be?"


    "Ha... So troublesome," Zain grumbled. "If I become the next boss, nobody would see this as odd."


    "What makes you think I''d choose a brute like you?" Grace asked as she wriggled around.


    "Because I care the most about this family. I know you''ll have other options, as we try to link to other ones to grow, but I think staying in the family is for the best."


    "Why in the world would you want to link to another one? Couldn''t that mess with your current family?"


    "To make it stronger. And so long as a Bertolottis is in charge, we can keep it the same."


    "I''m not a Bertolottis, I''m a Morris."


    "I hope you''re not too attached to that name, because you''ll legally be a Bertolottis soon enough."


    "Since I''m not signing off and agreeing to it, it''s not legal." Shouldn''t surprise me if they have their people in government offices and whatnot. They''re probably a bigger mafia family than I ever imagined.


    "In the system, it''ll look like you legally changed it."


    "Ugh, seriously, can you let me down? This isn''t comfortable at all." His shoulder was digging into her stomach.


    "Seeing as I can''t leave you alone, I guess we''ll have to bunk together."


    "What?! No way! I''m not sharing a bedroom with you."


    "Does that mean you''d prefer an underground prison bedroom?" Zain asked.


    That should be where Roger is. "Yes."


    "Well, too bad. I can''t trust you to be alone, and I have a feeling most of the other men would have trouble dealing with you." Even he had trouble with her, and he was their best fighter. "So you''re going to have to put up with me being in the same bedroom for now."


    "Dammit," she cursed and slammed her fists on his back again as he headed back upstairs.


    "Thanks for the massage." He laughed and adjusted her on his shoulder.


    "Oof..." He''s being rough on purpose! Arg...


    Zain made his way to her room and tossed her onto the bed.


    "Geez, what am I, a sack of potatoes?" She held onto her spinning head.


    "If you want to be treated like a lady, then act like one."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "Like you''d notice the difference."


    He smirked. "At least you''re aware of your behaviour."


    "There''s no way I''ll be able to sleep with you in here." Or in this room at all, unless I''ve hit a few walls on staying awake. "So please leave."


    "No." He shook his head and sighed, tired of her already.


    "See? Asking nicely doesn''t get me anywhere," Grace growled and threw a pillow at him. It hit him straight in the face and fell to the floor.


    "I''m not your girl friends; I''m not going to have a pillow fight with you." He stepped towards her with a dark glint in his eyes. "If you''re trying to play with me, though, I won''t turn a beauty like you down."


    "I''ll pass." I''d like to give you a knuckle sandwich and knock that smile off your face.


    He pressed his hands into the bed as he leaned in closer. "Let me warn you now, missy; if you keep acting out, you''ll force my hand."


    She leaned in, glaring. "I''m not afraid of you. In case you''ve forgotten, I''m only here because you brought the entire gang to capture me, and you took a hostage."


    "Ha, that''s nowhere near all of us. And I don''t actually need them to beat you, but I was trying to get you here without hurting you, so I kinda had to go a different route. Now, I know I don''t like to hit women, but do I have to prove myself here and now?"


    "You still have a hostage; it wouldn''t be fair." She shoved him away. It took more force than she was expecting to move him, and she ended up shoving herself back.


    "I suppose you''re right, but now you''ve gotten me riled up for a fight." He licked his lips and set his gun aside on the dresser.


    Maybe I should just knock him out and go for Roger. He seems to be the biggest problem, so if he''s out of the picture, I''ll be able to get both of us out.


    Grace stood on the bed. "I guess we should just settle this."


    He combed his hand through his dark hair and chuckled. "Ready when you are, babe."


    "Babe?" Grace''s eye twitched. "You''re going down." She lunged at him.


    He was ready for her. His reach was longer than hers, so he caught her mid-air and threw her back.


    "Ah..." She bounced as she hit the bed and rolled off the side, cursing as she knocked a vase over off the nightstand. Staying low as he rounded the bed, she hooked his ankle with her foot and tripped him.


    The bed caught him, and she tried to run for his gun. He grabbed her arm to yank her away from it, and she twisted around, flipping him over her shoulder.


    Despite landing hard, he latched onto her arm and pulled her down into a crushing bear hug from behind.


    "Frig..."


    "I''ll admit you''re good, but maybe you should fight someone in your own weight class."


    "Don''t you dare look down on me," Grace growled and lifted her arms away from herself as much as she could. She twisted around, breaking his grip, and immediately went for a knee bar.


    "Ah!" Zain yelped in pain.


    The bedroom door slammed open.


    "What is going on in here?!" Ray yelled, having been woken up after people kept hearing noise from her room. He had gotten their head butler to unlock the door for him. His eyes went to Grace and Zain on the floor as she held him in a knee bar.


    Zain tapped on her arm twice, trying to signal to let go, and she tightened her hold. "Arg..."


    "Do I have to repeat myself?"


    Grace''s shoulders jumped, and she accidentally let go. Zain pulled away and got to his feet. "Sorry for the noise, Boss."


    "I didn''t ask for an apology; I asked what was going on!" A vein popped out of his head.


    Zain knew Ray would catch any lie he spewed, so he had only one option. To tell the truth. "I caught her when she tried to escape out the balcony. You had gone to bed, so I brought her back here and stayed to keep guard. She attacked me, and we fought... and ended up like how you saw us."


    "Escaped out the balcony? We''re on the third floor." Ray''s eyes went over to Grace, who was standing off to the side with her arms crossed as she stared at the nightstand to distract herself. "You''re just like your father." He sighed. "Troublesome boy who liked to run off and hide from his duties. He also liked to run away to date your mother. She was a beauty like you, and strong. I can see so much of them in you."


    "Hey, Ray?" Grace wasn''t sure what to call him, but he nodded. "If you wanted your blood to be the next boss, why didn''t you end up bringing your son back here?"


    "I had two children, once upon a time. My second son was willing to take over after he left, but he wasn''t ready and got in over his head. He ended up dead. I thought your father would be safer away from us, but he was killed as well."


    "Doesn''t that mean I''m not safe either way? I think you should rethink this whole mafia heir thing."


    "I have thought about it extensively, and came to the conclusion that I want you here."


    There''s no talking him down from this.


    "You''re a cop; aren''t you used to danger?" Zain asked.


    Grace glared at him. "I feel safer as a cop than with the mafia."


    Ray waved the other people with him away and stepped closer. "I planned to talk to you more later, but I suppose I can''t delay it. In my recent years, I''ve come to realize that I should''ve kept my blood family closer to protect them. You''re the only blood relation I have left and¡ª"


    "That still wouldn''t mean I''d be a mafia princess or whatever. You two do understand I''m a cop, right? And I''m not a corrupt one. I uphold the law, many of which you''ve broken, and I can arrest you for."


    "My sweet granddaughter, you may be clean, but not all cops are. We have people in higher positions than you, who could also take your job away in an instant."


    "Is that a threat?"


    "I''ve already decided you will choose the next leader and take them as your husband, and I''ll do what I have to do to make sure it ends up that way."


    Maybe he''s just a cranky old man set in his ways.


    "I''ve let you roam around on your own long enough. Your place has always been here with me, with the Bertolottis family."


    "Shouldn''t I have a choice in this matter?" Don''t know about being a cop anymore under these circumstances.


    "No; I''ve already named you as my heir. There''s no going back now."


    "Just say you changed¡ª"


    "No," he growled and cleared his throat when she flinched back. "I know you don''t understand this way of life, but I can''t go back on my decision now. Everything is set in place. You will meet your other suitors tomorrow."


    Grace froze as she stared at him. She blinked a few times, and her eyebrow cocked up. "What?"


    "You have three options to choose from between another boss'' son, a current boss ¨C though he''s young still ¨C and our underboss here."


    "You have to be kidding me." Grace glanced at Zain, and he winked at her. "Seriously, just give him the position and leave me alone."


    Ray leaned in close to her. "You seem to be as stubborn as me. While I do admire it, I don''t like people talking back to me like that. I suppose someone like you would have to see our good side to be talked into it, but who knows how long that could take? I guess we''ll have to use the hostage."


    Roger...


    "Fine," Grace huffed and sat down on the bed. "I won''t run away, but I do have a request, grandpa."


    The corner of his mouth quirked up. "What is it?"


    "Let me see Roger. I need to know he''s alive and well."


    "You''ll meet the candidates tomorrow without a fuss if we let you see him?"


    Grace gritted her teeth. "Yes."

 Chapter 5

    Zain and Ray led Grace downstairs to the basement. A chill crept up her arms as they entered, and she shivered.


    "You''re not going to freeze him to death, right?" Grace asked, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms.


    "No, of course not." Ray glanced at Zain. "We''re not used to keeping hostages, let alone keeping them comfortable. I suppose we could turn up the temperature down here, so long as things go well tomorrow."


    Should''ve seen that coming.


    Ray stopped in front of one of the doors with a slit in it to send food trays through. "He''s in here. You have five minutes." Ray nudged his head towards the door, and Zain unlocked it for her. "But I''m keeping the door open."


    "Why? It''s not like Roger would hurt me." She glanced at Zain and headed in.


    "Grace?" Roger practically lunged at her for a hug and then pulled away to check her for injuries. "Are you okay?"


    "Shouldn''t I be asking you that?"


    "I''m a little cold, but otherwise, I''m fine. They feed me, and there''s a bathroom." He pointed at the other door in the room with his thumb.


    "I''m surprised they''d give you all that."


    "We''re not monsters," Ray said. "We use people, but we only want to destroy our enemies. Roger isn''t on that list." And they didn''t want to have to clean up any messes later.


    "Cops aren''t your enemy?" Grace glanced back at him.


    "Only the ones that are after us are our enemies. You''d be surprised how many we''re on good terms with. We tolerate each other''s existence and even work together sometimes."


    I''ve been a cop for years; how have I never noticed that? She shook off her thoughts and turned back to Roger. "I''m sorry about all of this."


    "I''m just glad you''re okay." Roger sighed.


    "I don''t think you have to worry too much about how they''re going to treat me. I''m the boss''s granddaughter; if someone gets out of line, I wouldn''t be surprised if he deals with them."


    "Noted."


    She gave him another hug. "I don''t know how long it''ll take, but I''ll get you out of here," Grace whispered.


    "Don''t do anything reckless, like you tend to. Dammit, I''m going to be worrying even more now since I can''t be beside you."


    "Who normally takes care of whom on the field?" Grace crossed her arms and pursed her lips.


    "Uh... I can''t help it! I''m a worrywart. Am I going to be able to see you regularly? I want to know you''re okay after today as well."


    "I don''t know." If I agree to more of their terms, maybe. "Worry about yourself." She gave him a light shove. "You''re the one being held hostage in a basement."


    Roger paled. "What about work? I don''t think I can vanish for too long without being fired. Kinda sad I''d probably get fired before someone would come looking for me." He pouted.


    "That''s only because I''m the one that would''ve gone looking for you, and I''m here, too."


    "Shouldn''t you have said ''no, that''s not true'', and consoled me?"


    "Since when do I do that?"


    "I have to ask..." Ray interrupted them. "You two aren''t a couple, are you? I checked beforehand, and I know you''re not married, but..."


    "No, we''re not a couple." Grace sighed. "We''re friends; partners, which you know already."


    "It''s just you two seem closer than that."


    "If I said we were, would it make a difference to trying to marry me off?''''


    Ray cringed and looked at Roger, wondering if he''d work as the next boss. "No, I don''t think so. He wouldn''t do well as part of the mafia."


    "And I will?"


    "You''re my blood; of course, you''ll be fine."


    "Ha..."


    "I think that''s been long enough. As you can see, we didn''t hurt him, and so long as both of you continue to behave well, no harm will come to him in the future either." Ray waved her over. "Come along now, Gracy."


    Gracy? I''ll probably have to let him get away with that.


    "When can I see him again?" She stood tall and firm.


    He smirked and nodded. "You already look like a mafia princess. Keep standing tall and confident, but remember, I''m the boss. I give you leeway because you''re my granddaughter, whom I''ve missed dearly, but I expect you to respect me."


    Grace swallowed hard. "You didn''t answer my question."


    "We''ll see. Now come, or Zain will have to pull you out of there."


    Roger gave her another quick hug. "Stay strong, Grace."


    "You, too." She sighed and headed out of his room. At least it''s a real bedroom, not a cell. Although, it wouldn''t surprise me if they had real cells lower down or something.


    They locked the door behind her and ushered her back upstairs.


    "See, we kept him safe," Ray said. "We''re not as horrible as you seem to think. People hear the word ''mafia'' and automatically think ''bad guys'', but that''s not always the case. We''re a tight-knit family who thrives together. Anyway, I''m tired. Goodnight, Gracy." Ray opened his arms and waited.


    Knowing she didn''t have a real choice, she relented and gave him a hug.


    He squeezed her tight and sighed. "You have no idea how glad I am to finally have you in my life," he whispered and backed away.


    "Goodnight." Grace went into her bedroom and closed the door. A foot stopped her door. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m staying here, like I said before. Nothing has changed from earlier. I don''t trust you not to run away." Zain pushed his way in.


    "Whatever. I''m tired, and you''re not sleeping on the bed with me." She glared at him.


    He pointed at the couch. "I wouldn''t mind the bed, but that''ll be enough for me."


    Isn''t he kinda tall for that?


    Zain laid down on the lush couch, his feet hanging over the armrest. "Such a busy, tiring day." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, mafia princess."


    "Goodnight." Grace turned off the light and crawled into bed. She expected to be awake for hours, but the bed was so comfortable that she passed out in a couple of minutes.


    Sunlight shone in through the window, waking Grace from her slumber. She wiggled around a little, too comfortable to want to get up, and then remembered where she was.


    Right... the Bertolottis estate.


    She sighed and sat up, running a hand through her bed-head until she noticed Zain still on the couch.


    He looks cold. I shouldn''t care about that! Ugh...


    Grace quietly slid out of bed and grabbed the light blanket folded up on the dresser. Should I? He''s a bad guy, isn''t he? She got near him with the blanket and couldn''t decide what she wanted to do.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    If I was a worse person, I could just use this blanket to snuff him out, but I''m not, and for some reason, I still don''t hate him. He''s annoying, yes, but I don''t hate him.


    A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her down onto him. He rolled off the couch with her and straddled her on the floor.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Pinning her wrists to the floor, he glared at her.


    "Putting a blanket on you?" Grace didn''t try to resist yet, still baffled that she was caught off guard.


    He looked at the blanket she was still clutching. "Oh, sorry." He got off of her and helped her to her feet. "Automatic reaction." He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. Everything went dark as the blanket landed on his head.


    "Geez." She rubbed her wrists. He''s pretty strong. "Might want to work on that reaction."


    "Considering the number of people that have tried to kill me, I think it''s better this way." He pulled the blanket off and looked at the clock on the wall by the dresser. "Early riser?"


    "Always. Not that there''s anything for me to be up early for now."


    "What would you usually do?"


    "Go for a morning run, before grabbing a shower and eating breakfast. And then I''d head to work."


    "A run?" He nodded. "Been a while, but we can do that."


    "I''m allowed outside? Wait, you said we?"


    "Yes, we; I''ll run with you. And have you seen the size of this estate? It''s big enough to not leave and still get an average morning run in. Even if it wasn''t, we could do laps."


    "But I like the change in scenery."


    "There should be clothes the housemaid chose for you in the closet. I''ll go change out of this suit, too," Zain said as he looked at his suit and left.


    Does this mean I won''t get to choose my clothes either?


    Grace opened the closet doors, and her eyes widened. It was a large walk-in closet. On one side were her own clothes, on the other side were brand new clothes they bought for her.


    Holy crap; they totally robbed me! When''d they have time for that? Oh, right, I didn''t go home that night.


    She went through her things and found her jogging gear to change into.


    Knock, knock. "You ready yet?" Zain asked. "And you better answer, or I''m going to assume you''re up to no good and come in, anyway."


    "Yeah, I''m still here and ready." Grace opened the door.


    "Went with the old stuff? I''m certain we ordered¡ª"


    "Of course, I went with my old stuff that you all looted from my house; it''s mine, so I''m comfortable in them." She pulled out her mp3 player she found on a shelf and waved it around. "I hope you don''t mind, but I always listen to music on my run."


    "As long as you don''t run away, I don''t care what you listen to."


    She pulled out ear buds. "I suppose that''s good, but it''s not like you''ll hear it, anyway."


    Zain rolled his eyes. "Whatever, missy. Let''s go before breakfast is served."


    "Do you guys eat breakfast together or something?"


    "We have a grand dining room that many use, but no, not everyone shows up for the meal. Not everyone in our family lives on the estate."


    "Does that mean I can move out of here eventually?"


    "No. This is the Bertolottis estate; of course, you''ll live here." Not wanting to hear her complain about it, he headed out with her not far behind.


    There were a few people up and about, all of which greeted the two of them as they passed by.


    "Did you guys announce who I am with a picture or something?" Grace asked.


    "You don''t need to know about any of that." Zain held the front door open to her.


    This could be a good opportunity to get a look at how everything is built. Might see another entrance or something.


    She put her ear buds in and waved her hand. "Lead the way."


    "Nice try; we''re sticking closer than that." He grabbed her hand and took off running. "How''s the pace?" He glanced back at her to see her staring at the building and checking out the fence in the distance. "Of course, you''re not paying attention at all."


    Kinda knew they were loaded, but I didn''t think the place would be this big.


    He sped up a little bit, but she didn''t seem to notice, still holding the same pace as him.


    "I guess you''re back in cop mode, taking in every little thing about the estate. Not a bad thing, even as a mobster, but it feels like you lose sight of other things around you. Like me talking, for instance." Zain sighed, wondering why he bothered to say anything at all.


    He noticed a glint in the distance near a few of the trees. Without delay, Zain pulled Grace to him and dove off to the side. They rolled behind a nearby wall.


    Bang!


    "What the hell?!" Grace yelled and struggled in his arms. "Wait... what was that?"


    "You''re a cop; I''m sure you recognize that sound."


    "But..." Grace paled, realizing it was gunfire. Were they aiming at me or Zain? Wait, he saved me?


    Zain pulled out his phone and called the family for help. "Stay here," Zain said and pulled out the gun he always carried. He leant against the nearby wall and looked around, careful not to put himself into their sightline.


    "As if I''d stay put," Grace muttered and reached for her gun. It wasn''t there. She forgot they had taken it from her. Dammit... I can''t just stand around letting him protect me!


    Zain took a deep breath and peeked around the corner.


    Bang!


    He retreated right before a shot landed a bit around the corner. "So they stayed. That''s bold. I guess they''re serious."


    "Any idea who it is?"


    "Could be quite a few people. More than likely, it''s a rival family."


    "Are they after you or me?"


    "No clue."


    "Do you have a spare gun?" She held her hand out, hoping he''d give her one.


    "Not on me, no, not that''d I''d want to trust you with a gun yet."


    "So you will eventually?"


    Zain shrugged. "Now''s not really the time to talk about this. We''re sitting ducks here, and unless you have a mirror I can use, I need a different spot."


    "No, sorry."


    "Boss!" A younger man with dark hair hopped out from the window above, landing softly beside them. "We''ve got people on both sides of the shooter."


    "Both? Ran, there''re four directions. Split the teams more; we have to catch them."


    "Yes, sir," Ran said, his phone out, and sending out mass texts to the family that was out in the field searching.


    Grace''s eyes went to Ran''s belt, where she saw a gun.


    Time to hunt. Grace snatched his gun and dove behind a tree across from the path before anyone could reach for her.


    "Dammit, Ran; you let her get your gun!" Zain yelled at him.


    "Sorry, sir."


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing, Grace? Get back here where it''s safer!"


    "Good luck with that." Grace had her back to a tree and held onto Ran''s gun, ready to shoot. She looked over at the bullet hole in the wall. So, the shooter is in that direction. She rushed to the next tree.


    Bang! Another shot went off and tree bark went flying.


    Frig... She flinched and took another breath to steady herself.


    Thump. A dark shadow loomed over her. Zain had followed her over and thumped his fist on the tree above her head.


    "Crazy woman, what are you thinking?"


    "I''m thinking I need to catch the culprit, and I probably have more experience with a gun than the kid."


    "Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "How much of that was field experience, though? Ever shot to kill?"


    Grace ignored him and dashed to the next tree, slowly getting closer to the shooter. A couple of their members were getting closer on the sides.


    No shot went off.


    They might be on the move now that we''re closing in on them.


    Grace took a chance and ran a couple of trees closer to where they were.


    Still no more attacks.


    The bush near her tree shook, and someone came jumping out.


    Bang! Grace shot the gun out of their hands, and they screamed out in pain. Another shot went off, shooting past her. Blood splattered, and the assailant dropped to the ground, clutching their thigh as they cried out in pain.


    "Have to make sure they can''t run away," Zain said from behind her. "Bring him in," he instructed their nearby men.


    Grace turned around to face him. "Was that necessary? I already disarmed him." Now who knows how much damage is done?


    "Are you seriously sympathizing with someone who tried to kill you?"


    "I''m a cop; we''re taught a certain way."


    "And we know better. We don''t have the luxury of trying to keep people alive and as unharmed as possible. He''s probably just the start of whoever is after us. We need to find out who he works for so we can prepare ourselves."


    "What are you going to do to him?" Grace cringed as she thought about it.


    "You''re a smart girl; I''m sure you can figure it out without me explaining everything to you."


    "I... I can''t condone this type of behaviour." How am I supposed to come to terms with this? The drug trafficking was bad enough.


    "Does it matter? You''ll be knee-deep in all of this soon enough. You''ve been here a day and already shot someone."


    "In case you didn''t notice, they only got nicked by me compared to what you did."


    "It''s a start," he chuckled. "The Bertolottis family goes back quite a few generations, and we have our hands in all sorts of things."


    "What if I try to stop you from the inside?" What kind of idiot asks that?! Grace berated herself.


    He burst out laughing. "Good luck with that. There''s a reason we''ve been around so long. No one can pin stuff on us; we have people in high places, and most upper staffing know not to mess with us. Besides, would you have it in you to send your old grandfather to jail? Would you have it in you to stop all the good we do as well?"


    "You keep acting like you''re not all bad¡ª"


    "We''re not. Maybe you should look into our charity work. We''re the ones that helped the southern part of the city when that flood displaced so many people. We''re the ones fixing up the parks, and keeping the orphanages up and running."


    "With dirty money."


    "I don''t think you should care about where the money comes from when it comes to certain things. The number of businesses that would go under and the number of people that would be on the streets without us is probably unimaginable to you, miss copper, so think before you do something stupid. Now, let''s go. I don''t know if there''s anyone else out here." He nudged her along.


    They''re into charity? Don''t be swayed by them!


    "The cops don''t actually have good control of the area, so we end up picking up their slack," Zain continued.


    Can''t trust anything this man says. I am a cop; I know we struggle, but we do a lot of good here.


    "Stop ignoring all the bad you do," Grace huffed and headed inside.


    "Do you really think the bad outweighs the good?" Zain followed her.


    "Grace!" Ray came rushing up to her. "Are you okay? I heard what was going on and came home as fast as I could. Don''t worry." He rested his hands on her shoulders. "I''ll make sure that man, and whoever sent him, will never have the chance to hurt you again."


    The dark glint in his eyes made her shudder.


    "Uh... I''m not all that worried about it." Grace swallowed hard.


    "I was also informed of your bravery, which I commend, but I don''t want you in harm''s way."


    "R¡ª Er... Grandpa, I''m the best marksman in the division; you can''t expect me to hide away."


    "You''re at the top of our chain; you don''t need to get your hands dirty¡ª"


    "This has no chance of working if you''re going to keep treating me like some defenceless little girl. I''m an adult who can take care of herself."


    "So it seems, but you should at least hold back until you''re used to this world. Zain, deal with the man while I have breakfast with my granddaughter," Ray said and led Grace into the dining room.


    "Gladly." Zain cracked his knuckles and headed to the holding area.

 Chapter 6

    "You''re having a party to introduce me?" Grace nearly dropped her fork as she gaped at her grandfather on the other side of the table. "Why would you do that? Wouldn''t that put me in more danger?" Not sure it matters at this point, anyway.


    "While our family knows about you, I want a proper introduction, and I want everyone to know exactly who you are, and that I won''t tolerate anyone messing with you. We will also introduce you to your candidates for your future husband and the future boss of the Bertolottis family," Ray explained.


    "I guess we''re not keeping this arrangement between the people involved, then." It''ll get around that I''m with the mafia now, and it''s not like I have the time or the option to say no or at least delay it. But if the cops are already corrupt and filled with mafia members, does that mean no one would care, and I can continue to be a cop?


    "It''ll only be people in two other mafia families; the ones with someone looking for your hand."


    "Did you plan all this before kidnapping me, or can you organize something like this that quickly?"


    "While we are an organized crime syndicate and can get together quickly, I''ve been thinking about you and planning this for months. I had to find the right people for you."


    "What makes you think they''re right for me?" Shouldn''t I get to decide that?


    He set his fork down and sat straight up. "Do you doubt me?"


    "To be fair, I don''t know you."


    "I suppose, but I have an entire mafia family that relies on me on a daily basis. I have to keep us safe, strong, thriving, and together. I know how to read people. I know how to judge people. I know who would make a good leader."


    "But you don''t know what I''d look for in a husband."


    Ray sighed. "I''ve kept more of an eye on you your entire life than you know. I know what few boyfriends you''ve had over the years, none of which ended all that well. Some people find it hard to deal with a smart, strong woman, but I''ve found people who can match you."


    Can''t say I''m not intrigued. When was the last time I even went on a date? "But didn''t you say Zain was one of the options? I understand he''s your underboss, but I don''t think we get along well."


    "Funny, you two seem to work well together, from what I heard. You two took the shooter down before the other men even had a real chance to try."


    Information goes fast around here. "We didn''t really work together on that. He shot him in the leg after I disarmed him."


    "Sounds like teamwork to me, and he did save you."


    "That part... is true." Grace sighed. "But to be fair, I wouldn''t be shot at by them if I wasn''t kidnapped and brought here in the first place."


    His expression darkened. "I didn''t want to ever tell you this, but that''s not true. You''ve had more people after you than you know, but I had people around to protect you. You never noticed, did you? Even while you were out on your job, I had someone following so they could protect you."


    "I''ve been being stalked this whole time, and I never noticed?" Grace shuddered, wondering how much they''d seen of her embarrassing behaviour.


    "I wouldn''t call it stalked; I call it protected. They are professionals who made sure to stay out of your life unless absolutely necessary. You''ve even met one before, but they didn''t let you know, and I took them off that task after the incident. I didn''t want you to recognize them."


    "So I''ve been saved before? By who?"


    "Does it matter? It was in the past and under orders."


    I don''t think he likes me asking questions. I guess that makes sense, considering he''s a mob boss and all. Grace sighed and stared at the half-eaten pancakes sitting in front of her.


    "What''s wrong, Gracy?"


    "Is that a real question?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You pop up out of nowhere and basically uproot my life; what do you think is wrong? I don''t know you, grandpa, and worse, you''re a mob boss. Why''d you resort to kidnapping instead of talking to me?"


    "Are you saying you would''ve come here otherwise?"


    "No, but we could''ve had a familial relationship before this, though." I wouldn''t have been left alone after my other grandparents died.


    "You''re right; I''m sorry, but there''s no going back in time. There''s no changing the choices I''ve already made, and the time that''s passed, so all I can do is look to the future, which I''m hoping you will be a large part of."


    Hoping? I don''t have a choice. Poor Roger. "Can I ask you for something?"


    "Anything other than taking away you being my heir."


    "Can you let me see Roger every day? Or at least let him out for some fresh air. I''m worried he''ll rot down there."


    Ray chuckled. "You care for your friend quite a bit." He nodded. "I don''t know about every day, but as long as you''re escorted by someone capable, like Zain, you can visit him. As for letting him go outside, that''s more of a risk. I''d rather you be married and settled into the family before letting him out."


    "Even if it''s just for a walk around the estate?"


    "Even so."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Damn. "You said you have people on the force already; will you let me go back to my job as a cop?"


    "We''ll see how things go. For now, you''re not to leave the estate."


    "And none of this seems crazy to you?"


    Ray shook his head. "Things could be much worse, and this was the only path I saw working."


    "In your favour, at least."


    "Yes, working in my favour."


    "Aren''t you two too serious for a mere breakfast conversation?" an older woman asked, coming in from the adjoining kitchen.


    "You''re right, Mary, as usual."


    Grace''s eyes trailed over to Mary, who was wearing an apron with plenty of pockets and a few holes.


    "Mary, this is my granddaughter, Grace," Ray introduced them. "Mary is the cook, housekeeper, and basically a chatelaine who keeps this place and the rowdy boys in line."


    "Yes, yes, I''ve heard about you. I''m glad to have another woman in this place; there aren''t enough of us around." Mary sighed and approached Grace. "Come to me if you need anything." She patted Grace on the shoulder.


    "Thank you." Okay, maybe not everyone here is bad.


    "I''m basically a den mother in this place." She sighed. "If anyone gives you trouble, let me know."


    "I will. Thank you."


    "Then again, I heard you even gave Zain a run for his money. He''s a tough nut to handle, but a good egg in the long run."


    "I wonder about that," Grace muttered. He saved me, but that''s a part of his job.


    "Mary here is also the one who filled your closet with new clothes and chose out a dress for tonight."


    "I have to wear a dress?" When''s the last time I wore one?


    "It''s a party; I want you looking your best."


    "I think I look best in my uniform."


    Ray shook his head and sighed. "I have no intention of letting everyone know you''re a cop."


    "Really picking and choosing what information you tell the others, aren''t you?"


    "Naturally."


    "Even though you''re hoping I''ll marry one of these men?"


    "The ones I chose know the truth, and they''re okay with it."


    "Have you thought about the fact that I won''t be okay marrying a criminal?"


    "You won''t have to get involved with the criminal activity; only your husband will be as the new boss. Don''t worry, I''ll show them all the ropes and make sure they know what lines we Bertolottiss don''t cross."


    "So, there are lines we don''t cross? What is our family involved in?"


    "You''re not going to like it either way, with how high and mighty you seem about doing the right thing, but fine; we''ll talk about it. I''ll start with how we have many storefronts, but they are all legit. We deal in drugs and arms as well, but a lot of money comes from pizzo."


    No surprise there; most mafia live off protection money, right?


    "Our main profits are from a casino with an underground black market."


    I feel like the more I know, the harder it''d be to even attempt to get away.


    "You won''t like the sound of it, but we do something others would see as human trafficking."


    "Excuse me?" Her expression darkened.


    "But we help the girls who are being trafficked already find a way out. We also train them in manners and whatnot, and offer those who want it, marriage to men who are looking for a wife. You''d be surprised how many rich folk around have trouble finding someone."


    "So... You''re still selling them?"


    "Some of them into marriage, but only if they agree to it. Don''t give me that look. We research everyone who comes looking for a wife to know if they''re an abuser or not. We might be on the rough side, but we''re not into abusing our spouse, or kids, or anything like that. Still, we like having a way to continue and profit." He motioned with his hands towards their surroundings.


    I suppose it''s not ''that'' bad. Damn; I''m already looking the other way! Tainted cop in such a short time. "You''re not going to force me to learn special manners or anything, are you?"


    "No; you''re fine the way you are. Besides, you''re a mafia princess now; who''s going to have the gull to complain about you?"


    "Zain, I imagine, or whoever you''re trying to marry me off to."


    "You make it sound like I''ve set everything up already. I am letting you choose from the best of the bunch."


    "The best? And yet they''re all a part of the mafia."


    "Of course they are. How else would we strengthen our family?"


    "Fine, if that''s the case, then why is Zain one of the options? He''s already a part of this family, so shouldn''t he be out of the question?"


    "Zain would strengthen us within, and technically, he came from a different family."


    Grace thought about it for a moment. "Are you sure he''d want to be used for this family, then? And why is he here?"


    "He''s already agreed to be one of the candidates."


    I have a feeling there''s more to this than he wants to say.


    "You''re such a curious woman, just like your mother." He chuckled, a small smile playing on his face.


    "Did you like her? I mean, were you against those two being together?"


    "I liked her. She was a smart, strong woman such as yourself. Despite what they may have thought, I was never against them marrying." He sighed, his eyes down-turned.


    From the looks of it, he probably saw her as a daughter, anyway. Too much care in that expression. I suppose even mafia members aren''t so cold when it comes to their real family.


    He looked at the clock on the wall. "It seems I no longer have time for food, so I''ll be off. I''ll see you soon, Gracy." Ray left and Zain slid into his place.


    "Asking about me?" He smirked and picked up Ray''s fork. "Why waste food, right?"


    "Shouldn''t I? Potential partner... And I agree with you there." Grace slowly started to eat her pancakes again. "It''s best not to waste."


    His eyes didn''t leave her as he ate.


    "Do you have to stare so much?" Grace muttered.


    "I can''t help it; you''re such an interesting creature."


    "What did you call me?!" she snapped at him.


    He laughed. "I''m joking. I was lost in thought, and you''re fun to tease."


    "Ugh... When can I see Roger?"


    Zain''s expression dropped. "Might not want to keep seeing him."


    "Why''s that? We''re friends."


    "You see him as a friend, but I''m not so sure on the other way around."


    "He knows we''re just friends. What does that matter, anyway?"


    "You don''t understand men, do you? Some of us, especially in this industry, get jealous easily, and won''t take well to you running off to see some other man on a daily basis." Zain finished off the pancakes and set the fork down.


    "Is this your way of trying to warn me about how you are? You didn''t seem too keen on Roger being around in the first place."


    "Yes, and I think the other two candidates are even worse that way."


    Right... there''re two people I don''t know yet. "How am I supposed to choose someone? What if I don''t like any of the choices? Is he still going to make me choose the next leader?"


    "I can''t really speak for the boss, but it''s possible. He might make the choice for you."


    Grace leaned forward and stared into his eyes. "And there''s no way out of this?"


    "The only way out of the mafia is..." Zain trailed off and dragged his thumb across his neck. "Is death."


    "How nice for me." Maybe I should fake my death and move to a different country. Who am I kidding? He''d probably figure it out somehow and track me down again.


    "You realize you won''t have too much to do for the mafia, Miss Princess?"


    "Please stop calling me that. In case you haven''t noticed, I''ve never been, nor will I ever be, a princess."


    "You''re the boss'' granddaughter; by default, you are."


    "Ugh... So, anyway, what am I actually supposed to do here? I''m not used to sitting around doing nothing."


    "Not going to spend hours getting ready for the party?"


    "Hours? Why would it take so long?"


    Zain shrugged. "You''d be surprised how long some people take to get ready." He hummed as he thought. "I''d love to take you to the orphanage we sponsor, but you''re not allowed off the estate yet."


    "Even though you have a hostage?" I guess if I''m stuck here for life, the least I could do is use their resources for something good. An orphanage sounds likes a good place for that, but how do you make things better for them all?


    "Don''t worry; you''ll be able to leave later, it''s just for a little while."


    "Well, if there''s nothing to do, and you won''t let me see Roger, I might as well go back to my room."


    "I think even I''d get bored stuck in there all day." Zain scratched his chin as he thought.


    "I''m not going anywhere; I don''t need a babysitter." She tried to shoo him away.


    "Too bad."

 Chapter 7

    Zain stuck to Grace like glue as she roamed around the estate, even outside, but not past the gate.


    "Don''t you have better things to do?" Grace groaned.


    "Generally, yes, but this is my job at the moment," Zain replied.


    "Why are you staring at me now?"


    "Because I''m surprised you''d come out here after what happened earlier. You don''t even seem that shaken up."


    "It''s not the first time I''ve been shot at, and I doubt it''ll be the last."


    "True, but still; even others who have been in the mafia for a long time can get anxious for a while after an incident. They usually get paranoid and jump at every little thing, but you barely react when I try to startle you."


    "About that. Could you not try to startle me? It won''t do anyone any good."


    "We''ll see." Zain looked at his watch. "Time to get back or Mary will want to kill me." He nudged her back towards the house. "At least I let you go outside."


    I feel like a dog he took on a walk. And I didn''t get to find out much about this place; only that it''s huge inside and out. Really wish I could give him the slip. She had tried a few times, but he always seemed to find her in no time at all.


    "Quit dragging your feet. You need to get ready for the party." Zain nudged her again. "Don''t make me carry you there; you know you don''t like being carried like a sack of potatoes."


    She jerked away from his hand. "I''m going, I''m going," Grace huffed and sped up. Definitely not choosing this one. What if the others are worse, though?


    They headed upstairs and stopped when they spotted Mary in the hall, hands on her hips, and tapping her foot.


    "Where were you two?" Mary pointed at them. "I was expecting you to be here an hour ago, and now we have to rush before the party starts."


    "Uh... Didn''t know the timing for it, sorry." Grace''s cheek twitched when she tried to force a smile. Terrifying, like an angry mother is.


    "I''ll be right out here. You two have fun." Zain hummed and leant against the wall.


    "Don''t you have to get ready too or something?"


    Zain adjusted his tie. "If you haven''t noticed, I''m always well-dressed and ready for a sophisticated party."


    It''s a mafia party; how sophisticated can it be?


    Mary took her hand and guided her into her room. Lying on her bed was a beautiful, wine-coloured sleeveless dress. A pair of matching high-heels sat on the floor nearby.


    "Uh... Do I have to wear that?" Grace pointed at it.


    "Of course. Is there''s something wrong with it? Do you dislike my tastes?"


    "Oh, no, no; it''s not that. It''s just... that looks form-fitting." And not easy to move in. I like being able to manoeuvre without worrying I''m going to rip something. "Like it''ll really hug me."


    "It will, and the good thing is, you have the body for it." Mary poked her stomach. "Unlike me, you''re quite firm. You must either work out or have amazing metabolism. Considering your job, I''d say you try to keep in shape."


    "You''re right about that. I generally put in a fair amount of time every week at the nearby gym. I''m going to miss that."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "The family owns a gym too, you know? I''m sure once things have settled, you''ll be able to use it."


    "But how long will that take? How long will they keep Roger locked up as a hostage?" Grace huffed and sat down on the bed beside the dress. "All this change is so overwhelming, and it doesn''t feel like it''ll get better anytime soon."


    "You''ll get used to it, and things will get better, eventually. Now, are you going to change, or do you need help?"


    "Uh... I''ll change." Grace swallowed hard.


    "You look gorgeous." Mary clapped as she admired her own work on Grace.


    Thankfully, only a little makeup, but I feel so uncomfortable despite the nice fabric. I feel too... exposed. "Can we have something that is thicker or covers more? How about a jacket to put over it?"


    "That would ruin the look."


    "But..." Grace trailed off at the glare Mary was giving her.


    "I put a lot of thought and effort into this dress; you will wear it."


    "Effort?"


    "I made it especially for you for today."


    Grace frowned as she thought about it. "Wait... When did you have time to make this? And why does it fit? I haven''t had my measurements taken."


    Mary was about to leave before saying anything, but Grace stepped in her way.


    "What''s going on?"


    Mary sighed and rubbed her temples. "Ahem, much like the party tonight, everything has been planned for a while. We acquired your measurements through the place you had your uniform tailored."


    "As in stole it." Shouldn''t be surprised at all, but I didn''t know they kept that on file. "You understand this is creepy, right?"


    "I know, but how else were we supposed to get measurements? I don''t think you''d let us willingly take your measurements, and it took longer to bring you here than they anticipated."


    "I know you''re not the one that orchestrated it, but I''m still peeved." She pointed at Mary.


    "Getting angry at her won''t do you any good." Zain opened the door.


    "Wasn''t that locked?"


    Zain stopped in his tracks when he saw her. "Damn..." His eyes trailed slowly down her. "I didn''t expect you to look this good."


    "Um... Thanks?" Grace turned away from him. "What are you doing here?"


    "You can leave," he said to Mary, and closed the door behind her. Zain approached Grace, who was staring in the mirror, and stood right behind her.


    She glanced at him in the mirror. "What do you want?"


    "Ouch, such hostility." He held his hand over his heart. "And here I brought you something to help you feel safer in that lion''s den."


    Grace''s eyes narrowed. "What would that be?" That can''t be good, can it? It''s not like he''d trust me with a real weapon yet.


    He pulled out a lace thigh holster from the bag she hadn''t noticed he was carrying, small handgun included.


    Her eyes widened, and she turned to face him. "You got me a gun?"


    "Wow, such a sparkle in your eyes now. Was worth it to fight for you to get this."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "The boss said you didn''t need it, and it''s a risk, but considering the guests, I''d say you''re better off with a way to protect yourself. That said, I know you''ve always got your fists and know how to use''em."


    "Just my fists? More like my whole body."


    "Touch¨¦."


    "Thank you for getting it for me." She reached out to take it, and he held it away. "What are you doing?"


    "Let me put it on for you." He knelt down and tapped his thigh, telling her to put her foot on him.


    "Are you kidding? I can''t let you do that." She went to step back, and he grabbed her ankle.


    "I insist." He pulled her foot onto his lap, and she had to resist the urge to kick him. He slid the lace holster up her leg, pushing the dress up as she bit her lip. Zain got up to her thigh.


    "Oh!" She clamped a hand over her mouth and twitched back.


    He glanced up at her and smirked. "Sensitive spot? Good to know." He chuckled and adjusted the holster to sit properly. He grazed his fingers just above the lace on her inner thigh.


    She twitched again. This time, she kicked him away, flat on his butt. "What the hell was that?"


    Zain rubbed his stomach and laughed. "I couldn''t help myself; I was in sweet, forbidden territory."


    The red on her cheeks deepened. I should''ve known he''d try something! But seriously, why''d my body have to respond?! "I think you need to learn how to keep your hands to yourself."


    He stood and brushed his suit off. "Well, I could''ve, but why would I want to? I definitely got something out of it."


    Grace glared up at him. "Careful there; you might end up getting yourself hurt if you keep doing that."


    He smirked. "I don''t mind; it''s worth it."


    "Are you like this with all women or what?" Grace huffed and smoothed her dress down.


    "Only you, it seems; most other women aren''t as fun to tease."


    "I don''t think teasing¡ª"


    "We should head to the party now," Zain cut her off, and offered up his arm.


    Time to face the music, I guess. "From a tease to a gentleman," Grace mumbled and took his arm. "Where is it taking place, anyway?"


    "Where? Didn''t I tell you?"


    "No; otherwise, why would I ask?"


    "It''s here in the grand hall."


    "Are you guys crazy or cocky? Who the hell invites other mafia families into your home? And since when is there a grand hall?"

 Chapter 8

    "You weren''t kidding about this place..." Grace trailed off as she looked around the grand hall with its arched ceiling made of glass, and a stage with light live music. Waiters were going around, giving out drinks to the dozens of small tables spread throughout. "Who the hell has this in their house?"


    "The rich and powerful. It comes in handy for times like this," Zain said as he leaned in close, his hand at her waist. "He doesn''t host too many parties, but I still suggest you get used to it."


    "Do I have to dress like this every time?"


    "What''s wrong with the way you''re dressed? You''re the most gorgeous woman in the room; revel in it."


    Everything went dark, and a spotlight lit up the stage where Ray was standing.


    "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining me for the special occasion. As you all have been informed, I''ve finally reunited with my granddaughter, and I''d like to introduce her to you all."


    Are you kidding me?!


    "Please welcome Grace Bertolottis." He waved his hand towards her. A spotlight landed on her and everyone clapped.


    Bertolottis? My dad took my mom''s last name, so my last name is Morris.


    Grace froze when she realized everyone was looking at her.


    "What are you waiting for? Go up there." Zain nudged her.


    "Are you crazy?" She shrunk back.


    "Hmm..." He had noticed how strong she was, but this was something he didn''t expect. "Not one for the spotlight, princess? Don''t worry; I''ll help you out."


    Zain all but dragged her to the stage, up beside Ray. Ray wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Her eyes swept through the crowd, the faces blurring as her heart raced.


    "She is going to be a big part of the future of the Bertolottis family. We all know I''m getting up there in years¡ª"


    "You''re still young!" someone in the audience yelled.


    "Ha, ha, thank you, but my joints tell me otherwise. Grace here is the future. She is my blood, and she will choose the next head of the family. Now, before you rowdy boys try to woo and fight over my beautiful granddaughter, I will have to inform you all that three candidates have already been selected. Vincent Moretti." A spotlight landed on a well-dressed man with his coat hanging off from his shoulders. "Floyd Russo." Another spotlight landed on the other side of the grand hall, on a young man with his hair dyed white and a smug smirk. "And our very own, Zain Kuros." After each name, they clapped, and some cheered.


    At Zain''s name, it seemed like the whole Bertolottis family cheered.


    I guess we know who they want. And why is he making this a big spectacle?


    Grace''s vision wavered, and the sound of the crowd lulled into the background.


    "Good luck to you boys, and please remember, I can revoke it any time. Time to drink and relax," Ray ended and grabbed a glass of wine for himself.


    "Grace?" Zain led her offstage. She missed a step, and Zain grabbed hold of her before she could fall. "Grace?" he called to her again and waved his hand in front of her face.


    "Hmm?" Grace glanced up at him.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I think I need... some air..." she huffed. "Just a little dizzy."


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t think you have time for that." He nudged his head towards the two other candidates, who came over to introduce themselves personally.


    Floyd got there first. He trailed his eyes along her and nodded. "I think I can work with this..."


    "Excuse me? What kind of introduction is that?" Grace frowned.


    "Are you saying you don''t already know who I am?"


    "Should I?"


    His eyes widened, and then he smiled. "As your grandfather said; I''m Floyd Russo, your future husband."


    "That''s yet to be determined."


    "You''ll come around to my charm soon enough; they always do."


    "They who?"


    He tilted his head to the side. "Women, of course."


    Zain turned away, holding his stomach, his shoulders shaking as he held back a laugh.


    "I''m not interested in the charm you use on other women." She crossed her arms and held her back straight.


    "My apologizes." He gave her a small bow. "I wasn''t taking into account who I was talking to."


    "She''s out of your league, boy." a tall, blonde man approached and knelt down in front of her. "Vincent Moretti." He kissed the back of her hand. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Grace. I hope we''ll get to know each other well soon." He gazed up at her with lidded eyes.


    Her heart skipped a beat. Are we sure he''s a part of the mafia? Rings more like a prince... Not sure what to say, she nodded.


    He rested his hand lightly on her shoulder. "How about we get a drink, just the two of us?" Vincent suggested. "And then we can talk on the balcony away from the crowd."


    "Fresh air sounds good to me." She took his offered arm.


    "Ahem," Floyd cleared his throat. "I don''t think you can monopolize her during the party like that."


    "Can''t I?" Vincent smirked at him and brushed past as they headed for the balcony. They exited through the glass door, and she rushed up to the railing to take a deep breath.


    "Thank you," she sighed and glanced back at him. Behind him, Zain was standing guard by the glass door. "I''m not one for crowds or spotlights." Can''t say I haven''t had to deal with some before, but this felt way different.


    "You''re welcome." He gently brushed her hair back. "I''m going to grab us some drinks. I''ll be right back."


    "Okay." Grace nodded and turned her attention to the sky above and the fresh, crisp air.


    "You''re not going to jump over again, are you? It''d be easier this time since we''re on the first floor." Zain laughed.


    "What good would it do me? And what are you doing out here? Vincent will be back soon."


    "I wouldn''t put it past you to run again and try to break your friend out. Not that it would help you any. If you somehow managed that, we''d just bring you back, and maybe maim your friend so you wouldn''t try again."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "I know that already. I''m trapped here." Even if I managed to get Roger out, I''d stay behind, and he''d be safe. They don''t need a hostage if I''m here willingly.


    "You''ll break your grandfather''s heart if you don''t change your attitude, eventually."


    Grace bit back her response. She may not know much about him yet, or agree with his ways, but he was still family; the only family she had left. Maybe he''d even talk about her parents, who her other grandparents didn''t want to talk about. It was too hard on them, the loss of their daughter and son-in-law.


    "I guess you''ve already figured that out, haven''t you? He may seem rough around the edges, but there is a gooey centre wishing he could pamper you like grandparents do, especially since he''s missed out on your life."


    "Z, what are you doing here? I don''t think we need a chaperone." Vincent came back with two glasses of wine. "Do we, Grace?"


    "Uh... No," she hesitated, feeling more comfortable with Zain nearby.


    "I''ll be close. Yell if you need anything." Zain went back to the grand hall, but they could see him through the door.


    "Just arrived recently and already got yourself a guard dog?" Vincent held the glass up to her. "At least he''s a strong one."


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    "More like a watchdog. Thanks." She took the drink. "You called him, Z; are you two friends or something?"


    "We''ll stick with ''or something'' on that one. Our paths have crossed a number of times, but not always in a good way, and not all in bad ways, either."


    "Sounds complicated."


    "Indeed, it is, as many mafia relationships are."


    "I see." She sipped on the wine, and her eyes widened a bit. "Mmm, this is good."


    "Agreed." He leaned on the railing beside her, sipping on his own drink. "So, you''re a cop, right?"


    Grace froze. It shouldn''t be surprising if he knows. If he''s a candidate, it makes sense, but why is he asking?


    Vincent chuckled. "Of course, we know as much; we are marriage candidates, after all. I don''t think it would work well if you married someone who didn''t know and caused trouble down the line. I have to ask, are you planning on continuing as a cop?"


    "I want to, but I don''t know if I can."


    "Oh? Why not?"


    "Because then I''ll be expected to look the other way when the mafia does something illegal, and as a cop, I don''t know if I can do that. It wouldn''t feel right."


    "But you love it, don''t you?"


    "Well, yes, but how did you know?"


    He pointed at her face and swirled his hand around. "Your expression and how serious you''re taking everything. I''d hate to take away something like that from you."


    "I''m here regardless, and I don''t see any way out of the situation."


    Vincent nodded. "Ray must''ve dragged you in unwillingly, I assume. I guess the old goat thinks his time is up soon." He stared up at the cloudy sky as he thought. "Our union would connect two strong mafia families."


    "But aren''t you already a leader? How would that even work? I know he doesn''t want to get rid of the Bertolottis family¡ª"


    "I''m not looking to absorb them into the Moretti family, but rather connect us as comrades and a bigger family."


    "You can''t really be the boss of both, though, can you?"


    He smiled at her. "I''m up for that challenge, but really, why wouldn''t you run it?"


    "I... I can''t do that." Ray wants a man to run it, anyway. Not that I want to take over.


    "Can''t take over and can''t go back to being a cop. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place."


    "No kidding." Grace sighed. "I don''t know what to do, and if I don''t end up choosing, he''ll eventually make the choice for me." Why am I telling him so much? He''s a mafia boss!


    He rested his hand on top of hers on the railing and gazed into her eyes. "Maybe we can still come up with another solution."


    His hands are so big and warm. Don''t get distracted!


    He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb.


    "L-like what?" Grace swallowed hard.


    "Well, I am quite capable, so I think I could run both families, as one big one, and yet everyone can keep their family name. I can keep all criminal activities away from you, and you can continue as a cop."


    "But if someone from one of our families is arrested or under investigation, I won''t be able to look the other way."


    "I''d never ask you to. A good girl like you probably doesn''t belong in this world, but you don''t choose your family."


    Grace eyed him. Seems too good to be true, so he probably is. "You''re not going to say we should get married and divorce later so you can keep the bigger family, or you''d try to disband the Bertolottiss, right?"


    "Aren''t you an over-thinker?"


    "Always am."


    "No, I didn''t have any nefarious plans like that. If we divorced, I''d probably lose a lot of your family to it, and it''d defeat the purpose. I''m looking to strengthen ties, not break them. What good would it do to disband the Bertolottis family? Not that I could; they''d probably regroup and continue. These families are ''organized crime'', you know? We don''t fall apart that quickly."


    "Even if you temporarily disbanded them, it would be enough to take over their territories and probably even their fronts¡ª"


    "I think you underestimate how feared and revered your grandfather is. It''d be a disservice to him to do something like that, and the other families would be after me for it, too. He has many alliances, which is what keeps some of the peace here."


    Grace went silent and downed the rest of her drink.


    "You probably have a lot to learn, but from what I can tell, based on your thinking patterns, you''d do well in this industry."


    She glanced at him with furrowed brows.


    He held his hands up. "I''m just saying you seem like an amazing woman. If anything, I''d like to see you in uniform." He couldn''t fight off a smile as he imagined it.


    "I''m not sure it''d be a good thing if you see me in uniform, because that might mean I''m out to arrest you." She held her glass up to him. "I have to use the bathroom. Excuse me."


    "Sure thing..." Vincent watched her head into the grand hall and smirked. "What an interesting firecracker."


    "Where''s the closest bathroom?" Grace asked Zain.


    Zain pointed across the way to the door leading to a nearby hall. "It''s through the door on the right side. I''ll show you."


    "I''ll be fine. Thank you, anyway."


    Zain grabbed her arm before she could leave. "I''m still keeping an eye on you, and today, I''m also your bodyguard, so I should¡ª Ow!" he yelped when she bent his finger back.


    "I''ll be back soon enough; quit worrying." Grace took off, weaving through the crowd until she exited into the hallway. She turned right and saw two doors with gender symbols on it. Inside there were multiple sinks and stalls.


    Who has this in their house?! Then again, I still have no idea how many people live in this mansion... estate... whatever...


    She used the bathroom and splashed water on her face.


    This is all too insane. This place, these people; how am I supposed to live this way? I miss my home. I miss work. I miss Roger. Ugh. Get a hold of yourself! She splashed more water on her face and looked in the mirror as it dripped off of her. What''s most important right now? Survival for both Roger and me. There''s no running right now, so I''ll have to go with it.


    Grace sighed and used the paper towel to pat her face dry. At least I didn''t ruin the makeup. She headed back out and someone grabbed her wrist, pulling her back, and slammed their hand on the wall to trap her there.


    "I''ve been waiting a while, but still haven''t gotten the chance to chat with you, princess," Floyd said, looming over her.


    What did my grandfather see in him?


    "Do you really think trapping me against a wall and trying to intimidate me is going to make me choose you? This isn''t a good way to get to know someone."


    "Many women like this; it makes their heart beat faster."


    "It feels like you''re trying to dominate me or something, and I don''t care for it personally. Are you going to move, so I can get back to the person I was talking to, or do I have to move you myself?"


    Floyd''s eyes narrowed. "Nice talk, princess, but I doubt you could do anything to me. You''re like a kitten looking up at a lion. And I''ll back off when I want¡ª Ah!" Floyd yelped out in pain as she kneed him in the gut.


    Grace shoved him over. "Try again when you learn how to treat a woman and want a genuine conversation." She walked away and came to a halt at the door back to the grand hall.


    Zain stood at the door, watching. He clapped. "Good job, princess. I''m not sure the boss would by happy with it, since he wants good relations with his family, but it''s good to take him down a peg."


    "He''s the one who didn''t want to move. What are you doing here? I told you I wasn''t going to run."


    "And you kept to that, but I saw him heading over here. Looks like I wasn''t needed, though. Back to your prince charming? He''s still a mobster, you know?"


    "Of course I know that; you all are. You make it sound like I''m some teenager swooning over a celebrity crush, but I''m not. It''s basically my job to get to know each of you and choose one of you as my husband and future leader. Don''t go around thinking I take any of this lightly." She purposely bumped into his shoulder as she passed by him.


    "Does that mean she''s accepted it?" Zain grumbled to himself as he watched her head back to the balcony.


    Grace pushed the balcony door open and sighed.


    "Did something happen?" Vincent turned around and held up a fresh glass to her.


    "Floyd," Grace sighed again and took the drink. "Thanks. He tried to ambush me right outside the bathroom."


    "Are you okay?" As far as he could see, physically she was, but she seemed riled up.


    "I had to take him down a peg. Seriously, how did my grandfather choose him as one of the candidates? He comes across as one of those pigs who think they''re better than everyone else and thinks he can get his way through intimidation. Did he not look into you all as much as he claimed? Did Floyd trick him?"


    Vincent almost spat out his drink. He cleared his throat. "We''d be hard-pressed to find someone who could pull one over on your grandfather. He''s elite to us. He''s the top of the top. If he chose Floyd for you, there might be a reason. He''s on the green side, and to me he''s come across as a bit of a moron, but I''d believe in your grandfather over whatever impressions he left on me."


    "Are you sure it''s not just his family he wants a connection to, regardless of the person?"


    "No." Vincent shook his head. "He wouldn''t do that to his blood. I''ve worked with your grandfather a number of times, and I can say with certainty that he wouldn''t make a mistake like that. If anything, I think the kid is in over his head. He wants to impress you and show how strong he is, because that''s what he''s done with other women, but he doesn''t know what to do with you. You''re different from most women."


    I can''t deny that.


    "It almost feels like you''re standing up for him and telling me to give him a shot; shouldn''t you be happy if I''m not into him? You are rivals, after all. Unless you''re not serious about me and this family."


    "Oh, trust me; I''m serious. It''s just..." He thought about his next words carefully. "I don''t want you to doubt your grandfather. He cares about you and is trying to figure out your future in his own way."


    "I don''t know how much you''ve been told, but he didn''t exactly bring me here in the best way."


    "We were all told about how he brought you here without you wanting to come, but that doesn''t mean he doesn''t care. He is a great man, but like many of us, his pride gets in the way, and we end up doing things the wrong way."


    "We? Sounds like you have experience with it."


    Vincent chuckled. "I''ve made my fair share of mistakes, and I''ve learned from them. And it seems no matter how wise one is, there are always more mistakes to be made. I think he went about it the wrong way, but I''m not sure you would''ve come here otherwise."


    "Might be right. If he didn''t start with ''I''m a mafia boss'', I might''ve given him the time of day without kidnapping, though. Makes me wonder, if he''s such a highly spoken of person, then why would he do that? Wouldn''t it only be for a time crunch?" Her expression dropped.


    "He hasn''t said anything to anyone, but that''s the conclusion I came to as well."


    "Isn''t that even more cruel? Pull me in and tell me I have a family member left, only to lose him soon after."


    "But from his side, if he didn''t, he could''ve missed any chance of ever having a relationship with you. Keep in mind, he probably also sees his son in you. They were close once upon a time, and he can''t try to renew his relationship with him. You miss them too, don''t you? Your parents."


    "Of course I do." I could''ve done with someone else to help back then.


    "This all feels a bit heavy for a first meeting." Vincent sighed. "I planned to get to know you and woo you, but it seems the night has gotten depressing."


    "No." She shook her head. "I''m glad I came out here to talk to you. Not only do I hate big parties, but you gave me a lot to think about, so thank you. I guess we haven''t learned too much about each other, though."


    "Not exactly true. I''ve learned quite a bit about you."


    Her eyes widened. "You have?" Didn''t we mostly go over things he knew?


    "Indeed; I''ve learned quite a bit." He smiled, finished his drink, and set the glass on the railing. His eyes narrowed as he took her free hand. "Based on what I''ve learned, I want to continue this another day." He kissed the back of her hand. "I''ll call you. Goodbye until then." He left, and she stood there for a moment, befuddled.


    "You alright?" Zain asked. "I know that man, and he can be a bit intense sometimes."


    No kidding. Grace nodded. "I''m fine."


    "Coming back to the party now?"


    "I think I want some alone time."


    Zain shrugged and stayed where he was with his arms crossed and attention on the night sky.


    Whatever. Grace sighed and leant on the railing as she looked out. Why are things so complicated?

 Chapter 9

    "You can''t stay out here for the rest of the party," Zain said, boring a hole into the back of Grace''s head.


    "I know," Grace sighed. "I still have the other one to talk to."


    "Only one? What about me?"


    "What about you? I talk to you all the time."


    "Ouch." Zain held his hand over his heart. "I am one of the candidates, you know? Shouldn''t you spend some time with me?"


    "You''ll still be here after the party, so I have to find the other one."


    "Doesn''t seem like you want to."


    "He hasn''t exactly shown me his good side so far, but I have to give him a chance." Grace reached for the door to head back in, but Zain grabbed her arm.


    "I can talk to the boss about him for you. I know you handled yourself, but you didn''t seem too happy with how he approached you."


    "You''re one to talk." Grace rolled her eyes and yanked her arm away from him.


    Grace scanned the crowd, but it was hard to see through the mass of people standing around drinking as they talked.


    "Looking for me?"


    She jumped to the side, her hand reaching for her gun, but she stopped. "Actually, yes." Grace relax and looked at Floyd.


    "I knew you''d come around." Floyd reached out to her, and she brushed his hand away.


    "Careful, Floyd; I''m only here because I figured I''d give you a chance, since my grandfather chose you. There must be a reason."


    "Indeed, there is; my family has been getting bigger and stronger, so who better to connect to than the Russo family?"


    "That would only be one of the reasons. There must be more."


    Floyd went silent as he thought, and his expression relaxed. "More than just my family name?"


    "Yes, more than that. Something about you must have stood out to him."


    "I... I don''t know what it would be. I''m not the leader, you know? I''m not even in line for it; my older brother is..." Floyd trailed off, and Grace could hardly hear him.


    "Come." She held her hand out to him.


    He absentmindedly took her hand and let her lead him over to the far tables, away from the crowds and music, like a lost puppy.


    "Sit." She pulled a chair out for him, and he sat without any fuss.


    How do I even approach this? Sad how unused to dating I am.


    "Why don''t we go out on the balcony like you did with Vincent?" Floyd asked.


    "Do I even have to say it? You''re a bit on the aggressive side, and I don''t trust you not to try anything. Besides, it''s starting to get chilly, and I wanted to rest my feet."


    "Do you want my jacket?" he offered.


    "We''re inside now; I''m alright. Thank you, though."


    A few words, and he goes from an aggressive dog to a little puppy.


    He nodded and sighed as he leant back. "I have a feeling none of my usual ploys will work on you."


    "Like trapping me against the wall in a kabedon." I always thought my heart would skip a beat, and I''d be flustered, not angry, if it ever happened.


    "A what?"


    "Never mind." I have to stop watching so much anime.


    "Well, it works on other women. It makes their heart race."


    "It was oppressive, and it felt like you were actually going to attack me."


    "Why would I... Oh, you mean in that way? I guess I can see how you might think that. Different things work on different people."


    I need to do things differently. "So, why do you want to marry me? I assume he showed you a picture and had some sort of profile, right?"


    "He did, and he talked about you quite a bit. He was right about you, too. A strong and beautiful woman who won''t take crap from anyone. I like you; it''s the only reason I did a... what did you call it?"


    "Never mind that."


    "If you say so. I''ve always had to be strong to support the family, and to them, being strong meant acting a certain way." Floyd sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. "Why does this feel like a therapy session and not a date?" He moved his chair closer to her and rested his hand on the back of her chair. "The best way I know to get to know a woman is to be intimate, so how about we¡ª"


    Grace narrowed her eyes. He was getting somewhere, but he''s resisting!


    "Don''t even finish that sentence. I just met you; I''m not going to sleep with you." Grace sighed and turned away.


    "I''m always disappointing people," he mumbled, but she didn''t hear him. "Ahem. What about a walk outside?"


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    "I''d love to, but I''m not allowed."


    "Not allowed? How can they do that?"


    "I can technically go outside and around the estate, but Zain will be on my heels." Not sure if I should''ve mentioned that; might hurt my grandfather''s reputation.


    "I guess since you just got here, they''re worried you''ll do something, and the cop thing," he whispered the last part. Floyd looked around for Zain and spotted him by the wall nearby. When their eyes met, Zain narrowed his eyes. "Hard to have a date with him around. How about we give him the slip?"


    "How?"


    "Join me for a dance?" He nudged his head towards the crowd of couples dancing and held his hand out.


    "What the heck?" Grace took his hand, and he tugged her along. His arm around her waist, he pulled her close, and carefully checked on Zain. He pulled her along as they danced, getting closer to one of his men. "Alex, block his view," Floyd commanded a large man standing around as Zain was.


    "Sir." He sighed and stood beside them, towering above, and pretended to talk to one of the other people there.


    "Duck." Floyd led Grace out of the room and kept going down the hall around the corner. "And the tail is gone." He slung his arm over her shoulder, and they headed for the back door.


    This suddenly feels like a bad idea. I let my guard down too much because I wanted to give him a chance. Since we made it out of there, it would''ve been a chance to go for Roger.


    "You know what? They might have guards out there, too. We should find some other way out," Grace suggested.


    "The living room, then? There''re doors to the outside there, right?"


    He''s been here before and to more than the grand hall.


    "Yes."


    "Then let''s go that way."


    "Can I ask you to help me with something first?"


    "Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "What are you up to?"


    "I haven''t been able to move around here freely, so I haven''t gotten a good layout of the place."


    "You want to wander around the inside? I''m not sure that''s a good idea. They have more people around patrolling, just in case. They''ll probably let you search the place better in the future. For now, let''s go outside." He took her hand and dragged her into the living room.


    Damn; I thought I had him.


    He looked outside the glass door to the backyard. "Looks clear from here." They headed outside, and then it dawned on him. "It''s a bit dark at this time of night, even with the extra lights."


    "You''re not afraid of the dark, are you?"


    "Of course not. I thrive in the night, but you..."


    "I''m trained; I''ll be fine."


    "You''re a girl, and I know you''re taught to be more careful at night, and for a good reason."


    "We''re still on my grandfather''s estate; we''ll be fine." Although, I was shot at out here already.


    "You should learn to care more about yourself, and to be more careful in general." Floyd loomed over her. "You shouldn''t trust people so easily."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "I don''t trust you, and we both know I can take you down."


    "Intimidation really doesn''t work on you."


    "Why are you trying to intimidate me? You''re smart enough to know that''s not going to make me like you."


    "I was hoping you''d go running back inside. I have a feeling it''s dangerous out here." Floyd looked out into the distance. "Like something is lurking in the shadows."


    Kur-chink.


    At the sound of a gun being cocked, Grace tackled Floyd to the ground and reached for her gun, automatically turning around with it pointed.


    "If I was out to kill you, I could have," Zain said, pointing a gun at them as he huffed. "You didn''t even go for cover."


    "Not much cover here, so I had to stay low." Grace stood, her gun still pointed at Zain.


    Floyd clawed at his face. "I should''ve been the one to react," he groaned.


    "Are you planning on shooting me?" Zain asked.


    "Shouldn''t I ask you that? You drew your gun first." Grace glared at him, her hand steady. I could easily shoot it out of his hand. I''m good enough for that, but the noise will draw more people.


    "I thought he might''ve been up to no good, bringing you out here."


    "So you''d shoot him over it? Don''t you know how to use your words?"


    "Don''t forget what I am; of course, I have to be ready to shoot." Zain shook his head and put his gun away. "Party is over. You can leave," he said to Floyd. "You, you''re coming back with me." He stepped towards her, but her gun was still pointed at him.


    "If she doesn''t want to go, I''m on her side." Floyd stood beside her. He would''ve drawn a gun, but they didn''t let him inside with one. He combed a hand through his hair, trying to hide the shake. He had been in worse situations, but normally he had his trusted gun with him.


    "She will be coming with me, and she knows why." Zain stared into her eyes.


    Roger...


    "Besides, she''s not going to shoot me." Zain grabbed her hand and pointed the gun straight at his chest. "Are you? If you''re so keen on getting away from the family, shoot me now."


    "Tch..." A tremor ran through her hand, and he smirked. He had felt it.


    "Is this any way to treat your boss'' granddaughter? Or how about your potential fianc¨¦e?" Floyd asked.


    Rich coming from him, but I guess it all depends on how much he''s trying to keep up the facade versus being himself.


    Zain glanced at him. "Don''t talk like you know about what''s going on. We need to go inside now," Zain practically growled at them.


    Wait a moment... "What''s wrong?" Grace asked.


    Zain manoeuvred to take the gun from her and grabbed her wrist. "Your family is waiting for you to go. Come on."


    "Hold on." Floyd wrapped an arm around Grace''s waist, cradled her cheek in one hand, and kissed her before she even knew what was going on.


    "Wha..." Grace''s eyes widened. Zain shoved him away and pulled her into his arms before she could even react.


    "Go to your family, Russo, before something bad happens."


    Floyd licked his lips. "That was fun. Until next time." He walked away, knowing he wouldn''t be able to fight Zain off.


    "And you, how could you leave an opening like that?"


    "Hmm...?" She gave him a blank look.


    "Up you go." Zain picked her up over his shoulder and shoved her gun in the back of his belt, in range of her.


    "Ugh... I told you to stop carrying me like this." She spotted the gun and frowned. Why in the world would he leave it available to me?


    "You were being a brat and not coming with me; what do you expect?"


    "Shouldn''t I be asking you that? Do you expect me to drop everything at the drop of a hat when you come calling?"


    "Yes, because it means something serious has happened."


    "You mean you''re not just mad I left you behind?"


    "As annoying as it is to have to stalk you as your bodyguard and keeper, no, it wasn''t just because of that. Someone followed you and the Russo boy out of the grand hall. Why do you think it took so long for me to find you? You two didn''t exactly hide all that well."


    "Someone followed me? Why?"


    "I don''t know for certain, yet. The boss is currently finding out."


    I''m afraid to ask what he means. Who am I kidding? I know what that means. Grace cringed.


    "He never should''ve brought you here," Zain grumbled.


    "When are you going to put me down? It''s not exactly comfortable up here."


    They had passed a number of people she didn''t recognize, and yet still no one gave them more than a glance.


    "You better not take me to my room; I want to see Roger."


    "Even now you''re thinking about him?"


    "We were partners for years; what do you expect?"


    "You know, when you vanished, I thought you were trying to get your partner out of his captivity, but you ended up outside. Why?"


    "Fresh air." Liar!


    "You''ve had plenty of that, haven''t you?"


    "I planned to have a walk, but he didn''t want to."


    Zain walked into her room, dumped her on her bed, and headed for the door. "Don''t do anything stupid. I''ll be back soon." The door closed with a click.


    She stared at the ceiling as she lay there.


    What am I even doing? She rubbed her face. Am I really going to go through with this? Will Roger be a captive forever? I wonder what''s going on in my department. I miss the gun... Grace touched the holster on her leg.


    Not feeling motivated to do anything, Grace didn''t bother to change and closed her eyes.

 Chapter 10

    Knock, knock.


    "If that''s Zain, go away."


    Click.


    "Fighting with him again?"


    Grace shot up into a sitting position when she heard her grandfather''s voice. "Hi..."


    He approached and sat down on the corner of her bed. "You two always seem fired up, and I can''t tell if you like each other or not."


    "I don''t like him."


    "Your face says it''s complicated." Ray sighed. "I know this is a lot to throw at you, and I''m sorry about that. Don''t tell anyone I apologized, though."


    "What''s wrong with apologizing? If anything, it strengthens bonds."


    "It''s seen as weak. And about tonight... I made a big spectacle to show that you were already set on a path with no leeway, but apparently, that wasn''t enough. I assume Zain told you someone followed you."


    "Yeah."


    "Another family was out to get you. They wanted to woo you and gain your hand, and end up the next boss. I didn''t want this happening."


    "You must be a big deal if people are coming after me that much." Grace sighed. She had heard about him numerous times, but he was always too big of a fish for her to go after.


    "It makes it worse that you''re beautiful; they''re more likely to try something."


    Her eyes went to a red spot on his shirt. "Is that blood?"


    "Yes. Honestly, I thought he was out to kidnap you and use you against me, but no." Ray shook his head in disbelief. "You''re probably tired of being in this place already."


    Grace shrugged.


    "How about you go to dinner with me tomorrow?"


    "Dinner? Just the two of us?"


    "I always have more men nearby, but they''ll try to give us privacy. I''d love to spend more time with you."


    Grace thought for a moment as she stared into his eyes. Despite the hardened expression he always wore, she could see softness in his eyes. "Okay, but can I ask you for something?"


    "What is it, my dear?"


    "I want the right to see Roger every day while he''s here."


    He frowned as he stared at her, but she didn''t back down.


    "He may not be treated badly with food and a working bathroom, but being trapped alone in a room with his only contact being with the people who kidnapped him is its own kind of psychological torture. I think even a few minutes a day might stop him from going insane and give him hope he''ll get out of captivity soon."


    He smirked and shook his head. "Ha... You are a hard person to argue with, just like your mother. Even when you start with the upper hand, she''d give you an argument that feels impossible to refute. She was in school to be a lawyer, last I knew, but when they ran, I think she dropped out... It''s such a shame; she would''ve been an excellent lawyer, and we could''ve worked with her."


    "Was she okay with the whole mafia thing?"


    "She knew who your father was. Who his family was, and despite it, she wanted him. She was against certain things, but even she had a bit of a sketchy past. She''d gotten involved with the wrong people a few times, and it was your father that saved her from them. He brought her here for her protection."


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    "If she was here for protection, why''d he run?"


    "Someone broke into the estate one day and attacked her. She was physically okay, but a bit traumatized. She was pregnant with you at the time, so you can imagine how enraged he was. He thought being here wasn''t safe. In a way, he was right, but he was already known in our world, so it didn''t matter where he went, he''d be in danger. You all were. I too grew up in this life, so it''s all I ever knew. I guess the only way they would''ve been safe was if I had gotten out of this life."


    "I don''t know about that. You said my mother had already run into trouble before she met my father, so things could''ve been worse for her. And if that was the case, I wouldn''t exist."


    "I suppose you''re right. I can''t help but wonder what-if, but it is quite useless, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, but we all wonder, anyway."


    He nodded and took a deep breath. "I suppose we shall continue our chat tomorrow at dinner?"


    "Okay."


    "You may see your friend every day for a short while, but make sure you keep it platonic. I don''t think any of the candidates will tolerate another person vying for your heart." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Gracey."


    "Goodnight." Ha... I did it! I convinced him.


    Ray left, and Zain appeared in her doorway.


    "You heard him. I can go see Roger."


    "Yeah, yeah. Let''s go." Zain waved her over.


    Grace looked down at her clothes.


    "It''s now or not today at all."


    "Fine, fine." Grace rushed over.


    "Grace!" Roger jumped up from the bed as soon as she was in the doorway.


    I can practically see his tail wagging. Was he always like a big pet?


    She turned to Zain and waved him away.


    "Whatever," he grumbled. "I''ll be right here." He closed the door and leaned against the wall outside the room.


    "You..." His eyes trailed down her. "Look gorgeous. At least it looks like they''re treating you well."


    "You''re looking okay, too." She poked his cheek. "Well fed, not dehydrated... and for once you don''t have dark circles under your eyes."


    "There''s not much to do in here other than eat, sleep, and exercise. I don''t know how long I''ll be here, but I''ll probably end up being in the best shape of my life."


    "I''m sorry I haven''t found a way to get you out yet," she whispered.


    "I don''t want you putting yourself at risk for me. And I might be able to get the key from the person who feeds me, but I don''t know the layout, and..."


    "There are a lot of people around basically all the time. I''m not sure there''s a way to escape, short of being someone like Arsene Lupin."


    "Which I am not." Roger sighed. "At least I get to see you. I have to ask, though." He pointed at her, referring to the dress.


    "There was a party to introduce me today, along with my three marriage candidates. Zain Kuros, Vincent Moretti, and Floyd Russo. I don''t know if you know anyone other than Zain."


    "I haven''t met them personally, but I''ve heard things about the other two. Mostly about their families, not them... Vincent... Isn''t he the leader?"


    "Yup."


    "Damn. I heard he was still a teenager when he took over as the boss. He hunted down and killed the boss of another mafia family because they had killed his father. Imagine a teenager killing someone... I''d be careful of him. All of them, technically."


    "Well, one of them is my future husband, so I''ll eventually end up letting my guard down with him."


    Roger cringed, clenching his fists. "Does that mean you''ve decided to go through with it?"


    "Yes."


    "If it''s because of me, don''t go through with it."


    "That''s only part of it. Apparently, it''s been known I''m his granddaughter unofficially for some time... by some of them, at least. People either want to take my grandfather down or join him, so I''ll be a target for the foreseeable future."


    "There has to be a way out of this¡ª"


    "I''m not willing to run halfway around the world and go into hiding. I''d rather become a mafia princess, or whatever you want to call it."


    "I think you''d be more like a mafia queen."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''re so strong and assured that ''princess'' doesn''t feel like a powerful enough term. But can you really do that? You''re a cop. You have such strong morals, and we know the mafia is anything but that."


    "I don''t think I''d ever be able to get behind everything they do, but I might find a way to make it tolerable. Sketchy things, but for the good in the long run, you know?" I hope, anyway.


    She could practically see the heartbreak on his face.


    "But you live for being a cop."


    "Things change."


    "Has it, though? Have you really given up on being a cop? On helping people?"


    "I can still help people... I can help more people, actually."


    The door opened. "Okay, it''s been long enough," Zain called out to them. "Say goodnight and let''s go before I pass out waiting." He yawned as he waved her over.


    "Until tomorrow, then." Grace sighed. "Stay strong."


    Roger pulled her in for a hug. "I should be saying that to you. Stay safe, Grace."


    Grace walked out past Zain, who glared at Roger for a moment before closing the door. "Might not want to get too touchy with him."


    "It''s a hug, Zain; lay off."


    "That wasn''t just a hug. It was too long for that."


    "It''s a hug for a close friend."


    Zain rested his hand on her shoulder. "Well, you''re only a potential partner right now, and I''m already jealous of him."


    She pushed his hand off her shoulder. "You''re a long way from getting even a hug like that."


    Zain laughed. "We''ll see about that, missy."

 Chapter 11

    Grace sighed as she sat at the table after finishing breakfast. "I can''t keep sitting around doing nothing..." She looked across the table at Zain, who was busy on his phone.


    "Why don''t you relax for now?" Mary suggested as she took her plate.


    "How about we go for a run? I didn''t get one in today."


    "You go for a run every day?" Zain glanced up at her.


    "Yes, even in the snow." Although, when it''s knee high, it''s hard to call it running anymore. "If I don''t, I get antsy." And I need it to stay in my current shape.


    "Excuse me." Ran showed up beside Zain.


    "What is it?" Zain asked.


    "Actually... Miss Grace has a visitor."


    "Just Grace is fine," she said. "And a visitor? Here?" I''m guessing one of two people. "Can I...?" Sucks having to ask when I supposedly live here.


    Zain sighed as he got up and grabbed his suit jacket off the back of the chair. "Let''s go see who it is, and we''ll decide from there how to proceed."


    Grace followed him along to the foyer. Standing at the entrance, she could see the jacket hanging off his shoulders as he looked up at the portrait above the entranceway.


    I never noticed it before, but is that... my parents?


    Vincent turned around and gave her a soft smile as he held a single red rose out towards her. "Great to see you again, Grace. I hope you''re doing well today."


    "Thank you." She took the rose and couldn''t help but smile as she looked at it.


    "I came to see if you had some spare time for a date this morning."


    "I''m not even sure if I''m allowed to go." Grace turned to Zain with a raised eyebrow.


    "Why don''t you two go for a run? That''s what you were complaining you wanted to do." Zain smirked.


    "A run? Not quite what I had in mind, but if that''s what you want to do, we could have a run with a destination. A cafe nearby, for instance," Vincent suggested. His family ran the area right next to the Bertolottiss, and he had been in the area a number of times while working with them, so he knew about the area.


    Zain thought for a moment as the two of them looked at him for answers. "I''d have to talk to the boss first."


    "I thought he left you in charge of me because he was too busy." Grace crossed her arms and stuck her chin up as she squared her shoulders. "It''s up to your discretion, right?"


    Zain''s expression dropped. "You''re insufferable sometimes."


    He won''t want to say too much in front of Vincent.


    "I can protect Grace, if that''s what you''re worried about," Vincent said, resting his hand on her shoulder.


    "Whether it comes as a surprise or not, she''s proven she can protect herself. That''s not what this is about."


    To trust me or not, it seems. I have no intention of running right now.


    "You could always run with us," Grace suggested.


    "Ugh, again... You really did do this every day, so I guess I can''t blame you for wanting to continue with something normal. The family owes a cafe nearby; we should use that one."


    A cafe run by the mafia?


    "Go get changed for your run." He waved her off.


    Grace leaned in close to Vincent and smiled. "Thank you," she whispered and rushed off with Ran nearby, keeping an eye on her.


    "Are you sure you can run in that?" Zain asked, looking at Vincent''s suit.


    "I''ll be quite alright; you don''t have to worry about me. Will you be okay?"


    "I can run in this¡ª"


    "That''s not what I''m talking about. It is a curious thing to be a marriage candidate, and yet you''re her... keeper? That''s a bit of a conflict of interest, though you seem to handle it well. I suppose it''s hard to be the underboss here. What do you plan to do if someone other than you is chosen?"


    "Are you saying I won''t have this position anymore?"


    "I don''t know what Floyd would do, but your interest in her makes it hard to want you that close."


    "I''m not going to bother a taken woman."


    "People are rarely rational when it comes to love and romance. Are you sure you''d be able to resist when you''re beside her every day? It''s food for thought, Z, not a threat."


    "What are you two talking about?" Grace ran back in her active wear.


    Vincent set his jacket and hat to the side. "Lead the way, Zain."


    "Yeah, yeah." Zain held the door open for them and gave Ran a look before closing the door.


    I''ll finally be let outside! And I''ll can find out where we are. Kinda sad I still don''t know the location of the estate.


    Grace took a deep breath of fresh air as they headed to the gate and resisted the urge to spin around with her arms spread out.


    Zain got them to open the gate as they did some stretches. "Let''s go, and yell if you''re not keeping up." Zain got a nod from both of them and took off.


    Running around with two gangsters. Grace held back a laugh. Once they finally made it to a public street, Grace looked around, trying to absorb as much information about their surroundings as possible.


    "Careful." Vincent tugged her over a few inches before she could run into a garbage can.


    "Oops... Ha..." Red crept up on her cheeks.


    "Here." He held his hand out to her. "I''ll make sure you''re safe as we go."


    "Holding hands slows us down, though."


    "Better that than you running into something." Instead of asking again, Vincent took her hand and pulled her a bit closer.


    "If you''re talking that much, we''re not going fast enough. Let''s pick up the pace, slackers," Zain yelled at them and sped up.


    I''ve been around here before, but it''s not a part of my normal patrol area. She recognized some of the stores they ran by and slowed down, but Vincent tugged on her to keep the pace.


    "As tempting as it is to make a detour away from Zain, I don''t think it''s a good idea. If there''s somewhere you''d like to go, we can try a different day."


    "You''re right." Grace nodded. Still not sure I can break Roger out, but I should be able to memorize this and make a map for him. Gosh, I miss my phone.


    It took a while, but Zain stopped outside a cafe and gritted his teeth as he tried to hide how out of breath he was.


    "Here it is." Zain slowed his breathing and waved his hand towards it.


    Grace''s jaw hung open when she saw it. The cutesy lettering with cartoon cats on both sides of the sign. "This is... one of ours?"


    Zain laughed at her expression. "Yes, it is. What did you expect? Guns and thugs everywhere?"


    "More like something dark and sophisticated."


    "We have one like that, but I don''t think we want to run that far. Besides, I think this one suits you better." He ruffled her hair and headed inside.


    "Hey! Don''t do that!" She grumbled and tried to fix her hair.


    "Here, let me." Vincent gently combed her hair back into place. "You know, I thought you two met recently, but you seem close already."


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    "Thanks. And I don''t know about that. I don''t think we''re close; he just likes to annoy me." Grace rolled her eyes as she sighed. "Come on." She tugged him along, and he smiled.


    Grace froze when she saw the inside. The waiters and waitresses had maid and butler costumes on, along with cat ears. "What in the world?"


    "Welcome! A table for three?" The woman at the front desk asked and then noticed Zain. Her eyes trailed over to Grace, and they widened. "Miss Bertolottis! Welcome!"


    "Uh... Thanks."


    "You''re being recognized as one of them now," Vincent whispered. "The boss'' granddaughter is a big deal in a family."


    "I''m Kali. Nya!" The woman made a cute pawing motion. "I''ll show you to your seat." She led them over to a free spot in the private area of the cafe. "Everything here is on the house for you. A waiter will be over in a moment. I hope you enjoy." She made another pawing motion and headed back.


    "I... don''t even know what to think of this place." She sat down in the booth, and Vincent scooched in beside her.


    "I think it''s cute," Vincent said. "Although it''s different from the other places I know that are linked with the Bertolottiss."


    "How did they end up with it? Was it just profitable so you guys... get protection money or something from them?" Grace asked.


    "No; the boss bought out this old place probably two decades ago and rebuilt it from the ground up," Zain said as he looked at the menu.


    "Why would he make something like this? Not that I don''t like it."


    "He made it for you."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Do you remember when you were ten, and you went out for Halloween as a maid with cat ears that you saw on some cartoon?"


    Grace''s jaw dropped. "How do you know about that?" I''d completely forgotten about it...


    "As I''ve said before, your grandfather knows more about you than you think, and he''s shared quite a bit with me."


    "How long have you been with the Bertolottiss?"


    "Since I was a kid. The boss has treated me like his own since I got here, which includes gushing to me about the granddaughter he wished he could be with. He was planning on inviting you and your parents over after this was finished, but the accident happened."


    While they were talking, Vincent had ordered something for each of them. He sat there, his arm resting on the back of the booth seat behind Grace as he sipped on his drink and listened to them talk.


    "So he was planning on coming into my life back then?" Grace sighed and leaned back as she looked around. I would''ve loved to come here. Grace''s eyes met Vincent''s, and he smiled at her. "Oh! I''m sorry... You meant this to be a date of sorts, right?"


    "Yes, but it''s alright. I''m getting to learn more." He brushed her hair behind her ear. "And see some interesting expressions."


    Grace touched her face, wondering what expression she had made.


    The waitress came over with three different desserts and coffees. She looked at each of them with a raised eyebrow. Vincent tapped the table. "We''ll figure out who gets what now."


    "Sir." She set everything down.


    "Thank you."


    "When did you even order?" Grace mumbled as she looked at the plates. "Oh, they all look good."


    "Maybe you should quit drooling and pick one," Zain said as he grabbed a drink at random.


    "I''m not drooling." Grace puffed out her cheeks and pulled over a slice of apple cheesecake. "Mmm... This is so good. Great choice." She gave a thumbs up and kept eating.


    "I guess you like dessert. Want to try some of mine?" Vincent held up a piece of his berry crumble with his fork.


    "Oh, that does look good, but¡ª"


    "Don''t be shy. I like a woman with a hearty appetite, and who I can woo with a good dessert." He winked at her and brought the fork closer.


    "Uh..." She eyed the dessert. "If you insist." She bit down on his fork and backed away, a blush forming on her cheeks. "That one''s good, too!" Wish I knew about this place before. Totally want to try everything on the menu.


    "Don''t look for some of mine; it''s gone." Zain laughed, sitting back with an empty plate in front of him.


    Shouldn''t he have sat somewhere else if this was supposed to be a date?


    "I wasn''t going to ask you for any." She rolled her eyes. Weird, sitting here with these two men like this doesn''t feel super weird. "So, Vincent, are you used to running? We made it here, and it didn''t seem like you were out of breath or even broke a sweat."


    "I keep myself in top shape, mostly through practicing martial arts, but I do keep running in the regular regime."


    "Oh, I see. I guess it makes sense, then." She got down to her last bite of cheesecake and bit her lip as she glanced over at Vincent. "Um... Would you..." she trailed off, staring at the piece on her fork. Ugh, I can''t offer it! Her face burned at just the thought. How in the world do people manage things like that?


    While she was lost in thought, Vincent took her wrist to bring her hand closer and leaned in to eat the last bite. "Mmm, yeah, it is good. Thanks." He winked at her and licked his lips.


    "Ah-ha... I have to use the bathroom."


    "Sure thing, cara mia." Vincent got up to let her pass by.


    "Thanks." Cara mia? What''s that mean? I may be half Italian, but I know pretty much zero of the language! She rushed to the back, where the bathrooms were. "Ha..." This is too intense. She looked at herself in the mirror and jumped back. Geez... This looks bad even for me. She combed her fingers through her hair and redid her ponytail. I''m glad I didn''t have makeup on; would''ve melted off.


    Grace used the bathroom, washed up a bit, and took a deep breath before heading out.


    "Umph!" Grace''s mouth was covered as someone grabbed her from behind. No, you don''t! She drove her elbow into their abdomen, grabbed their arm, and flipped them over her shoulder. They hit a plate decoration on the wall and it smashed as it hit the ground.


    "What are you doing?!"


    "Grab her!"


    "What''s going on?!" Zain and Vincent came running over when they heard the plate smash.


    Another man grabbed Grace. This time they pinioned her arms to try to trap her.


    "I''ve got her. Let''s go¡ª Ah!" they screamed out in pain as she swung her head back and cracked them in the nose. Their grip loosened, and she shoved them away.


    Bang!


    A bullet whizzed by her and hit another man behind her, who had pulled out a gun. He hit the ground, lifeless, as blood oozed out of his chest.


    "Geez." Grace jumped back and stepped on the foot of the man who grabbed her.


    He yelped, but still tried to grab her again as the first one got to their feet.


    "Unless you want to end up like your friend, you''ll scurry away back to the hellhole you came from," Vincent said, a gun aimed at the first one.


    "Tch..." They inched away and grabbed the other man before they both bolted.


    "Ha..." Grace sighed and leant against the wall. She caught a glimpse of the dead man out of the corner of her eye and cringed as she looked away.


    "Are you alright, cara mia?" Vincent asked, handing the gun back to Zain. He had taken it from him before he even had a chance to react when they were rushing over.


    "I''ll be fine; just a little... Ugh..." She tried to shake out her nerves and leaned over, her stomach feeling sick. Being attacked again, so close in time, it felt worse than when she was a cop. "Is this a daily occurrence for you two?"


    "No," they both said in unison.


    "It''s obvious you''re being targeted," Zain said. "This is why he wanted you to stay inside. He''s going to kill me."


    "That''s only if we tell him," Grace said. If he knows, he''ll be more likely to lock me up like a princess.


    "I have to tell him."


    "The only thing we have to worry about is the body." Grace pointed over at it, making sure not to look. She''d seen dead bodies before, and even had to shoot people, but that didn''t mean she liked to deal with the aftermath.


    "The body is easy enough to deal with." Vincent pulled out his phone to contact his cleaners.


    "Grace, I can''t keep this from the boss." Zain stood in front of her and dropped a hand on her shoulder. "You were almost taken, and we don''t know what they would''ve had in store for you."


    "In case you still haven''t noticed, I do quite well with handling myself."


    "And what about the guy with the gun? How would you have dealt with him?"


    "It''s hard to say how that would''ve gone, but you know I''m good at disarming, too."


    "At that distance? You don''t have your gun on you to use it."


    "I know, but he would''ve been closer at some point."


    "Face it; you''re better off not being on your own right now."


    Grace''s expression dropped. "And whose fault is that?" She swatted his hand away as she pushed off the wall and headed back to their booth.


    A couple of men in masks walked into the cafe and went straight to the back.


    "That was fast." No wonder the cops have trouble with the mafia; they''re more organized than we are, and they have better resources.


    "Of course," Vincent said as he slid in beside her. "We''re run quite well."


    "You''re also a good shot and didn''t hesitate to kill..." Grace bit her lip.


    "It was you or them, cara mia." Vincent brushed her hair bangs back over her ear, hoping she''d turn his way.


    "Hate to break it to you, but she doesn''t seem to like killing or maiming people, even if they''re after her," Zain said, remembering the first incident.


    "That''s too bad; in our line of work, it''s bound to happen. I can try my best to keep it from you, but as you''ve seen, it''ll be hard to do."


    "I bet it''s hard for a sharpshooter like you. I know we weren''t at a distance, but you couldn''t have done more of a perfect shot." Zain tapped his chest over his heart. "Terrifyingly good."


    "I''ve had my share of practice. From what I hear, you''d a good shot, too, cara mia." He tilted his head as he gazed at her.


    "Best in the department, or at least I was..." Her shoulders slouched.


    "You do love to be a cop, don''t you?"


    "Of course; I love helping people. I love making the city safer. I love giving people justice."


    "All things you can still do in the mafia, with fewer rules to abide by."


    "You mean by breaking the law I tried so hard to keep?" Grace''s brows knitted together. "I still don''t know what to do."


    "At least it feels like you''ve come to terms with your situation," Zain said. "Once you were brought here into this world, there was no going back."


    "Coming to terms with it doesn''t help anything, though. I''m trapped here, and I''m going to be forced to marry someone so he can pass on his title to a Bertolottis."


    "At least he''s giving you a couple of options."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "It''s only been a few days, and I''m wondering if I''ll go insane being kept inside, especially after today. You''re set on telling him, but that only means he''ll probably try to keep me inside more¡ª"


    "You''ve only been here a few days¡ª"


    "And I''m used to going out; I''m used to doing something every day. I''m used to having my freedom."


    "You''re a cop; how free can you be?"


    "I don''t have someone following me and keeping tabs on my every move."


    "I beg to differ. He''s kept an eye on you for so long. Besides, what about Roger? He follows you like he''s your pet dog."


    "Who''s Roger?" Vincent asked, finally speaking up.


    "Uh..."


    "My partner," Grace answered automatically.


    "Partner?"


    "As in my cop partner."


    "Oh, I see." Vincent''s eyes narrowed. "And you two are still in contact?" His voice lowered.


    A chill ran down her spine. "Sorta." Did I just put him in danger? "We don''t really get to talk much."


    Zain smirked at her as if to say ''told you''.


    Don''t be a pushover, Grace! "Is that a problem?" She turned to Vincent, and he already had his intense gaze fixed on her.


    "It might be. Having another man so close to you, who knows you in ways I don''t, could instill doubt. And I''m not the biggest on sharing." Vincent sighed. He didn''t want to scare her away, but he knew he wouldn''t do well with another man hanging around her too much. He took a deep breath and looked away. "I''m sorry about that. I hope I didn''t scare you."


    "Takes more than that to scare me." Can''t say it wasn''t a bit worrying, though.


    "So it seems. Although, sometimes you look like a scared kitten, other times a ferocious tiger. Two sides of you, I suppose."


    One of Vincent''s cleaners approached him and whispered into his ear before scurrying off with the others, leaving the place spick and span.


    "Hmph..."


    "What is it? Assuming you care to share?" Zain asked.


    "We know who''s after the princess."


    Zain sat straight up. The person they had caught and tortured turned out to be a hired hand and wasn''t useful in finding out who was behind it. "Do tell."


    "The Marini family."

 Chapter 12

    They headed back to the Bertolottis estate, and Zain immediately went to talk to Ray. Vincent grabbed his jacket, hat, and gun from near the door, where he left it in a show of faith, but who would''ve known he''d need it for their little excursion?


    How did they know we were there? We only decided that at the last moment, so they must''ve been following us. But to even know we left the house, doesn''t that mean they''re watching the house?


    Vincent leant down to look into her face. "Thinking about something quite hard, are you?"


    "What? Oh! I''m sorry. It''s just... Ah, never mind."


    "No, say what''s on your mind. Please." He stood up straight, his full attention on her.


    "None of our outing was planned, so they must have been watching us, but from where? After the last incident, I thought they would''ve had more guards around outside, keeping an eye out for anyone, but somehow we were followed."


    Vincent nodded. "It''s hard to have eyes and ears everywhere. If you are short on staff or anything, may I offer some of my own?"


    "That won''t be necessary." Ray appeared at the top of the stairs. "I will be remedying this situation." He descended the stairs with Zain close behind him. He held his hand out to Vincent. "I must thank you for saving my granddaughter, and for cleaning up the mess."


    They shook hands. "Of course, I''d protect her. Although it seems hardly needed with how well she handled herself. She is a good fighter."


    Ray turned his attention to Grace and dropped his hand on her head. "I''m glad to hear it, but I''d prefer if she didn''t have to fight a bunch of grown men on her own. The Marini family is now in my sights, and I plan to deal with them swiftly."


    "Do we actually know why they''re after me?" Grace asked.


    He pulled his hand back. "Because they don''t want the Bertolottis family to grow any bigger and stronger. They also hold a long-standing grudge against me, and I them." A flash of pain crossed on his face. He turned back to Vincent. "It''s personal."


    "I see. Well, feel free to ask for help later, should you need it, regardless of how this turns out." He glanced at Grace. "I hope our families will at least have a strong friendship; a partnership of understanding, where we can live and thrive together."


    "I, too, hope for that. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have a rat to deal with." They nodded to each other, and Ray patted her on the head again before leaving.


    "I swear he thinks I''m a little kid still." Grace tried to fix her hair.


    "To him, you are, and probably always will be. It tends to be that way with grandparents. Parents, too, I would imagine."


    "Oh right... You lost yours when you were young, too, right?"


    "Yes, but not as young as you. I was fifteen, and I had to take over as head of the family."


    "Shouldn''t they have had an underboss to fill in until you were at least an adult or something?"


    "They offered, but I felt like that would hinder my power and control over the family. It would be seen as something weak to do."


    Her brows furrowed. "But at fifteen you were still a kid."


    He lightly pressed in between her furrowed brows. "Don''t worry so much. It''s in the past, and it was my decision. I grew up in this life; I was prepared for it."


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    "No one is prepared to lose their parents."


    He faltered for a moment, and his hand fell to his side. "I suppose you''re right. I did what I had to do given the situation, though."


    "Were you given time to grieve?"


    "The whole family grieved. My parents were great leaders."


    "As in both of them?"


    "Yes; they were quite the duo, and both considered the bosses of our family."


    "So there are female leaders in the mafia? It''s just my grandfather who doesn''t want that?"


    He raised an eyebrow. "I suppose he''d prefer to protect you, and keep you away from the worst part of it all. You were dragged into it; it''s not the same. Besides, would you actually want to run the family? There''s a lot of darkness you''d have to deal with. In the long run, I think it''d be up to you to decide the fate of the family." He took her hand, and she expected him to kiss the back of it again, but instead, he tugged her in close. His hand around her waist, he kissed her on the cheek. "Until next time, cara mia. Take care," he whispered into her ear and then left.


    Grace stood there for a moment, stunned, with her heart racing a mile a minute.


    "A kiss on the cheek, and you''re that overwhelmed?"


    "Ah!" Grace jumped away from Zain, who had popped up behind her. "Don''t do that!"


    "It''s not like I hid my footsteps or anything. So, have you fallen for the charmer already?"


    "I... Uh... I don''t know about that."


    "If not, then he at least left you wanting more." Zain pointed at her face. "At least, that''s what your face tells me."


    She swatted his finger away. "It''s rude to point. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you went with my grandpa?"


    "We had a few words, and he sent me back."


    "And here I thought I was getting alone time for a moment."


    "You weren''t alone. Ran," Zain called out for his assistant, and he popped up beside Grace.


    "What the hell?" She jumped again and inched away from him. "What are you, a ninja or something?"


    "Something like that," Zain said. "You can head off now, Ran."


    "Sir." Ran bowed and headed for the kitchen, where Mary was coming from.


    "Grace! Why do you look so ragged? Are you okay?" Mary asked her.


    "Do I look that bad right now?" Grace tried to check her clothes and hair.


    "Yes! And you have dinner with the boss later. We can''t have you looking like this. You need a shower and better clothes. Dear, I thought you were out on a date, but you look like you were exercising."


    "Technically, it was both."


    "Come on; let''s get you cleaned up before you leave a sweat stain on my floor." Mary tugged her along.


    Sweat stain?! I''m not sweating that badly, am I?


    Grace sat in a hot bath after washing up, staring at the ceiling. Should I just expect to be attacked again? This time, grandfather will be there. Would they still aim for me, or him? I''d feel better if I had a gun, but I doubt they''re going to give me one again unless something is already happening. I wonder if they''ve done something about the people earlier. They don''t tell me anything; I''m completely out of the loop! She swung her hand down at the water, making it splash out of the tub.


    Is it always going to be like this? Even when someone else takes over, I''ll just be pushed around and kept in the dark. What if I actually grow to care about them? I''d hate to be kept like that!


    "Arg!" she let out a growl and slapped the water again.


    "Are you taking a bath or having a fight in there?" Zain asked from the other side of the bathroom door.


    "What...? Are you hanging out in my room listening to me?"


    "I''m your bodyguard and watcher; of course, I''m here."


    Geez... Can''t even be alone when I''m in the bath! She leaned into the water until it went to just under her nose.


    "Grace?" She was quiet for a few minutes, so he called out to her. "Everything alright in there?"


    Ugh... go away... Oh... Her head spun a bit, and she shook it off. What in the world was that? I should probably get out, but this is as close to being alone as I can get. Grace sighed and blew bubbles in the water.


    Another dizzy spell hit, and her vision blurred.


    Knock, knock. "Grace? I know you''re still in there; this is the only exit from that bathroom." Zain leaned in close to the door to listen. "You''ve been in there quite a while... Are you okay?"


    "Ugh..." Everything started to go dark, and she went limp.


    Zain knocked again. "If you don''t answer me, I''ll come in there whether you want me to or not."


    When she didn''t answer, he cursed under his breath and kicked the door open. His eyes went straight to her, her eyes closed as she laid in the tub. Thankfully, her nose was still above the water.


    "Damn it, Grace... Crazy woman," Zain grumbled and threw a towel on the floor beside the tub. "She''s gonna kill me," he mumbled as he drove his arms into the water and picked her up. He set her down on the towel and wrapped it around her before picking her up again. "Who stays in the bath until they pass out?" Zain set her down on her bed. "I''ll be right back with someone who can help you."

 Chapter 13

    "Ugh..." Grace woke up twenty minutes later with her head feeling fuzzy. "What happened?" She held onto her head.


    "How are you feeling, dear?" Mary turned off the fan she had set in the room to cool her down. "Can you sit up?"


    "A little out of sorts... and weirdly thirsty..." Grace groaned as she sat up, and then realized she was in a thin nightgown. "Uh..."


    "I couldn''t leave you in that wet towel. I dried you off and put you in something light to help you cool down. Here, drink some water." Mary held the glass up to her.


    "Ah... Thanks," Grace sighed. "Wait..." Grace froze as she thought about it. "Towel? Oh my gosh, I passed out in the bath?!"


    "Yes. You really have to be careful about things like this. I don''t know what we would''ve done if Zain didn''t find you."


    "Zain found me?"


    "Apparently, you were taking too long and stopped responding to him, so he broke your door down. Don''t worry about the door; it''ll be fixed this evening."


    "Zain..." More heat crawled up her cheeks. "Are... Are you saying he picked me up out of the tub?"


    "It certainly wasn''t me, dear."


    "But... then... he..."


    "Breathe."


    Grace''s eyes shook as she looked at Mary. "That means he saw me naked!"


    "It''s not like he could leave you in there and take his time to get a woman to help you out."


    "Holy crap!" She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. Why him?!


    "It''s not the end of the world, dear. I''m sure he''s seen plenty of naked women in his time."


    "That''s not helping."


    "Well, that''s the reality of the situation. Do you think you''ll be able to have dinner with the boss?"


    "Does he know this happened?"


    "I didn''t tell him, but I don''t know if Zain did."


    "Don''t tell him, please. I already have enough supervision as it is."


    "I can hold my tongue, but Zain tends to tell him just about everything, so it might be too late."


    "Ugh... How am I going to face Zain now?" She buried her face in the pillow again.


    "If he left you there, you could have drowned."


    "I know, but... Ugh, I''m so embarrassed."


    Mary brushed her hair back. "There''s no avoiding him, so you''ll have to find a way to get past it. I''ll leave your dress out for the dinner later. Keep an eye on the time; the boss doesn''t like tardy people." Mary squeezed her shoulder and left.


    She heard muffled voices, and her bedroom door opened again. Zain came in and closed the door behind him.


    Grace kept hugging the pillow and avoided looking over at him.


    "What in the world were you thinking?" Zain asked as he stomped up to her, a vein popping out of his temple.


    She stayed silent, face buried in the pillow.


    "What are you giving me the silent treatment now?"


    Heat rushed through her all the way up to her ears. "Can you go away... please?"


    "No," he flat-out refused.


    "Ugh..."


    "This is how you treat your saviour?"


    "Well, thank you for saving me," her voice was muffled by the pillow.


    He pulled the pillow away from her. "Mary was right." He shook his head. "But it doesn''t matter if you''re embarrassed; you can''t avoid me."


    "Grr..." She tried to take the pillow back, but he held it out of her reach.


    "What will it take for you to get over it? I did what I had to, to save you. It''s not like I was peeping at you to see you naked or anything."


    Grace turned away, hunched over, and buried her face in her hands.


    "Would it help if you saw me naked? Then we can be even and go back to being normal."


    "What?" She turned and got hit in the face with the pillow. She wrestled the pillow back into her arms, and her eyes widened. Zain was in the process of unbuttoning his shirt. "What are you doing?"


    "Evening things out, so you can get over it." Zain pulled his shirt off and reached for his belt.


    "Stop, stop, stop! That won''t make me feel better." Her eyes trailed along his torso. He had tattoos covering from shoulder to shoulder all the way around. A tattoo of a dragon started on his shoulder and went to his chest. On the opposite shoulder, he had one of a tiger heading towards the dragon.


    "Like the tattoos? Want a closer look?" Zain leaned onto her bed towards her.


    "There''s so much detail. What''s this?" She lightly touched his chest where there was a scar and he twitched.


    "A scar from when I got stabbed. I got the tattoo over it, part to hide it, part because I like the tattoos, and part because it shows loyalty to the family."


    "I don''t have to get a tattoo, do I?"


    "No; they''re optional, but many get them."


    "I can only imagine how long all of this took to do." Grace cringed just thinking about it.


    "It wasn''t all at once, but if you put all of them together, it was easily more than a day of tattoo work."


    "Ouch..."


    Zain smirked as he watched her eyes trail along the tattoos, taking in all the details. He turned around to show the phoenix on his well-defined back.


    "Whoa..."


    "This is probably the most attention you''ve given me since you got here." His shoulders shook as he laughed. "In case you''ve forgotten, I''m also a marriage candidate."


    "Since the other two would bring families together, wouldn''t those be preferable?"


    He looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "I know he''s pushing you into this, but he''s also hoping you''d at least like one of us. Although, I''d say you seem to have taken a liking to Vincent."


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    "He''s charming, and he''s open to me going back to being a cop, and keeping this family together and strong."


    "Why do I feel like there''s a ''but'' in this situation?"


    "I don''t know what it is. I feel like there''s a darkness lurking beneath the surface."


    "We''re mobsters; I imagine all of us have some of that."


    "I''m not sure how much Floyd has, but Vincent''s feels different than yours."


    Zain sat down on her bed as he thought. "At the risk of scaring you, I don''t think you''re wrong. We''ve all been through a lot, but from what I know of them, I''d say Vincent is easily the most dangerous of us."


    "I don''t know if I''m out of line here, but how''d you end up as part of the Bertolottis family? And the underboss at that." Grace pulled the blanket up, feeling like she wasn''t wearing enough clothes.


    Zain sighed as he fiddled with his shirt in his hands. "The boss is a major part of my past. I''m not sure if I should tell you, or if it should be him to."


    "To be fair, I don''t seem to get a lot of time with him, so it''d be hard to ask."


    "I guess... You know how he had two sons?"


    "Yeah, my dad and his younger brother."


    "The younger brother, who by default would''ve been next in line to be the boss, was accidentally killed by the Kuros family."


    "Accidentally?"


    "I question if it was an accident or not, but that''s what they said. Boss wanted compensation for his son, but no amount of money was enough. I was the second son to the Kuros family, and they gave my life to him." Zain touched the stab wound on his chest.


    "Wait, are you saying my grandfather stabbed a kid? You were a kid when you joined, right?"


    "Yes, I was still a kid, but no, he didn''t stab me. I did this to myself."


    "W-why?"


    "When I was taken here and faced the boss... he told me to join the Bertolottis family as a member. I said I''d rather die than no longer be a Kuros, like the stupid kid I was, I pulled out a knife and tried to kill myself with a stab to the chest. I didn''t even make it through bone, though."


    "Ouch... What kind of kid does that? And why''d you have a knife? Didn''t they search you?"


    "I was ten; they didn''t think I''d have a weapon, and they didn''t see me as a threat, anyway. And I grew up in a mafia family, is it all that surprising I''d do something crazy?"


    "Yes?"


    "Well, the boss stopped me. He yanked the knife out and fixed the wound himself as he scolded me the whole time. Even he called me crazy. He said he wanted my life, but he didn''t want to waste it like that. He planned to put me to use. Although, it''s more like he raised me. He treated me like his own son the whole time." Zain held his head as he laughed. "After I had healed from stabbing myself, the boss literally slapped some sense into me, and I got scolded more."


    "Does my grandfather hit you a lot?"


    Zain shrugged. "Less than my family did, and normally I deserved it, so it doesn''t really bother me. If he didn''t discipline me, I''m sure the others would think he was soft."


    "But hitting isn''t a good way to raise a kid. Hitting isn''t good in general. I mean, sure playfully, or to defend yourself, but otherwise, I don''t think that''s a good go-to."


    "You''re too nice for this place." Zain shook his head.


    "I have a good heart, but it''s also strong, and I''ve had to deal with a lot. I already worked in a male-dominated profession, so I had to work extra hard to stand out. I''ve killed people too, but I''d rather avoid it. I''ve been in more gunfights than I''d like to admit. I''ve also had to fight and wrestle with too many people." She sighed.


    "You sound tired of it."


    "I know I make a difference, which erases any fatigue from it."


    "I know you''ve done a lot as a cop; you''re quite accomplished. I know more about you than you know."


    "That sounds creepy."


    "I guess it is, but it''s under your grandfather''s orders."


    "Still creepy."


    "Gee, thanks."


    "By the way, are you saying you kept an eye on me?"


    Zain froze.


    "I know I was told someone was around trying to keep me safe. Was that you?"


    "I will admit to having been around you a number of times... We''ve even met once, not that you remembered, but most of the time I had other business to attend to. He only sent me when there was suspicious movement, and he wanted someone he trusted could handle himself to be there."


    "How''d you earn everyone''s trust? You were a kid from a different family; I can only imagine that everyone was suspicious of you."


    "I faced a lot of backlash at first, since I came from the family who killed one of their own, until the boss had his way with them. He made it abundantly clear it wasn''t my fault, and if anyone treated me badly, they''d have to deal with him."


    "Meaning everyone backed down?"


    "Yeah. After that, I mostly got the silent treatment for a while. Eventually, they started to accept me, and when I was a teenager, I ended up saving the boss'' life. Suffice to say, the family was eternally grateful to me. It wasn''t long after that I became the underboss."


    So young.


    "I still don''t understand why he doesn''t just pass the title of boss to you. You are basically his son; he raised you."


    "Since I''m not blood related and officially a Bertolottis, he knows people will have an issue with it."


    "So? Beat''em in a fight or something and prove you''re the top dog."


    Zain''s eyes widened, and he burst out laughing. "I didn''t expect to hear something like that from you. I guess you really are a Bertolottis. Your grandfather said something akin to that, but I didn''t want to put him in a precarious position, and I knew he truly wanted his blood to continue it."


    "Aren''t there Bertolottiss other than me?"


    "Well, you do have cousins here, but it''s not the same as it being you, his granddaughter."


    "Doesn''t that mean they might be the ones after me? Other than the Marinis... or working with them."


    Zain froze. "I... I wish I could say with certainty that they aren''t after you, but they never had much interest in becoming the leader. They liked sitting on the sidelines getting paid as they lounged. I can''t imagine they''d chance being cut-off by attacking you."


    "But wouldn''t it make sense that they were able to get close enough to attack me, then? I imagine they''ve been here more than a few times over the years."


    "And the Marinis haven''t... I see what you''re getting at. Ha... I wish I could go and check things out." He glanced at her.


    "But you''re too busy keeping an eye on me. I know." She rolled her eyes. "Don''t blame me. I didn''t ask to be here, and I didn''t ask to have a babysitter."


    "You climbed out the third-floor window and down the balcony when we left you alone."


    "And you guys kidnapped my partner; what do you expect? Ah, hey! Don''t do that!"


    Zain ruffled her hair. "Such a troublemaker."


    The bedroom door opened, drawing their attention. Ray looked at Grace, then at Zain. "I thought I heard your voice." He glared at Zain. "What are you doing in here? Why are you half naked?" He stomped up to Zain. "What did you do to her?"


    Zain stood toe-to-toe with him. "I didn''t do anything to her."


    Ray poked him in the chest. "Then why is your shirt off?"


    "Well..." He scratched the back of his head. "Since I... uh... saw her naked when I saved her from passing out in the bath. I thought I''d even it out so she wouldn''t be embarrassed every time she saw me."


    Ray''s eye twitched. Zain had already told him what had happened, but he didn''t expect that. "Does that mean you were going to flash my granddaughter?"


    "I... Uh..."


    "Can still never lie to me, can you? Good," Ray growled.


    "He didn''t have a chance to, by the way," Grace chimed in.


    "Zain, get out of here before I lose my cool and beat you."


    "Right." Zain dipped his head down and headed for the door. "Ah, I dropped my shirt." He started to head back, but the look in Ray''s eyes stopped him in his tracks. "I don''t need it. I can find another." He backed away, staring at the ground. "Excuse me." He closed the door behind him.


    Geez... Grandpa really has him on a short leash.


    "Was he telling the truth?" Ray asked as he sat on the end of her bed.


    "Yes; that''s exactly what happened." Grace sighed and hugged her pillow again.


    "Are you feeling alright now?" Ray''s arm twitched as he resisted the urge to check her forehead for a fever.


    "Yes, I''m okay now. I''m sorry to scare everyone like that. I just stayed in the hot water for too long."


    "I see. Well, I would''ve thanked that brat more, but I can''t believe I found him half-naked in your room."


    It''s not like I''m a child. "Isn''t he a candidate, though?"


    "Still inexcusable, unless you''ve made your decision."


    "No."


    "I didn''t think so." Ray sighed and rubbed his neck. "Are you well enough for our dinner?"


    "Yes; as I said, I''m okay now. We can still go out for dinner."


    "Good." He nodded. "I wanted to take you to your father''s favourite place growing up. He''s always loved their pasta and pizza. We can order whatever you want, though. More than enough, even, and we can bring what we don''t eat home."


    "Is it going to be just the two of us?"


    "I didn''t rent the place out, so I can''t say how many people will be at the restaurant, but if you''re talking about my men, I plan to have a few of them nearby. Don''t worry; we''ll still have enough privacy to talk between us."


    "So Zain is coming to?"


    Ray raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you haven''t taken a shine to him?"


    "I-I was just wondering, since he''s basically my personal bodyguard or babysitter."


    He nodded. "Of course, he''ll be there. I trust Zain, but if he gets out of line and tries something, don''t be afraid to come to me. I''ll deal with him swiftly, and he won''t even think about doing something you don''t want again."


    Even though Zain is like his son, it feels like he''d trust my word over anyone else''s. Maybe blood does mean that much to him.


    "I think I can deal with him." Grace chuckled. "But I''ll keep it in mind. Thank you, grandfather."


    His brows furrowed as he frowned.


    "What''s wrong?" Grace asked.


    "Grandfather feels too stiff and formal. Call me grandpa."


    That was on purpose... Her heart ached as she thought about her other grandparents. "O-okay, grandpa."


    "Feels so much better." He patted her on the top of her head and sighed. "How I wish I got to be there while you were growing up." He shook it off before his thoughts spiralled again. "Anyway, you''re sure you''re okay to go to dinner?"


    "Yes, I''m sure."


    "I look forward to seeing you, then." Ray stood and kissed her on the cheek. "Please don''t make me worry more than I already do."


    "Sadly, I can''t make any promises."


    He laughed and shook his head. "Just like your parents." He sighed as he left.


    He must really miss them... I do, too.


    Grace sighed as she laid back and looked out the window. I should probably be getting ready for dinner, anyway. Good thing Mary chose out my clothes; I''d have no idea what to wear.

 Chapter 14

    "Isn''t this a bit too dressed up? And how''d you get them to agree to give me the gun back?" Grace asked as she slipped the thigh holster on. An image of Zain putting it on her popped into her head, and she could practically feel his fingers sliding against her. Her cheeks reddened, and she shook her head.


    "It''s a dinner with the boss; of course, you need to look nice. And what''s wrong, dear? You don''t have a fever, do you?" Mary asked.


    "What? No... I''m fine."


    "Are you sure? You''re looking a bit flushed."


    "Y-yeah, I''m sure." Don''t think about that hooligan!


    "As for the gun, Zain asked for you to have it, saying trouble follows you everywhere, and we''d be doing you a disservice by keeping you away from a weapon, or something along those lines."


    "Trouble follows me?"


    "Yes, or so he claims. He''s been busier and in more danger since you showed up."


    "I don''t think it''s fair to blame me for that."


    Mary chuckled and gave her a nudge. "You don''t have to take it so seriously. We all know this has to do with you being the heir to the Bertolottiss. You are set up to be a powerful woman around here."


    "Aren''t I just being used for the next in line? Otherwise, he would''ve tried to give me the title of ''boss'' next, right?"


    "Is that what''s bothering you? I thought you didn''t even want to be here."


    "That''s a bit hard to describe. I both want to get to know my grandpa, and use this family for the better, but I also want to uphold the law, many of which this family breaks. It''s all so complicated, and it''s been thrown at me in a way I have no choice but to accept things. The only thing I can do is make the best of this situation, and try to get my friend out. None of this is fair to him."


    "At least he''s well fed."


    "True, he loves to eat."


    Knock, knock. "Are you ready yet? It''s time to go," Zain said from the other side of the door. He knocked again when they didn''t answer. "Don''t do this to me again, Grace. I''m going to worry every time you don''t answer after what you put me through."


    "Did he really panic that much? I figured he''d be nonchalant about it," Grace whispered to her.


    "I know he likes to act tough, but he''s a big softy, and you definitely scared the living daylights out of him. I don''t think I''ve ever seen him so panicked," Mary whispered back.


    "You sure it''s not just because he''d be in serious trouble if something actually happened to me?"


    Mary shrugged. "I suppose that could be a part of it, but I doubt it''s the whole reason. You know, since you came here, he''s been¡ª"


    Knock, knock. "Grace! Don''t make me break this door, too." Zain touched the door lightly as he tried to concentrate on listening.


    "I''m coming, I''m coming." Grace rushed over and opened the door. "Have a little patience, please." She stood there with her hands on her hips in a sleek, black cocktail dress.


    "Please answer me quicker next time." He sighed and then trailed his eyes down her. "For a cop, you sure look good in a dress."


    "I''m not really a cop anymore, although I''m not sure what difference that makes."


    "Maybe I just always think of cops in uniforms, and I haven''t run into too many female cops that look like you."


    Grace lightly touched his chin to stop his gaping. "Careful, looks like you''re going to start drooling soon." She sauntered by him.


    "A few days here, and she''s changed so much," Zain said to Mary before following Grace downstairs.


    She stopped at the entrance. "I feel like I should have a purse with me or something."


    "Why? It''s not like you''ll need to personally pay for anything while you''re with the boss or me."


    "Are you saying if I went shopping with you, you''d pay for it all?"


    "Technically, I should use money set aside for you by the boss, but as long as it''s not something insane, yes, I could." He thought for a moment. "I would. Why? Are you going to ask to go shopping? Going to start acting like a rich heiress now?"


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    "I wouldn''t mind grabbing a couple of things, but I''ll pass on that."


    Zain shrugged. "You''re allowed outside with the proper people with you."


    "Meaning you."


    "Basically, but he''s been wondering if we should have a few more people with you at all times on the outside."


    "Ha... A whole crew? I should just stay at home and turn into a shut-in."


    "Don''t say that," Ray said from the top of the stairs. "You''re too beautiful to be hidden away to that extent."


    "Then how about she proves how badass she is, and no one will mess with her?" Zain suggested.


    "How well did that work for you, Zain? You proved yourself and got challenged more."


    "It''s not the same for women."


    "You''re right; she''ll have men after her hoping to ''conquer'' her¡ª"


    "Isn''t that one of the reasons to marry her off? Helps stave off the rift-raft..." Zain trailed off when Grace glared at him.


    "What was that? Please tell me that''s not one of the reasons for this." She turned back to Ray. "Right, grandpa?"


    "O-of course not, Gracey."


    Zain turned around, holding onto his face. He knew he screwed up.


    "For a mobster, that was a pretty bad lie." Grace sighed. "You know what? It doesn''t even matter. Are we going or not?"


    "Yes, let''s go." Ray followed after her. He smacked Zain in the back of the head as he passed by him.


    "Sorry, Boss," Zain mumbled.


    Outside, a man in a suit was leaning against a Mercedes-Benz as he stared at his phone.


    "Bobby," Ray called out to him. "I''d like for you to officially meet Grace." He motioned his hand to her.


    Bobby looked up from his phone and nodded to her. "Call me Guns." He moved to open the back door for Ray and Grace.


    "He''s Bobby ''Guns'' Robert," Zain whispered to her.


    "Guns? Wait, his name is Bobby Robert?" Grace frowned.


    "Yup." He nudged her forward to sit in the back beside Ray. "Scooch over a bit." He sat down next to her, wedging her between them.


    "Why don''t one of you sit in the front with Bobby?" Grace asked as she tried to make herself smaller. "It''s not like I''m going to dive out of a moving vehicle."


    "There are plenty of stops, but that''s not why we''re squishing you in there."


    "Let me guess, for my safety?"


    "Naturally."


    Grace sighed. "I swear, if I grew up here with you, grandpa, I''d be a spoilt, protected, rich heiress of the mafia."


    "And I would''ve been fine with that." Ray smiled at her.


    Zain leaned in to whisper to her. "I know what you''re thinking. He''s too nice to be a mob boss. And while he is a gentleman, I assure you, he''s only this nice to you."


    I wasn''t thinking that. "Actually, I was thinking he should be in the middle. Protect the boss, right?"


    "More like ''protect what''s most precious to the boss'', right, Boss?"


    "Of course," Ray agreed, and patted Grace on the head.


    I feel like a little kid when I''m with him. It was a bit bittersweet to her. With her parents'' deaths, she had to grow up fast. Even though her other grandparents took care of her, she always did her best to help them out. They had been gone for a few years now, one going after the other due to heartbreak, so she''d been on her own for a while.


    Sitting in the back of the car with them, an odd sense of familial comfort came over her. She gripped her hands tightly in her lap and tears formed in her eyes. She tilted her head forward, trying to hide her face with her hair.


    Damn it... I haven''t cried over them in a long time. Why now?! I hate crying with other people around.


    Grace quickly wiped them away before they could fall.


    "Gracey, is something wrong?" Ray asked.


    She swallowed hard. "Nope; allergies are acting up, that''s all."


    "You have allergies?" Ray exchanged a knowing look with Zain. "I didn''t know you had any."


    "Yup, and they act up at the most random times. Sorry."


    "No need to apologize." Ray wanted to suggest seeing an allergist, but he suspected it wasn''t allergies at all. "I hope it doesn''t ruin your dinner."


    "No food allergies that I know of, just airborne ones..."


    "I have to ask, does that include smoke?" Zain asked.


    "Ah, yes; please don''t smoke near me. Lungs will hurt and everything."


    "That sucks..."


    "Why? Do you smoke? I haven''t seen anyone smoking since I got here."


    "The boss is pretty strict about a lot of things, and he doesn''t allow it indoors. Trust me, there are plenty of men here that do, but it''s always outside and away from the house. Might not want to visit the gazebo in the back; they like to use that as their space for it."


    "Good to know, thanks." Too bad, though, it sounds like it would''ve been a good place to relax otherwise. I wonder how much grandpa has kept an eye on me all these years. I doubt he''d tell me. She sighed and glanced at Ray. He had a firm expression as he looked out the window, watching the scenery go by. Who knows what''s going through his mind? He brought me here, and we''ve barely talked. Although, I guess that''s what tonight is for.


    "This whole area is under our protection," Zain whispered to her.


    "Isn''t the ''protection'' offered by the mafia usually from the ones supposedly doing the protecting?"


    "There are a lot of gangs that try to come into our area and mess people up; we deal with them. Someone''s trying to deal drugs on the street or peddle arms? We deal with them, too."


    "So only you guys are allowed to cause trouble on the streets?" Grace shook her head. "Bunch of troublemakers pretending to be good."


    "It saddens me to hear you say that, but you''ll understand how we''ve changed in due time," Ray said.


    "Changed?"


    "Yes... we used to be quite a bit worse, but over the years ¨C decades ¨C I''ve cleaned it up. I guess there''s more to do."


    "I know you guys are mafia. By definition, you''re a part of organized crime; I''m not expecting you to be clean."


    "We can at least strive to not cross some lines that would be too much for you."


    "As much as I''d like that, how would you get the rest of the Bertolottiss to do that? I''m sure there are ones who do things behind your back, too."


    "Be careful what you ask about, bella; you might not like what you find." Zain smirked and looked out the window.


    Bella? New nickname? "What are you implying?"


    "Part of my dark side. My men follow my rules because they''ve learned the consequences," Ray said, and a chill ran down her spine.


    Holy crap. She shuttered. I hate not knowing, but that scared even me.


    "We''re here," Zain said, drawing her out of her daze. He got out and offered his hand. "Welcome to Palermo Pasta, your father''s favourite restaurant."

 Chapter 15

    Zain escorted her inside the restaurant, and she looked around the rustic eatery. On the wall, there were photos of some of their favourite customers, including a picture of her mom and dad when they were young.


    "Oh..." Grace lightly touched the picture on the wall near the entrance.


    "Spotted it right away, did you?" Ray sighed as he stood beside her, drawn to the picture as well. He had gone there every year on the anniversary of their death to look at the picture and eat his son''s favourite meal as a tribute to him.


    The attendant at the entrance greeted them, gripping their menus tightly as they bowed. "I''ll show you to your table." He led them to a table in the back, and Grace couldn''t help but notice some familiar men she''d passed by at the estate sitting at some of the tables.


    I wonder if they''re here to eat or as bodyguards.


    Grace sat down, Ray across from her, and he blocked Zain. "Normally, you''d eat with us, but for this one day, you will eat at the next table over," Ray said.


    "What?" Zain''s eyes widened. "Why?"


    "Because I want us to have some privacy." Ray pulled Zain in close, his hand on the back of Zain''s head. "It might make it easier for us to talk, okay?"


    "Yes, Boss..."


    Ray tapped him lightly on the cheek. "Grab a nearby table and order some food for yourself."


    Zain nodded and backed away. His eyes lingered on Grace for a moment before he chose somewhere nearby to sit at. "Yell if you need me," he said, despite not being far from them.


    "Does that mean we''re going to talk about things Zain shouldn''t hear? I thought he knew everything," Grace said.


    "Maybe, maybe not. I don''t always feel comfortable talking about my sons with him around. Zain, too, is like a son to me. He never took my name, but he''s been with me for a long time."


    Grace nodded and looked at the menu. It must''ve been hard for both of them. The one who lost both his sons, and the kid who was given away by his parents. "Um... I''ve never asked, but..."


    "Feel free to ask anything, Gracey."


    "What happened to grandma?"


    "Ah..." His expression dropped, and he swallowed hard.


    He looks worse than when talking about his sons. "Uh, you don''t have to tell me anything if you don''t want to, okay?" She reached over and lightly touched his hand on the table.


    "No." He patted her hand. "You deserve to know about your grandmother, Helena. She was also a part of this life when I met her. I wasn''t the boss yet, and we were both quite young. We had a Romeo and Juliet style romance, if you will."


    "Oh, I see."


    The waitress set down a glass of water for each of them and backed away, not wanting to interrupt.


    "She um..." He cleared his throat. "Got pregnant before we were married. When her family found out, they disowned her, but we took her in right away. My father wasn''t happy about having one of a rival family as ours, but he refused to leave a pregnant woman to fend for herself. And I had gotten on my knees and begged him to let her stay with us. He agreed surprisingly fast. I will forever be thankful to him for that."


    "Our family is full of softies?"


    "Sometimes we are." He smirked. "When it comes to those we care about. We got married after your father was born, and a few years later, Lucian, our second son, was born, and I became the leader back then because my father had grown ill. The four of us were happy together for many years, despite all the dangers. Helena... she always worried about the boys. After I tried to talk about your father being the next in line, she told me Lucian was acting up. He wanted to take over, but I didn''t listen. I think she grew tired of me then."


    "People often don''t listen until it''s too late."


    "You''re telling me..." He sighed, his shoulders slouched. "After the drama with your father, and Lucian going out to prove himself, she got depressed. She stopped going out. She tried to talk to Lucian, but he didn''t listen. I guess he was too much like me. After Lucian was killed, she was left broken. It was too much for her, and she gave up. Don''t get me wrong, she tried with Zain, but every time she saw him, she thought about her own sons. When your father was killed, it was the last straw. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say she died of heartbreak."


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    "I''m familiar with that situation." She thought about her other grandparents.


    "I... ugh... I feel like I lost everyone in such a short amount of time, other than Zain. I know we''re not blood related, but he quickly turned into family to me. I still miss them every day, though. I thought the pain would fade with time, but it never has. I suppose it goes a bit into the background, but the wounds stay deep."


    "Is it good for me to even be around, or does it remind you more of them?"


    "Oh no, Gracey." He held her hand in his. "I''m grateful to even have this chance to be with you. While you might remind me of them, it''s also nice to have a piece of them here with me. I''ve been alone for so long now that you''re being here feels like a dream."


    "Then why did you go about it that way? Why kidnap me instead of approaching as family? Which you are..."


    "You..." He sighed, shaking his head. "Because that would take time, and..."


    Grace cringed. "Are you dying?" I''m not sure I can handle another dead family member yet.


    "I am getting up there in age, but I still feel as strong as a gorilla, so I don''t think so."


    "Really? Both you and Zain gave me this feeling like you were sick or something. It would be mean to bring me here, get close, and then pass away soon after."


    "I suppose bringing you here was selfish of me either way, but I had stayed away long enough, and others already found out about your existence. Through the years, I''ve tried to keep you safe, but someone bad has been after you for a while now."


    "Someone from the Marini family, right?"


    "Yes," he sighed. "I was able to get rid of people in the past, but they don''t seem to care about their men too much. It doesn''t matter how many of them we kill or maim, there seems to be more coming out of the woodworks, most of which are targeting you."


    "I don''t get it, though. I know you''ve named me your heir and all, but that wasn''t until now. Why would they bother with someone you never had contact with?"


    "Because of who I am. Because family means the world to me. And they ramped it up because I had plans to name you my heir. They don''t want the Bertolottis family growing stronger than it already is."


    "Doesn''t this also mean you have a rat in your midst?"


    "Yes, but I don''t know who it is, yet. I will find out eventually. How about we actually order?" Ray picked up the menu.


    I guess he doesn''t want to talk to me about the Marini family. Grace looked at the menu. "What did my dad like to order here? If you remember..."


    "Of course I do." Ray waved the waitress over. "Let''s start with two orders of Sicilian chicken spaghetti and two double-double coffees."


    "Yes, sir." She bowed to him and headed off.


    "There''s quite the long menu here. What did my mom like to eat?"


    He chuckled. "Ice cream sundaes."


    "So I have my mom''s sweet tooth."


    "You like ice cream?"


    "Love it! So versatile with all the different varieties."


    "We''ll get you a sundae for dessert, then. You might need it, anyway."


    "What do you mean?" She tilted her head, her eyes narrowed.


    "You''ll find out soon enough."


    Grace fiddled with the menu. "Can I ask? What do you intend to do about the Marini family? I''m guessing you''re not going to sit back and let them keep coming at us."


    "They''re not going to be easy to deal with, but I''m not so hot-headed that I''d go running at them, guns blazing, through their front door. I need to find the rat, and then we have to work from there. Don''t worry, Gracey. We''ll keep you safe, and we''ll get rid of them." A dark expression cloudy his face for a moment. "We''ll get rid of that entire family if they don''t back down."


    A chill ran down Grace''s spine. It was easy for her to forget who he was most of the time, but it in moments like that, she was reminded that he was a true mafia boss.


    Ray felt her hand tremble. "I''m sorry. Did I scare you?"


    "Ah, no; I was just a bit startled. And I don''t like the idea of killing an entire family."


    "That would be the only way to make sure they don''t start coming out the woodworks like rats. I suppose if we take just the top brass out, they might crumble, and that would work for us as well."


    He talks about killing people so easily. I suppose that is normal for a mafia boss.


    The waitress came back with their food and drinks.


    "Thank you," Grace said.


    "She''d like to have an ice cream sundae after the pasta," Ray said.


    "Yes, sir." The waitress headed back.


    Grace swirled the spaghetti on her fork and took a big bite. "Mmm... This is good! Oh! Ha..." She waved at her mouth as her eyes started to water. "It''s hot!"


    Ray chuckled. "Yes; he loved to eat hot food. He liked to test his heat tolerance and kept eating the hottest things around. Not too good with hot food?"


    "When I was a teen I liked hot food, but I don''t think my tolerance was ever that good, and I haven''t eaten spicy food like this in a long time." She ate another mouthful despite her mouth being on fire, and the tear poured out as her face turned red. "Oh..."


    Ray laughed as he ate his own, enjoying the heat.


    Grace felt someone behind her, but by the time she turned to the blurry figure, they stole her plate of food and replaced it with their own chicken parm. "What are you doing? Silly woman," Zain grumbled as he took her plate back to his table.


    "What... just happened?" Grace wiped away her tears.


    "You''ve been saved from finishing the burning meal." Ray called the waitress back over and whispered to her. "Might not want to drink the coffee with it; it could make burn more."


    "Then water?"


    "Uh... Just hold on a moment."


    The waitress came back with a vanilla milkshake. "I hope it helps." She set it in front of Grace and left.


    After the first sip, she felt her mouth cooling down. "Oh, this really works. Thank you. And grandpa, next time warn me the food is spicy before I eat it."


    "Ha ha, sure thing, Gracey." He dug into his own food, enjoying the kick of heat it provided. He looked at her and couldn''t help but see an image of his son overlaying her. "I should''ve brought you here years ago..."


    "Hmm?" She looked up from her plate at him, a piece of pasta hanging out of her mouth. She slurped it up. "Did you say something?"


    "No." He saw pasta sauce on her face and smirked. "You''ve got a little bit." He pointed at his own face.


    "Sorry; I know I''m a messy eater."


    "Here." Zain popped up again with a tissue and held it up to her face.


    "T-thanks." She went to take it, but instead, he wiped her face for her.


    Doesn''t that mean he''s sitting too close and listening to everything, anyway?


    Ray shook his head as he smiled and took another forkful of food. He''d never seen Zain be so attentive to someone other than him. A refreshing change he''d get to enjoy.

 Chapter 16

    Bang, bang, bang.


    Gunshots went off and crashed through the window of Palermo Pasta.


    "Everyone, get down," Zain yelled as he pulled Grace down into cover.


    They knocked over tables to hide behind them. Luckily, they were made of resistant material ¨C but no one knew how long they would last.


    Ray''s men attacked back, shooting at the men coming towards the restaurant.


    Oh no, the waitress and attendant. Grace peeked out from under their cover to see if they were around. "Ah," she yelped as Zain pulled her back, his hand gripping her upper arm.


    "What are you doing? Stay back here." Zain pulled out his gun and glanced at Ray, who nodded at him.


    "You two don''t expect me to stay here during a gunfight, do you?"


    "Of course," they said in unison.


    It''s like they forgot I''m a cop with top-notch shooting skills.


    "Stay back here with her," Zain said.


    "Who are you to tell me to do that?" Ray growled and Zain froze, his eyes wide. "They attacked us at my favourite restaurant; I''ll make them rue the day." Ray pulled out two handguns. "You stay and protect her."


    "Screw that." Grace dove to the next booth over, closer to where the waitress and attendant were cowering.


    "Grace!" Ray roared.


    "Do your own thing." She waved at him and kept going.


    "How dare she...?" Ray huffed.


    A shot hit near his head, and he barely flinched.


    "We shouldn''t even be surprised by now..." Zain sighed and followed her over, knowing that''s what Ray wanted.


    Grace jumped up with the gun Zain trusted her with and sent off two shots before ducking back down. Both shots hit two of the men storming in, in the hands, blasting their weapons away.


    Gunfire and screams filled the air.


    Steady and as calm as she could be, Grace moved again. The waitress and attendants were in her sights. I''ll save you, the innocent people.


    More men came barging in through the door and blown out windows. One of them headed straight for the waitress and attendant with a crooked smile. They didn''t notice where Grace was hiding.


    "You look cute enough to sell." He laughed and aimed his gun at them.


    Grace shot his gun away and lunged at him, smashing his head into a nearby table. She rolled to the side where they were.


    "They might have the place surrounded, so the safest place is either the bathroom or the roof."


    "There''s no access to the roof from the inside," the attendant said.


    "Bathroom it is." At least it''s not too far. She kept her gun ready, and with her free hand, she took the hand of the waitress, who then took the attendant''s hand.


    They kept low as they rounded the corner.


    A bull of a man rushed down the hall towards them. Grace quickly shot his gun away, and then his leg. He groaned in pain and pressed on the bullet wound with his hand.


    How many people have I injured now?


    Grace led them to the ladies'' bathroom. "It''s not the greatest spot, but it''s better than nothing. If you''re going to hide in the stalls, stand on the toilet so they can''t see your feet. Won''t stop them if they actually check each one, though. We''ll resolve this before it comes to that. Stay here," Grace commanded.


    "Um... Thank you." The attendant bowed to her.


    "R-right... Thank you..." The waitress followed suit, trembling as she bowed.


    "Stay safe." Grace checked how many rounds she had left. Wish I had an extra clip to bring with me. I''ll have to be a bit more sparing with them.


    "Y-you could stay here and hide with us," the attendant suggested.


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    "No; I can''t do that." They''re likely after me and grandpa. I''m just getting to know him; I have to make sure he''s okay. Ducking down, she peeked into the hallway. If she followed it out, she was almost certain there would be men waiting for her, so she headed back towards the dining room.


    Bullets were still flying everywhere as bodies from both sides were strewn across the floor. A few dead, but mostly people groaning in pain. To Grace''s surprise, a bunch of them had dropped their guns and gotten into fistfights. It didn''t seem to matter that shots were going off near them.


    They''re crazy... the lot of them. How many men did they send to attack this place? And why aren''t the cops here to break it up yet?!


    Gun ready, Grace stayed around the corner of the hall and tried to locate both Zain and Ray. She peeked around the corner to see if there were more people outside. A bunch were on the ground, a few were still randomly shooting at the building.


    "Get down!" Zain yelled.


    Before Grace could react, she was tackled to the ground, and a shot landed in the wall, having passed by where she was.


    "Ugh..." Grace groaned and tried to push Zain off.


    "Why''d you come back?! You should''ve stayed hidden."


    "As if I could go hide while you guys are in the middle of a fight!"


    Zain growled at her and rolled to the side with her in his arms as he shot at someone coming towards them.


    "How in the world are we supposed to end this fight? And why haven''t the cops shown up yet?" Grace complained as she tried to push Zain away.


    "We win when they''re either all dead or run away. And the cops take forever to show up... but it looks like someone else has appeared. You stay here." Zain got up and froze, his heart racing.


    "Quit resisting or he dies," one of the enemies yelled, their gun aimed at Ray''s head from only a foot away as Ray was on his knees.


    Grace stood, her eyes glued to the attacker, reading his expression. "He''s going to kill him either way."


    "Don''t you dare stop fighting!" Ray yelled at them.


    "Tch, your funeral, old man. Well, yours and your families''."


    Bang.


    The man with his gun to Ray lurched to the side and hit the ground in a bloody mess.


    Zain slowly turned, and his eyes widened. Grace was standing beside him with her gun still aimed at the man who shot Ray.


    "I..." Her hand shook. "I just..."


    There was a whole lot of yelling and cursing going on, none of which Grace could even hear with her head in a daze, and the enemy started to flee.


    Zain grabbed the gun from her and pulled her in for a hug. "You did what you had to, to save your grandpa," he whispered.


    How could I? She trembled in his arms. I always go for the hand, but this time I went for his head!


    "Thank you for saving him."


    Tears welled up, and she buried her face in his chest. "Ha..."


    "Sorry I took so long to show up," a familiar voice caught her ear as they talked to Ray.


    Vincent?


    "I''m glad you showed, but how''d you even know about this?" Ray asked as Vincent helped him to his feet.


    "This isn''t far from my territory, and one of my men called me about it. I think they''re a regular here." Vincent''s eyes trailed around the destroyed restaurant.


    "Looking for my granddaughter?" Ray''s eyes went over to her and Zain. He knew what she did for him, but he also figured it would come at a cost. "I''m sorry, but she''s in shock at the moment."


    Vincent nodded and glanced at where Ray was looking. "Understandable. This is a call for war. This can be hard for us to deal with, never mind someone from the outside."


    "I''m sure the gun fight rattled her, but that''s not what I''m talking about."


    "Oh?"


    "She just killed a man to save me." Ray nudged his head towards the body beside them.


    Vincent''s eyes widened. He could tell she was fierce, but she also seemed soft at the same time. She wanted to help people. That''s what drove her. "I see..."


    "Thank you for your help, but I hope you''ll excuse me; I need to see my granddaughter."


    "Yes, of course." Vincent stepped out of the way. He watched Ray walked away, and then instructed his men to help the wounded and to clean up the place.


    "Grace," Ray called to her and stroked her head.


    She jumped a little, having not noticed he came over. She took a deep breath and stepped away from Zain, wiping her eyes before turning to him.


    "Gracey." He drew her in for a hug. "Thank you for saving this old man. I''m sorry you had to do that."


    Did I have to? Was there another way? I could''ve shot at his hand like normal. I''m good enough that I could''ve done that and spared him.


    "Let''s get you home."


    Grace nodded. As they were leading her to the entrance, a car driving by caught her eye. A young man with white hair was in the back of the car. He was looking over as the car drove by.


    No way...


    The three of them stopped at the door for them to look around. Grace moved over to the wall of photos. Most of them had been knocked down and smashed. Sifting through the broken frames and glass, she picked up the picture of her parents.


    "Are you okay?" Vincent approached Grace.


    "I..." I can''t even say I''m okay right now. "I don''t know..." She stood with the picture, missing half of its glass cover. "This place was supposed to be a link to my parents, and now it''s ruined."


    Vincent glanced at the picture. "You look like your mother. Both beautiful."


    "Thanks..."


    He rested his hand on her shoulder. "You did the right thing, you know? You protected someone precious to you. You have no need to feel guilty over someone who was ready to kill. And I know you have a kind heart, but not everyone is worth trying to save. Not everyone wants to be saved." He gave her shoulder a squeeze and left.


    "Come on." Zain urged her out of the restaurant while Ray was talking to someone else. They headed to their vehicle, surprised to find it wasn''t destroyed, and their driver was still alive. "No warning?"


    "I wasn''t even in the car." He pointed at the cafe across the street. "I was busy drinking coffee and hitting on women. When I came out, there was a mass of people trying to get into the restaurant and attacking it. What did you expect me to do? Can''t warn anyone by then. If I tried to fight back from here, I''d have the whole lot of them after me."


    "All I heard was you turned into a coward and hid when we needed you."


    He threw his hands into the air. "I ain''t a fighter; I''m a driver. If you need to get away in a car chase, I''m your man, but this... no; it''s not my forte. Now, are we going back? Sir..." He went stiff when Ray showed up right behind them.


    "Yes, let''s go." Ray took Grace''s hand and led her into the back with him. "I''m sorry..."


    Zain sat on her other side and sighed. He couldn''t help but wonder if something like this was bound to happen eventually.

 Chapter 17

    Changed into her normal attire after her shower, Grace sat on her bed with wet hair as she stared listlessly into the space in front of her.


    Zain approached Mary outside of Grace''s bedroom. "How is she?" he asked.


    "Not well... She''s barely said a word, and she keeps sighing as she just sits there."


    "I see..."


    "Do you think she''ll get past this?"


    "She seems strong, so probably, but I don''t know how long it''ll take. This went against her morals."


    Zain knocked on her door. She didn''t answer, but he opened the door, anyway. "What did I say about not answering?"


    Grace didn''t even bother to look up at him. She didn''t even notice he had come in, too stuck in her mind, going in circles.


    He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. She jumped, finally noticing him. "When did you...? What are you doing?" Grace asked.


    "Grabbing your attention."


    The hand still holding hers told her otherwise. "For what?"


    "You..." Zain thought for a moment. "You haven''t gone to see your friend today, yet. Let''s go."


    "It''s okay." She pulled back. "I''m not planning on visiting today."


    "You''ll make him lonely."


    "He can go a day without me."


    "Damn... You''re doing worse than I thought. He''s your partner; he might be able to help you better than anyone else here." Not listening anymore, he dragged her along, and she let him. She didn''t have it in her to fight with him.


    Downstairs in the basement, Zain nudged her into her Roger''s room.


    "Grace! It was getting late, so I wasn''t sure I was going to get to see you..." Roger trailed off, his expression dropping as he looked at her. "What happened?" He patted the spot next to him on the bed, and she sat down.


    "I don''t know if I want to go through it again..." Grace mumbled.


    "Whatever it is, you''re already reliving it in your head, so why not tell me?"


    Grace sighed and then told him about her evening.


    "Ah, no wonder you''re in this state." He gave her a shoulder hug. "I know you''ve avoided killing, but the others are right. You did what you felt you had to in the moment. And there''s a high probability he would''ve killed your grandpa if you didn''t. Sometimes the world is kill or be killed."


    "Have you killed anyone before?" While they had been partners for years, he had already been a cop there for a while before she came along.


    "Well..." He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Honestly, I have."


    "How''d you deal with it?"


    "Rationalize that it needed to be done. That''s about it. I''m sorry I can''t be more help." He stroked her head.


    "I took a life, and that means there''s zero chance he can redeem himself."


    "What makes you think he''d ever want to?"


    She turned to him, wide-eyed.


    "There are more bad people out there than you''d think, and they don''t care one lick about taking a life. Not everyone can be redeemed..." Roger zoned out, lost in thought.


    "Seems you''ve had issues with people, too."


    "Who hasn''t? We see a lot in this line of work, so it always amazed me how you stayed so positive."


    "Funny, I thought you were the positive one."


    He tapped his lips. "What comes out here." Then he tapped his head. "Isn''t necessarily what''s in here."


    "I suppose that''s true. You never know what someone else is really thinking."


    "I think you''ll be fine, Grace, once you choose to accept you had no choice. It''s not like you''re going to go apologize to his family or anything, right? I imagine that would get you killed."


    "That would also require knowing who he was."


    The door opened, and Zain stomped in. "Enough of this nonsense. No one is going to tell you who it was because it doesn''t matter. They were attacking us. They were from a rival mafia family, and they wanted to get rid of us. The one man you killed is nothing in the grand scheme of things. We need the person behind it all. We need to show them they can''t mess with us."


    The image of the man from before in the car flashed through her mind. If it was him... "Did you not recognize any of them? Isn''t it likely the Marini family? Or maybe they''re working with others."


    Roger went silent as they talked, his eyes narrowing as he watched them.


    "That''s not something you have to worry about," Zain said.


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    "Are you kidding me? They tried to kill us; of course, I have to worry about it."


    "The boss and I will deal with it¡ª"


    "I was in the restaurant when they attacked; they tried to kill me, too. I should be able to fight back¡ª"


    "Fight back?! Are you kidding me? You killed one person, and it''s like you''re being pushed off the edge. You think you can kill more? Because it will come to that. In a mafia war, there are many dead bodies. And as much as I don''t want it, innocent people get caught in the crossfire, too. You think you feel guilty now? How about if someone innocent gets killed because you didn''t fire? How bad will you feel then?"


    Grace gritted her teeth, biting back any response she had. He''s right. "But I already have a hint as to who was behind it."


    "You do?" Roger asked.


    "I spotted someone in the back of a car driving by after the fighting stopped. There''s a chance it was a coincidence, but I don''t know..." Something tells me it wasn''t.


    "Well, who did you see?" Zain nudged her.


    "Are you going to let me help?"


    "No."


    "Then I guess you don''t need my information." Grace crossed her arms as she looked up at him defiantly.


    He huffed and turned to Roger. "Can you talk some sense into her?"


    Roger shrugged. "Hasn''t worked so far."


    "I guess you''re like this with everyone. We''ll see what the boss has to say about this."


    "You say that like it''s a threat, but I''m not afraid of him."


    Zain leaned in close, staring into her eyes. "Are you sure about that?"


    "I''m not you." She shoved his head away.


    "Tch... Why do you want to be in the middle of a mafia war? You know bloody well how dangerous it is, especially after today."


    "I''m already in the middle of it because of you guys. I''ve already proved myself today." She clenched her fists in her lap.


    "That didn''t go so well for you."


    "And what''s done is done. There''s no taking it back, not that I''d want to."


    "You wouldn''t?"


    Grace glanced at Roger. "No, since it would''ve likely meant my grandpa would''ve died."


    "Which is what everyone was already telling you. What''s so different now? Him? You''ll listen to him, but not us?"


    Roger narrowed his eyes, smirking. "What do you expect? It''s only been a short while, and I was her partner for years. Of course, she''ll trust me more. Wouldn''t you, in her situation?"


    "The boss is her family."


    "That she only recently met up with. Frankly, you''re lucky she isn''t still trying to run from you mobsters."


    Zain growled as he grabbed Roger''s shirt, dragging him to his feet."You''re lucky you''re worth something to her. If you weren''t, you''d already be dead." Zain shoved Roger, knocking him onto his back, and grabbed Grace''s wrist. "You''re done here."


    "What are you doing?" Grace tried to dig her feet in, but it didn''t do any good. Zain dragged her out and headed upstairs. "Seriously, what''s your problem?" She tugged back again, and this time his grip tightened. "Ouch..."


    They passed by a couple of men lounging about in the hallway, who averted their gazes.


    Enough to make you wonder what they were told before I was brought here. Can''t expect help from them, that''s for sure.


    Mary spotted them outside Grace''s room. One look from Zain, and she kept quiet and moved off to the side.


    What the hell is he so angry about?


    In her room, he tossed her onto her bed. She heard him plod up to her door, slam it shut, and it clicked as it locked. Grace looked over at her closed door. "Grr..." She stomped up to her door and slammed her fist into it. "What the hell, Zain?!" she yelled as she jiggled the handle. "Tch, locking me in my room like I''m some child. What was his deal, anyway?" Rage fuelled, she paced around her room, thinking about the man in the car.


    Could it really have been you, Floyd?


    "What is it now, Zain? I wish to sleep at this time of night after such a long day." Ray sighed as he let Zain into his bedroom.


    "Your granddaughter knows something about the attack, but won''t tell us unless she''s allowed to be involved," Zain explained.


    Ray sighed again and shook his head. "I... I don''t want her in the middle of this."


    "I don''t think she''s going to back down because you want her to."


    "So, what are you saying?"


    "I''m saying if we don''t involve her, she''s going to try to find a way to investigate on her own."


    "How? She doesn''t have her phone or a computer."


    "She''s also the woman that went out the third-floor balcony to try to make a getaway. If I didn''t happen to be hanging out around there, she might''ve gotten away that first night. Don''t underestimate her when she''s determined."


    "What choices do we have, then?"


    "We either ignore what information she has and deal with things on our own, or we bring her along in this and find out what she knows. Keep in mind, we don''t know if she knows a lot or a little, or how valuable that information is. I wouldn''t put it past her to bluff, but she could be telling the truth."


    "Come to understand her a bit, have you?" Ray smirked.


    "Of course; that''s what happens when you spend a lot of time together. She might not have been here too long overall, but I''ve spent most of that time right beside her."


    "Observing her, and I still can''t tell if you like her or not."


    "What does that matter?"


    "Because if you like her, and want to be the next boss, shouldn''t you be trying to woo her?"


    Zain''s eye twitched. "I''m too busy trying to keep her safe and keep up with her, to try to woo her. Not that I''d be any good at it. Normally, women flock to me or run from me; I''ve never had to put much effort in."


    "That lack of effort in love is what will bite you in the ass at the end. If you want her, fight for her¡ª"


    "What makes you so certain I want her? I''ve only been near her because you made it my job to be near here, that''s all."


    "Really? It doesn''t seem that way to me. I''ve seen you two going back and forth, and I''ve never seen you so animated when talking with someone. There''s definitely something special there. Besides, are you saying you''re not interested in my gorgeous granddaughter after I gave you the honour of being one of her marriage candidates?"


    Zain froze at the dark glint in Ray''s eyes. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat as he struggled to come up with an answer. He tugged at his collar, feeling the squeeze despite always leaving the top button open. "I... I didn''t say that... but she seems to like Vincent, anyway¡ª"


    "And? Who says she doesn''t like you, too?"


    "Pretty sure she hates me."


    "Ha! I think you have more to learn about women." Ray shook his head.


    "I can''t refute that, but don''t we all? Women are complex creatures."


    "Isn''t that too true!" Ray burst out laughing.


    "So¡ª"


    Ray came to a sudden halt. "If you keep being a wishy-washy pansy, you''ll never have a shot and match up to Vincent. If you want to be the next leader, and if you want to be with my granddaughter, then try to win her heart."


    "I''m not exactly used to long-term relationships; I don''t know how to win her heart."


    "Pay attention to what she puts her attention on, and you''ll find the key. You''re observant when you try, so you should be able to figure it out."


    "What are we going to do about Grace withholding information?"


    "We''ll have our men working to see if there''s anything on the cameras, so maybe we''ll see what she saw. Otherwise, I''d say you work on wooing her, and maybe she''ll give up the information willingly."


    Zain scratched his head. "I don''t know. Even if she started to like me that way, I can''t see her giving up the information. She''s probably going to keep pushing to be involved. She is a cop, after all."


    "Was a cop."


    "She will always be one at heart, even if she never goes back there. Although, I know some part of her does want to go back."


    "I have had both her and the other one resign. They''ve also been replaced by new cops with ties to our family."


    "Can never have too many on the in a guess."


    "Zain."


    "Yes?"


    "I''m tired, so we''ll deal with this in the morning. Go to bed."


    "Yes, Boss." Zain gave him a little bow and left. "Ha... I don''t think that was very fruitful."

 Chapter 18

    Grace woke up the next day, determined to figure out what was going on.


    I need a phone to contact Pez; he''ll can check if I was right about Floyd. But I''m still locked in this room, so it''s not like I can go swipe someone''s phone.


    She spent the morning pacing around her room, going through various scenarios, with only a few quick visits from Mary throughout the morning.


    Knock, knock.


    "What?" Grace responded.


    The door opened, and Zain entered. "Thanks for answering this time."


    "Sure..." Doesn''t seem like he''s angry anymore. "What is it? I''m assuming you''re here for a reason. The whole house seems to be running about preparing for war or something, and this is a bit late for your first visit of the day."


    "Yeah, I''m here for a reason. Sorry we didn''t go for a run today."


    "It''s not like we go every day, anyway."


    "You have a visitor downstairs."


    "Oh?"


    "And before you get excited thinking it''s Vincent, it''s Floyd."


    Floyd? She froze for a second, her heart racing, before she shook it off. "Oh, I see... Looking for a date or something?"


    Zain eyed her suspiciously. "Ask him yourself." He pointed out of her room with his thumb.


    "Fine." Finally out of this room, at least. Now, how do I ask him about yesterday without him catching on that I spotted him? Grace followed Zain downstairs to the foyer.


    "Looking lovely as always, I see." Floyd narrowed his eyes as he smiled at her.


    "Uh, thanks..."


    "Would you care to go out on a date?"


    Grace looked at Zain


    "As long as I come along, then fine," Zain grumbled.


    "I''ll take that as a yes." Floyd tugged on his lapels, his head held high.


    "Where to? I should probably change into something else." She looked down at her jeans and t-shirt, then at both of them in suits.


    "No need; you''re fine as you are. And as for where... How about I give you a tour of the Russo estate, and then we can sit down for a nice home cooked meal?"


    "Uh, while I might not directly be a mafia member, Zain is, so I''m not sure it''s a good idea to invite a rival over for a tour of your estate."


    "It was already approved before I came here. My brother, my boss, wants to do what he can to help me win you over and join hands with the Bertolottiss."


    Might be my chance to find out what''s going on, but if it''s as busy as this place, it''ll be hard to snoop.


    "I''m not really supposed to interfere with dates with your marriage candidates, so unless I have a reason to deny this request, I''m obligated to go along with it." Zain watched Grace carefully as he spoke.


    "Good, then we should go now!" Floyd waved his hand towards the door.


    "Shouldn''t I change into something else? This isn''t exactly ''bring them home to meet the family'' kind of attire." Grace plucked at her t-shirt.


    "You look fine; there''s no need to dress up."


    "But both of you are in suits..."


    Floyd''s cheek twitched. "Don''t worry about it..." he trailed off as she vanished back upstairs.


    Zain''s eyes followed Grace as she went, and he knew Ran would be nearby in case something happened. He turned and found out Floyd was staring at him. "What?"


    "You don''t really have to come, you know? I can keep her safe."


    "That only made me trust you less."


    "Well, I don''t like having the competition for her hand around. You can''t blame me for that, can you?"


    "All I heard was either you have no confidence in yourself or you''re planning something." Zain stepped closer to him and crossed his arms as he stared him down.


    Floyd tipped his head up, pointing his nose into the air. "What in the world would I be planning?"


    "I don''t know what it is, but you are planning something. I''m sure of that much. And that means I''ll be keeping a close eye on you, Russo."


    "Might want to stick to my first name at my family estate, as to not confuse others."


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    Zain rolled his eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long day.


    "Uh, is this okay?" Grace came back in a blue blouse and a long, black skirt.


    "Of course it is; you look... lovely," Floyd said and held his hand out to her.


    This place is farther than I was expecting, and more in the middle of nowhere than the Bertolottis estate. Grace looked into the woods as they drove on the winding path up to the estate.


    "It''s nice to be surrounded by all of this greenery, isn''t it?" Floyd asked from beside her in the back of the limo.


    Grace swallowed hard, her stomach doing flips. I''ve been to worse places; I''ll be fine. "Yeah, it looks like a great place for a hike."


    "Oh, I wouldn''t suggest hiking out here unless you''re staying close to the road. A number of people have gotten lost in there for days. It''s almost as if the forest lures them down the wrong path. I''ve heard of some even going in circles and only ended up making it out alive because of a rescue team."


    "Is that so? How big is this place if people can get lost for days?"


    "It is quite sizeable, but people think it''s because the forest itself wants to keep the hikers. They talked like there were repeating patterns in the forest, so they ended up getting turned around."


    "No one knows how to use a compass?"


    "Compasses don''t work in here. Something about the minerals and whatnot around here making them go haywire. Either that or the forest is haunted."


    "Now you''re just messing with me, right?"


    Floyd shook his head. "There are stories from well before I was even born."


    "Then why do you guys stay here?"


    "Why not? The forest works as a good defence, so no one attacks our home. No one spies on us. And rats are too scared of it to try to infiltrate our ranks."


    Grace shuttered. "I-I see..."


    "I hope I didn''t scare you." Floyd reached for her hand as he displayed a thin smile.


    "Nope; I''m good." She forced herself not to twitch away from him.


    What''s going on? He feels completely different from the first day we met. Even Vincent said he must not have been too bad if my grandpa chose him. But he doesn''t even feel like the same person. How can someone change so fast? Something must have happened. I have a bad feeling about all of this.


    She glanced at Zain on the other side of her. He wasn''t paying attention to them. He was staring out the window with a hard expression.


    I wonder what he''s thinking about.


    "We''re here," Floyd said as they went through the gates up to a mega-mansion with tall columns lining the front of it. A handful of guards stood at attention. One came over and opened the door for Floyd, who turned to give her a hand getting out.


    "Thanks."


    He tugged her closer and wrapped her arm around his. "I don''t want you getting lost." He glanced over his shoulder at Zain. "You stay close, too. I don''t know what will happen to you if you go wandering off and get caught."


    "I''m just here for Grace, not to go snooping."


    "Well, I hoped so, but I had to give you the warning." Floyd led them inside, and the guards at the entrance bowed to him.


    The double doors near the front opened, and the head of the Russo family, Samuel Russo, walked out. "Little brother." He eyed the three of them. "I hope you''ll make sure they have a pleasant stay here."


    "Of course."


    Samuel approached Grace and kissed the back of her hand. "Benvenuta, Miss Bertolottis.''


    Much to her dismay, Grace shuttered. "Thank you." She forced a smile.


    "I will be busy dealing with a little problem. If you''re still here when I get back, we should have a coffee together." Samuel brushed her hair back as he walked by her, heading for the door.


    Hopefully, I won''t still be here for that.


    Floyd led them around the mansion, even stopping by out the back to show her the pool, before heading to the dining room where they had a full table of hot food waiting for them.


    "I hope you like to eat." Floyd pulled out a chair for her at the dining table and then sat down at the end of the table right beside her. "There''s plenty of food; you sit down, too." Floyd pointed at the seat on the opposite side of the table as Grace.


    Zain glanced at the seat Floyd pointed at, and then sat down beside Grace with his arms crossed.


    "Okay, sit wherever you like. Please enjoy a meal. We have some excellent food here."


    "Just nothing spicy, please," Grace said. I don''t want a repeat of that night.


    "No worries there; none of this is spicy."


    Grace''s stomach growled as she looked at the array of food.


    "Please, dig in," Floyd said as he served himself a piece of lasagna.


    Not even bothering to fight the urge, Grace filled her plate with a mixture of pasta, vegetables, and even a buttered bun on the side.


    "Hearty appetite."


    "Oh... I guess this big plate of food doesn''t look too good, does it?"


    "No, no; it''s fine." Floyd swallowed hard. "I encourage you to enjoy your food."


    "Don''t mind if I do." She dug in and her face lit up. "This is really good. My compliments to the chef." She hummed as she continued eating.


    Zain watched her in amazement. She didn''t even hesitate to eat their food. He had missed his chance to test the food for her first. "Tch..." The scent of luxurious food tickled his nose, and he could feel his stomach wanting to growl. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and it only made the hunger worse.


    "Look, we''re both fine," Floyd said, referring to himself and Grace. "So just eat something¡ª"


    "I''m good."


    "Suit yourself." Floyd ate his food, glancing at the two of them all the while.


    Grace suddenly yawned. "Oh gosh, I''m sorry. I swear I should''ve had enough sleep." She yawned again and started blinking a lot as her vision blurred.


    "Grace?" Zain shook her shoulder. "Grace..."


    "Mmm..." She dropped her fork as her head dipped. No matter how much she fought it, she couldn''t keep her eyes open.


    Zain slid her plate away before her head hit the table.


    "What the hell did you do to her?" Zain stood abruptly, knocking his chair over. He pulled his gun out and pointed it at Floyd, who was calm the entire time.


    A flood of men in suits filled the dining room, each with their gun out and pointed at Zain.


    "Tch..." He knew it was a bad idea to go there, but didn''t want to be seen as getting in the way. "You lying son of a¡ª"


    "What did I lie about?" Floyd stood and stared him down. "I know things were going better for the other candidates, and my brother won''t tolerate losing, so I had to go to extreme measures. You understand, right? You might want to put the gun down now. Even if you shot me, you''d be dead seconds later, and I don''t know what they''d do with her. She''s much safer with me than my brother, don''t you agree?"


    "You just drugged her; how is this safe?"


    Floyd shrugged. "Safe compared to what my brother would do if he got his hands on her." Floyd brushed the hair out of her face. "The precious granddaughter of the Bertolottis family. I wasn''t sure this would work, but she seems to be pushing to trust people because of this whole ''marriage'' thing."


    Zain''s hands shook. "What do you plan to do with her now?"


    "Shouldn''t you be worried about what I plan to do with you? Lower the gun, Zain, unless you want to be killed."


    "Are you looking to start a war?"


    "Haven''t you noticed? It''s already started." Floyd took the gun out of Zain''s hand, and a couple of men grabbed him from behind, restraining him.


    "You won''t get away with this," Zain growled. And if it wasn''t for Grace asleep at the table, he would''ve used one of the guards as a shield to get out of the place. "Tch..."


    "Now, what shall I do with you?" Floyd picked Grace up.

 Chapter 19

    Grace slowly stirred with a throbbing pain in her head. "What... happened?" she grumbled.


    "Sleeping beauty finally awakens," Floyd said as he sat in a chair nearby the bed, drinking wine.


    "Floyd?" Grace tried to remember what happened last. I passed out while eating, didn''t I? "Did you drug me? And where''s Zain?"


    "It doesn''t matter where Zain is."


    So, he''s alive. She forced herself to sit up and held onto her head. How pathetic. I got kidnapped again. "What do you want?"


    "You."


    Her eyes widened slightly. "No, you don''t."


    "Yes, actually, I do, because I need you to help me complete my brother''s mission."


    "That''s not the same as wanting someone. Ugh..." She rubbed her eyes. "What the hell did you drug me with? These after-effects are killer." She swallowed hard, trying to fight the urge to vomit.


    "Need, want, whatever; it''s the same thing to me. I need you to be mine, and then our families together will become the strongest after I take over the Bertolottiss and assimilate them into the Russo family."


    "That''s not going to happen. You think because you kidnapped me, I''ll agree to marry you? Dream on. I doubt it''ll be long before my grandpa comes looking for me¡ª"


    "And all hell breaks loose? Yes, well, then he can die in the war, and the Bertolottiss will be lost without him, opening your area up for us to take over, anyway."


    "So this is all about power to you."


    "Of course it is." Floyd got off the chair and sat on the corner of the bed, swirling his glass of wine.


    "You know, I thought you were better than this."


    "Why would you think that? You''ve been surrounded by the mafia for a while now; I''m sure you''ve learned we''re not a bunch to be trusted."


    "That''s actually the opposite of what I found out. I didn''t want to trust them at first, but things changed. They cared for me and took care of me." Although, they are keeping Roger as a hostage still, but I''m not sure if that''s about me or him.


    "Because you''re the mafia princess there, no matter how long you''ve been with them."


    "Vincent¡ª Ah!" Grace yelped as he grabbed her chin, digging his fingers in.


    "Don''t mention that skirt-chaser. He''s only nice to you because he wants to marry you for power like I do."


    Mustering up her strength as she still fought the effects of the drug, Grace hit the inner side of his elbow, making him release her and tilt forward. She thrust her palm at his head and hit him in the nose.


    Floyd fell back and hit the floor hard as his wine glass smashed beside him. He gripped his nose, dripping with blood, and cursed at her. "How could you? You crazy wench!"


    All the pressure really changed him. Not that I knew him that well beforehand.


    "Don''t you understand the situation you''re in?!" he yelled at her. "You''d do well to treat me nicer! Or maybe I should throw you in the dungeon like we did Zain until you come around."


    "What did you expect me to do when you grabbed me like that?"


    His eye twitched. "I expected you to realize the situation you''re in and be docile like a good little prisoner."


    "Have you not looked into me at all? I know we didn''t talk much that first day, but I don''t think I came across as someone who would simply obey because you said so. And don''t tip your head back; you''ll choke on your blood." Grace grabbed a few tissues from the box on the nightstand and wobbled over to hand them to him. "Sit up straight and pinch your nose right here for a while." She pinched her own nose to show him.


    "Thanks..." Floyd followed her instructions. "Why are you helping me now?"


    "Because I don''t believe all of this is what you actually want to do."


    Floyd rolled his eyes. "That optimism of yours is going to get you in trouble."


    She tilted her head as she gave him a wry smile. "I think I''ve learned as much already, but that doesn''t mean I''ll change my ways."


    "I suggest you learn to be cautious if you want to survive in this world."


    "This world, as you put it, could also use a bit of kindness, don''t you think?"


    "Ha... Helping me now doesn''t change anything. You''re still trapped here, and I''m not letting you out."


    "And what do you plan to do? Attack me? Good luck with that." Grace glared at him. "I believe in second chances, but don''t think I''ll leave you with just a bloody nose if you try anything with me."


    "And you''re so certain you could take me?" Floyd stood, still holding onto his nose.


    "Since I''m starting to feel better, and I won''t give you another chance to drug me, yes." Well, I hope I can.


    "I''m not the pushover you think I am; you just caught me off guard."


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    "That''s what they all say. Trust me, when you''re a woman in a male-dominated job, they try to belittle you until you prove yourself. Even then, there''s always someone with a¡ª"


    "I get what you''re saying, but I have this." Floyd pulled his gun out and aimed it at her. "I know you have feelings for Zain, whom we have as a prisoner, and you''re defenceless against me right now, so it doesn''t matter if you could beat me in a fight."


    Grace''s hand automatically went to her thigh.


    "Did you really think we''d leave you with a gun? Even one so small." His nose finally stopped bleeding, so he tossed the tissue off to the side. "I''m sorry you got caught up in this all because of the family you didn''t even know, but trust me when I say being mine is the better of the two options."


    "A bit limiting, isn''t it? I''d rather choose option three."


    "I''m sorry, Grace, but there is no option three. Even if you took me down and made it out of this room, you''d be captured by people a lot worse than me. These people will go to extreme lengths to break you and turn you into whatever they want you to be. If they let you live, that is."


    "You were a candidate because your family didn''t want a war, right?"


    "I suppose, but they''re not a patient bunch. They''ll go to war with the Bertolottiss if they have to, to expand our area."


    Grace sighed. "I''m not sure why you even need to expand. From what I''ve heard so far, the Bertolottiss are one of the strongest families, so it wouldn''t make sense to want a fight with them. No one wants that much blood on their hands. And if everything went bad, they''d probably end up losing territory or their lives."


    "If it was my father still in control, I''d agree with what you''re saying; we''d avoid a war. But he isn''t. My brother doesn''t like to back down, and he doesn''t like not being the number one family."


    She held onto her head as she swallowed hard. "I''m afraid to ask, but are the Bertolottiss seen as number one?"


    "You really don''t know too much about all of this, do you? Your grandfather went into a rage when he was twenty years younger and started an all out war with the other mafia families. He was angry about losing his family, and from what I heard, your underboss was given to him to try to make amends and bring peace. Zain''s family vanished after that, from what I know. I was super young when all this happened and only know what others tell me about it."


    "If he went on such a rage, wouldn''t all the other families hate him? Wouldn''t they have worked together to get rid of him? You guys are into organized crime, after all."


    "People feared him more than anything. You have no idea how surprised I was to see how he is compared to his reputation. He''s grown weaker over the years. Complacent because people stopped gunning for him."


    "But it''s over now."


    "Please, Grace, accept me before he comes back."


    "Why? What happens when your brother comes back?"


    Floyd''s stomach churned at the thought of it. "If we''re not a done deal, he''ll throw you in the dungeon as his plaything while he uses you as leverage and takes out the Bertolottiss. He thinks that''ll mean he''s the top dog, and he''ll use that expanding power to make the other families bow to him."


    "Ha..." Crazy bastard.


    "By the way, my brother is crazy strong and has been fighting since he was a kid. It wouldn''t be so easy to take him down."


    "Wouldn''t it have made more sense to slowly expand with other small families?"


    Floyd shook his head. "He''s going to go all out. Hell, I don''t even know how long he''s been planning this. I shouldn''t tell you this, but he has someone on the inside, too." Floyd''s hand shook. He shouldn''t tell her, in case someone was listening in, because he''d be labelled as a traitor regardless of his relation to the Russo boss.


    "On the inside?" Grace''s eyes widened. "Who?"


    Floyd shook his head. "Only my brother knows. And that''s not all; he''s also working with someone else. Someone who has a grudge against the Bertolottiss. They''ve kept in the shadows and only contact us through a secure line with some sort of voice changer. I don''t know why he''s trusting this man we don''t know, but he feels worse than my brother. Enough to send chills down my spine. There''s a lot going on, and being with me is the safest option. So, what do you say, Grace? Will you be mine?"


    He says while he''s still pointing a gun at me! "I haven''t interacted much with anyone there other than Zain, Mary and my grandpa, so I don''t know who the spy could be." Grace stroked her chin as she thought.


    "Uh... Didn''t you hear me?"


    "I''ll have to let the two of them know so they can be on the lookout. And if my grandpa''s past is so filled with blood, he''s definitely got any number of people who would be after the family."


    "Grace..." he growled at her.


    "Without my job''s resources, it''ll be hard to figure any of this out. I don''t think they trust me enough to let me use a computer and try for myself, anyway. They don''t even give me a phone¡ª"


    "Grace!" Floyd finally raised his voice.


    She jumped back a bit and looked at him again. "What?"


    "Is this normal for you? You stop paying attention part way through a conversation and ignore the other person as you ramble on?"


    "When there''s a case, it happens."


    "This isn''t a case! You''re not¡ª"


    Grace rolled her eyes. "This is a case. And it may not be one for the cops, but it is one for my family."


    "You don''t have the power to solve it. You''re in the middle of a war you don''t know much about. What do you think you can do? Especially while you''re trapped here."


    "I''ll escape, eventually." It was different from the previous kidnapping; she wasn''t looking to escape them anymore, just help Roger get out.


    Floyd shook his head, the vein on his temple sticking out. "Can''t you tell that you''re not going to make it out of this place? You''re stuck here. And may I point out, I still have a gun pointed at you, and you''re brushing it off!"


    She could tell she had pushed him a bit too much. She held her hands up a bit. "Floyd, it''s just that I can tell you don''t want to shoot me." She stared into his eyes. "You won''t shoot me."


    "You don''t know that."


    "Yes, I do. You have no idea how many times I''ve had to talk people down from doing things they didn''t want to do. Trust me when I say they want an excuse not to."


    "What is this? Some kind of psychological trick? We don''t have time for this. My brother will be back soon! So, are you mine or not?"


    "Not. I''m sorry, Floyd, but for me there''re always more options. I just have to find them."


    Floyd grimaced. "It''s like talking to a broken record." He finally let his arm drop. "I can''t do this, but I can''t let you leave either. Fine, you''re no longer my responsibility."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''m going to go use the bathroom and tell someone else to guard the door. If I don''t, they''ll suspect me. Although, can you pick a lock? They''ll find it suspicious if I leave the door unlocked."


    "I can, but I don''t have any tools with me."


    "Tch." Floyd knelt down and picked at the tongue of his shoe to pull out a two pins. "Here, use these."


    "That''s actually pretty clever."


    "You could''ve said that without the ''actually'' part. Anyway, getting out is on you¡ª"


    "How do I get to the basement where Zain is?" Grace asked.


    "Are you serious? You not only want to break out but also save the underboss? You''re crazy. Good luck." He turned to leave.


    "Wait!"


    He stopped but didn''t look back. "What?"


    "Any chance I can have your gun?"


    He looked at her like she was crazy. "Of course not! You''re lucky I helped you at all, you ungrateful¡ª"


    "I''m not ungrateful; I''m just trying to make a plan." She bowed her head a little. "Thank you."


    "Humph, that''s more like it." He left and locked the door behind him before going to look for a weak guard for her room.


    Does that mean I should wait a few minutes, so no one suspects him? But even he said I don''t have time. If his brother shows up with his closest mobsters, my chances of getting out of this unscathed go from slim to none.


    Grace took a few deep breaths and shook out her limbs as she bounced around, trying to check how well her body was doing.


    Not super great, but there''s no time. Please be safe, Zain.

 Chapter 20

    Ran made it back to the Bertolottis estate after seeing what happened to Zain and Grace. Zain had signalled for him to follow, so he knew he had to be on guard and stay out of sight.


    He practically barrelled into the mansion past a bunch of people as he headed for Ray''s office. "Please be here," he muttered before he knocked.


    "Yes?"


    "It''s me, Ran. Boss, we have trouble."


    "Come in."


    Ran opened the door and dropped to his knees in front of Ray''s desk. "Zain and Grace have been taken by the Russo family."


    "Taken? How?"


    "They went there for a date with Floyd."


    "Ugh..." Ray held onto his head. "I knew I was taking a chance with that family, but they''d been quiet for so long, I thought everything was water under the bridge now."


    "We''re mafia; is anything ever really forgotten like that?"


    "He, himself, seemed like a good fellow who just needed a bit of help, but I guess his brother has more influence over him than I thought. Honestly, his brother is a dangerous man, and I can''t tell what he''s thinking. We have to move out now. Call our enforcers and anyone willing to fight. I don''t know what we''re walking into, but I''m not going to be caught unprepared."


    "Yes, sir."


    Grace picked the lock on the door and slowly opened it. Peeking around the door, she spotted the new guard heading her way, and they spotted her right away.


    "Dammit," Grace cursed and charged at them.


    "What are you¡ª"


    She jumped at them, grabbed their head, and slammed them into the ground. Lucky for her, no one else was around yet. With her arms hooked under his armpits, she dragged him into the room, hoping to keep him out of sight.


    She tiptoed down the hall as she headed for the stairs. Someone was heading upstairs, so she flattened herself up against the door and hoped he''d head the other way. Before she could find out, the door behind her slipped open, and she stumbled back.


    "Well, well, what do we have here?"


    Grace shivered at the sound of his voice. They''d only met once, but the ice in his voice couldn''t be mistaken.


    "The rabbit has gotten loose? We can''t have that, can we?" He stood from his desk.


    "Uh, gotta go!" Grace took off, sprinting down the hall as Samuel contacted his men.


    By the time she got to the stairs, a couple of men spotted her.


    "Going down," she yelled as she dropped kicked one, dominoing them into each other. Grace landed on top of them and rolled off to the side at the bottom. Ugh... I hope I never have to do that again. Her body ached from the impacts, but her adrenaline kept her going.


    "Which way is it?" Grace kept running, but the place was like a maze to her. So many halls. So many doors. The basement could be through any one of them.


    One of the men caught up to her and grabbed her from behind. Grace automatically did a reversal on their grip, and tossed them at the other one, headed for them.


    She huffed and grabbed at the closest door.


    Locked.


    "Come on..." she grumbled. The tangled men groaned and started to get to their feet. Grace moved on to the next door, but it was locked as well. She turned the corner.


    "Ah!" Grace yelped as she ran straight into someone as solid as a rock. She hit the ground hard and groaned as she held onto her elbow. A pair of expensive loafers came into view.


    "It was a fun chase, but you were never going to get out of here."


    She cursed under her breath as she glared up at Samuel. I should''ve been able to handle this better. She looked down the other halls as she forced herself to stand.


    "There''s nowhere to go, little rabbit. And I guess this means my brother failed to get you to agree to marry him, correct?"


    I should spare Floyd, if I can. "What are you talking about? I didn''t talk to Floyd about that. I just woke up in a locked room after being drugged." I don''t see a way out of this.


    "Is that so?" He laughed. "I find that hard to believe. I told him to wait with you until you woke up. If he wasn''t there, then I guess he disobeyed an order."


    Crap. "Maybe you two should talk about that in private or something to find out the truth."


    Slap. Samuel hit Grace''s face hard enough to knock her over.


    "You think I can''t tell when you''re lying?"


    Grace lightly touched her cheek, stunned. Holy crap...


    "I''m guessing you were running around looking for your friend, since you didn''t even try to leave the mansion."


    This guy actually has some brains and power behind him. Her cheek stung and even moving her jaw made the pain worse. Part of the inside of her cheek got cut from her teeth, and she could taste a tiny bit of blood.


    "Although if you''re willing to lie to me, of all people, about Floyd, then maybe he still had a chance. Too bad you ruined it by running away." His eyes narrowed. He reached down and lifted her by her collar.


    "Ugh..." She glared at him, and he smiled.


    "I like that look in your eyes. You''re a strong woman; they''re more fun to break." He laughed and licked his lips as he pulled her in close. "You''re mine, now."


    Grace shuddered. A number of ways to break his hold on her flew through her mind, but her body refused to obey her.


    "I''ll let you stay in the dungeon with your bodyguard while I deal with Floyd, wherever he is." He nudged his head towards her, and two of his men grabbed her arms, lifting her into the air. They followed him to the nearby door.


    I was so close! How am I going to get out now?


    They carried her downstairs to the dungeon they had in the basement and approached a nearby cell.


    "Well, Kuros, you''ll get to hang out with your princess until I come back for her." Samuel unlocked the cell door and stepped aside.


    Zain shot to his feet when he saw Grace, a bruise forming on her cheek already. "What did you do to her?" he growled.


    Samuel flicked his wrist towards the cell, and they tossed her in.


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    Zain caught her and held onto her as he checked on her cheek. "It''s a bit swollen..." Zain''s brows furrowed as he lightly touched her.


    She winced and pulled away.


    "Well, well, so she''s more than just the boss'' granddaughter to you, isn''t she?" Samuel shook his head. "She mine now, so even while she''s in here, you''d do well to keep your hands to yourself."


    "Did he do something to you?" Zain asked Grace.


    "Other than a power-filled slap that knocked me off my feet, no, not yet."


    Zain gritted his teeth and hugged her close to him for a moment.


    "Tch. What did I just tell you?" Samuel stomped up to them.


    Zain turned her away from Samuel and set her on the raggedy bed. He stood up, toe-to-toe, with Samuel. "She''s not yours and never will be."


    "Big talk from the man who got captured so easily."


    "Tch..." Zain''s shoulders heaved as he got into Samuel''s face. "If you try anything with her¡ª"


    "You''ll what? You can''t do anything to me¡ª"


    Bam. Before anyone could react, Zain clocked him in the jaw. Samuel lurched to the side and just barely managed to stay standing. His men stayed back, knowing better than to interfere with his business without being told to.


    Samuel spit blood on the floor. "Just for that, I''m going to put a bed right outside your cell and make you watch as I take her. You''ll get to see her writhing under me in both pain and pleasure."


    Pack. A high-heeled shoe hit him in the head. Samuel cursed, grabbing his gun as blood dripped into his eye. He pointed it at Grace.


    "Really? And here I thought the rabbit was too scared to do anything. You''ve got more fight left in you than I thought."


    "Boss!" One of his men came running down the stairs. "There''s trouble upstairs."


    "Can''t you see I''m busy?" Samuel shot at the man''s feet, and he jumped back.


    "But¡ª"


    "Next one won''t miss."


    They swallowed hard and took a step back, shaking. A commotion of people yelling and things breaking could be heard through the open door.


    "Tch... That didn''t take long."


    While Samuel was distracted, Zain lunged for the gun and wrestled with him for it.


    "What are you idiots waiting for?! Get this buffoon off of me," Samuel yelled at them.


    Grace tried to find a way to help while they were wrestling, but couldn''t get in closer. When she saw the other men, she jumped into action, lunging at one of them. She knocked one of them into the others and only remembered her missing shoe as she landed, making her stumbled back.


    The other men took that chance, climbing over their comrades to get into the cell. One of them grabbed Grace''s arm.


    "Let go of her!" Zain yelled.


    Bang.


    "Arg..." Zain groaned as pain seared through his shoulder.


    "Zain!" Grace pulled the man who grabbed her, towards him, and gave an upward thrust to his nose.


    "Ah!" He stumbled back and was caught by one of the other ones.


    "What are you bumbling idiots doing? Get out of the cell!" Samuel yelled at them. "And you." He pointed his gun at Zain, who was still on the ground, bleeding.


    Grace stepped in between the two of them and glared up at Samuel. "Don''t you have other things to deal with right now?" Grace asked. They could all hear the commotion getting louder.


    "You think I won''t shoot through you to get to him?"


    "No, because you want me alive."


    "Even if I shoot you, it doesn''t mean I''d kill you. But you''re right. I don''t have time for you right now, and I''d prefer to hurt you on a bed, anyway." Samuel suddenly grabbed the back of her head and pulled her towards him. He kissed her and bit her lip as he pulled away. "I''ll see you later." He smirked and left with his men. They locked the cell door behind them.


    Grace stood there, stunned for a moment. "Ugh..." She rubbed at her lips, hoping to get rid of the feeling of Samuel''s lips on hers as she turned around. "Zain..." She knelt down beside him. "Let me look at the wound."


    "I''m sorry..." he muttered.


    "For what?"


    "For not protecting you properly. I let my guard down too much."


    Grace helped him sit up, his breathing laboured. Zain kept a hold on the front of his shoulder, hoping to stop the bleeding, but blood was pouring out the back, too.


    "The bullet went straight through. Which is both good and bad. Good, the bullet isn''t lodged inside of you, but bad that you''re bleeding more," Grace rambled as struggled to rip the bottom of her skirt.


    "What... are you... doing?" he heaved.


    "I''m trying to make a makeshift bandage. It''s all I have, but damn, is it tough." Grace gnawed on it and tugged until it ripped. She tore it all the way around twice, making her skirt shorter, but she knew she''d need a long bandage. "I''m actually the one who''s sorry." She lifted his hand and wrapped it around his shoulder.


    "For... what?"


    "For being naive. I''m a cop; I shouldn''t have that problem, but I didn''t even think to question the food."


    Grace leaned into him to wrap it around his chest and mumbled more apologizes.


    "It''s not your fault," he whispered into her ear, and she twitched.


    She pulled away a bit as she tried to fasten it against his shoulder. "It''s not the greatest, but it''s all I can do right now."


    "Thank you." He leaned back against the bed and winced. "This will definitely take time to heal. Ugh, never mind what the boss will do to me."


    Grace frowned. "Will he hit you even though you''re severely injured?"


    "Who knows? He might wait for the shoulder to heal and then take a swing at me... or a few... and I''d deserve it, too. I should''ve stopped you from eating. I should''ve... kept a better eye on things. I never should''ve let you out of the house with Floyd without the boss'' permission... Ha..."


    "Maybe you should stop talking and preserve your energy. You''ll need it to get out of here."


    "You got a plan? Or are we just waiting to be saved?"


    Grace pointed over beside the toilet where a gun was sitting out of sight from outside the cell. "I think one of them men I knocked over dropped their gun and forgot about it."


    "Lucky us... Ha..." Zain noticed the high-heeled shoe sitting just under the bed beside him and pulled it out. "You... hit him so hard... you broke your shoe." Zain laughed and then groaned as the pain spiked.


    "Yeah. I guess I won''t be using these anymore."


    "Didn''t we get you a ton to choose from? You''re... a rich heiress now... Don''t worry about it."


    "What did I say about talking too much? Geez..." Grace moved to get up, and he pulled her back down. "What are you doing? I need to grab the gun before anyone shows up¡ª"


    Her eyes widened, and she froze, her whole body tingling as Zain kissed her. He pulled her in, deepening the kiss until the pain in his shoulder made him gasp.


    "Sorry... I took so long." He laughed.


    What?


    "I''m also sorry he... kissed you... first... or at all... I hope I... erased it a bit... Ha..." Zain winced and held onto his shoulder again, letting her go.


    She stared at him with wide eyes, and her heart racing. Heat rose on her cheeks, and she turned away from him.


    What was that? She took off her other shoe and hobbled over to pick up the gun.


    After a few deep breaths, she turned back around, hoping he wouldn''t notice her blushing, and shot the lock on the door.


    Bang. The cell door swung open with a creek.


    "I hope you''re ready to get out of here." Grace knelt down beside him with a hand held out.


    "I... don''t need help standing. He shot... my shoulder..." Beads of sweat dripped down Zain''s forehead, and he groaned as he tried to stand.


    "That may be true, but you''ve also lost a lot of blood, so suck it up and accept my help."


    Grace helped him stand and hugged his waist with one arm to make sure he was stable as she kept the gun ready in her other hand. She could feel his body trembling and couldn''t help but worry he''d end up going into shock.


    I need to get him medical attention soon! And damn, he''s heavy. They hobbled over to the stairs together, and his weight slowly leaned more into her. She held onto his waist tighter as they ascended the stairs.


    "Ha..." he huffed at the top and braced himself on the nearby wall, trying to take some of his weight off of her.


    "Wait here a moment; I''ll go look." Grace peeked out the door, but Zain grabbed her arm before she could walk out. "What is it?"


    "Don''t do this alone..." Zain had gone pale and looked ready to collapse.


    "You want to check with me? You''re... barely standing." She frowned.


    "Give me... the gun..."


    "No." She pulled away from him, but his grip on her made him fall forward towards her. "Hey! Oh!" She planted a foot back to stop herself from falling over.


    "Ha... I''m useless like this... Use me as a shield..." He coughed as he laughed.


    "Quit being a moron." Grace rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should wait here, and I''ll get help. It''ll be too hard for me to move you around myself if you pass out. Zain? Try to stand, please; I don''t know how long I can hold you up for."


    "The prisoners are trying to escape!" One of the men, who had retreated from the fight going on, spotted them down the hall.


    "Dammit," Grace cursed, looked over Zain''s shoulder, and aimed at the enemy. She shot at his feet, and he jumped back. "Unless you want the next one in the middle of your forehead, you''ll head in a different direction and keep your mouth shut, got it?"


    He stared at the gun in her hand for a moment.


    "You have three seconds. Three... two..."


    "Sorry, ma''am." He saluted and took off in the other direction.


    "Are you sure... you weren''t already a part... of the mafia?" Zain finally managed to stand again. "Ho..."


    "Can you walk a bit more?"


    "As long as I have a trusty wall to support me. Which way, though?"


    "My grandpa is probably out the front."


    "But so... are all the guys who want to kill us."


    "I never really got to learn the layout of this place, so I don''t know where the other exits are, but maybe we¡ª I can pry open a window, and we can go out that way," Grace suggested.


    A paper airplane landed at their feet.


    "That''s... weird, right?" Grace asked and picked it up. Inside was a map of the mansion. She looked above where there was a railed hallway, but no one was there.


    I wonder if it was Floyd. If they find out about this, he''s dead. He might be dead, anyway, with how today went.


    "It looks like there''s more than one back door. The closest one is here." Grace pointed at it on the map and turned to Zain, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes close. "Zain?" She gave him a light shake, and he opened his eyes.


    "I''m still awake... but it''s getting harder... to keep my eyes open. Lead the way..." Zain mumbled.


    "Tch..." This isn''t looking good. Grace adjusted herself to hold on to him while he still used the wall, and they hobbled towards the nearest back exit.


    Please don''t let there be anyone there.

 Chapter 21

    Ray burst through the gate of the Russo estate in an SUV and skidded to a stop out front as guards rushed to block the entrance.


    "You vile little punk. Floyd, Samuel, get your asses out here right now!" Ray yelled at them as his men filed in all around him, with dozens of cars parked at the front, and more coming in.


    The guards looked at each other and backed away from the daunting army approaching them.


    "If you don''t release my granddaughter and underboss in the next five minutes, we''re storming in to find them ourselves." Ray looked to Ran. "Lead a few around back."


    "Sir!" Ran headed off.


    "Are we really going to wait that long?" Herald, one of his capos, asked him. "Doesn''t that give him time to do something to them?"


    "Have you seen the army we brought? They''d be fools to do anything other than bring them out here in their present condition." Ray kept his eyes on the entrance, gritting his teeth. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Floyd in the second-floor window.


    Floyd noticed him staring, and his eyes widened. He waved his hands around, hoping Ray would understand that it wasn''t his idea. Unable to take his gaze any longer, Floyd sat down and hid.


    "Time''s up." Ray pointed his gun at the nearest guard. "Go find my granddaughter!" he commanded his men.


    The guard reached for his gun, and Ray shot him in the chest.


    His men yelled as they charged forward. The guards who had been standing around in confusion were easily overthrown and tied up.


    The front doors burst open, and shots fired into their army. Some of them returned fire right away, others moved to cover first, but all of them were ready for the fight.


    Ray kept his eyes peeled for Samuel. "Not going to come out?" Ray sighed. "I guess I''ll have to come to you." A dark glint in his eyes, he stalked into the mansion past both his and enemy men who stayed out of his way. The few who tried were swiftly deatl with and were lucky if they survived.


    A man on a mission, his eyes went straight to one of Samuel''s upper capos. He''d seen them together a number of times. "You!" Ray rushed towards him and slammed him into the wall. "Where''s my granddaughter? Where''s Samuel?"


    "I''d never tell you." The man spit at him. "Ah!" he yelped in pain as Ray smacked him across the face with his gun.


    Ray pressed his gun against the man''s shoulder, ready to pull the trigger. "Let''s try this again, you little punk. Your only hope of self-preservation is to tell me where he is. If you don''t, I''m going to make your life a living hell. Starting with your shoulder."


    "No need; I''m right here." Samuel showed up in the door to the hallway.


    Ray turned, dragging Samuel''s capo with him. "Where is my granddaughter?!" Ray growled. No matter how much he wanted to stay calm, his blood was boiling too much to keep it in.


    Samuel laughed. "Might want to tone it down, old man, or you''ll give yourself a heart attack."


    Ray took a deep breath and pointed his gun at Samuel, figuring his capo wasn''t enough leverage. "How about we stop with this silly fight, and you give me my granddaughter back before this turns into a real bloodbath?"


    Samuel laughed. "But a bloodbath is exactly what I want! And you are the expert, aren''t you?"


    "Tch... I''m not that person anymore."


    "Well, that is a shame. I suppose I''ll get rid of you now and take over your area."


    "You think my family will fall apart without me? They know what to do¡ª"


    "Even if your underboss is gone, too?" Samuel pouted as he tipped his head, mocking Ray.


    "What have you done to him?"


    Samuel shrugged. "Does it matter? You won''t live long enough to find out. I will tell you this, though, that pretty little granddaughter of yours is already mine, and she will be the key to taking over your family, since you already made her your heiress. What''s yours will soon be all mine." He burst out laughing.


    Bang.


    A shot whizzed by Samuel, grazing his face. Blood dripped down from the cut, and he licked it.


    "You started it!" Samuel cheered and shot at Ray, hitting his own man.


    "You''re insane! Don''t you care at all about your own men?" Ray kept a hold of the man as he coughed up blood. Ray whistled to grab the attention of the men around them. "Your so-called boss doesn''t give a damn about any of you, so you might want to re-think fighting my family because of him."


    "What are all of you stopping for? You know why I''m doing this. You know the end goal. Fight with your life!" Samuel shot his capo again, and then he turned towards one of his other men nearby. "Shoot at Ray, or I''ll shoot you."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Thwack!


    Samuel was hit in the back of the head and slumped forward. Floyd stood behind him, heaving as he held a metal bat. "Everyone... stop fighting!" Floyd commanded them. Most of them listened, hoping to be relieved of their confusion.


    Ray held up his hand, and his men backed off.


    Floyd''s eyes swept through the room at the mess of blood, bodies, and the artwork from their lobby. "Take your injured and leave," Floyd said to Ray before turning to one of his men. "Put Samuel in a cell."


    "What?" His eyes widened. "But¡ª"


    "No buts. He put our whole family in danger. I don''t care if he''s our current leader; he had no right to cause this kind of trouble in our home. He did all of this, knowing it would bring a bigger, stronger family here to fight. As the second son of the family, I''m taking control, because he''s unfit to. If you have any objections..." Floyd''s gaze swept past his men.


    "Then you''ll have to deal with me," Ray said in a low growl, sending chills down their spines, and released the dead capo. "Now, where is my granddaughter?" Floyd swallowed hard and tried to stand tall. "Grace, along with your underboss, should be escaping out the back right now, so long as they didn''t run into any trouble."


    "Out back?" Ray let out a deep sigh. "I sure hope they''re okay. I expect your brother to take responsibility for this mess." Ray turned and walked away.


    "Responsibility? Him? I''ll be lucky if I can manage to wrangle this family together..." Floyd mumbled.


    "Locked..." Grace grumbled and aimed at the door with her gun.


    "Wait..." Zain huffed, leaning on the couch behind her. "What if... it''s a trap?"


    "We don''t have time to wait."


    Bang, bang. She shot out the lock on the door and yanked it open.


    Zain grabbed her wrist before she could leave the house first. "Let me..." With slow, sluggish steps, he left the house and looked around. "Ha... So, you came to help?" Everything went dark as Zain fell forward.


    "Zain!" Grace rushed to try to catch him, but someone else already had. She looked up, and her eyes went wide. "Vincent? What are you doing here?"


    Vincent smirked. "I came to help a damsel-in-distress, but I guess there isn''t one here. You made it out of there somehow." Vincent nudged his head towards Zain, and Ran, along with one of his men, picked Zain up. His eyes focused in on her bruised cheek. "I''m sorry I didn''t get here earlier." He lightly touched her cheek, and she flinched away from the sting.


    "It''s not your fault, but thank you for coming to save me."


    "I still can''t believe they did something so foolish." Vincent sighed, and her feet caught his eye. "What happened to your shoes?"


    "Ah... I lost them. Technically, I hit Samuel with one of them." Grace looked away as she bit on the inside of her cheek.


    "Ha... Such an amazing woman to stand up to that crazy man."


    "Oh!" Grace gasped as Vincent swept her up into his arms. "W-what are you doing?"


    "I don''t have any spare shoes on hand, and I can''t let you walk around without any; you''d injure your feet. Besides, after being kidnapped today, I think you could use a little pampering." Vincent walked away with her in his arms.


    Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and let him carry her as she gazed over at Zain, who remained unconscious.


    "Try not to worry so much. Your grandfather will make sure he gets the help he needs," Vincent assured her. "I''d offer our own doctors, but I''m sure yours are just as good."


    "He''s lost a lot of blood, though."


    "From the looks of him, you already tried to stop the bleeding. If I''m not mistaken, that''s part of your skirt wrapped around him."


    "And it''s soaked with blood, meaning I didn''t do well enough trying to stop the bleeding."


    "If you didn''t try to help him, he''d probably be dead already."


    "If it wasn''t for me, he wouldn''t have been here and gotten shot." Grace bit her lip.


    "Is this one of those things you''re going to keep blaming yourself for?" Vincent sighed. "You''re too kind. Zain was injured doing his job. If it was you who got shot, can you imagine how bad he''d feel?"


    "But I shouldn''t have come here."


    "He shouldn''t have let you come here."


    "But¡ª"


    "Playing the blame game will get you nowhere. If you want to blame someone for all of this, blame Samuel. From what I hear, all of this is because of him."


    Grace frowned and trembled as she thought about it. "You know about Samuel''s plans?"


    Vincent stared at her for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Are you suspecting me of something?"


    "Well..." I guess he couldn''t really be the person on the inside, since he''s outside of the family.


    "I suppose this incident will make you wearier of people, but no, I didn''t have anything to do with it. Your grandfather called for more manpower from close by because there was no time to wait. Of course, I''d come to help when I found out you were in danger."


    "Oh..." Grace nodded. "Thank you."


    "Grace!" Ray came running around the side of the mansion, looking for her.


    "Grandpa?" She looked between Vincent and Ray, running towards them. "Maybe you should put me down, anyway."


    "Nonsense. I will not force a woman to walk on this gravelled terrain barefoot."


    "So you''d let a man?"


    "They have my sympathies, but no, I''m not going to carry a man around like this." Vincent chuckled and then stared into her eyes. "And it depends on the woman for if I''ll carry her or get someone else to do it."


    "Grace..." Ray huffed as he approached them. "Your cheek... I''ll kill''em!"


    "I''m okay, grandpa, but..." She looked over to where the people carrying Zain were.


    Ray''s eyes widened, and he stumbled over to him. He touched Zain''s cheek. "Be careful with him as you put him in the car. I''ll have the doctor waiting outside." He pulled out his cell phone to make a call.


    "You can tell how much he cares about him," Vincent whispered to her. "I guess it''s a good thing that he was given to the Bertolottiss."


    "I kinda figured his home wasn''t good if they were willing to give him over, but do you know how bad it was?" Grace asked.


    "I was a teenager in the process of becoming the head of my family at that point, so I can''t say I know too much. And I don''t think this is something I should be talking to you about, anyway. If you want to know about his family, you''d best ask him when he gets better."


    "I guess you''re right."


    "I''ve already lost this battle, haven''t I?" Vincent stopped near the cars.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Still haven''t noticed?" Vincent sighed, shaking his head. "I wish it meant I still had a chance, but something tells me I don''t. I''ll be blunt about things. I like you." Vincent gave her a wry smile.


    "I like you, too. More than I expected to like a mafia member. No offence."


    "None taken, but you''re basically one now, too. And I don''t think I''m talking about the same like as you are."


    "Vincent, Grace," Ray called out to them and pointed at the open back door to his SUV. Ray got in and waved them over to join him.


    Vincent set her down beside him and took a step back.


    "Aren''t you coming?" Ray asked.


    "No, I think I should leave you and your family alone for the day. We can talk another time." Vincent took Grace''s hand and kissed the back of it. "Until next time, cara mia. And Ray, make sure she has shoes on before she steps outside of the vehicle."


    "Shoes?" Ray''s eyes widened. "What happened to your shoes?"


    Vincent gave them a slight bow and closed the door. He gave them a small wave as they drove off. He turned to Salem, his underboss. "There''s still something going on that we don''t know about, and I don''t like it. Find out what the hell it is before there really is an all out war."


    "Yes, sir."

 Chapter 22

    Ray listened as Grace went over everything that had happened, gripping her hand the whole time.


    "I''m sorry you went through that. I made a mistake making Floyd a candidate." Ray sighed, shaking his head.


    "Don''t blame Floyd for all of this. He was acting out of fear. That''s one thing I''ve learned as a cop, that fear can make people do things they''d never otherwise do," Grace said.


    "I understand where you''re coming from, but it doesn''t excuse him. We''ll see how he handles his family before I decide what to do with them."


    "Thank you..."


    "That said, he''s out as a marriage candidate. I will not have my granddaughter marrying a man who would drug and kidnap her. Pathetic."


    "Did he really attack his brother and take over?"


    "I wouldn''t lie about that."


    "Doesn''t that mean he''s turning things around already?"


    Ray sighed. "All that means is I won''t hunt them down like the wild animals they are. They''re lucky I didn''t kill Samuel then and there. Then again, with how insane he is, maybe it would''ve been doing their family a favour to kill him."


    "I don''t think that would''ve been a good idea. And I''m against killing anyone unnecessarily."


    "I understand that, but some people are beyond saving, Gracey."


    Considering what he wanted to do to me, maybe he''s right. "Um... Do you think Zain is going to be okay? He wasn''t looking so good."


    "Zain''s a fighter. He''s been through worse than this and kept going. I have faith he''ll pull through this, too." Ray''s grip on her hand tightened as he nodded.


    She looked into his eyes, and he turned away, but before he could, she saw a hint of tears building up.


    Zain is like another son to him, and he''s already lost so much... Zain, please be okay.


    Grace took a deep, shaky breath as she tried to calm herself, and scooched closer to Ray to lean on his shoulder.


    "He''ll be okay, Gracey; he has to be..."


    When they arrived home after the vehicle with Zain, they spotted him being wheeled into the house on a gurney.


    Grace hopped out of the car and went to rush over to him, but Ray pulled her back. "Let them work on him for now, and sit back down; you don''t have shoes on." Ray nudged her back to the car.


    "It''s not that far to the house."


    "And yet, there''s still a chance you''d get hurt on the way. Just wait one moment."


    As if on cue, Mary came rushing outside with a pair of flip-flops. "I''m sorry I wasn''t already out here." She huffed and set them down in front of her.


    "Don''t worry about it, Mary," Ray said. "Let''s just get our girl inside so she can get checked on."


    "Uh, I don''t need a check-up. I just need some ice for my cheek and a nice, warm bath, and I''ll be good to go." Grace slipped the flip-flops on. "Thanks for these."


    "I insist you get checked out." Ray wrapped an arm around her shoulders.


    "Uh... I''m okay, really. Besides, you should have all your medics looking after Zain right now."


    "You don''t like getting check-ups, do you?"


    Grace frowned and looked away. "That''s putting it mildly."


    "Gracey, you need to get checked."


    "Why? I know I''ll be fine after some rest and after I know he''s okay."


    "We need to make sure there are no aftereffects of the drug they used on you."


    She glared at him, wriggled out of his grasp and took off into the house.


    Ray stood there, stunned for a moment. "Why does it feel like I did something wrong? I''m just worried about her."


    "She''s either too worried about Zain for it, or has a serious aversion to doctors. Either way, don''t push too much with her; she doesn''t like it, and you want to stay on her good side."


    "Ha... I suppose you''re right. But still¡ª"


    "I''ll keep an eye on her." Mary patted him on the shoulder. "So try not to worry too much. Now, what happened out there?"


    Grace knew she wouldn''t be allowed near Zain yet, so she grabbed a quick shower, and got changed into a t-shirt and comfortable pair of joggers. She got an ice pack from the kitchen, headed back to her room, and sat on her bed with the ice pack wrapped in a towel against her cheek.


    "Ah..." Damn, he hits hard. I can''t believe I got knocked down from one hit like that. For someone who''s supposed to be good at fighting, I don''t think I helped too much today. I probably won''t be able to see Zain for a while. Ha... When did I get so used to having him around?


    Grace shook off that line of thought and finally set the ice pack down. Maybe I''ll go see Roger... assuming they''ll let me do that alone.


    She wasn''t locked in her room anymore, so she headed downstairs to the basement. No one seemed to pay her any mind, since they were busy taking care of their wounded.


    Feels creepy coming down here by myself. She tiptoed into the basement.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "He did what? That wasn''t a part of the plan," Roger''s voice rang through the basement.


    Grace halted. Plan? Who is he talking to? She stayed close to the wall as she reached the bottom of the steps. Around the corner, a man stood in the open doorway to Roger''s room.


    "What did you expect? Trying to use Samuel, of all people. Arg¡ª"


    Roger cut him off by grabbing his throat. "I used him because he''s strong. Because he has a big family, that''s been aiming to grow. If someone wants to take over this family, they need to have more ambition and backbone than ninety-nine percent of people."


    Heart racing, she stretched out to see the man''s face. Herald? He''s the one that keeps an eye on Roger in the first place, isn''t he? But he''s actually a rat? And what about Roger? He''s my partner, isn''t he? But he''s got something to do with Samuel? With the mafia?


    Herald coughed when Roger let him go. "I''m sorry, Boss, but what do we do now? There''s no way Vincent will work with us; if anything, he''d rat us out."


    "You think I don''t know that?!"


    Herald flinched back. "Careful, Boss; I know they''re busy outside, but someone might hear you."


    "Funny, because you told me before that it''s soundproof down here."


    "Oh-h... yes... I forgot." He inched back. "Ahem... What do we do now? Floyd''s taken over the family."


    "I suppose we''ll have to get him in on our side, then."


    "He... How should I put this? I think he likes the girl, but lost the chance because Samuel pushed him too far."


    "Ugh... All these idiots weren''t worth dealing with."


    "Why don''t we kill the girl? It''d be the quickest way to take revenge on Raymond."


    "That''s the quickest way to end up with Ray on our tails! Our family wouldn''t survive an all out attack like that. Why do you think I wanted the Russo''s help in the first place? Besides, that wouldn''t make everything they have ours, including her."


    "You want the girl, too? I thought she was a means to an end?"


    "It would be a shame to kill such a strong woman. And I think having her might be the best revenge."


    "Then why didn''t you do that in the beginning?" Herald huffed.


    Roger stepped towards him, glaring. "That''s none of your business." In truth, he didn''t know Grace was related to the Bertolottiss at first, and they met by chance. It troubled him more than anything that she was the granddaughter he had heard was alive.


    "W-why don''t you win her over, then?"


    "I''m a cop; they won''t want me to be the next boss. It was hard enough getting Floyd to be a candidate. If only the lot of them didn''t screw it all up."


    "If it''s mafia families they''re after, then letting them know you''re part of the Kuros family should work."


    Kuros? Like Zain?


    "You mean the mafia family they think disbanded? We can''t let them know until they''re already in our grasp." Roger sighed, racking his brain as he tried to come up with a new plan.


    "It''s just as well; you couldn''t win her over, anyway. From what I hear, you are seen only as a friend."


    "Quite the mouth on you. Maybe you''d like to have it removed."


    Herald''s eyes widened. "Sorry, Boss. What I meant to say is, you can''t win her over from here, and it''s hard to go from friends to more. What if you recruited Zain? He is family."


    "No!" Roger growled. "I will not recruit that turncoat!"


    "He is blood, though. And it wasn''t his fault his parents gave him away. If anything, he''s a victim here, too."


    "Zain is his underboss¡ª"


    "Which means his power in the family is only second to Raymond himself."


    "Do not interrupt me."


    Herald bowed his head slightly. "Sorry."


    "The Kuros talked to Zain years ago, looking for help, and he turned his back on us. I need time to think about this. Get lost," Roger commanded him.


    Oh! Damn! Grace rushed up the stairs and tripped on the steps.


    "Who''s there?" Roger asked. "Tch, go check." Roger wished he didn''t have to command Herald at every turn.


    Grace righted herself and bolted out the door. She kept going upstairs, not stopping until she was in her room. Her back against the door, she slid to the ground with her heart racing and immense pressure in her head from all sides.


    Roger... is related to Zain? He''s a part of the Kuros family? But isn''t his last name Gibson? Is it fake? Grace held onto her head. Who have I been partnered with this entire time?! And what was with that personality? It didn''t seem like him at all... Has everything been a lie?


    Grace hugged her knees to her chest. Just when it started to feel like home here, everything falls apart.


    Knock, knock.


    Grace nearly jumped out of her skin, a tingling sensation running up her body. She swallowed hard, barely able to because of the lump in her throat, and answered, "Yes?"


    "Grace, dear, even if you won''t let a doctor see you, can I?" Mary asked.


    "N-not right now. I want to be alone." Not really, but what in the world could I even tell her?


    "I understand," Mary sighed, her shoulders slouched. "How about tea or something to eat? I can bring you anything you want."


    "I don''t want anything right now."


    "Please, at least let me see your face; I''m worried."


    She''s not going to leave without something, is she? Must''ve been sent by Ray. Grace forced herself to stand and staggered over to where she left the ice pack. She picked it up and opened the door. "Can you put the ice pack back for me?"


    "Of course." Mary took the ice pack and looked up at Grace''s face. "Oh, dear..." Her heart sank.


    "The bruise will heal; the swelling has already started to go down." Grace covered the bruise with her hand. "Don''t worry about it."


    "That''s not what I''m worried about."


    "Hmm?"


    "You must not be able to tell what expression you''re making right now." Mary reached out to her, and she automatically backed away. "I''m sorry, dear, but... you look so sad and lost right now. All I want to do is give you a big hug."


    "I-I''m fine."


    "You don''t have to be shy with me. I''m practically a den mother here, and I''ve seen even the burliest of men break down in tears. And you probably think you have to be strong, being the mafia princess surrounded by all these men, but¡ª"


    "That''s not it. I don''t want to cry. I hate crying. It''s a useless act." The more Grace went on, the harder it got to keep the tears back. "It doesn''t help anything. My tears won''t fix Zain, or tell me what I should be doing about... everything!"


    Mary pulled her into a tight hug and stroked her head. "Tears are meant to help release all the stress and pain you have built up. Forcing yourself to keep them in will only make it worse down the line when it comes out, because you can''t hold back any longer."


    Grace went silent as the tears threatened to spill over. Mary''s soothing touch was too much for her. She buried her face in Mary''s shoulder, her tears pouring out as she hugged her back.


    "Everything will be okay," Mary whispered, and Grace couldn''t help but think about her grandma, who used to take care of her. She''d give her hugs whenever she wanted, and even when she didn''t want them. That only made her cry harder.


    "Everything is going to be okay now. You''re home with your family, the people who care about you. Zain is strong; he''ll pull through. And Ray will get to the bottom of everything. You can stay in here, safe away from the dangers of the outside world."


    Grace pulled away from her and wiped the tears away as she averted her eyes. "I can''t stay hiding in here. Badge or not, I''m still a cop, and I won''t hide from whoever is trying to destroy my family." Even if it is Roger.


    "Grace..." Mary sighed. "Ray, he''s going to want to keep you inside again, you know? He cares about you more than anything else in the world."


    She calls him Ray? They must be even closer than I thought.


    "Which is exactly why I''m the target."


    "True, but that doesn''t change anything. You are precious, and he will do his best to protect you."


    Trapped again. But do I even worry about Roger anymore? After what I learned, maybe I should just leave.


    Grace stepped away from her as she thought. "If you guys lock me in here again without anything to do, I''ll either go crazy, or I''ll find a way to leave here."


    "Grace... Why don''t you go talk to your friend? Roger, right? I''m sure his presence can help you¡ª"


    "No; I don''t want to see him right now." Grace took a deep breath. "Get me my phone back, so I can at least use my own contacts to help things along from here."


    "I''ll see what I can do. Take care." Mary gave her a small smile and headed out.


    "Ugh... That seemed suspicious, didn''t it? Who am I even talking to?" Grace flopped back on her bed, and Roger''s conversation with Herald replayed in her mind.


    I still can''t believe it. How can all of that be true?

 Chapter 23

    Grace eventually fell asleep while her mind was running wild with ideas.


    Knock, knock.


    "Grace, are you still mad at me?" Raymond asked, waiting outside of her room with her cell phone in his hand. "I brought you a peace offering."


    She cringed as she opened her eyes. Once she registered what he had said, she sprang out of bed and opened the door. "Grandpa..."


    He let out a sigh of relief and gave her a small smile. "I guess Mary was right about you wanting this back badly." He held her phone to his chest. "But giving you this is a risk; I don''t know who you might contact."


    "I don''t have many people close to me, so it''s not like I''m going to go begging for help or anything. I have some contacts who can help us out."


    "So do I; you know there are mafia members in the police department."


    "But I also know one of the best analysts there, and even if others have fooled me, I know there''s no way he''s one of them. I can help, grandpa, if you''ll let me."


    His heart swooned every time she called him grandpa. "Ha... I''m so weak to you." He shoved her cell phone into her hand. "I''m sorry about everything so far. I''m glad it looks like you''re doing okay. I was planning on leaving you alone for the rest of the day, but the doctors have finished with Zain now. He''s probably still asleep, but you can go see him if you want."


    "Thank you." Grace pocketed her phone. "And... Do you want to go see him with me?"


    He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling. "While I''d love to, I just came from there, so I don''t think he''d want to see this old man so soon again." Especially not after he yelled at him out of both anger and worry. "And the doctor doesn''t want too many people in his room at a time. I''ll walk you there, though."


    Grace wrapped her arm around his, glad for the extra support, and he escorted her to Zain''s treatment room.


    Ray could feel the slight tremble as she leaned towards him, and he couldn''t help but worry. "I can wait out here for you if you want," he offered.


    "Ah, no; I can get back to my room on my own later. I don''t know how long I''ll be here, anyway. Thank you." Grace gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and he smiled at her.


    "Okay, Gracey. Call me if you need anything." He headed off and sighed, glad she didn''t seem angry with him anymore.


    Grace stared at the door to Zain''s room for a moment and took a deep breath before entering. "Excuse me," she said as she entered.


    Zain lay on what looked like a hospital bed. Flowers were set up on the nightstand, and the TV in the upper corner was playing the news.


    Personal hospital room? Can''t help but wonder where all the others are. I''m pretty sure I saw others being wheeled into the estate, too.


    Grace sat down in the empty chair beside Zain.


    "I''m sorry," Grace muttered and bit her lip, fighting back the tears as she looked at him. He was still pale and covered in bandages with an IV attached to his arm. A heart monitor stood in the corner, but it wasn''t set up.


    I doubt this place is legal, but I guess that doesn''t matter anymore.


    "I''m sorry I''m so naive. Maybe I never was a good cop, if I can fall for a trap so easily. Ugh, this sucks." Her eyes trailed along him and landed on his lips. She couldn''t help but think about how he kissed her.


    Why did you do that? Ugh, it''s not like I can even ask you that.


    "I don''t even know what I came here to say, but please, don''t die." Grace gripped his hand on the bed.


    His hand twitched and then wrapped around hers.


    He took a deep breath in and slowly opened his eyes. "Grace..."


    "Zain? You''re awake? You need more rest, so you should go back to sleep." She went to move her hand away, and his grip tightened as much as he could manage.


    "Don''t go yet..." Zain mumbled.


    "Okay..." Grace bit her lip, stopping herself from saying anything else.


    "Stop blaming yourself," he mumbled. "It seems... Samuel was after us either way. We were bound to duke it out, and who knows what could''ve happened?"


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    "I doubt you would''ve been captured like that." Might''ve still gotten shot.


    "I''m alive, you''re alive; everything''s alright."


    Not really.


    "What is it?"


    When she looked up from his hand, she saw his intense eyes trained on her.


    "I know something''s wrong..."


    Too many things are! That kiss! What did it mean? Roger? Who knows what the hell is really going on? Grace shook her head no. "It doesn''t matter right now. You need to focus on getting better, not worrying about what''s going on outside of this room."


    "Ha... You think... me being here means I won''t worry about everything? I know... I come across like a big lug sometimes, but... my mind is always running wild."


    "Mine too."


    "So spill, princess."


    Should I tell him about Roger? Grace stood, shaking her head. "No, I don''t have my thoughts organized enough to even try to talk about anything yet."


    "Are you trying to leave already?"


    "My being here won''t help you any. You need to rest, and I''m sure others are looking to visit you."


    "Ha... You''re denser than I thought." Zain cringed as he adjusted himself on the bed.


    "What are you doing?" Grace tried to pull her hand away, and he tugged her closer. "Oh!" She was caught off-guard by his strength despite his weakened state, and he pulled her onto the edge of the bed, leaning over him.


    He brought her hand up to rest on his chest, his hand still gripping hers.


    "Don''t run away from me," Zain whispered. "In case you''re wondering, that kiss wasn''t just to try to erase Samuel''s. It''s because I like you. I care for you. Honestly, I might even love you."


    Grace''s heart skipped a beat, and she froze with her eyes wide. "W-what?"


    "Ha... How are you so surprised?" Zain huffed.


    With his chest under her hand, she could feel his heart rate increasing the same way hers was.


    Is he nervous, too? Does that mean he''s telling the truth?


    "I admit you can be quite infuriating. You''re reckless, you don''t listen, and you always have some sort of opinion about everything, but... I fell for you, anyway. Ugh," he groaned in pain again.


    "You should lie down and rest." Grace tried to pull away again, but he wouldn''t let her, and he knew she wouldn''t attack an injured man who meant her no harm.


    "Nope, not yet. I''ve been sleeping for hours already, and this is important. I... didn''t think much of being a marriage candidate in the first place, but the boss was adamant I''d like you for some reason. I guess he was right."


    "Why confess all this now?"


    "If not now, then when? After you''ve chosen Vincent? Even I have to admit... he''s a good man and boss, but he''s scarier than I am, if you know about his past, anyway."


    "Are you saying he''d be a bad choice because of his past?"


    "No... He''s had to make the hard choices as a boss already. He''s better at leading, stronger... and... I believe he''d treat you well."


    "Are you sure you like me? I mean, you''re talking too well of Vincent."


    A small smile played on his lips. "Yes, I''m sure. Can''t say I''m the better option... or that I will do well as the next boss... which I never wanted to be... but I am sure of my feelings."


    "But really, why now? Couldn''t you wait until you weren''t bedridden at least?"


    "I''m not sure... Maybe because I almost died, and because I wasn''t certain I was going to tell you until Samuel kissed you, and I lost it. Stupid punk..." Zain grumbled. "You deserve better... I guess the real question is: how do you feel about me?"


    Grace averted her gaze, looking out the window at the night sky. Crap, crap, crap!


    "Ha... stubborn woman..." Zain sat up more. "I should be a better man, and not push for an answer, but I''m not. I want to know how you feel. And if you don''t answer me in three seconds, I''m going to kiss you. Three, two..."


    "I don''t know¡ª"


    "One."


    "Umph!" Grace gasped when Zain yanked her forward again and kissed her. He finally let go of her hand, only to wrap it around the back of her head to deepen the kiss.


    "Ha..." He pulled away for a moment and licked his bottom lip. "I guess I got my answer." He smirked and released her.


    "What? But I..." she huffed. "I didn''t say anything." She quickly got off his bed and stumbled back a few steps.


    "You didn''t have to say anything. You didn''t push me away. And if I know anything about you, I know you would''ve at least tried to slap me."


    "But you''re injured."


    "My face isn''t too bad, and it''s remained that way despite what I did." His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her.


    She could see the desire in his eyes, clear as day, and her own body heated up. "I-I... I should go..."


    "Oh? Already? I was hoping you''d keep me company for longer. Heading to bed? Heading to see Roger?"


    "No!" Grace couldn''t help her outburst. She clamped a hand over her mouth as she realized her mistake.


    Zain frowned. "What was that about?"


    "Nothing." Grace swallowed hard and backed away towards the door.


    "Something tells me the kiss isn''t the reason you don''t want to see him. What did he do?"


    "Nothing! Geez..." She gripped the door handle. "Oh, and be careful of Herald," Grace said and took off out the door, running down the hall. "Ha..."


    "Herald?" Zain thought about him for a moment, surprised she even knew his name. "What''s he got to do with anything?"


    In a rush, Grace nearly crashed into Mary on her way back to her room. Grace skidded to a stop. "Sorry!"


    "Oh dear, why are you running around like that?" Mary asked. "Your face is all flushed. Are you okay?"


    No... "Um... Zain... he..."


    "Did he do something to you? Do you want me to take care of him?"


    Grace shuddered. "No. He just." Grace leaned in close to whisper, "Kissed me again."


    "Oh! Finally," Mary sighed. "That boy takes forever to make a move."


    "Why aren''t you surprised?"


    "Oh, come on; you can''t tell me you didn''t notice." Mary''s eyes widened as she watched Grace. "Really? His eyes follow you everywhere."


    "But he''s basically my bodyguard; isn''t it his job to keep an eye on me?"


    "At first, sure, but he kept looking after you even when you stopped running away. And he even went on a run with you."


    "Again, I thought that was all for his job. I don''t imagine my grandpa would be happy if his underboss shirked on his duties."


    "What about how he cares for you? He''s pretty obvious about that, from what Ray has told me."


    "I''m going to go rest." Grace backed away from her.


    "For reference, you look at him the same way," Mary said as Grace headed into her room, slamming the door shut.


    Maybe they''re just trying to push us together. I can see Mary wanting Zain to be the next boss.


    Grace flopped onto her bed and hugged one of her pillows as she closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep.

 Chapter 24

    Dark rings under her eyes, Grace sat on the bed hugging a pillow as she stared out the window. I wonder if they''ll let me go on a run; it always helps me clear my head.


    Wait... no one''s really keeping an eye on me anymore, so maybe I can just go for a run.


    Grace changed into some active wear and pulled on a baseball cap. Now, hopefully, no one notices me. She made sure she had her cell phone on her and took off.


    No one roamed the halls, so she headed for the front door, and straight out. There were two men in suits guarding the front door. She gave them a nod. "Morning run." She chuckled and took off before either of them said anything.


    Crap, I should''ve remembered there''s always someone at the entrance.


    At the front gate, she waved cheerfully at the person controlling it.


    "Where''s Zain?" they asked, knowing he was always around her.


    "He''s in bed. I''m just going for a quick run, and I''ll be back."


    "Uh... I haven''t heard anything about you being allowed to leave on your own. I''m going to have to call in and ask."


    "At this time of day? Grandpa is probably asleep still. I don''t think we should disturb him."


    I should''ve just climbed the fence!


    "Oh, you''re right; he hates being disturbed in the morning. Still, I don''t think I should let you out."


    "I need my morning run!" Grace jogged in place.


    "Jog around the estate again," the guard cringed as he suggested it. "Oh!" The guard''s face lit up. "Zain! You''re here! I''m glad to see you doing alright."


    Grace froze, her whole body tingling.


    Crap, crap, crap. What''s he even doing out of bed? It''s early, and he''s injured!


    She could feel him walk up behind her, and her heart raced.


    I''m done for!


    Zain leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Where are you going to so early in the morning, all on your own?"


    "Uh... On a run, where else?" She laughed nervously. "W-what are you doing here? Out of bed already?"


    Zain slung his good arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. "It''s my shoulder that''s injured; I can still walk."


    "But you can''t run right now without disturbing your injury."


    "And I can''t leave you wandering outside alone. I''d tell you to stay inside like a good girl, but we both know you won''t listen. If you''re determined to go somewhere, then I know you''ll do risky things to make it happen. Even injured, I''d prefer to be by your side."


    "I''m not going out to do anything risky; I''m just going for a run."


    "I don''t believe you." He hugged her closer to him. "It''s like how I don''t believe you when you say nothing is wrong. You''re keeping a secret, and whatever it is, I have a feeling I need to know it."


    "Again, I''m just going for a run, which you can''t do."


    "A walk will have to suffice."


    "Ahem... So... are you two going out?" the guard asked as he fidgeted.


    "Going out? What? No!" Grace blushed and tried to push Zain''s hand off, but he wouldn''t budge.


    "Oh, I meant, are you two leaving?"


    "Oh!" Her blush spread way up to her ears.


    "Yes, on both accounts." Zain smirked. "Open the gates, George."


    "Sir." George hit the button to open the gates. "Stay safe, you two; there''s been too many fights and whatnot breaking out lately."


    "Don''t worry, George; we''ll be fine." Zain gave him a quick wave and walked through the gate with his arm around Grace. "You know, if you want to head somewhere, I could''ve grabbed a car and drove you there."


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    "Your shoulder is injured."


    "I can drive one hand." Zain rolled his eyes.


    "And that would go against wanting to go for a run."


    Grace could feel the heat radiating from Zain as they walked. Does he really have to keep an arm around me?


    "Are you sure you''re up for even a walk? You must be exhausted from yesterday," Grace said as she glanced up at him and found him staring at her.


    "I''ll be fine; I''m resilient. Besides, I''d go crazy staying in bed all day. I''m used to being busy, but I don''t think the boss will give me anything to do right now. I''m not even sure he''d want me as your bodyguard, either."


    "Are you sure you''re my bodyguard right now, and it''s not the other way around? I think I proved myself early on that I could take you out if I wanted to." Grace pursed her lips as she looked away at the trees lining the path.


    "Is this your way of saying I''m a hindrance in my injured state?"


    Grace kept herself tight-lipped, not wanting to answer.


    "Ha... It doesn''t matter if I''m injured; as long as I can still move, I''ll stay by you to try to keep you safe."


    "Geez, you make it sound like you don''t care if you get hurt again," Grace grumbled as they turned onto the sidewalk.


    "Can''t say I really do. I''m used to pain, so I''ll be okay either way."


    Grace came to a sudden halt and glared up at him. "You realize you almost died, right?"


    "It''s only my shoulder¡ª"


    "You were pale and sweating because of all the pain and how much blood you lost!" she snapped at him and finally used enough force to shove his arm off. "Don''t you understand how close to death you were?"


    "I..." Zain trailed off when he saw the tears in her eyes.


    "Ha..." She turned away from him and swallowed hard, forcing the emotions back.


    Damn it all to hell... How could I let emotions get the better of me like that?


    "At least I can tell how much you care now." Zain sighed. "I''m sorry, but I can''t let being close to death interfere with things. As a cop, you understand, right?"


    "Tch..." Grace huffed and walked away.


    Zain rushed to catch up and took her hand this time instead. "I''d prefer if we''re not separated out here."


    "Whatever," she mumbled and kept walking.


    "So, where to?"


    "Nowhere specific; it''s just a walk."


    "Right. So, are you ready to talk about your secret yet?"


    "..." He''s going to be annoyingly persistent, isn''t he?


    "How about why you mentioned Herald?"


    "..."


    "I sent Ran to keep an eye on him, but we''re not sure what we''re looking for. What did you see? What did you hear?"


    "..."


    "Come on, Grace; I know something is going on. Do I really need to go to the boss about this?"


    "What in the world would you tell him? That I find Herald sketchy? I don''t trust him? That''s not enough for grandpa to interrogate him or anything."


    "It''s enough to get him curious, and you don''t know how persistent he can be. Come on, Grace, you know you can trust me, right?"


    "..." I guess out of the people there, he is one of the few I kinda trust. I have to keep in mind that he''s still a mafia member, and an underboss at that. Although, I am a part of that same mafia now. He wouldn''t turn on me. Then again, I never thought Roger would''ve been hiding so much... and using me to be behind enemy lines. Grace''s mouth went dry at the thought of explaining everything to him.


    Zain looked around at the shops while they walked in silence. "Hey, I''m thirsty from rambling on; let''s grab a coffee." He pulled her into a cafe and nudged her towards a seat near the counter.


    He came back a few minutes later with two iced coffees.


    "Thanks..." Grace couldn''t help but think about Roger, since that was the drink he liked to get her in a can form.


    "I know something that you might like that could help you get your mind off of... whatever it is you don''t want to tell me about."


    "Oh?"


    "The orphanage. You said you wanted to visit it, right? I''m overdue for one, anyway. We''d just need a quick stop at a toy store, and candy store, and we''re good to go."


    "You buy them stuff?"


    "Every time I go to visit, yes, which also means they always expect me to bring things." Zain sighed. "But they deserve to be spoiled a bit after all they''ve gone through. I mean, we keep the place in good condition with enough money for food, clothes, toys, and whatnot, but I can''t help but want to bring them more."


    Grace stared at him wide-eyed.


    "What?" Zain asked. "Is it really so odd that I''d be involved in an orphanage like this?"


    "Kinda..."


    "Ouch..."


    "Won''t the injury bother them, though?" Grace nudged her head towards his arm in a sling, making his shoulder injury obvious.


    "Ah..." Zain scratched his neck. "This wouldn''t be the first time I''ve shown up while injured. They''re kinda used to it, but at the same time, they worry. They''ll also get worried if I go too long without showing up."


    "And I''m guessing you haven''t been there since I showed up?"


    "Correct. Everything''s been a bit hectic since you were brought in."


    "Being a watchdog is a full-time job. By the way, how''d you end up noticing me at the gate? Don''t you normally get up later?"


    "Generally, but between the pain and the pondering, I wasn''t sleeping much. While looking out the window, I saw you rushing up to the gate, and I came out after you right away."


    "Guess I should''ve disguised myself."


    "You think they would''ve let you out of there without me or the boss? I highly doubt it."


    Grace sighed and downed her drink. "I think I did everything wrong so far this morning. I should''ve just climbed the fence or something."


    "You''d set off the alarms if you did."


    "But I would''ve made it out of there alone and been able to go for a run."


    "Don''t even think about it, princess, or I''ll have to find a way to tag you with a tracker."


    "As if my grandpa would let you do that."


    Zain chuckled. "You know what, you don''t know him well enough yet if you think he wouldn''t resort to something underhanded in order to keep you safe. As long as you''re not harmed by it, I could see him ordering someone to do it to you himself, even in secret. Like, in the middle of the night, someone injects you with a nano-tracker."


    Grace shuddered and rubbed the back of her neck. "Great, now I''m going to be paranoid about it."


    "Stick close to home or to me, and he probably won''t think about putting a tracker in you."


    "Right..." Hard to tell if he''s joking about that or not.


    "Would you prefer I put a collar on you? Then we could just have the tracker there."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "Quit teasing me."


    "Guess that''s a no on the collar." Zain finished off his drink. "So, how about we grab a few things and head over to the orphanage?"


    "Sure." I guess this will prove if he''s telling the truth or not.

 Chapter 25

    Once the shops opened for the morning, Grace and Zain bought a couple of bags full of toys and a bag fill with chocolate and candy.


    "Are you sure whoever runs the place will be okay with giving the kids all this sugar?" Grace asked as they walked through the city to the orphanage. Grace had all of the bags in one hand while her other hand was taken by Zain, his fingers laced through hers.


    "They''re used to it by now. They''re just glad to be properly funded than anything, so they tolerate the kids on their sugar rush."


    "And how about going there with our hands like this? The kids will definitely have questions and think we''re involved or something."


    "Aren''t we, though? You still have a while to choose, but I am a marriage candidate who is interested in a real relationship with you."


    "But that doesn''t mean we''re together."


    "Only because you''re stubborn and don''t want to admit your feelings."


    Grace went tight-lipped and looked away.


    "My point exactly." Zain laughed and came to a stop at an enormous building with a fence around it. Off to the side, in the fenced area, there was a playground with kids laughing and playing.


    Grace''s eyes widened. "Holy crap... this place is huge! And it''s actually got security cameras and everything." Grace stared up at the camera at the corner of the gate. It feels oddly familiar.


    "Of course, since we have to worry about kidnappers and whatnot. It''s hard to run an orphanage. You have to worry about the kids'' safety; you don''t want them wandering these streets, and you don''t want any strangers wandering in either. Lots of creepers out there."


    "Sadly, I know. I''ve worked on more than one abduction case, and those can get pretty ugly." Grace stepped back and looked at the name of the orphanage. "Saint Bert Orphanage... Seriously?"


    "I''m not the one who named it."


    "Wait... I think I worked on a case for this place before. I wasn''t the lead for it or anything, but I was the one who found the kid, Raphael. I was still a rookie back then. I remember being surprised by the size of this place, but I don''t remember all this security."


    "Why do you think we had to up the security? That incident... We learned the hard way that orphanages need to have top security. And the boss may have gone on a rager once he found out who did it."


    "Wait, that perp ended up dead a few weeks after we arrested him. But didn''t he kill himself in prison? People who go after children aren''t treated well once others find out, so we thought it was suicide, but you''re telling me my grandpa had something to do with it?"


    "Don''t hold it against him."


    "I won''t; just wondering how he managed it."


    "As we''ve told you before, we have men in all sorts of places. It''s not as hard as you''d think to¡ª"


    "Zain!"


    "Big brother!"


    A couple of kids came running up to the gate.


    "I''ll go get Lucy to open the gate." One of the older boys, who was keeping an eye on the kids, headed inside.


    "Thanks, Elex," Zain called out to him and got a little wave. "I should''ve called beforehand; I normally do."


    "Zain, what happened to your arm?" A young girl hugging a teddy bear looked up at him with a pout.


    "I hurt it a bit while fighting a bad guy, Sarah. I''ll be okay, though, so don''t worry." Zain knelt down so he could be eye level with her.


    She reached through the gate and used her teddy to give him a hug. "Hugs make you heal faster."


    "Thank you, Sarah, and teddy." He patted the teddy bear''s head.


    Grace couldn''t help but swoon as she watched him. Wow... I know he said about visiting here regularly, but I didn''t expect him to be this sweet to kids. I thought he just bought them stuff.


    Zain noticed her gaze and smirked. "Falling deeper for me?"


    "What?" Grace turned away and spotted Sarah staring at her.


    "Are you his girlfriend?" Sarah frowned.


    "No."


    "Good, because that''s my spot in the future!"


    "Is it now?"


    "What? Kids like me." Zain pointed at the toy bags Grace was carrying. "We can give her the little scarf; I got it for her bear."


    Even planned that much?


    "Grace?"


    "Y-yeah." She set the bags down to rifle through them. "Here it is." She pulled out a small red scarf. Grace held it out to Sarah, but she just turned away.


    "I don''t want anything from my rival," Sarah huffed.


    They start liking people like this so early these days.


    Zain took the scarf from Grace. "But it is from me. I only have one hand, so she''s helping me out. By the way, she''s Grace, Raymond''s granddaughter."


    The little girl''s eyes widened. "He has a granddaughter?"


    "Yes, and this is her, but she helped me pick up all this stuff, so if you''re going to be mean to her, I''m not sure we should¡ª"


    "I''ll take it." Sarah snatched it from him. She whispered to her bear as she tied it around his neck. "What do you think? I think he looks so cool!"


    "I agree," Zain chuckled. "It suits him."


    "Always the sweetheart, aren''t you?" an older woman said as she approached the gate with Elex. She pulled off her gardening gloves and shoved them in her back pocket. "Been a little while this time, but they all love when you show up. And you brought a friend this time?" Her eyes went to Grace.


    "Uh, hi." Grace gave her a little wave. Why do I feel nervous in front of her? She''s got an air of authority around her like grandpa does.


    "Wait... Grace?"


    "Uh, yes." Why does she know me as that?


    "The Bertolottis heiress is finally around." She opened the gate. "Come on in, you two."


    "Thanks."


    "I''m Lucy, by the way."


    "Nice to meet you."


    "I''ve heard about you from Ray, but I never expected to meet you in person. I''m glad he finally got you to come visit him." Lucy led them inside.


    What in the world has he been telling people? "More like I live with him now."


    "Aw, he must be so happy."


    "I''m not sure."


    "He''s the happiest I''ve ever seen him," Zain said. "Although you seem to bring trouble with you everywhere."


    "I bring trouble? No, no, no; trouble started when you lot brought me there."


    "Exactly, when you ended up joining us."


    Joining? As if it was an option.


    Lucy laughed. "It''s nice to see you so lively and not a grump. Normally, it''s only when he''s playing with the kids that he comes to life." Lucy led them to their family room where a bunch of kids were hanging out. Some were watching TV, and others were playing with toys. One was even napping on the couch.


    "Zain!" One of them cheered and ran over. The others gasped and followed suit, even the one who was napping on the couch.


    They surrounded him, asking questions about his arm and if he was okay.


    Zain chuckled and assured them he was okay repeatedly. He greeted each of the children by name and then turned to Grace. "This here is Grace Bertolottis, Raymond''s granddaughter, and she helped me pick out gifts and candy for the lot of you."


    Before Grace could greet them, they surrounded her, and a couple of them snatched the bags. "Oh!"


    "You''re pretty; got a boyfriend?" One of the older boys asked her as his eyes trailed down her. "Ow!" he yelped when Zain tugged on his ear.


    "She''s mine, Adrian, so back off," Zain growled at him, and he shivered. "Besides, you''re five years too young to even try for her."


    "So you''re saying I have a chance in five years?" Adrian asked.


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    "No! Now back off and stop looking at her like that, or you''ll have trouble."


    "What kind of trouble?"


    "Tch, when did you turn into a brat that talks back?"


    "Who do you think I learned it from?"


    "You''re blaming me?"


    "Calm down, kids." Lucy took control of the rest of them. "There''s plenty to go around, as always, so make sure everyone gets something."


    The kids kept cheering and chatting about the gifts. Some of them stuffed their faces with chocolate and ran away with some of the other candy.


    They don''t seem to care about me being here. I can use that, though. Grace glanced at her watch.


    "Excuse me, is there a bathroom I can use?" Grace asked Lucy.


    "Down the hall to the right," Lucy replied and went back to dealing with the kids.


    "Thank you." Grace headed down the hall to find the bathroom while Zain was preoccupied.


    She found the bathroom, locked the door behind her, and pulled out her phone. She dialled the number of her friend, hoping they''d be on lunch break like always.


    "Grace? Is that really you?" they answered the phone.


    "Pez... Gosh, it''s been too long." Grace sighed.


    "You''re telling me! Where have you been? What happened to you? Is Roger alive?" Pez rambled out more questions than Grace could keep track of.


    "Um... Pez, please calm down. Roger is alive and well." But might be in a rival mafia or something.


    "So you didn''t quit and move away or something? Please, tell me what''s going on!"


    "The truth?"


    "Of course, the truth; who would want to be lied to?"


    "But what if the truth is dangerous? What if it''s so unreal that even living it feels like a movie or something?"


    "Then I want to know even more!" Pez crunched his lollipop out of anger. "Damn, that one was supposed to last," he grumbled.


    Grace took a deep breath. "Considering you''re one of my closest friends, I want to tell you everything, but¡ª"


    "Don''t ''but'' me, missy; you owe me more than one favour, so I''m going to call one of them in now. What''s going on?"


    Grace sat down on the floor by the sink. "Brace yourself for a real story, but afterwards, I need your help."


    "Sure thing."


    Grace tried to give him the quick version of the events that led to where she was, including who her grandfather was, and how she was willingly staying there now. She didn''t tell him about what she overheard Roger say, though.


    "That..." Pez trailed off.


    "It''s a lot, I know."


    "That was a freaking awesome story! We could totally turn it into a novel and movie¡ª"


    "Pez, it''s not just a story; it all happened."


    "I know, and this is one of those cases where the ''truth is stranger than fiction'' comes into play. And damn, I was left out of all of it. You know, I''ve always wanted to have an adventure like that."


    "It wasn''t by choice, and I just got my phone back, so it''s not like I could''ve contacted you before."


    "And I was the first one?"


    "Yes."


    "Yes!" Pez cheered. "Okay, you''re forgiven. Now, what was the favour you wanted from me?"


    "Can you look into someone named Herald that''s a part of the Bertolottis family?"


    "Last name?"


    "Uh..."


    "A photo? Anything? That''s not much to go on, but I''ll still do what I can."


    "And..." Grace swallowed hard, afraid to even ask.


    "What is it, Grace? Lunchtime is almost over, and I have to get back to work. The new people are more annoyingly strict and complain about me if I''m even a minute late."


    "Can you check on Roger?"


    "I thought you said he was okay."


    "That''s not what I meant. Can you check into his background?"


    "You... want me to check into Roger''s background? That''s odd. I thought you knew him better than anyone."


    Grace''s shoulders slouched. "Let''s just say I might not know him at all." All the time they spent together. All the cases they''d closed. Roger might''ve been a bad guy all this time.


    "Can I ask why you want me to look into him?"


    Knock, knock.


    "Uh... I''ll be out in a moment," Grace covered her phone to say it. "I''m sorry, Pez," she whispered. "But I can''t explain right now. I just overheard him talking and want to know the truth. You''re the best person for the job."


    "Okay, Grace. Stay safe, and contact me again soon. It''s lonely here without you."


    "I miss you, too, Pez. Bye."


    "Bye."


    Grace hung up and opened the door. "Sorry about that; I hope you didn''t wait long..." She froze when she saw who it was.


    Zain stared down at her with furrowed brows. "You were gone for a while, so I came to check on you. Who were you talking to, Grace?"


    "Doesn''t matter, and it''s none of your business."


    "Really?" Zain sighed, shaking his head. "I''m pretty sure it is, and why are you asking someone to look into Roger?"


    "Shouldn''t we get back to the kids?" Grace went to walk past him, and he blocked her path, his hand resting on the doorframe.


    "How about you just be honest with me about what''s going on?" He stepped towards her to block the entire doorway. He knew she wouldn''t want to be forceful with him since he was injured. He stepped towards her again, backing her into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him.


    Dammit... I thought the kids would''ve kept him busy for longer, or at least distracted him enough so he wouldn''t notice me missing.


    "Considering I don''t really know what''s going on, I''d rather refrain from saying anything in case I spread misinformation." Grace squared her shoulders, standing tall.


    Zain got closer, pressing her back until she ran into the counter. "I''m not a child, nor someone who runs my mouth, so you''d be better off telling me what''s going on." He loomed over her.


    She pressed on his chest to push him back a bit. "What do you think you''re doing? You know I''m not afraid of you, right?"


    "I don''t need you to be afraid of me. And I can tell you''re at least a bit intimidated, but that''s probably because of my size, and this mug probably makes me look like a mobster in the first place."


    "I don''t know about that. I''d say you are handsome, but it''s the scowl that adds some roughness."


    "Ahem," Zain cleared his throat. He hadn''t expected that response from her. He grabbed the hand she tried to push him away with. "You know, with you, it''s more about making you nervous. I know you''re not exactly afraid of me, but you know I''m dangerous. You know I won''t hurt you, but that doesn''t mean I won''t do something else. There''s more than one way to make someone talk."


    "Just back off, Zain; there''s nothing to tell you yet."


    "And yet my gut tells me otherwise, and it''s always right, so spill before I do something."


    "Ha, like what?" Grace rolled her eyes.


    He smirked, yanked her into him, and shoved her hand in between his braced arm and his chest. He quickly wrapped his arm around her, trapping her there.


    "What the hell did you just do?!" If I push too much, I''ll hurt his injured shoulder. He''s using my kindness against me! She stayed froze in place as his head dipped closer, and he stared into her eyes.


    Damn... Her mind went blank and heart raced as he stared at her.


    "And you thought I couldn''t do anything in this condition." He chuckled.


    Grace swallowed hard as she struggled to respond. "Now what? I admit you''ve trapped me, but what good does this do for you? I''m still not going to tell you anything yet."


    "Yet? Doesn''t that mean you want to tell me? I mean, you don''t have many people to talk to, and I''m the closest to you other than Roger, so it would make sense to want to talk to me."


    Her eye twitched when he mentioned Roger.


    "Also means not right now! So let me go! The kids are probably wondering where you went."


    "They''re busy playing and eating right now; I''ve got time. So, what did Roger do?"


    "Nothing."


    "For a cop, you''re not a good liar. Maybe I should punish you for lying."


    "Ha, you wouldn''t do anything to me; you wouldn''t do anything to upset my grandpa."


    "Is that what you think? I''ve upset him many times growing up. And if I do things for a good reason, like protecting you, then he''ll forgive my transgressions."


    "Aren''t you just as stuck as I am in this position?" Grace wiggled around in his grasp and he pushed his knee between hers, solidifying his hold on her. Okay, too close for comfort!


    "Are you sure about that? Come on, Grace, tell me what''s going on. I need to know," he whispered and rested his forehead on her shoulder.


    He''s giving off a lot of heat. "Do you have a fever?" Grace asked.


    "Don''t change the subject. Fine." He huffed. "I know how to get you to talk." He nibbled on her ear.


    "Oh!" she gasped and tried to jerk away from him. His grip on her tightened as he continued kissing her neck. She bit her lip to try to hold back. "Ha..."


    He pulled away when she shuddered. "See, plenty I can do."


    "That... That''s cheating!"


    "Cheating how?"


    "We''re not together, and this is sexual assault!"


    "Is it, really? I''m not so sure this is unwanted, and it''s not like anything would stick if you tried."


    She glared at him.


    "And it''s likely you''ll beat me up after I''m healed, but it''s worth it. Besides, I''ve been wanting to hold you..." He kissed her neck again. "Be close to you." And Again. "And do things to you." And again.


    "Ha..." He what?! Why is that even surprising? I mean, who says that kind of thing?


    "You don''t have much experience with men, do you?"


    "Of course, I do." Maybe not a lot, and it''s been a while.


    "I don''t mean working with them."


    "I-I know."


    "Considering how your heart is racing, I can say you''re quite conscious of me."


    "Who wouldn''t be in this position? Do you trap all your prey like this?"


    "Prey? Never thought of women like that. But I like the idea of being like a tiger circling the bunny rabbit," he said with a dark glint in his eyes.


    I think I made it worse.


    "I wonder how long you can last like this, completely entangled with me as I play with you." He blew into her ear, and she twitched again.


    "Zain," she growled. "Someone is bound to come¡ª"


    "And I''m sure you wouldn''t want the kids to hear you moan."


    Her eyes widened, and he knew he got her. "You wouldn''t! You care about these kids too much."


    "Sure, I care about them, but I care about you more."


    "Damn it all to hell. You''re impossible to deal with!" Grace growled.


    "Heh, right back at you."


    "Tch..."


    "Fess up, Grace, and I might be able to help you."


    There is no helping here.


    "Ask again after you''ve looked into Herald," Grace said, still trying to resist.


    "I have someone keeping an eye on him; we''ll know if he does anything suspicious."


    I guess he gets on things fast.


    He kissed her neck again, and she jolted. "Fine! I give up! Now, let go... please." Grace tried to wriggle free again.


    "How naive do you think I am? I''m not you. Answer and then I''ll let go."


    "Ha..." Grace huffed and closed her eyes. It didn''t help any, though, since it made her more aware of his complete hold on her. He nudged her knee lightly with his, urging her on. "I don''t know if you''ll believe me."


    Zain rolled his eyes. "Of course I will, especially with how you''ve been acting. If you were going to try to lie to me ¨C which wouldn''t work ¨C then you would''ve already tried to before all of this happened."


    "I..." Grace looked away from him and stared at the floor. "I overheard Roger and Herald talking." She bit her lip.


    "And? We''re not exactly treating him like an enemy down there, just a captive. What were they talking about?"


    "I don''t remember the exact words."


    "Tell me what you do remember."


    "I don''t know where to start. Um... For one thing, Herald called Roger ''boss''. And Roger was mad about the Samuel incident because they were working together, and Roger wants to take over the Bertolottiss as revenge for the Kuros..."


    Zain froze as he was listening intently. "Could you say that again?" he asked after taking a moment to process. "Did you say revenge for Kuros? As in my family?"


    "Yes; they even said they contacted you years ago, but you had no interest in the family that gave you away."


    "Trust me when I say that''s not the only reason I wouldn''t want anything to do with them. My family wasn''t made of good people. It wasn''t like how it is here with the Bertolottiss. Ray has been more of a proper father to me than mine ever was. Ray may try to knock some sense into me, but he''d never whip me, especially not when I was a child."


    Grace''s jaw hung open. "I''m s¡ª"


    "Don''t you dare apologize; it has nothing to do with you. But are you saying Roger is linked to the Kuros?"


    Grace nodded.


    "And from what it sounds like, not only is he linked to it, but he''s running it?"


    She nodded again.


    Zain finally released her, stepping back, and rubbed his eyes. "What the hell? Like seriously? I was traded to make up for them killing his son, so what the hell revenge are they trying to get?"


    "From what I can tell, revenge for the fall of the family. Do you know what happened after you left?"


    "No, not really. I wasn''t allowed to contact the family after he took me in, not that I wanted to..." Zain sighed, leaning against the door. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the family members he met as a kid. Based on Roger''s age, he would''ve had to have been a cousin of sorts, but he didn''t remember anyone having that name. "It''s been too long to remember him; I don''t remember meeting anyone that looks like Roger."


    "Considering you both would''ve been kids, that''s not surprising."


    "I guess I know why you didn''t want to tell me anything."


    "I''m glad you understand¡ª"


    "Don''t get me wrong," Zain cut her off. "I understand, but I still don''t agree with keeping something like that from me. You should''ve told me right away."


    "But you had just been shot¡ª"


    "I don''t care. If something happens, then tell me right away. I''ve spent enough time with you to know the type of person you are, and that you suck at lying, anyway."


    "Hey! I''ll have you know, I''ve done an excellent job undercover a number of times, so I can''t be that bad."


    "Then either you completely change when you go undercover, or you just suck at lying to me." His head tilted to the side as he thought about it. "That could be a good thing for me."

 Chapter 26

    Knock, knock.


    "What are you two up to in there? This is an orphanage," Lucy grumbled from the other side.


    "Guess we should come out now." Zain opened the door. "I''m sorry about that, Lucy."


    She eyed him and huffed. "The kids are getting rowdy, wondering where you went." Lucy pointed down the hall. "You better go play with them more or they''ll end up going on a rampage."


    "Yes, ma''am." Zain headed off right away.


    "Ha..." Grace sighed, still leaning up against the counter as the feeling of Zain on her remained.


    "You alright there?" Lucy asked. "Your face is a bit flushed."


    "Uh... Yeah, I''m okay."


    Lucy''s eyes flashed over to Zain down the hall, and then back to her. "So, are you two a thing or what?"


    "No..."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Ha... I''m sure, but I should put it as he wants it to be more."


    "I see. And you don''t? I know he''s a mafia member, but you are too now, so don''t let that stop you. When we first met, I was surprised at how Zain and Ray were. Outside of the intimidating aura around them, they''re decent people most of the time. I guess that''s only when you disclude their mobster business, and I''m partial towards them for all the help they''ve given me. Donations are hard to get, and the government doesn''t help much, so before them, it was hard to keep the doors open and have enough for all the kids. With how much they give us, we were actually able to take in a few more."


    "Are you the only adult here? Do you have any help?"


    "We regularly have Bertolottis visitors here to help, but yes, my husband also works here. Saying works doesn''t even feel right. We live here with the kids; it''s our life. We love doing this, but..." Lucy sighed. "Kids are a handful sometimes. At least when Zain shows up, he can play with them enough to wear out the younger ones, so they end up napping."


    "Would you mind if I started to come by to help? I mean, when things calm down." Not sure it''s even a good idea for me to be here now if I''m being targeted.


    "Of course; we always welcome more help."


    "Miss Morris," a teenage boy called to her from behind Lucy.


    Morris? Everyone calls me Bertolottis now. "Yes?" Grace finally came out of the bathroom and saw him. Her eyes widened. "Is that you, Rafael?"


    "It really is you." He sighed and looked at Lucy.


    "Fine, fine; you two can talk." She wiggled her hands around and headed down the hall.


    "It''s been a long time. I hope you''ve been well," Grace said as she gazed at him. He grew up so much.


    "It''s been five years since you saved me." He rocked back and forth on the tip of his toes to his heels, his hands stuffed into his pockets.


    "And by the looks of it, you''ve grown quite a bit." She stood beside him. "Geez, you''re taller than me now." She patted his head and his cheeks flushed. "Oh, sorry." She stepped away from him. "I don''t want to make you uncomfortable." I don''t know how scarred he was, being kidnapped and all.


    "Ah, no; I''m not uncomfortable. I''m just a bit embarrassed. And I''d rather you not treat me like a little kid anymore. I''m almost an adult."


    "You still have a few years left before that. Enjoy it while it lasts."


    "A few years..." he sighed and nodded. "I guess so. Are you going to be visiting more?"


    "Probably not right away, but when life settles down, then I think so. I''d like to, but I''m not sure the kids like me."


    "Bring them toys and candy and you''re good with the younger ones."


    "Uh, I''m not sure about all of them; there''s a little girl with a bear who sees me as a rival for Zain."


    "Oh, you must mean Sarah. Yeah, she''s been attached to him since they first met. She sees him as some prince and she''s a princess, and they''re destined to be together or something. Whatever it takes to make her feel safe here, I suppose. More to the point. Um..." Rafael fidgeted. "Are you her rival?"


    "Are you asking about my love life?"


    "Is it weird if I say yes?"


    "Depends on the reason."


    Rafael rubbed his chin and looked around. "So...?"


    "I have no real answer yet, but if you ask Zain, he will say I am."


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    "I see..." He nodded.


    "I''m sorry I haven''t come to visit you."


    "It''s okay; I understand you''re busy saving people. How''s the cop life?"


    "Gone now."


    His eyes widened. "You gave up being a cop? Gave up helping people?"


    "I will never give up helping people, but yes, due to family circumstances, I gave up being a cop." Grace swallowed hard, holding back how much it hurt her to tell him that.


    "But... why? You were amazing! You were better than all the others. You actually care!"


    "And I still do."


    "I''m not a little kid anymore; I''ll understand if you explain it to me."


    "Rafael. You''ve definitely matured from the little boy I knew, but some things aren''t so easy to explain."


    His shoulders slouched. "I guess you''re just like all the other adults. Just because something is hard or complicated, you don''t even try to explain things," he huffed and turned to leave.


    "Wait." She grabbed his shoulder. "Do you know what the Bertolottiss are known for?"


    "They''re a mafia family." He shrugged and leaned against the wall as he gave her time to explain, holding back a smile.


    "I''ve been reunited with my grandpa, Raymond Bertolottis."


    His eyes widened. "Explains why you''re with Zain. Everyone knows he''s Raymond''s right hand-man."


    "I really didn''t expect kids to know that."


    "Ahem."


    "Non-adults."


    "Close enough."


    "Everyone in these parts knows that. This is Bertolottis territory, after all. But... damn, I didn''t expect that. I can see why it''d be hard to continue as a cop if you''re that close to the head." He nodded. "And family before everything with them. I heard there were mafia members who were cops, but not ones that close to the head."


    "Do you hear about a lot of mafia things in here?"


    "Not in here, no, but when I''m outside of the orphanage, I do. I had actually heard about Ray''s granddaughter showing up, but I didn''t know it was you. I''m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing."


    "You know what? Me neither."


    "Good, that I get to see you, but bad you had to give up something you love."


    Definitely more mature than I''d expect from a fifteen-year-old.


    "It''d be nice if you''d come over often." He bit his lip and stared at the floor.


    Why does he seem nervous? "Soon enough, I will." When it''s safe.


    "Say..." Rafael stared at the floor instead of at her. "If you''re still single in three years, would you want to go grab a coffee or something with me?"


    "Sorry, kid." Zain appeared behind Grace and draped an arm over her shoulders. "She''ll definitely be taken by then. Actually, she''s off the market right now."


    "Zain," Grace growled at him.


    "Three years is a long time, kid; she''ll be married by then."


    "How can you be so sure?" Rafael glared at him, clenching his fists as he resisted the urge to push him off of her.


    "Because she''s mine."


    "Quit saying things like that," Grace grumbled. Geez, it''s like a switch flipped in him, and he''s all-in or something.


    "What were you saying? Apparently, she''s not yours." Rafael stepped towards them.


    Zain raised an eyebrow. "Oh, but she will be soon. I guarantee it. She''d be too much for you; she''s a handful."


    "Hey!" Grace huffed and looked away from him.


    "It''s true. It''s also why you need someone who can handle a spitfire like you, meaning me." He laughed.


    "What are you doing over here, anyway? I thought you were busy playing with the kids?"


    "I was, but they''re napping now, and you never came back over, so I came to check on you. I wasn''t expecting to find you being chatted up."


    "Why don''t you stop hanging all over her? Can''t you see she''s uncomfortable?" Rafael glared up at him. He couldn''t help but wish he was a little older and bigger, so he could take Zain on.


    "You look like you wanna slug me." Zain snickered. "Ow!" he yelped when Grace elbowed him in the ribs. He groaned as he stepped back. "Didn''t think you''d hit an injured man."


    Grace stood between them. "For reference, I''ve grown used to Zain, so I wasn''t uncomfortable so much as I was annoyed that he''s being so immature. I''ll see you soon, Rafael."


    "W-wait!" Rafael grabbed her hand. "Can I have your..." He suddenly shuddered, Zain''s dark glare focused on him. "Never mind."


    "Okay," Grace sighed and walked away.


    "She''s mine, kid," Zain said before following her.


    "Ha... Why''d it have to be him?" Rafael punched the wall.


    Grace met back up with Lucy and saw the younger kids asleep in the living room while the others were busy playing with the toys they brought them.


    "I think it''s time I head off," Grace said.


    "Oh, are you sure you wouldn''t rather stay for a coffee or something?" Lucy asked.


    "No." Grace leaned in close. "I need to leave before Rafael and Zain get into a fight."


    "Oh?" Lucy looked over Grace''s shoulder at Zain, who was still rubbing his ribs, and Rafael, who was headed for the kitchen with a forlorn look on his face. "I see. Try to rein him in a bit, please. I don''t like it when people pick on my kids, and if I find out he did something, I don''t care who he is; I''ll make him pay."


    "Got it. It was nice meeting you, Lucy."


    "Same." Lucy shook her hand. "Stop by soon; I''m sure the kids would like to have a chance to play with you. And a certain someone would definitely like it if you stopped by for a bite or something."


    "Yeah, we didn''t really have a real chance to catch up yet, so it''d be nice to talk more."


    "Are you sure you don''t want to stay a while longer?"


    "I''m sure. I want to get this troublemaker out of here, and I''m waiting for a call back right now."


    "Alright then. Zain." Lucy turned to him.


    "Yes, ma''am." He stepped up to her, expecting a hug like normal.


    She gave him a hug and pulled on his ear. "Don''t mess with my kids."


    "Ow... I didn''t touch the boy." He didn''t trust himself to control his strength, even if the kid did try to attack him.


    "And you better not." She let go and lightly tapped his ear. "I''m sorry I had to get rough with you."


    "I think it might''ve done you good." Zain couldn''t help but notice the kids looking over in awe. "But it probably hurt my reputation."


    "I''m the boss in here, so it''s as it should be." Lucy smirked. "Be good to her."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "I''ll walk you two out." Lucy swayed her hand.


    "Bye, Zain!" a bunch of kids yelled as they headed for the door.


    "Bye, kiddos." He waved before following Grace out the front door.


    Once they got outside the gate, Grace turned to him with a frown.


    "What?" Zain asked.


    "Were you seriously getting jealous over a kid? You seemed ready for a fight."


    "Of course, I was serious. He may not be an adult yet, but he''s a boy who has his eyes on you."


    "You''re supposed to be an adult¡ª"


    "Grace." Zain gripped her shoulder with his good hand and stared into her eyes. "He may be young, but he''s basically a man, and he wants you. Regardless of how you see him, he is serious about you. And you disregarding him like that is actually quite cruel. He''s fifteen, not five; you''re going to have to take him seriously."


    Her eyes widened. "I''m the cruel one here?"


    "Yes, and I''m glad he didn''t have to hear you talking like that. Face it, princess, a lot of people want you, but they''re no match for me." He smirked.


    "What about Vincent?"


    "What about him?"


    "Are you sure you should be so confident?" Grace walked away.


    "Wait... What? No..." Zain grumbled and rushed to catch up to her.

 Chapter 27

    Grace sat in her room, staring at her phone as she waited for Pez to get back to her.


    There has to be information on him somewhere.


    Ring, ring.


    "Hello," Grace answered right away. "Pez, please tell me you found something."


    "Well..." Pez sighed. "Apparently, his name isn''t really Roger Gibson, since they didn''t exist until about a year before he joined the force."


    "How is that even possible? Don''t they always do thorough checks?"


    "Generally, yes, and if you plainly look at the system, everything checks out. I had to dig deep to find out the name wasn''t real."


    "Did you find out what his real name is? What''s his connection to the Kuros? He said they''re family, so at least it''s a place to start."


    Pez stared at the picture in front of him. "His real name is Silvio Kuros; he''s Zain''s cousin."


    "Ha... Silvio?" Grace sighed and rubbed her eyes.


    "If you talk to him, you might want to make sure you still call him Roger."


    "Yeah, I know. I hope I don''t slipup, though."


    "Grace... I know you two are... were close. Are you okay?"


    "I think I''m still a bit shocked. What am I supposed to do about him?"


    "I''m not sure, but you have to be careful."


    "I know. It''s so weird; I have to be careful with Roger, when he''s the one who''s always had my back for years. It''s all been fake."


    "Not necessarily." Pez pulled out another lollipop after crunching through the previous one. "He may want revenge on the Bertolottiss, but he didn''t know you were one at first, right?"


    "Supposedly."


    "Which means he was probably doing his job in earnest, and you really are an important partner to him."


    "Even if that''s true, that all changed when he found out who I was."


    "It''s not so easy to forget everything the two of you have been through. I wish I could tell you to talk to him, but he sounds dangerous now."


    "Agreed. Problem is, he''ll probably expect me to visit soon. I was visiting him daily until yesterday."


    "I doubt Zain will want you to."


    "But unless he tells the others, they''ll expect me to visit him as well."


    "He sees your grandpa as family, and his boss; he will have to tell him, eventually."


    "Is it crazy that I don''t want to put Roger in danger?"


    "Of course not, but he''s basically your enemy now."


    "I know." Grace pressed on the corners of her eyes, trying to hold back the tears.


    Knock, knock.


    "I''ve got to go, Pez."


    "Okay, I''ll call you back if I find out anything useful. Stay strong, Grace."


    "Thanks."


    They both hung up.


    Grace took a deep breath and then opened her door. Her eyes widened a bit. "Grandpa?" Behind him, she could see Zain. "What''s up?"


    He stepped forward without a word, and she let both of them in. Zain closed the door behind him.


    "Why do I feel like you have something bad to say?"


    Ray looked around her room and then closed the curtain. He turned on the clock radio, cranked it up, and beckoned the both of them over.


    "I knew it was always possible, but I never thought I''d have a rat in my house," Ray said, shaking his head.


    "You told him?" Grace looked at Zain.


    "Of course, I did. I had to. We need to deal with this, and that shouldn''t be done without the boss," Zain said.


    Ray gripped her shoulder lightly. "I know it might be hard to come to me still, but I wish you''d trust me, and come to me. You might think I wouldn''t want to believe it, or that I''d take drastic measures, but most of the time I have a level head. I will admit to that not being true in the past, but I do now. Even if it ends up being wrong, I wouldn''t blame you, Gracey."


    "Wait, are you saying you think I''m wrong?" Grace frowned and sat on the edge of her bed, away from them.


    "That''s not what I''m saying. I''m trying to tell you that you don''t have to be afraid to tell me something, anything really. We can talk things out and decide together how to continue."


    Grace went silent, processing what he said. "Wait, does that mean you want to include me in family things?"


    "Of course; you are my heiress after all."


    "I thought I was just the link to the next head of the family for you. A way to carry on the Bertolottis bloodline."


    "What? No! Why would you think that?"


    "You brought me here and then tried to marry me off to the next leader; it''s not like you offered me your position."


    Ray was taken aback. "Considering your job, I didn''t think you''d want to take over my position, not even a little bit. You were a cop¡ª"


    "But don''t we have people in there, too?"


    "Yes, but they were a part of the mafia first, not recruited after. And..."


    "I''m a woman?"


    "Well... There are women mafia bosses, but I didn''t want this burden to fall on you. I wanted you to have someone strong beside you as a leader instead. You didn''t grow up in this life, Gracey, so I can''t expect you to come here and take over like it''s easy. Like it doesn''t go against your principles."


    "I''m with the boss on this one; I didn''t think you''d want to lead either," Zain chimed in, hoping she''d understand where Ray was coming from.


    "Gracey, if you grew up with us, then you probably would''ve been the next boss, but you didn''t, and there''s no turning back time. I would''ve loved to have had you here, but it wasn''t safe, and your other grandparents stood in to take care of you right away. As it stands, you haven''t been here long enough, and don''t know enough of our family to take over. While blood is a major part, it''s about more than that. It''s also about more than being strong physically and mentally, which you''ve shown to be both. To be the boss here means you have to make the tough choices, and since I''ve come to know your heart a bit, I know you''re a bit soft to do what''s needed for the family. I''m sorry, Gracey, but I don''t think you should be the next leader."


    Can''t say I disagree, but at the same time, I''d want to prove I can do it all.


    "Whatever," Grace sighed. "Since you were already told, what are we going to do about Herald and Roger?"


    "Typically, I''d get rid of any rats¡ª"


    "Which would mean Herald has to go, but what about Roger? He''s a bit of an unusual guest."


    "Without Herald, he should have no way to communicate with the outside world, or free himself, so it''s safe to keep him as a prisoner for now."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Should I go talk to him like normal? He''s probably wondering what''s going on with me."


    "I don''t like the idea of you being in there with him anymore."


    "I''m not sure I can act normal, but shouldn''t we get more information out of him or something?"


    "He hasn''t told you about being a part of a mafia family yet, so I don''t think he''s going to tell you anything."


    He''s right. Roger was hiding something so big from me. What would he tell me now? Lies? Who knows?


    Ray sighed. "I''m sorry to put you through all this, Gracey. We should''ve dug more into Roger''s past to find out who he was. We thought he was just your partner."


    "So did I, so I can''t really fault you for it."


    Zain looked at the clock on the wall. "They should be grabbing Herald at the door right now."


    "You''ve already set it in motion?"


    "Yes; we had to. If Herald found out we knew and told Roger, who knows what he''d do? We''ll bring Herald to a different location, so there should be no way for Roger to know what''s going on with him."


    They heard a bunch of shouts from outside the room and outside the house. Ray pushed the curtain aside to see a few of his men running around, searching for something.


    "What in the world is going on?" Ray grumbled.


    Knock, knock.


    "It''s me," Mary said.


    "Come in."


    Mary closed the door behind her and came up close. "We have a problem."


    "What is it? Why is there such a ruckus? Is it because of Herald?"


    "No; he was taken elsewhere for questioning." Mary wrung her hands as she hesitated and glanced at Grace.


    "What is it?" Ray asked.


    "Roger is missing."


    "Excuse me? How? He was in a securely locked room."


    "I heard that when the new guard was put into the rotation, Roger got loose, knocked him out, and fled. No one''s been able to catch him yet. We don''t even know if he''s in the house or outside."


    Ray, Zain, and Grace exchanged a worried look.


    "Does this mean he knows we know?" Grace asked.


    "No guarantee, but most likely," Ray answered.


    "But how? I only told Zain and Pez, and Zain told you."


    "Pez?"


    Crap... I''m sorry, Pez. "Uh... A friend I can trust."


    "I remember that name. They''re another cop, right?"


    "Kinda, they''re more forensics and computer stuff."


    Ray nodded and crossed his arms as he thought, his expression stern. "When you overheard them, did they notice you?"


    Grace thought back to that night and shivered. "Uh... I made a noise, and I ran away before anyone could see me."


    "That must''ve been enough for him to assume someone overheard. And then, when someone showed up for duty instead of Herald, he must''ve assumed he''d been had. That''s the only logical explanation here. Now, where would he go?"


    "I wish I knew, but I don''t."


    "Back to the family," Zain said. "Where else can he go? That''d be the only safe place for him. Where are the Kuros these days?"


    "I don''t know." Ray sighed. "As far as I knew, their mafia family had disbanded, and those who wanted to continue were too few and were struggling to keep any ground. They went quiet years ago, and I didn''t pay them any mind, so I don''t know."


    Zain frowned as he thought back. "They contacted me years ago, wanting me to rejoin, but I told them no."


    Ray''s eyes widened. "You never told me that."


    "I didn''t even want to think about them, so I put it to the back of my mind right after it happened. I''m sorry."


    "You have nothing to apologize for, Zain; you did nothing wrong. After everything that went down, I didn''t expect them to contact you."


    "They gave me away willingly, so I didn''t care that they came crawling back to get me to join them. They probably only want me because I''m close to you, anyway. It has nothing to do with regret or wanting me back. Do we know who is working with Roger?"


    "Um, shouldn''t we go searching for Roger, too?" Grace asked. "He could still be in the house. Or if we have security cameras, maybe we can see when he got out or where he was headed."


    "My people will already be on that. You''d be surprised how well we work together... most of the time." Ray sighed. "But if we knew who he was working with, we can figure out where he might go. We''ll have to send someone to his house to make sure he didn''t go home."


    "I can go; I know where he lives."


    "No," both Ray and Zain said at the same time.


    "I''ll send someone else." Ray pulled out his phone and stepped away to make a call.


    "If we need to find more of the Kuros family, then we should ask other mafia families, right? I mean, who else would know?" Grace paced around her bedroom as she thought. Pez might be able to find them, too. "I know a few informants who might know something. I should talk to them." She turned to leave and Zain grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "What?"


    "Where in the world do you think you''re going?" Zain asked as he trapped her in his good arm.


    "To talk to my informants, or rather the people who were my informants when I was a cop. I have a good rapport with them, so they''ll still help me."


    "No, you''re not."


    "Why not? I''m not a prisoner here anymore, right?"


    "That may be so, but you''re not leaving while Roger is loose."


    "Excuse me? You can''t seriously be trying to keep me confined to the house again."


    "Zain is right. You need to stay here," Ray said as soon as he hung up his phone.


    "But why? I''m not trying to run away anymore."


    "We know that, Gracey. We''re not worried about you running away; we''re worried about Roger coming after you."


    "I can handle Roger."


    Zain raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Of course."


    "Roger''s out to get you to use you against Ray. We can''t risk you falling into his hands."


    "I may not know his past, but I know his patterns. The way he thinks. I''m the best person to look for him."


    "But can you kill him?" Ray asked.


    "What?"


    "Roger has proven himself to be a great enemy, and enemies must be dealt with. You have an attachment to him, so I''m not sure you can do what needs to be done."


    Can I kill Roger? Her stomach sank at just the thought of it. He was her friend at one point. They spent so many long nights working together to catch the bag guys. "Honestly, I don''t want to kill anyone."


    "I know that, Gracey, but you can''t be soft in this line of work."


    "It''s not like I haven''t shot at people before, which means being ready to kill¡ª"


    "Shooting with the intention to stop them isn''t the same as shooting with the intention to kill," Zain said. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Remember what happened to you last time?"


    "Which means I''m more ready this time. I''m a cop; I want to help."


    "And that''s exactly why we don''t want to involve you in this. It''s why he doesn''t want you as the next boss. Being related to him puts you in danger, but at least here we can try to protect you. Roger is probably after you right now¡ª"


    "But since we found out about him, doesn''t that mean his plans were foiled?"


    "His plans may have changed, but that doesn''t mean he isn''t after you. You''re the most precious person to the boss, and if anything happened to you..." Zain frowned and his cheek twitched. He didn''t know what Ray would be capable of.


    "I''d probably lose it like when I lost my other family members. I ruined the Kuros family, and I understand he wants revenge, but if anything happens to you, I''ll make sure there''s no family for Roger to go back to," Ray growled and picked up the glass of water she had on her nightstand, for a sip. "It''s the Kuros starting things up again, but I will finish it."


    Crackle. Smash. The glass shattered in his hand.


    Grace shuddered in Zain''s arm, and it didn''t go unnoticed. "Boss, are you okay? I think you cut your hand."


    Mary sighed and rushed to grab a first aid kit and cleaning supplies. "You need to stop doing things to hurt yourself," she grumbled as she came back into the room. She quickly cleaned up the glass and then pulled out a magnifying glass to check Ray''s wound to make sure there weren''t any shards left behind.


    "Does this happen often?" Grace whispered to Zain.


    "It used to. He''s been calmer since you got here, but it''s bound to flare up when something bad or stressful is going on."


    He''s been calmer since I got here? Grace frowned as she thought about it. Her eyes trailed over to Ray, who was staring at his hand as Mary fixed it, lost in thought.


    "Please, Grace," Zain whispered. "Please stay here, where we can try to keep you safe." He wiggled her around a bit as he asked.


    "Ugh... Fine."


    "Good," he sighed.


    "But..."


    "Oh, no..."


    "I want a laptop or something other than my phone I can use for research."


    "Grace..."


    She stared into his eyes, determined. "It''s that or I''ll go back to trying to run away. If no one can find me, then I''ll be safe, right?"


    "I somehow doubt you''d go into hiding." He gazed back at her until the side of his mouth quirked up into a smirk. "Always a negotiation with you, isn''t it?"


    "Better than constantly getting steamrolled."


    "You''re right." He nodded and kissed her forehead.


    "H-hey... What are you doing?"


    Zain chuckled. "A kiss on the forehead for good luck and safety."


    "Why don''t you admit that one was because you''re swooning?" Mary laughed. "I''ve seen you with women before, but you are genuinely sweet on our princess here. And why not give her a laptop? It''s better than her sneaking out, and it''s not like you can''t afford it."


    "She right," Ray sighed and pulled his hand away. "Thank you, Mary."


    "Of course. Try to be more careful." She started to clean up.


    "Look, if it was about the money, I have my laptop at my house..." Grace said. Which has been long abandoned now. Glad I didn''t have a pet.


    "Uh, didn''t we mention to you we brought all your stuff here?" Zain asked.


    "Well... I don''t remember. I know my clothes are here, but I wasn''t sure about everything else."


    "It''s in another room."


    "And no one told me? Why didn''t you bring anything other than my clothes here?"


    "We inspected the clothes quickly, but everything else is staying safe."


    "Inspected?"


    "We had to make sure no one bugged your things."


    "Doesn''t that mean my laptop is here?"


    "Technically, yes, but if I remember correctly, it was super old, and you seriously need an upgrade. Besides, we like to have special ones with extra defences."


    Grace narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure it didn''t just get damaged when the lot of you looted my house?"


    "On that note, you don''t really have a house anymore."


    "You got rid of it?"


    "Yes, because this is your home now, and hopefully forever."


    "I''ll get you an appropriate laptop tomorrow," Ray said and pulled out a credit card. "I had this for a while, and should''ve given it to you before."


    Zain finally released Grace when Ray approached her. Weird how much I''ve grown used to Zain''s touch.


    "Grace?" He held the card out to her.


    "Hmm?"


    "This is yours to use."


    "Aren''t I confined to this house, though? And I have money¡ª"


    "Gracey..." His face contorted. "You''re my heiress, and no offence, but I''ve seen your finances, and you were outrageously underpaid. Please, take it. You can use it to shop online, too."


    "But¡ª"


    "It''s already set up to be yours, eventually. Whether that''s tomorrow or decades from now, it will all be yours."


    He''d be hurt if she refused, so she took the card. "Thank you. What''s the limit?"


    "Limit? You don''t have to worry about that."


    Zain chuckled. "I think you''ve forgotten who your grandpa is. Money is no issue."


    "I know that; you''ve told me so before, but you trust me enough with it?"


    "I wouldn''t have given it to you otherwise." Ray held onto her hands and gave her a small smile. "I want this place to be a true home to you, meaning you should be able to decorate how you want, and add your touches where ever you deem fit. Anyway, I should go." They both knew he had to hunt Roger down and have a chat with Herald. "Please, stay in here." He patted her head and leaned towards Zain. "Please, keep her safe," Ray whispered and left with Mary.

 Chapter 28

    Everyone thinks I need to be protected. Grace sighed and sat on her bed, staring at the credit card. "Hey, do you think Vincent could help?"


    Zain''s eye twitched. "Being a mafia boss of a large family, I''d say he''s got the resources to help, but this is better off kept in the family."


    "Well, it''s been a long day, so if you don''t mind." Grace swayed her hand towards the door.


    "You''re kicking me out?"


    "Kicking out is a bit strong, but I guess so. I want to rest."


    "As if..." Zain stared down at her, his arms crossed as he tried to read her. "You''re up to something again."


    "You always think that."


    "And I''m generally right." Zain sat down beside her.


    "I thought I told you to go?"


    He rested a hand on the bed behind her and leaned in close. "Are you really saying you''re going to sleep right now?"


    "Yes." She leaned away from him. "What are you doing?"


    Zain sighed and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder.


    "H-hey!"


    "I wish I could take you out on a real date. I wish you didn''t have to worry about someone coming after you."


    "Uh, I''m a cop who has taken down a lot of people; others were already after me."


    "I wish I officially met you sooner."


    "Officially? I''m not sure the time of you checking me out before bringing me here¡ª"


    "I saw you at the funeral." He looked up.


    "What funeral?"


    "I was at your parents'' funeral with Ray. I even met you briefly before I put a rose on each of their coffins."


    "We met when we were kids?" Wait, my grandpa was there?


    "Only for condolences, but I was with Ray when he watched from afar. Technically, the roses were from him, but he didn''t feel he deserved to be there, or to be close to you, then. Even a kid like I was could tell how much pain he was in, so I offered to do it for him."


    Grace took a deep breath as she tried to remember, but nothing came up. "It was so long ago, and I was distressed, so I can''t say I remember meeting you."


    "I can''t blame you there. Even then, I had the urge to hug you and try to take away the pain. I did hug you, actually, but you were so lost."


    "Why are you mentioning this now?"


    "Because the urge to hug you when you''re sad hasn''t gone away."


    "I''m not sad¡ª"


    "Tell that to your face because it tells a different story. It''s understandable that you''re sad; your partner isn''t who you thought he was. If you really want to help, you''re going to have to get past it. He''s an enemy of the family now, of your family. I know transitioning into the family ¨C and forcefully at that ¨C hasn''t been easy for you, and I definitely haven''t helped, but you''re here. You''re in. The boss cares about you more than anything. You used to only have Roger around you¡ª"


    "I have more than one friend. Thank you."


    "I think you underestimate how much we know about you. You were a workaholic and didn''t have time for other people. Roger was the only one we saw you meet with outside of work hours."


    Grace cringed as she tried to think back. Really? What about Pez? Better off not bringing him to light. "Well... whatever. Why don''t you go hunt him down or something? I''m going to stay in my room for today, at least, so you don''t have to worry."


    "Pretty sure you know people will worry whether they want to or not. And I''d worry less if I stayed here with you."


    "Seriously... It''s like you decided on your feelings, and all of a sudden, you''re a different person." Well, parts of you, anyway.


    "What do you expect? We weren''t on good terms at the start, and people have many sides to them." Zain rested his hand on hers in her lap.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "You... Aren''t you being too sweet for a mobster?"


    "Don''t mistake my attitude to you, as me being soft. I''m sweet to you, because I want you. I''m a completely different person when dealing with an enemy, or even another member of the family. I''m not the underboss for nothing. I''ve done a lot of things you wouldn''t approve of."


    "I imagine that''s the case of all mobsters. Or close enough to all, so it''s a bit of a moot point. I''m being married off to a mobster one way or another, remember?"


    "I have to ask... do you not want to get married? From what we know, you haven''t even tried to date anyone in years."


    "Too busy." I guess I have all the time in the world now. "And I don''t know; I never thought it would happen, anyway." Grace shrugged as she bit her cheek. "I came to terms with it all already." Because I can''t get away from it, and I kinda like my grandpa... and Zain. I like it here. It''s been so long since I had family around me, and it''s starting to feel comfortable. It''s probably because of those three.


    "Honestly, I found it odd when he decided to push for your marriage, but I think he was worried you''d stay alone if he didn''t. He wants the best for you, even though he apparently chose a wrong person."


    "Zain."


    "Yes?"


    "Can you leave me alone now? I want to rest."


    Zain sighed and stood up. "Fine, but call me if you need me. My number is already in your phone." He kissed her forehead and headed out.


    Seriously... What''s with all the sweetness? I don''t know if I can get used to it, but it feels genuine somehow. Grace sighed as she lay back on her bed and looked at her phone. I wonder if this is bugged in some way? Like, they''ll use it to keep an eye on me. Not like I have anything else I can use, anyway.


    She dialled Pez''s number, and he answered right away. "What''s up, Miss Mafia?"


    "Please don''t call me that. Anyway, Roger broke out, and we don''t know where he went."


    "I''m on it."


    "Wait, are you still at work? Isn''t it a little late?" Grace asked, noting the darkness outside.


    "Considering you were the one who asked for a favour, how can you be surprised I''m still here? Don''t you know I live here when I have a serious case to work on? I''ll set up facial recognition to work on the entire area around the Bertolottis estate. It could take a while. Gosh... this feels so unreal; looking for Roger like this. I can''t believe he wasn''t the straight shooter we thought he was."


    That''s right; I''m not the only person who feels betrayed by Roger. "I probably should''ve asked before, how are you doing, Pez?"


    "I''m... I don''t know, man. Since you vanished, nothing has felt real. I mean, I know what they told us, but I knew something was up. And now with Roger, it''s so unreal I can''t help but feel like everything is fake, and I don''t know who to trust. And without you two, who''s going to hang out with me in the department''s basement in their spare time or while they''re waiting? Everyone else here just drops off the work or listens to the explanation and leaves. It''s like none of them have an interest in me. I thought I was the unsocial one, but it seems like everyone else here is! I miss you two! And I''ll probably never see Roger again. He still owes me from a few previous favours, and he was supposed to treat me to an expensive meal. Ha..." He let out a long, resounding sigh. "Sorry to ramble your ear off."


    "Don''t worry about it. I think we''re the only two who can talk to each other about this and actually understand each other''s feelings. You haven''t told anyone the truth, have you?"


    "No. They''re covering it up; what would be the point? I don''t even know if there''s anyone we can trust in here. I''d look up every single employee, but something so grand comes with more risks than I''m willing to take. If anyone found out what I was up to, I''d be dead in no time."


    "Seriously, Pez, don''t push your luck."


    "I''ll try to stay as hidden as possible, but really, everything leaves some sort of trace. I don''t even know what people will think if they knew I was using FR on Roger. Hmm..."


    "What is it?"


    "It didn''t find anything around you."


    "But he definitely got out."


    "That means he''s either still at the Bertolottis estate, or he knows where the cameras are and has been avoiding them. And before you ask, because I know you will, I can check the Bertolottis cameras, but only if they''re online or I have some sort of access to their computers."


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea."


    "Who knows? Maybe I should quit here and join your family. You don''t have to kill anyone or even just fight someone to get in, do you?"


    "I don''t know. Zain said most have some sort of tattoo for loyalty, but I haven''t heard about anything else."


    "A tattoo? Hmm... If it''s not big, I might be able to manage it. It can go near the one I have."


    "You have a tattoo? Why am I just learning about this now? What is it of?"


    "The Chinese symbol for fire."


    "There''s a story behind that, isn''t there?"


    "Maybe, but I''d rather not go into that."


    "Noted." Grace sighed and her mind wandered to Roger again. "I guess I should let you go..."


    "Why? Are you going to do something?"


    "Does going to sleep count?"


    "Only if you''re actually going to sleep and not just lay there."


    "..."


    "I knew it. You can stay on the phone with me until you fall asleep if you want. I''ll keep running the FR to find Roger in case he pops up while I work on some other things."


    "Hey, Pez."


    "Yeah."


    "Thanks."


    "Of course. So, would you prefer silence or my ramblings as I work?" Pez asked.


    Grace could already hear him typing way faster than she thought humanly possible in the background. "I think I''d prefer your ramblings." Grace chuckled. She lay down with her phone beside her head.


    "So, if I joined your family, could I have better gear? This place either doesn''t have enough funding, or they just don''t send it my way. Considering there are people here with ties to the mafia in the first place, I''m inclined to believe the latter."


    "I don''t know if they''d let you join. Should I ask about it?"


    "I''m not sure yet. I''m not sure I''m cut to be against the law like they are."


    "I thought you were a super hacker when you started, and you had to work there for at least five years because you were eventually caught. Isn''t that your punishment?"


    "You''re... correct about that, but I''ve been a straight¡ª"


    "No, you haven''t Pez."


    "Fine; I''m still involved in some sketchy things, but none of them involve killing people. We''ve always agreed that killing is a last resort, and only in extreme cases."


    "If you''re always at... the estate... then you shouldn''t... have to... kill..."


    "Grace?" Pez listened carefully and could hear her soft breathing. Goodnight, Grace."

 Chapter 29

    In the middle of the night, Grace slowly stirred as she felt a presence come near her. The bed pressed in, and her hand shot over for the gun Zain gave her, currently hiding under the pillow.


    They were faster.


    They grabbed her wrists and pinned them over her head with one hand. Before she could scream, they covered her mouth with their free hand. She tried to wriggle free, but they locked her body in with theirs.


    They knew how I''d counter. Dammit!


    "It''s me," he said as he leaned in close.


    Roger? She stopped moving and just stared at him, her heart racing. She didn''t know what she was supposed to do.


    "I''m sorry about the rough treatment, but you''ve already found out the truth about me, right?"


    He can read me like a book, so it''s not like I can lie to him; I never could. Grace nodded.


    "Ugh, this is no way to talk. If I move my hand, can you promise not to scream?" Roger asked.


    Funny, he''d trust me now. Grace nodded again.


    He pulled his hand away, but kept her pinned down.


    "What are you doing, Roger?" Grace asked. "Why are you here? If you got out, you should''ve run far away."


    "I''m here for you, silly."


    "Me?" Grace frowned, and he leaned in closer.


    "Why wouldn''t I come for my partner? Who stopped visiting daily..."


    "I''m not really a cop anymore, and it hasn''t been that long¡ª"


    "It was you that day, wasn''t it? You were coming to see me and overheard Herald talking with me. We were too careless."


    Grace bit her cheek as she held back from speaking.


    "You know, you always do so good undercover, so I find it baffling that you give away your thoughts so easily in daily life."


    "I guess I become someone else when I''m undercover."


    "Like a method actor." Roger nodded as he thought. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."


    "Can you get off me?" Grace tried to move, but he wouldn''t let her.


    "I''m not sure I should. You see, I don''t know where we stand anymore. At the beginning, we were still best friends, and you believed I was a good person, but now... you''re not sure about me. And I know how good of a fighter you are. If I even move a little bit from this position, you might be able to manoeuvre your way out, and we''d end up in a real fight. I don''t want to fight you, Grace."


    "What do you want, then?"


    "Didn''t I already say? I want you."


    "Ha... You want to use me for revenge against my grandpa?" Despite her best efforts, having Roger here in front of her was too much. Tears filled her eyes, though they didn''t fall. "You''re not really here for me, Roger, or should I call you Silvio?"


    "I''m surprised you''d know that name, unless..." Roger''s eyes widened. "You brought Pez in on this, didn''t you? I had that deeply hidden, and the Bertolottiss don''t have someone good enough to dig that up."


    Grace froze for a moment too long and he knew the truth.


    Damn it all to hell.


    "Don''t worry, Grace; I''m not the monster you think I am. I wouldn''t go after Pez; we''re friends."


    "Really?"


    "Of course. I''m also sure you''d hate me if I did that."


    "But you''re still planning on taking revenge against the Bertolottiss?"


    Roger''s eyes narrowed. "I''ve been working towards this since I was a child. Others may have given up, but they have to pay for destroying us."


    "Funny, from my understanding, it was the Kuros who messed up in the first place when they killed his son unnecessarily. Your family crossed a line¡ª"


    "And we paid for that with Zain!" Roger snapped at her, and she flinched.


    Where did that come from? He''s normally never angry.


    He took a deep breath. "I''m sorry; I didn''t mean to yell." He couldn''t help but glance at the door, wondering if someone had heard him.


    Grace nodded. "You did, but that can''t bring him back. And besides, didn''t they leave you alone after they got Zain?"


    "Is that what they told you? Well, I suppose they didn''t have to do much after they took Zain. It''s more like what they did before that. They went after us to the point of destruction! They ruined everything. They got some of our prime members, also known as my parents, put in jail for life. They destroyed our businesses, and we had to give up the estate. You have no idea how lost we became. The family offered Zain up to stop him, and while he did stop, it was too late. Everything snowballed and got worse. The Kuros broke up. Between the fighting that lead to deaths, Zain being given away, and people moving away, there was barely anyone left. Barely anyone had any fight left in them. The Kuros were destroyed!"


    "And you really think taking revenge on the Bertolottiss will fix everything?"


    "Tch... No, of course not, but it''ll help me. It''ll feel like justice to me. Taking everything from Raymond Bertolottis will help revive my family."


    "Taking everything? Is that including me?"


    "Of course, but I could never kill you, Grace."


    "You know, I didn''t have family to rely on after both my parents and my grandparents died. He is family to me. It may not have started the right way, but I''ve been happy to have someone who cares about me¡ª"


    "I care about you. You should know that after all we''ve been through."


    "You''ve been lying to me the entire time, so why would I believe that?"


    Something flashed by his eyes she didn''t expect to see.


    Hurt.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "I didn''t... I didn''t know who you were related to until recently, and then I didn''t want to believe it. None of what we had was a lie. It doesn''t matter if my birth name is Silvio; I am Roger. I am your partner. I''m the person you turn to for everything. I''m your best friend. I''m your rock. Are you really going to throw away this friendship over someone you''ve known for what... less than a month?"


    "He''s not just anyone. They''re not just anyone to me, not anymore. They''re my family. You know how much I''ve missed having a family."


    "I thought I was like family to you. I''m your partner..." Roger cringed as he tried to fight back his emotions.


    "In some ways, you were, but¡ª"


    "But what? I''m not enough?"


    "But things are different now. I''m not sure how I can feel about you now that you want to kill my grandpa and take everything from him. It''s a bit extreme, isn''t it?"


    His eyes shook. "Family isn''t just blood, you know? Family are also your friends who are there for you. When you were first attacked by that family, who did you run to, Grace?"


    "You..."


    "Who has had your back for years?"


    "You..."


    "So really, who should you be loyal to?"


    Grace stared into his sharp yet worried eyes as she thought. Is he even the person I thought I knew? "If you knew me so well, then you''d know I don''t condone unnecessary killing."


    "Tch." He knew she was right. "But..."


    "See, you know that''s true. How can you ask me to side with you and let you kill my grandpa, and whoever else?"


    "Ah, the whoever else. I''d heard you got close to my cousin. Zain, the traitor¡ª"


    "He was forced to come here; what did you expect? If he stayed their enemy, his life would''ve been hell. It''s much better that he grew close to my grandpa and had a half-decent life, unlike what he had with the Kuros."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "His parents beat him ¨C whipped him even ¨C I''ve seen the scars. He even tried to kill himself after he got here, and my grandpa stopped him."


    "Do you really think your grandpa didn''t beat him, too? What if they lied? What if it was your grandpa who did it to him?"


    "Did you even know his parents?" Grace asked. "It''s like you''re defending them without knowing anything. His life with the Kuros was bad. You might''ve had a nice family, but he didn''t, so before you think of Zain as a traitor, think about how much his quality of life improved when he got here."


    "What are you trying to say? The Kuros family deserved to be disbanded? Destroyed? It isn''t worth my family sticking together?"


    "No; I''m saying not everything was good for him there, and if you want your family back, restart it somewhere else. You''d be surprised how much people want a fresh start in a place where people don''t know them."


    His grip on her wrists tightened, and she cringed. "You want me to give up on my revenge and leave? After everything I''ve been through? After everything I''ve done to get the family together? After all... the planning I did to destroy Ray. I can''t give up now, not on Ray or you."


    Bam!


    The door burst open, and Zain stood in the doorway. When he saw Roger on top of her, rage flared in his eyes. He charged towards them like a bull.


    "Tch." Roger released her and rolled off to the side of the bed. Not stopping for even a moment, he brought his arms up and smashed through her balcony door. He gripped the railing and launched himself over top of it.


    Zain ran onto the balcony and looked down, but couldn''t see Roger. Whether he was hiding in the darkness, or already had an escape route, he couldn''t tell. He pulled out his phone.


    "Ran, Roger was in Grace''s room. Get everyone checking the grounds and the cameras. We must find him."


    He slipped his phone back away in his jacket and stepped over the shattered glass door. "Grace..." His eyes trailed along her as he approached. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"


    Grace held onto her wrists as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "I''m fine."


    He gently took her hands and leaned in to kiss her wrists, his eyes staying on her. "You don''t look fine." Zain lightly ran his thumb over the red marks Roger left behind.


    "That''ll go away fairly quickly, so don''t worry about it." Grace sighed and closed her eyes.


    "I shouldn''t have left you alone; we should''ve known he would come to visit you. What did he say?"


    "..."


    "Grace, talk to me."


    "I''m not even sure of it all, other than I don''t think he''ll give up on destroying my grandpa." Grace opened her eyes. "I tried to talk him down, but it didn''t work. He''s so single-mindedly focused on my grandpa that he can''t fathom any other path."


    "Good to know, I suppose."


    What did he mean by not give up on me? He can''t mean as more than friends, can he? I''ve never seen him that way, but I guess that doesn''t mean he saw things the same way. Maybe if I offered to go with him, he''d stop with his revenge plot.


    "Grace?" he called to her again after she didn''t respond.


    "Hmm?" Zain came into her focus again. "What?"


    "That''s what I want to ask you. I can see the wheels turning, so you probably won''t tell me yet, but you might want to share more of your burden."


    "Nope."


    "Understood." Zain backed off faster than she expected. Without another word, he leaned in close while he had a hold on her arm.


    "What are you doing? Oh!" Grace gasped as he picked her up over his shoulder. "I thought I told you not to carry me like this!"


    "My other shoulder is still injured, so I''m not sure I''d be able to carry you otherwise. This is the safest way right now. And I can''t leave you in this room." Zain nudged his head toward the broken glass door. "It''s not safe. You can use my room."


    "One, I can still walk, and two, I''m sure there are other bedrooms¡ª"


    "Are you sure about that? You''re shaking a bit much to walk."


    "That still doesn''t mean I need to use your bedroom," Grace huffed. Seriously, not a good way to have a conversation.


    "Well, I prefer to use my own room, and I''m not leaving you alone again, so it''s for the best."


    "You''re going to stay in the same room as me?"


    "That''s what I was saying, yes. It''s too hard to protect you from another room, and we don''t know if Roger will come back, nor what he would do to you."


    "He won''t do anything to me."


    "Don''t be so certain. From what you said, he''s more than a little bit on edge, so he might do things out of character for him. I''m sure the boss will agree with me when I say you need a guard at all times again."


    I suspect there''s no arguing with him over this. Grace sighed and closed her eyes as he carried her away to his bedroom.


    Zain set Grace down on his bed. "You can sleep here; I''ll use the couch."


    "Thanks..." Grace looked around his room. To her surprise, it was neat and tidy, and filled with books and trophies.


    "You don''t have to look so shocked." Zain chuckled. "I may be a ruffian, but when I actually bothered to go to school, I did well in both athletics and academics."


    The athletics part isn''t surprising, but academics?


    "I never actually thought about what your school life would''ve been like, or that you had a school life."


    "What? You think because I''m a part of the mafia that I wouldn''t have gone to school as a kid?"


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "Can you blame me?"


    "I guess not; I did skip a lot of school, and I got into quite a few fights back then. Even had one teacher say if I put the effort in, I would''ve been the top of the class."


    "Do you regret skipping out on school so much?"


    "Na; I wasn''t suited to it, anyway. People were terrified of me, and then there were those who purposely tried to start fights with me."


    "Why? Did you do something?"


    "I was seen as a top dog there, and if someone wanted to look tough, they''d call me out for a fight. It never went well for the other people, but I did end up expanding the family a bit there."


    "You recruited the people who tried to fight you?"


    "A couple of them, but there was also this little kid who used to get picked on. One day, I was walking by when one of his bullies was kicking him on the ground¡ª"


    "That''s horrible."


    "Yes, which is why I stopped him. That bully didn''t stand a chance. I warned him not to pick on people weaker than him, or else I''d have to step in again. Didn''t have an issue after that."


    I can only wonder how bad of a beating that bully took, not that he didn''t deserve it.


    "And the kid ¨C by that I mean he was slightly younger than me and tiny ¨C he started following me around. I told him I wasn''t there to be his friend or wait around to protect him, and you know what he did?"


    "What?"


    "He got on his knees and begged me to teach him how to fight. He didn''t want to be protected all the time, and apparently, had more than one bully. He wanted to become strong enough to stand up for himself. I understood where he was coming from, and thought he had a warrior''s heart, so I taught him. It took a little while, and a lot of training, but eventually, he stood up to one of the bullies himself and bam, knocked him out with one good punch." Zain pushed against his own chin with his fist.


    "It''s good to be able to defend yourself, but who is this kid? You recruited him, right?"


    "He followed me around like a little duckling even after he learned to fight, and one day, when someone tried to jump me from behind, he protected me. I pummelled the guy after, but also let the kid join ¨C with Ray''s permission. You''ve met him a number of times now, and he tends to be nearby me. Ran was that kid."


    "Guess it makes sense why he seems so loyal to you."


    Zain nodded and looked at her hands, which had stopped shaking. "Well, missy, enough of story time; let''s sleep."


    Grace nodded and crawled under the blanket. Zain''s bed was huge and as comfortable as the bed she was given, but it also had a slight scent of coffee like Zain seemed to.


    Zain flicked the light off and lay down on the couch. "Goodnight, Grace."


    "Goodnight... and thank you."


    Zain smirked and nodded, even though she couldn''t see him. He may not want to go around protecting everyone ¨C even though sometimes he can''t seem to help himself with vigilante acts ¨C but Grace edged her way to the top of the list of people he''d protect with his life.

 Chapter 30

    "This is outrageous!" Ray slammed his fists on his desk. "Not only did he break out, but he was able to escape after attacking my Gracey?!"


    "Boss, I know you hate it when I say this, but you have to calm down¡ª"


    "How the bloody hell do you expect me to calm down?!" he snapped at Zain.


    "You need to for your own health." Zain tapped his chest over his heart.


    "It''s not like he really did anything to me." Grace shifted uncomfortably in the chair across from Ray, rubbing her neck.


    "He was on top of you when I got in there, and you seemed trapped."


    "Yes, he did that because he knew I can get out of most holds." Even then, he was close enough to headbutt. No one wins in a headbutt. "He didn''t want to fight with me; he wanted to talk to me. We didn''t end up settling anything, though." Zain showed up before we could, not that it was going well before that.


    "I can''t believe I was so careless. Bringing that man here without knowing his true identity." Ray fell back into his chair, hanging his head. "How have we not heard about the Kuros trying to come back?"


    "I don''t think he has that many people," Zain said. "I think it''s mostly Roger''s strong urge for revenge bringing a few people together to get back at you."


    "A man like him, he wouldn''t have had only one plan." Ray''s head shot up and he stared at Grace. "He wants revenge, so he was going to control from the shadows, but I don''t think he would go into anything without at least a Plan B, if not more."


    "Do you think we have to worry about him trying to recruit Vincent?"


    Ray shook his head. "No, I don''t think so. Vincent has power on his own and wants to work together with us. Since we''re on amicable terms with him already, he won''t change to side with a weaker family, and he''s known to be loyal. He wouldn''t gain anything by siding with Roger."


    "What could he be planning to do now? A frontal assault?"


    "No; I suspect they don''t have enough people for that."


    "More than likely, he''s the one that shot up the restaurant, trying to kill us."


    "But that doesn''t make sense... Grace was there."


    "Doesn''t it make sense?" Zain asked. "Isn''t the best way to take revenge on you, to get rid of what you care about the most?"


    "It''s too messy. That was likely Samuel up to no good again. But you have a point; Gracey is probably his target."


    "Why wouldn''t he just try to shoot you?" Grace asked. "Wouldn''t that be the revenge he wants right there?"


    "He sees me as the source of his family''s ruin, which in some part is true, but that means he wants to see me have a similar fate. Hurting the two of you would have the biggest effect on me. But he''d want to do it in front of me."


    "Roger wouldn''t¡ª"


    "Still defending him?" Zain huffed. "Even after knowing the truth, you still trust him? Grace, he''s been lying to you, and he''ll use that affection you have for him to his advantage."


    Maybe if I went with Roger, he''d be willing to leave the family alone. Not having me in his life would be some form or revenge.


    Ray sat up straight. "Whatever''s going to happen, we need to make sure we''re ready for it."


    Knock, knock.


    "Sir, you have a guest," the guard outside the door informed him.


    Ray knew he''d only mention it if it was something important. "Let them in."


    The door opened, and Vincent sauntered in, dragging a roped up man in a white coat behind him. "I found this little one skulking around outside your estate. He didn''t put up much of a fight, but he said he''s a friend of Grace''s." Vincent''s attention turned to her. "Hello, cara mia. I hope you''re doing well."


    Grace shrugged. "Fine..." Her eyes widened. "Pez, what are you doing here?" She rushed over to untie the ropes.


    "Oh, so he wasn''t lying?"


    "No." Grace looked him over, checking on the bruise on his face.


    "I''m okay," Pez whispered.


    Grace sighed and gave him a hug. "It''s been so long since I''ve seen you; just hearing your voice isn''t the same."


    "Agreed. I''m glad you look like you''re doing well." Pez hugged her back.


    A frigid air ran through the room and both of them shuddered.


    "You felt that, too?" Grace asked as goosebumps ran up her body.


    "Who wouldn''t have? Geez... I''m afraid to look."


    That''s totally Zain giving off the negative vibe, right? Grace backed up a bit and glanced over at them. She went rigid. It wasn''t just Zain; it was all three of them glaring.


    "Ahem." Ray''s shoes clacked against his wooden floor as he rounded his desk over to them.


    Pez flinched under Ray''s dark gaze as he towered over them, and he hid behind Grace. He had been looking into the Bertolottiss and other mafia families in the area, so he recognized all of them. He couldn''t help but think it was both cool and terrifying, as he expected. What he didn''t expect was how much her grandpa would tower over him. Definitely didn''t have a ''grandpa'' vibe to him.


    "Who are you to my granddaughter?" Ray asked, tilting to the side to get a better look at Pez.


    "As was already stated, he''s Pez, my friend," Grace answered, squaring her shoulders as she tried to block their view of Pez. Why in the world did he come here? We all know how bad he does with confrontation!


    "Friend? That was a long embrace."


    Both Zain and Vincent mumbled their agreements in the background.


    "Friend whom I haven''t seen in a long time now¡ª"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Wait, I remember you." Zain pointed at him. "While keeping an eye on Grace... You worked with her at the police department, didn''t you?"


    Pez froze, his hands tightly gripping the back of Grace''s shirt.


    "All of you, back off." Grace pointed at the chairs by Ray''s desk.


    "No," Ray said right away. "Not yet. I want to know your relationship with this man that would make you two embrace like that. If you had a relationship, you should''ve told me¡ª"


    "Grandpa!" Grace stomped her foot and clenched her fists, suddenly feeling like a teenager who was caught with her boyfriend. "We are friends, and I haven''t seen him since I got here. Quite frankly, he''s the only one who understands what this situation with Roger feels like. He''s Roger''s friend, too¡ª"


    "Which makes him dangerous," Zain said. He was about to step forward, but Grace''s glare stopped him.


    "He''s hurting, and he..." Grace glanced back at Pez. "Why are you here?"


    "A few reasons, actually. I missed you for one. I want to help, and as I told you, I want to join the Bertolottiss, so long as I can do good here." Pez swallowed hard and tried to stand up straight without shaking. "I''m an intelligence officer. I may not seem like much, but I''m the best computer support and hacker around."


    "Why would you leave the cops to come here?" Ray asked.


    "Because my eyes are finally open. I know there are more dirty cops than I care to even think about, and because it''s not the same without my two best friends around. I can''t stand it there anymore. I normally like being alone, and don''t feel lonely, but since I don''t have them visiting me all the time, I''ve grown truly lonely. I know the mafia isn''t the most moral, but if I can make a good difference here that I can''t with the police, I''d be better off here. Besides, if Grace is choosing to stay here, there must be something good about you guys, even if you are a mafia family."


    "So, you''re loyal to my Gracey?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Good; she could use some close friends. I know she must''ve felt out of sorts, being brought here, and I believe most of the people here will look out for her, but it''d be nice for her to have someone she''s trusted for a long time. We also could use someone more adept with computers than our current people."


    A sparkle twinkled in Pez''s eyes. "Does this mean what I think it means? Are you going to let me join?"


    Ray turned to Grace. "What do you think? Would you like him to join us here? It''d be more of a trial run at first."


    "I..." I could use a friend here. "I can vouch for him, and I''d like us to hang out again, but that''s up to you two," Grace said, and she could feel Pez staring at her, though she couldn''t tell if he was upset with her response or not.


    "In that case." Ray held his hand out to Pez. "Welcome to the Bertolottis family. If you''re as good as you say you are, then we can set you up with all the equipment you need to do your job."


    Pez''s eyes widened, and he smiled. "I''m definitely as good as I say I am." Pez shook his hand emphatically.


    Ray pulled him in close, startling Pez as his grip tightened to crush his hand. "But if you betray this family, we will get rid of you."


    "Y-yes, sir." He swallowed hard, and his legs shook as his heart raced.


    "And don''t cross any lines."


    "Of course not, sir."


    "Stop scaring him." Grace stepped towards Ray and rested her hand on his forearm.


    "Gracey, I can''t help but want to scare people; fear is a tool."


    "So is friendliness. In case you couldn''t tell, Pez isn''t a fighter; you have no need to scare him like that."


    "Grace," Zain called out to her. "No one interrupts the boss like that, especially not in front of company."


    She didn''t let go or look away from Ray. "And I don''t let anyone intimidate my friends in front of me, not even my grandpa."


    At the word ''grandpa'', he let go of Pez. "Zain isn''t exactly wrong," Ray said. "But I think everyone here knows I have a soft spot for you, and rightfully so." He held his arms out. "Pay for talking back to me like that with a hug."


    Grace chuckled and gave him a hug. She couldn''t help but think about her deceased grandparents. He had the same vibe as them when he hugged her, and she knew that meant he truly loved her.


    He wiggled her around a bit. "You''re the only one who can get away with acting like that. I hope you know that."


    "I know. Thank you, grandpa."


    Pez wiped a tear away from the corner of his eyes. "That''s so sweet, especially since you''ve been so lonely since your other grandparents died."


    All of them froze.


    "Seriously?" Zain shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.


    "I said something I shouldn''t of, didn''t I?" Pez backed away from them. "I''m sorry; I have a bad habit of saying the wrong thing. It''s like word vomit. Sometimes things come out before I think about it¡ª"


    "Pez, don''t worry about it. I know how you are, and that you didn''t mean anything bad by it." Grace stepped away from Ray and patted Pez on the shoulder. "Besides, you''re right." She bit her lip as she looked away from them. "I always had you and Roger, but I didn''t have anyone to come home to. No family waiting up for me like my grandparents used to. I''ve missed the feeling of having a family." More than I thought I did. After her grandparents'' deaths, she threw herself more into work to numb the pain and stop herself from having too much time alone at home.


    Ray hugged her again. "I''m sorry I didn''t come for you earlier, Gracey. I thought you''d be better without me at first, so I kept my distance even after they passed. I should''ve just come forward at their funeral. I know things are messed up now, but I''ll always do my best to protect you and be there for you for as long as I live."


    "You better live a long time," Grace''s voice was muffled by her face smooshing into his chest.


    "I''ll do my best to."


    "Now I miss my family." Pez sniffled. None of them lived nearby, and most of them kept their distance after he had gotten arrested.


    "I thought you were joining the Bertolottiss?" Grace asked.


    Pez''s lower lip quivered, and he lunged to hug both of them. "My new family! Please treat me well! And don''t be afraid to come to me for any of your computer needs."


    Zain pulled Pez off. "That''s going too far."


    "Sorry..."


    "Now." Ray backed away from her. "I think we should have another party for you to announce your chosen husband, and the next leader of the Bertolottiss."


    "What?" Grace''s eyes widened. "Time''s up already? I have to choose now?" She looked at Vincent and Zain.


    "You''re getting married?!" Pez''s jaw dropped.


    Funny, just when I was thinking about turning myself in to Roger to stop his nonsense.


    "I wasn''t going to wait forever for you to choose, and if you don''t want to choose, then I will," Ray said.


    "What? You can''t do that..." Grace trailed off. How long has it been? Did he even give me a deadline? She was in too much of a daze to remember.


    "I''m the boss of the Bertolottiss; of course, I can."


    "But I''m a grown woman, and you''re not my guardian."


    "You knew the plan long ago¡ª"


    "Doesn''t mean I agreed with it. You said you''d stick around a long time, so why don''t you just keep the job and give me more time?"


    "Grace, the boss''s word is law here," Zain warned her.


    "You know, I thought we''d grown close, and I actually like being here, but maybe nothing''s changed since the beginning." Grace turned to leave.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Ray asked.


    Bam. She left, slamming the door shut behind her.


    "Uh... Boss, I don''t like talking back to you¡ª"


    "What are you talking about?" Ray smacked him in the back of the head. "You''re the one who talks back to me the most." He looked at the closed door. "The second most now."


    "Okay, but what''s with the push?"


    Ray grumbled to himself for a moment before looking at the two of them ¨C Pez had quietly backed away and stayed off to the side, not sure what to do ¨C and nodding. "Because I want to make sure she''s set up, and the future of the family is set up, before something happens to me."


    "Boss, did you get threatened or something?" Zain asked.


    "If you did, I can help you hunt them down," Vincent offered.


    "No, not yet. But with this whole situation, I don''t know if Silvio will come after my head next time." Ray sighed. He hated putting pressure on her, but the family rested on her shoulders, and he didn''t want her to be alone again.


    "Silvio?" Vincent frowned. "Why does that name sound familiar?"


    "Are you sure we should be talking about this now?" Zain asked, glancing at both Vincent and Pez.


    Pez flinched, surprised Zain hadn''t forgotten he was still in the room.


    "The little one is her best friend, and one of you two will be her future husband, so I think everyone here has a stake in it."


    Vincent snapped his fingers. "I remember! There was word of a leader named Silvio trying to restart the Kuros... family..." He glanced at Zain.


    "I have nothing to do with it, I promise." Zain held a hand over his heart.


    "Some of his men caused trouble in my area a few years ago, and I had to push them out while sending them a message. They''d been quiet, so I thought they learned not to run in someone else''s territory, but it sounds like there''s more to this than I thought. Last I knew, they were staying up north, and the family wasn''t big. Things may have changed, though."


    "Up north?" Ray nodded. "Thank you. It gives me somewhere to start."


    "I''ll send a few people to scope things out and let you know if they find anything."


    "Thank you." Ray shook Vincent''s hand and then sat back down at his desk.


    "Well, I''ll leave you be, Ray." Vincent nodded to him and headed out.


    "Zain, keep an eye on Grace and make sure she doesn''t do anything stupid."


    "Yes, Boss." Zain glanced at Pez on his way out.


    "Little one." Ray nudged his head to the chair sitting across from his desk. "It''s time for us to talk."

 Chapter 31

    Grace paced around her room as recent events constantly replayed in her mind.


    Dammit; I forgot Pez in Ray''s office. I can''t go back for him now after that, though.


    Knock, knock.


    And what the hell was that ''he''ll choose if I don''t'', crap? He can''t force me to marry someone, can he? I know he just wants me to choose the next leader, but it''s too fast.


    Knock, knock.


    "Grace, are you in there? I was told this is your new room," Vincent called out to her from the other side of the door.


    Grace''s head jerked up, and she stopped pacing. "Yes, sorry." She rushed to open the door.


    "Can I come in?"


    "Technically, it''s Zain''s room because mine was broken into, but come in." She stepped out of the way. I should''ve gone to find a new room to be mine.


    "I see... Thank you." He gave her a nod as he entered and looked around. "Neater than I was expecting."


    "I thought the same thing." Grace chuckled. "So, what did you want to talk about?"


    "I was wondering how you were doing, cara mia."


    "I... I don''t know, honestly. It''s just one thing after another these days, and it''s too much."


    He nodded. "Life gets like that. I was also wondering if you knew which way your heart was leading you."


    "My heart?" Grace froze as Vincent lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. Heat formed in her cheeks.


    "What I mean to say is, I''d love for you to be my wife, if you''ll have me."


    Grace''s heart skipped a beat. He proposed! Wait, but he was a marriage candidate, so this is what he was here for in the first place. Is he pushing for it, then? Say something, you idiot!


    "Thank you, but I... uh... I don''t know who to choose." Grace bit her lip.


    "Yes, I figured as much. I was expecting more time to woo you, but alas, that time is almost at an end." He tugged her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "Sometimes, physical compatibility will help one decide." He leaned in close.


    "Wait¡ª" Grace was cut off with a kiss. "Mmm..." She lightly pushed on his chest, and he backed away ever so slightly.


    "I''m not only doing this because of the whole ''heir'' situation. I like you, Grace."


    "You do?"


    He chuckled and leaned his forehead against hers. "I know I may have a womanizing reputation, but I don''t go around kissing women I don''t like."


    "You don''t know me all that well." And I don''t know much about you.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I know how strong you are. I know you value friends and family. I know you are a caring, moral woman."


    "Isn''t that a hindrance to the mafia?"


    "It can be, depending on your involvement. I am open to changing the things you can''t agree to, so long as we can keep the family well-funded."


    It''s all about money?


    "Money makes the world go around, cara mia. We do a lot of illegal things, but most of it is in trading, and not including the government in all the deals." He caressed her cheek and slid his thumb along her bottom lip. "If a short kiss wasn''t enough to give you an idea, shall we try a bit more?"


    "M-more?"


    "A deeper kiss? More touching. I''m certain I can make you feel ecstatic." He kissed her on the cheek. "Even if you don''t want to have sex yet," he whispered into her ear, and she quivered.


    What was that? Body, stop reacting that way!


    "So, what do you say, cara mia? Should we try something more?" He kissed her neck.


    "Oh!" She jolted a bit from his electrifying touch.


    "Seems like we''ll be quite compatible. How about¡ª"


    The door burst open.


    "I heard Vincent visited you..." Zain trailed off when he saw them. He gritted his teeth and swallowed hard. "What in the world are you two up to?"


    Vincent kept his arm wrapped around Grace and looked over at Zain. "Can''t you tell by looking? And I''d rather not have an audience, so do you mind leaving?"


    "Excuse me? This is my room."


    "Fine; we''ll find another room, then."


    Zain grabbed Grace''s arm and tried to pull her away from Vincent, but he kept his hold on her.


    "Stop!" Grace yelled at both of them and manoeuvred herself out of both of the grasps. She grabbed them both by an ear and pulled them down.


    "Ow!" They both yelped in pain.


    "I know you''re supposed to be rivals right now, but I''d rather you two not physically fight over me in any way, which includes grabbing at me like that."


    "Okay, fine, just let go." Zain held his hands up in surrender.


    Grace looked to Vincent, who sighed and nodded, agreeing. She let them go and stepped back. "Ugh, this is such a mess."


    They all heard clapping from the doorway. "Grace, you''re still as awesome as always," Pez said. "Able to stop two..." Pez trailed off when Zain glared at him. "Um... The nice lady said your new room is set up." Pez took a step back. "And she''s giving me the one next to yours."


    He must mean Mary. "I''m guessing she showed you where it is?" Grace asked.


    "Yup!"


    "I think I''ll stay in there, then."


    "Wait." Zain and Vincent stepped in front of her.


    "You''re going to have to choose soon," Zain said.


    "Soon, as in, not right now. Move, please." Grace made a separated motion with her hands, but neither of them moved.


    "I feel like we haven''t had enough time together to help you choose." Vincent went to step towards her with his hand out, and Zain''s hand shot out, pressing against his chest.


    "I think we all know your way of getting to know her, and that''s not appropriate right now."


    "Oh? She seemed to be enjoying it enough until you interrupted. I think it''s a great way to get to know her physically."


    "But she''s the kinda girl you need to get to know first before the physical will have meaning. I guess you''re not used to women like her."


    "Don''t start fighting again." Grace pointed a stern figure at each of them. "I don''t have the patience for it right now."


    "Fine, fine, but we need to do something." Zain sighed.


    "Why don''t you play twenty questions or something like that?" Pez suggested.


    Grace shook her head. "Pez, I don''t think so. I don''t know what to ask them, either. I don''t know what I''m looking for in a man, nor what I want in the future. I have absolutely no idea what to do anymore." Grace massaged her temples as she cringed.


    "You two, move outta the way!" Pez pushed past them. "Grace is on overload, and you''re not going to get an answer to anything when she''s this way." He grabbed her hand and pulled her past the other two.


    Zain and Vincent watched Pez take her away to her new room, and then looked at each other, stunned.


    "I''d rather not upset her further, so I''ll leave it be for now." Vincent stepped closer to Zain, standing toe-to-toe with him. "But I''m not giving up on her."


    "Neither am I."


    "May the best man win."


    Zain''s eyes narrowed. "You seem so sure of yourself just because you''re good with other women¡ª"


    "Don''t underestimate me. I''m not in it just for the family, which would make both of us stronger, but for her. I like her." Vincent left without another word, his head held high as he walked the halls of the Bertolottis estate.


    "Tch... Cocky son of a¡ª" Zain thumped his fist on the doorframe. "Ha, if only you were the only one we had to worry about. Now, I have to worry about Roger, too."

 Chapter 32

    Grace curled up in her new bed, hugging a pillow as she buried her face in it.


    "Grace... are you okay?" Pez asked as he sat on the floor beside the bed, rocking.


    "Physically, yes. Mentally, no," Grace mumbled into her pillow. "I don''t even know how long I have to choose¡ª"


    "He set the party date for your announcement in seven days."


    Grace looked up at him, barely peeking over the pillow. "A week? He''s setting it up that soon?"


    "Yes."


    Ugh, maybe I should just run away. Pez is here now, but it''s not like they''d take it out on him. They''re good people for the most part.


    "Why in the world would he do that?"


    "Um, I know I just got here, but I can get you out and hide you away, if you want," Pez offered as he picked at the fuzz on his clothes.


    "Even if I''m not here, Roger will still be after my grandpa for revenge, so disappearing doesn''t help."


    "Funny, you''re more worried about this new family of yours than you are of being forced to marry one of two mobsters."


    "I..." Grace trailed off as she thought for a moment. Was he right? "Maybe because they both seem like decent men, despite being mobsters. That and I stopped thinking I''d ever get married, anyway. A lost cause and all that."


    "Honestly, I thought you''d end up with Roger."


    "Really? Why''s that?"


    "Because you two we like the closest partners in the precinct! Best friends with each other''s backs. And you didn''t make me feel like a third wheel, instead I was a part of the good work you guys did." Pez pouted as he thought. "You were the only ones who appreciated me." He shook it off, getting too much off topic. "But... I mean... everyone thought you two were a couple."


    "And somehow I never noticed."


    "You were too busy actually working, unlike a lot of these other ones. Besides, Roger always hid his feelings... well, tried to. Most people said it was all over his face that he was crushing on you."


    "More office nonsense." Grace sighed. "And people wondered why I didn''t bother with many of them. I wish we had more reliable people working with us." She shook her head and lay back, still hugging the pillow.


    "And you''re back to only thinking about work. You''re not a cop anymore, Grace."


    "I know, but I''ll always be one at heart."


    "How about figuring out what good you can do with this family instead of mourning the loss of your old way of life?"


    "But I''m not in charge of this family, and I''m not going to be, either. He wants one of those two men to be the next head."


    "It really should be you. Think about all those undercover ops you headed. You''re awesome at leading, even if you don''t always get credit."


    "I don''t know how good I was if I was working beside a mobster all this time and I never noticed."


    "I''m a paranoid genius, and I never noticed; don''t be so hard on yourself."


    Ring, ring, ring.


    Grace''s phone went off. She looked at Pez first, since he''s the only one she had been calling, and then pulled her phone out. Her eyes widened at the name on her screen. "It can''t be..."


    "Who is it?" Pez crawled over to her bed and looked at his phone. "Damn. Did we say his name too many times and summon him or something?"


    "What do I do?" The phone shook in Grace''s hand as she looked at Roger''s name.


    "Knowing him, he''ll call back soon if you don''t answer him, and again, and again. He''s annoying like that, but at the same time, it''s normally because he gets worried if someone doesn''t answer. Knowing about his mafia background now, maybe it makes sense."


    Grace''s eyes teared up as she stared at the name.


    "Answer him, please." Pez reached over for her phone, and she pulled it away.


    "Hello," she finally answered.


    "Grace... I hope you''re okay. I didn''t mess up too much by breaking your glass door, did I?" Roger asked.


    "I''m... okay. Where are you? Are you okay? You jumped from the third floor, you know?" Grace looked at Pez, leaning on the edge of her bed and he waved air towards himself, motioning for her to take deep breaths.


    Roger chuckled. "I learned how to safely jump and fall, among other things, a long time ago. I''m doing okay. Pretty sure I shouldn''t tell you where I am, that is unless..." Roger trailed off as he thought.


    "Unless what?"


    Pez inched closer, trying to listen in, and then his eyes lit up. He ran out of the room.


    "Unless you''re looking to join me."


    "Roger..."


    "We work well together, Grace, and I''m sure we can do more than work together."


    Pez came running back in with his laptop and opened it up in his lap as he sat on her floor again. He made a circling motion with his hand, telling her to keep it going.


    "You know I can''t join you, Roger, not unless you give up on your revenge."


    Roger went silent for a moment. "Are you saying what I think you''re saying?"


    "Probably; you normally understood me without having to explain."


    "Ha... Still not budging on the revenge front, then?"


    "You know how stubborn, and how moral, I am."


    "True enough. But you''re serious when you say you''ll come to me if I give up on revenge against your grandpa?"


    Grace bit her lip. "Yes..."


    Roger took a deep breath. "I don''t think the others will agree."


    "Are you their boss? I thought the boss'' decisions were practically law to mafia families? Unless you don''t have control over them. I would need some sort of assurance that you wouldn''t change your mind and go after him again."


    "I have control over them. And technically, having you would be a form of revenge... But I know you, and you wouldn''t let me use you to see him in pain."


    How is this the same Roger I know? He was a big teddy bear... to me, at least. Grace shook her head and pressed on the bridge of her nose.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Well, it''s only a week until I have to announce who I''m going to marry."


    "What?" Roger cursed under his breath. "I don''t understand how you can let him do this. You''re too strong to be forced to marry someone, especially since they don''t have me as a hostage anymore."


    "Maybe I''m just tired, and I''ve decided to go along with it. It''s been nice to have a family again, and¡ª"


    "Am I not good enough? I know we don''t share blood, but we can start our own family."


    If I wasn''t sure before, I''m sure now. Roger has feelings for me. You wouldn''t want to start a family with someone who''s just a friend.


    "You know how things work with me, Roger. If you actually wanted me like that, then you''d have to give up your revenge scheme, and no parading me in front of my grandpa either."


    "So you''d just disappear from his life, just like that?"


    "Better that than leaving him for dead."


    "I... need time to think about it." Roger sighed. He didn''t like making important decisions without ruminating on it first.


    "We don''t have much time. Once I''ve made my decision at the party, I''ll be taken, and I''ll be more a part of the Bertolottiss than ever."


    "I understand."


    "I suppose I''ll talk to you soon."


    "Take care, Grace..." Roger sighed again and hung up.


    "Well, I traced where he is up north," Pez said after she set her phone down. He pushed his glasses up and looked at her. "But was that a bluff, or are you being serious?"


    "Honestly, I''m still not sure. It would solve this little war he started, wouldn''t it?"


    "But at what cost?"


    "It''s not like I''d have a bad life with Roger, don''t you think?"


    Pez sat up straight as he thought. "That''s true. He cares about you too much for that. There is a different issue, though."


    Grace raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you sure they''d let you go? Even if you break out of here, they''d probably track you down again. From what it seems like, they''ve been keeping an eye on you for most of your life. I don''t think Raymond would settle until he found you again and brought you back home. And for what it''s worth, I don''t think Zain would give up either."


    "I know Zain says he''s interested in me and whatnot, but I think he just wants to be the next boss. Without me around, he''d probably be the default choice, so he''d still be happy."


    "You''ve always been clueless about love, aren''t you? Both those men like you in a romantic way. Vincent and Zain would both probably try to find you, thinking you''ve been kidnapped or something."


    "What if I leave a note explaining things?"


    "Ha... Aren''t I supposed to be the socially clueless one?" Pez muttered. "Grace, they''re both strong-willed and strong-minded men; do you really think they''ll accept it because of a note? From the way things seem around here, they wouldn''t accept it if you told them straight to their faces yourself. You''d probably be turned into a locked away princess."


    Grace shuddered. "You might be right. My grandpa had me contained to my room for the first little bit, and Zain was the guard dog keeping me here. On that note, why isn''t he here? I thought he''d come barging in by now since it''s his job to keep me safe or whatever."


    "Maybe it''s because I''m here." Pez smiled. "They want to give you some time away from them. And... you know... you were on the brink of an anxiety attack."


    "What do you think I should do, Pez? Should I stay and be Roger''s enemy, or should I go to him and he''ll give up his revenge? I feel like no matter what option, there''s going to be a big fight."


    "I don''t know what to tell you, Grace. If you choose to go, don''t worry about me. I''m such a valuable asset they''ll take me in, anyway."


    "Wouldn''t it be weird to be here without me?"


    "But this way I could be your secret spy friend, and we''ll have codes to send each other to say how everyone''s doing."


    "You know where he is, right? You tracked his phone, somehow?"


    "Easier than you''d think. And yes, I did. Why?"


    "What if I busted his family? I''m sure there''s some dirt lying around where he is."


    Pez rolled his eyes. "I don''t think you could do that to Roger."


    "You''re right..." Grace''s shoulders slouched as she deflated onto the bed.


    "Do you think you could choose between Vincent and Zain? If you stay, that''s what you''ll have to do. If you go to Roger, you''ll probably have them tracking you, so you''ll have to be extremely careful about going into hiding."


    Grace ruminated on her time together with both of them. She didn''t have enough time with Vincent to get a good feel on him, but she couldn''t help but see a multitude of sides from Zain. "I... I think I''d have a meltdown and grandpa would have to choose. Roger, it is, then."


    "Could you spend your life in hiding with Roger?"


    "Stop asking more questions! You keep making me go back and forth on everything. You always do that."


    "I can''t help it; I tend to see the argument from both sides of a situation."


    "And I can''t answer that any more than I can for spending it with either of the two men."


    "Ouch. You know Roger so well, but he''s only on equal footing with those two. Harsh, Grace, real harsh. Ah!" Pez yelped as a pillow flew through the air and hit him in the head.


    "It''s hard to see him that way, because I never thought of him like that. We''ve always been friends, and just that. I never bothered to even think of him in a different way. I''m used to him the way you''re used to a brother or best friend."


    "Meaning he''s never given you the tingles." Pez hugged himself and wiggled. "Doesn''t bode well for him."


    "That doesn''t mean it can''t change. Ugh! This is why I''m so bad with relationships! I have no idea what to do, and I''m not sure I even know my own feelings!"


    "Well, you''re good with friendships, and those are a type of relationship. I think you just get in your own head too much about everything and think too much. Although, I should be the last person warning others about that; I live in my head most of the time."


    I think I at least need to meet up with him. "Hey, can I see where you tracked him to?"


    "Sure." Pez brought his laptop over and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. "He''s here." Pez zoomed in on the map. "In the northern part of town."


    "What is that, though? A factory?"


    "Yeah. I looked it up already, and it was abandoned long ago." Pez brought up a picture of the factory from outside the gate with a closed sign on it. "It''s been sitting there empty for a decade."


    "Well, maybe not so empty if he''s there. If it was left abandoned, then it''s a good place for him to start his family back up, and it''s close enough to work by car."


    "Considering this place, would a mafia family that was once big, settle in a place like that?"


    "It may look like that on the outside, but we don''t know what''s going on inside."


    "True." Pez eyed her suspiciously. "You''re not planning on going there alone without telling anyone, are you?"


    "If I was planning that, would I tell you about it?"


    "Now I''m even more worried."


    "Why are you worried? I thought you agreed I''d be safe with Roger?" I did always beat him in training, too.


    "Yes, if he invited you, but if you go storm the place on your own, it seems pretty dangerous."


    "Storm the place? I''d go to talk to him, not to shoot him."


    "I''m sorry, Grace, but with this situation, I think you should hold off going unless you''re not planning on coming back here, or you''re ready to shoot your best friend."


    "I wouldn''t be alone." She lightly touched his hand resting on his laptop. "I have the best support around."


    "Support I can give with a computer, sure, but that doesn''t help when you''re getting shot at. You need someone who can fight, and that''s not me."


    "I''m not going to tell anyone else."


    "So you''ve decided?"


    "I have to talk to him, and no, I''m not bringing anyone with me. That would be a recipe for disaster. Especially if I decide to leave the Bertolottiss, and they''re right there, they''ll definitely fight it. You''ll help me get out of the house, right?" She gripped his hand.


    "Shouldn''t you be asking me to help you the whole way there?"


    "No." She shook her head. "I can''t risk you that much. I want you to be safe here, even if I choose to go, which means I need to meet him alone."


    Pez frowned and looked away as he rifled through his pockets.


    "Pez? What''s wrong?"


    He set his laptop aside and lunged at her for a hug. "If you decide to stay with Roger, this''ll be the last time I see you." He teared up, and his hand slid down to her pocket.


    "Oh! You''re right." She patted him on the back. "I''m sorry, Pez, and right after you got here. If I choose to stay there, I''ll eventually find a way to meet up with you in person."


    "You better." Pez sniffled and pulled away.


    "I don''t know how long it''ll take, but I will. Please try to get along with the others here. I haven''t had a chance to hang out with the other members, but if my grandpa, Zain, and Mary are any indication, there should be some good people here."


    "But the rat makes me wonder how much I have to keep an eye out for baddies under the roof."


    "Fair enough."


    "So, when are you planning to meet up with Roger?"


    "We know where he is, so how about now? Or do you need some time to figure out how to get me out of here?"


    "No..." Pez scratched the back of his head as he looked around. "From what I can tell with this system, I can hack in and take the power out, or just the cameras, with only my laptop. This place is pretty advanced, technologically wise, which bodes well for me."


    "Say it clearly, Pez. Can you help me run away?"


    "If you really want to, yes." He fiddled with his thumbs, both wanting to help and not wanting her to go.


    "Seeing as I''m on foot, it''ll take me a while to get there, but I should find something easy to move in that can also let me hide in plain sight. I''ll be right back." She headed into her walk-in closet and rummaged around.


    When she came out a moment later, she had jeans and a dark blouse on, along with a baseball hat and jacket in her hand. She set her gun in the back of her pants.


    "Won''t they find that? They''ll probably pat you down before letting you in." Pez pointed at her gun.


    "Maybe, but I don''t want to go without it. It''s not like I have somewhere else I can hide it."


    "You''re flexible, right?"


    "Yes."


    "And people don''t generally check right between the shoulder blades, right?"


    "They might take my jacket off."


    "Oh... Hmm... It''s not practical, but the only place I can think of is in your bra."


    "That sounds... uncomfortable." Grace cringed. "But this gun is tiny, and they''re not going to check there. Even if they tried, I''d break their hand." Grace cracked her knuckles.


    "I believe you..." Pez shuddered.


    Grace turned around, undid her top button, and slid the gun in. "Definitely not for quick use, but it''ll work, I guess." She turned back to Pez after fixing herself. "So, can you tell it''s there?"


    "Nope, you''re good to go."


    "I guess this is it, then." Grace took a deep breath and shook out her hands.


    "Are you going to be okay?"


    "I hope so."

 Chapter 33

    "I''ll have to take out the power for more than just the estate, so no one suspects this," Pez said as they stood in his room.


    "Make sure no one catches you." Grace gave him a hug and gripped his shoulders. "We''ll talk soon."


    "Sure..."


    Grace double-checked she had everything she''d need. "Okay, I''m ready to go."


    "And you''re sure you can make it all the way there?"


    "Don''t worry, Pez; I know what I''m doing." The buses didn''t run that late at night, but she grabbed money for a cab, in case she ran out of steam on the way there.


    "What about a bicycle?"


    "I don''t have time to borrow one. Now, get ready to take out the power."


    "Yes, ma''am." Pez sat at his desk with his laptop open. "Three... two... one..."


    Everything went dark.


    Pez kept his back turned away from the door. When Grace left and the door clicked shut behind her, Pez wiped away a tear. "Please stay safe."


    A couple of men in the hall yelled about the power being out. Grace made it down the hall in the dark and slid past a couple of men who didn''t notice her in the darkness. With careful steps, she followed the railing downstairs.


    "What''s going on?" Ray called out as he came down the hall from his office with a flashlight.


    Grace jumped over the railing and hid behind a marble statue of a lion. I really shouldn''t use the front door. She stayed still, her heart racing as she kept her breathing steady.


    "It seems like a massive power outage." Ran came while checking on his phone.


    "So it''s not just us?"


    "No; it looks like all of the southern area in the city is experiencing a blackout right now."


    "Shouldn''t the backup generators kick in?"


    "They should have. I''ll go check on them."


    Damn... As quietly as she could, Grace moved to the other lion statue on the other side of the entryway, and slipped into the hallway.


    Another man with a flashlight was headed her way. She quickly entered the living room and headed for the back door.


    "Is someone there?"


    Grace froze for a second at Zain''s voice calling out, her heart wrenching.


    "I swear I saw someone..."


    She slipped out the back door before his flashlight could sweep over to it.


    I''m sorry, Zain. Without looking back, Grace took off running from tree to tree, not wanting to be spotted by the guards outside. Damn, there''re more people out here at this time of night than I expected.


    Two men walked down the path from the gate with flashlights, scanning the area as far as they could see as they patrolled.


    Grace hid behind a tree as one of them turned her way.


    "Did you see something?" one guard asked, the light from his flashlight staying on her tree.


    Dammit. I can''t be caught this early. She lunged for a bush and rolled into it.


    "There! I heard something." The guards rushed over in time for a squirrel to come running out of the bush.


    The other guard burst out laughing. "Scared of a squirrel now, are you?"


    "Tch." He elbowed him. "You never know who could be hiding out here. With the blackout, it''s the perfect time for our enemies to strike."


    "Strike? They can''t see anything either."


    Grace waited for them to head back to their patrol route before coming out of the bushes with leaves in her hair, and a twig hooking onto her pants. She tugged it off, and it ripped.


    Can''t keep any clothes nice, can I?


    Grace sprinted to the fence around the estate and pushed off with one foot on the brick post, using it for a boost so she could reach up and grab the top of the fence. Using her strength gained through all her training, she pulled herself up and over the fence, landing with a slight stumble.


    Sticking close to the trees, she put some distance between her and the estate before gathering her bearings. She pulled out the map that she made, having turned her phone off so they couldn''t track her, and figured out her location, squinting because even the streetlights were out.


    I''m in for a long walk.


    Grace kept her head down as she travelled, worried that the cameras would catch her when the power came back. She avoided the main streets, using as many back streets and parks as possible, and walked for a couple of hours before taking a break.


    I should''ve brought water with me. Grace stretched out her neck and sat on a park bench to relax for a few minutes. Also, I should''ve napped first! She couldn''t fight back a large yawn.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Oh ho-ho, a woman alone in a park in the middle of the night. You''re just asking for trouble, aren''t you?" Two thugs came sauntering up to her. "Don''t worry; we''ll take care of you." He touched her shoulder.


    Grace twisted his wrist and brought him to his knees. "What kind of disgraceful little punks go after a lone woman like this?"


    "Ow!" he yelped and cried out more when she twisted it further.


    "Tch, what are you doing to him?" The other man lunged at her. She released the first one, deflected the hit from the second one, and punched him in the throat.


    "Ugh..." He fell back, holding onto his throat.


    Wish I could put these two thugs in jail for assault!


    The first one started to stand, glaring at her, and she snapped, kicking him in the jaw.


    Oops. "Keep acting like this, and I''ll sick the Bertolottiss after you," Grace snapped at them and their eyes widened. Damn, where''d that come from? I guess I''m turning into a thug... Why did I mention them?! Grace mentally cursed herself. She had gotten used to being a part of the family without even noticing.


    "You''re with the Bertolottiss?"


    "I don''t believe it."


    "Dude, it''s not worth it. Let''s run!"


    They scrambled to get away, falling over each other.


    "Ugh," Grace groaned and headed back onto the empty, dark street. She grabbed a bottle of water from the nearby vending machine, downed it, and continued on her way.


    My feet are killing me. Grace tried to shake off her fatigue as she got close to the factory. After a giant yawn, she spotted the gate to the factory with its warning sign.


    Do I really have enough energy to hop another fence? Wait, this one might be active.


    She stared up at the barbed wire at the top of the fence.


    Unable to fight it, she let out another yawn.


    "How long have you been up to be yawning like that?"


    Grace jumped at the familiar voice. "Roger..."


    He was standing on the other side of the gate.


    "I thought we were taking time to think things through? You could''ve called if you were going to visit." Roger gripped one of the bars of the gate as he stared down at her. "So, was it Pez? I know it wasn''t you who found me."


    "And if it was?"


    Roger shrugged. "I can''t hold that against him."


    "Um... Sorry for just showing up, but how did you know I was here?"


    Roger pointed up at the camera at the top corner of the gate. "Someone spotted you approaching. As soon as I saw it was you, I came out here. What were you planning to do?"


    "I came to talk, and then decide what I was going to do."


    "Does anyone know you''re here?"


    Grace chuckled and shook her head. "If it was someone else who asked that, I''d think you were out to kill me for knowing too much. But other than Pez, no; I didn''t tell anyone I was leaving."


    "I see..." Roger unlocked the gate and opened it enough for her to pass by. "So, are you planning on doing the talk out here, or are you coming in?" He motioned inward with a wave of his hand.


    Grace looked up at the factory, and a chill ran down her spine.


    "Oh, come on; we''ve gone into worse looking places than this. Besides, it''s only like this on the outside. I promise it''s better inside, or are you rethinking being alone with me?"


    "Tch; always pushing my buttons. You know I''m not nervous about being alone with you." She walked by him.


    "That was before you knew who I was." He locked the gate behind her.


    "I''m a little more nervous about whoever is in there." Grace pointed at the factory. "I know you, but I don''t know who else you have in there or how many."


    "They know not to touch you already."


    "Ah!" Grace yelped as he pulled her in for a hug.


    He squeezed her tight and breathed in her scent. "I''ve missed you, partner." Grace went stock still, not sure how to respond. It''s not the first time they''d hugged, but everything was different now. He pulled away and ruffled her hair.


    "Hey! Don''t do that!"


    "I think I improved it." He snickered.


    "Ugh, I know I''m a mess, but that''s what I get for walking here."


    "You seriously walked the whole way?" Roger rested his hand on her shoulder to lead her in. "Why didn''t you call a taxi? Or if you called me, I could''ve sent someone to pick you up."


    "You have enough people and funds for that?"


    "I told you, this place isn''t what it seems." Roger pushed the door open for her.


    Her eyes widened, and jaw dropped. The place was sparkling from top to bottom with Italian accents throughout the decorations.


    "How in the world did you afford all of this? And what about your house? It''s nothing like this."


    "This is more like how my family house used to be. My place is... well, it''s my place." Roger chuckled. "And as for the money¡ª"


    "You''re nowhere near as broke as you made it seem. Why''d you get me to pay so often?" Grace tapped him on the chest with the back of her hand.


    "Because it''s nice having a woman treat me." He winked at her. "That and this was supposed to be a secret. I didn''t want you asking where all the money was coming from."


    "Sure..."


    "As for where this came from, I worked hard with this family to get it back and running. We''re not the biggest mafia family around by any stretch, but we''re good at what we do. And most of our profits are from the black market auctions we hold and casino down below."


    Her eyes widened.


    "What?"


    "Even after finding out your background, I found it hard to believe you''d be into anything sketchy, since you always seemed so clean and moral."


    "Compared to many of the people we worked with, I still think I was. I put... no... We put the real bad guys in jail. The ones who did violent crimes¡ª"


    "Are you trying to suggest your family isn''t violent?"


    "I can''t say we haven''t done some shakedowns, but they borrow first and whatnot; we don''t just randomly attack people. Come on, it''s not like the Bertolottiss are so clean."


    "Fair enough." Grace sighed.


    "You came to talk, so we should go to my office..." Roger trailed off when she yawned again. "Or I can give you a room for the night, and we can talk in the morning after you''ve had a coffee."


    "Geez, I planned to do it all tonight and decide for certain, but it''s getting harder to stay awake." She rubbed her eyes. "You''d think beating up those thugs would''ve been enough adrenaline to keep me up for longer."


    "Thugs? You had trouble on the way here? Where was it? Was it in this area?"


    "I handled it, Roger, so don''t worry."


    "Always such a boss." He smiled. "I''ll get you a room for the night."


    The few people they walked by all gave a tiny bow to Roger as he led her to a spare room.


    "You know, I came here with the intent to talk right away, not go to sleep." The more time I''m gone, the more likely they are to come searching for me. She stumbled forward, tripping over her own feet, and Roger caught her, his arms around her waist.


    "I doubt you can have a conversation when you can barely walk on your own." He snickered. "I can carry you if you want."


    "Thanks, but I''ll pass."


    Roger shrugged. "One day, you''ll agree to it and let me help you." She glared at him and he backed away. "I know, I know; you don''t have to give me that look. I know you best of all."


    "I''m not sure about that since I don''t seem to know you all that well..." Grace huffed and turned away from him.


    "Doesn''t everyone have hidden parts?"


    "Not like yours, they don''t."


    "Well, since you came to me ¨C without a call first ¨C I''m going to assume that''s not a deal breaker."


    "We''ve been through a lot together, so it''s not easy to just turn away from you."


    "Agreed; it''s like how I can''t ignore you, despite you being the granddaughter of my enemy. Here." Roger opened a door to a furnished guest room. "You can use this room for the night... or forever."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "If I stay with you, I''m not sure we should stay in this city at all. It''d be better if we restarted somewhere else, even if you''re starting a mafia family."


    "Calm down, Grace; we''ll talk about it all tomorrow." Roger led her over to the bed. "Get some rest and don''t worry. You''re safe here."


    "Thanks." She watched him leave and then lay down. As soon as her head hit the pillow, exhaustion took her, and she fell asleep.

 Chapter 34

    After Grace had already left, Pez set it so their back-up generator started working again. He stared at his computer, watching the map as it followed Grace. "Sorry, Grace, but I had to do it." He waited a bit and turned the power back on for everyone. "Here''s hoping I didn''t kill anyone..." Pez had been selective with which power sectors he interfered with, making sure it didn''t include a hospital, but that didn''t guarantee something else hadn''t gone wrong.


    Pez pulled his feet onto the chair and hugged his knees as he watched the blip on the map.


    After a while, Pez''s head dipped. "No, I have to make sure she gets there first." He put in an earpiece linked to the tracker with a microphone and listened to the sound of her walking.


    He couldn''t fight it any longer, and fell asleep.


    "Oh ho-ho, a woman alone in a park in the middle of the night. You''re just asking for trouble, aren''t you?"


    The rough voice jarred Pez awake. "Oh, no!" Pez looked at the map and bit at his nails as he listened to them.


    "Don''t worry; we''ll take care of you."


    Pez shuddered. "You better handle yourself, or I''m sending help, even if I have to call the cops." He knew that would mean the Bertolottiss would probably find out she was gone, but her safety came first.


    "What kind of disgraceful little punks go after a lone woman like this?"


    "Yes, Grace; rip''em a new one!" Pez cheered for her quietly.


    He heard a kerfuffle ¨C mostly the men groaning in pain and the impacts ¨C and he held his breath as he listened closely for Grace.


    "Keep acting like this, and I''ll sick the Bertolottiss after you."


    "Geez, you are so one of them now," he muttered.


    "You''re with the Bertolottiss?"


    "I don''t believe it."


    "Dude, it''s not worth it. Let''s run!"


    "I guess they are enough to scare them away, even without proof? I knew they were feared, but not this much." Pez sighed and rested his head on his arms on the desk in front of his laptop. "Trouble follows you everywhere." He stared at the dot with his head still down, and he passed out again.


    Knock, knock. Someone knocked on Pez''s door in the morning the next day.


    "Pez, right? You awake yet?" Zain asked and knocked on the door again.


    Pez''s head shot up, and he wiped drool off his face. He looked at the screen and saw Grace''s dot at the factory. "She made it..."


    The door opened and Pez shut his laptop closed as fast as he could. He thought he locked the door, but apparently, not.


    Zain eyed him suspiciously. "So you are in here? Have you seen Grace?" Zain entered and slowly approached Pez, watching every little movement.


    "I just woke up, so no. I-is she not in her room?" Pez cursed his lousy ability to lie.


    "No, and no one has seen her today. The last person we knew who talked to her was you." Zain stood beside him, leering down.


    Pez swallowed hard. "Well, I came back to my room last night, so I don''t know where she is. This place is huge, so she could be wandering¡ª"


    Slam.


    Pez flinched back as Zain slammed his hand on his desk. He leaned in close. "You''re not a good liar, Pez. You know something, don''t you?"


    "W-why would I know something?" Pez trembled, hoping he wouldn''t have an accident.


    "Because you''re her closest friend; who else would she tell if she were up to something?"


    "Have you tried calling her?''


    "Of course I did; it went straight to voicemail. And since that''s the case, I can only assume she''s up to no good. What''s going on, Pez?"


    Pez cringed back. "I don''t know!"


    "It''s not wise to lie to the underboss of the family you''re looking to join."


    "Looking to? Wait... I thought I was accepted! Isn''t that why I was given a room?"


    "You haven''t even been here a week; that''s easy to revoke."


    Pez pouted, his lower lip quivering. "Are you going to throw me out? I don''t wanna go back to the cops..."


    "Geez, are you a little kid or what? Giving me that look." Zain sighed and backed away. "Fess up, and you can stay, or I can just take this." Zain snatched his laptop.


    "Hey! What are you doing?! That''s mine! Like, before I got here, mine."


    "Yes, but you slammed it closed when I came in, so I know there''s something here you didn''t want me to see."


    Pez reached out for it, but Zain held him back with one hand, easily keeping the laptop out of his reach.


    "It''s personal, that''s all." Pez cursed under his breath, wishing he were bigger and stronger. He knew staying glued to a computer would eventually bite him in the butt, but never foresaw this situation.


    "Ran," Zain called out, and he popped up into the doorway.


    "What the hell?" Pez jumped back.


    "Keep a hold on him."


    "Yes, sir." Ran grabbed Pez''s arm and had him on his knees in a moment.


    "Ow!" Pez yelped.


    "Try not to hurt him, please." Zain sighed, thinking about the trouble he''d get into with Grace if they hurt him.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Yes, sir."


    "Now, let''s see what you were hiding..." Zain opened Pez''s laptop to see a map with a dot on it. "What''s this?"


    Grace woke up early despite going to bed so late. She had hoped to feel refreshed, but the fatigue still continued. She went to leave, but the door was locked from the outside.


    Dammit, Roger... Grace checked the other doors to find a bathroom and walk-in closet.


    There was one more door, though.


    What in the world could this be?


    Grace took a deep breath and opened the door to find another bedroom. A door in that bedroom opened and Roger came out half-naked with a towel around his waist as he dried off his hair with another towel.


    "Grace, you''re up early even after that night? I shouldn''t be surprised." He chuckled.


    She couldn''t help but eye his upper body. She knew he had tattoos, but she didn''t know how many, and that they covered his chest, back, and upper arms.


    "Oh, that''s right; you''ve never seen them, have you? I always tried to cover them because of work, but I guess it doesn''t matter now. Want a closer look?" He stepped towards her, and she stepped back.


    "That''s okay. I''m more curious to find out why the door to the hallway is locked, and why I''m in an adjoining bedroom to yours." Grace crossed her arms and frowned at him. "You''re not trying to trap me here, are you?"


    "Me? Never, but I didn''t want you wandering around here. Most of them will recognize you. Some will hate you, and some will accept you, but you did show up in the middle of the night, so many of them don''t know you''re here yet. Late risers and all that."


    "I see..."


    "Does this mean you don''t trust me? I''m having trouble figuring it out since you came here."


    "I wanted to settle things." She bit the inside of her cheek and looked away.


    A rough hand lightly touched her cheek and turned her back to face him. She jumped at his touch because she didn''t even notice when he got that close.


    "What''s going on?" Roger asked.


    "Nothing..."


    He gripped her chin and leaned in close. "Come on, Grace; I know you, and ''nothing'' is almost never nothing. Fess up; what''s going on?"


    "Uh..." She swallowed hard, unable to tear her eyes away. "Can you put some clothes on first?"


    "What? Oh." He backed away. "Sorry; I forgot I only had a towel on." He laughed. "One moment, and then we can sit and talk." He grabbed some clothes out and started to get changed right then and there.


    Grace turned around, about to leave the room with her face red, when he called out to her.


    "I''ll only be a moment; don''t leave."


    Geez... I never knew he was like this. I always thought he was more bashful. Grace stood still with her back turned to Roger. His hand dropped on her shoulder, and she jumped.


    "I can always tell when you''re lost in thought; you get so jumpy." Roger turned her around, fully clothed now in a t-shirt and jeans. "We can go to the dining room to eat an early breakfast¡ª"


    "Let''s talk now." She had been hungry during her long walk there, her stomach even growling, but her nerves took over, and her stomach churned instead.


    "Please, have a seat."


    She moved towards the table and chair off to the side. He tugged on her hand and railroaded her over to the bed to sit down.


    "It''s more comfortable here, trust me. I really need to replace those chairs."


    "Okay, whatever." Grace shook off her unease and took a deep breath. "I don''t really have much time to wait on deciding if I''m staying there or coming with you, so I came as soon as I could."


    "Oh?"


    "Less than a week now until I announce the next leader."


    "Also known as your husband." Roger sighed and combed his hand roughly through his hair. "Now what? What do you want to talk about, Grace?" He leaned back, away from her. "I''m an open book for you."


    I wish he could tell me what''s the best thing to do. "You two have a lot of bad blood between you, but I''d rather that all be put to rest." Grace wrung her hands in her lap.


    "I know you want that, Grace, and honestly, I want to do that for you. I can promise to try to let it go, but I''ve spent most of my life building this back up, so I can get revenge."


    "Why revenge, though? Why not just build up the family to have the family back? You don''t need to bring up an old feud. It''s already gotten people hurt¡ª"


    "I understand what you''re saying, Grace, but it''s not that easy. The Bertolottiss represent our past mistakes, and show us how weak we are. The family wants revenge. And yes, I''ve talked to them since our little chat. Some of them want to move on, but others got angry, and verbally attacked me." Roger refrained from telling her about the ones who wanted to do horrible things to her as revenge to Raymond. "So, since you had some time to think things over, what is it you want to do?"


    "I..." Grace hesitated as she thought about leaving her newfound family behind. She had thought about it constantly on her way there, and the more she thought about them, the more she leaned towards leaving with Roger to save them.


    I want to save everyone.


    Grace took a deep breath and stared into Roger''s sharp eyes. "Can you throw it all away and run away with me? No more Kuros or Bertolottiss; just us."


    "You want me to abandon the family I brought together and leave with you?"


    She swallowed hard, knowing she was asking for too much, but what other option was there? "Yes, and I would have nothing to do with the Bertolottiss, either. You said you wanted me, didn''t you? Well, here I am, offering myself up."


    "But at a great cost."


    "I''m a little short on time to come up with another solution."


    "You understand that even if I leave the Kuros, I can''t guarantee they won''t continue on the path of revenge without me, right?"


    "You already said some of them don''t want revenge anymore; I doubt they''d stay without you, and they''d probably split up, anyway."


    Roger rubbed his neck. "This is all just guesswork, though."


    "Look." Grace rested her hand on his on his lap. "Our families are mafia families and will be in danger regardless, but what I want more than anything is for the people I care about not to be at each other''s throats. Without their leader, they''ll fall apart, and most of those who want revenge will give up."


    "But these people are my family. I didn''t just meet them; we''ve been together for years."


    "Didn''t you say we''re family, partner?"


    "I... I want you, Grace, but I don''t know if I can pick up and leave all of them, and all the pain, behind. Can I think about it?"


    "Considering my timeline, and the fact that I snuck out to get here, I don''t think we have a lot of time. Once they find out I''m missing, they''ll come looking for me, which is why I wanted us to get out of here as soon as possible, far away from this city. And no, I didn''t tell them where I was going, but Pez is there."


    "Ah... He''s not the type to hold out to torture either, so he''ll probably cave and help them. He wouldn''t outright tell them where we are, but he''d ''help'' and slow them down, if anything."


    "Exactly."


    "Grace." He placed his free hand on hers, sandwiching her hand between his, as he stared into her eyes, searching for an answer. "As much as I want you, and I''m tired of being angry and out for revenge, I can''t make a snap decision here. There are a few people I need to talk to."


    "I understand." She pulled her hand away. "But I don''t know if it''ll even take a day before they''ll come for me. They could be searching already. And if they find me here, I''ll have just made this whole situation worse."


    Roger cringed. "I understand, but I need a couple of hours at least."


    "Find." Grace stood. "But I refuse to be trapped in a room; I''ve had enough of restrictions already."


    Roger stood and reached out to her. "But that''s because some of the others can be a danger to you. I don''t want you getting hurt."


    She glared up at him, her arms crossed.


    "Yes, yes; I know how awesome you are, and that you can handle yourself. I know that better than anyone else, but you could get jumped by multiple men. It''s dangerous, Grace."


    "Well, I need food, so at least let me go to the kitchen. You only have a few hours for your decision, or I''ll have to go back home to the Bertolottiss."


    "Fine; I''ll walk you there."


    "No need; just tell me where it is, or I''ll find it myself. You need to think things over and talk to whomever to make your decision before I have to leave."


    "It''s dangerous... Yeah, yeah, I know. Fine, go down the hall, back downstairs, turn right and the first door is for the kitchen."


    "Okay, I''m going to raid your fridge." Grace rubbed her stomach and left through his bedroom door, knowing hers was still locked.


    Grace passed by a couple of men in the hall who gawked at her. She could feel their eyes on her until she headed downstairs.


    He wasn''t kidding about the animosity here.


    She followed his instructions to get to the kitchen and peeked inside. No one was there in the professional level kitchen, so she entered, and went straight to the fridge.


    She leaned in to look, and her eyes widened. Yum! "I hope they don''t mind if I steal a slice of this half-eaten cake for breakfast." Grace reached out for the chocolate cake.


    "We mind."


    By the time Grace heard them, a pain seared in the back of her head, and she passed out.

 Chapter 35

    Zain kept hold of Pez''s computer as he made his way over to Ray''s office. "Boss," Zain called out to Ray. "Knock on the door," Zain instructed Pez, whose neck was captive in his other hand.


    Pez nodded and knocked on the door as he trembled. He didn''t expect anyone to find out what happened so fast, and while he didn''t tell Zain anything, Zain had put it all together himself.


    "Come in," Ray said from behind his desk after he hung up the phone. "What is it? Did you find her?" His eyes went over to Pez, who Zain pushed into the room in front of him, and then to the laptop in Zain''s other hand.


    "No one has been able to find Grace, but I suspect he knows where she is," Zain said.


    "Oh? Is this true, Pez?"


    Pez bit his lip as he looked away.


    "We''re going to have to work on your poker face." Ray sighed. "Well, fess up. Where is she?"


    "He refuses to talk, even when I threatened to torture him."


    Ray stood and slowly walked over to Pez, who flinched with the echo of every step. "I suppose I should be happy Gracey has someone loyal enough to keep quiet, even when he''s trembling like a little bunny, but now isn''t the time to stay quiet. She could be in danger. Tell us where she is."


    "About that." Zain opened up Pez''s laptop to show him the map. "He won''t admit it, but I think our little computer expert here put a tracker on her, and this is where she is."


    Ray looked at Pez for a moment before turning to look at the map. "Way up north in the city? But there''s nothing there. Most of it has been run down... Wait, isn''t that where the Kuros used to rule?" Ray held onto his head, scrunching his eyes closed as he tried to think back. "Then she... Was she kidnapped?"


    Pez didn''t answer.


    "Did she leave on her own?"


    Pez''s cheek twitched.


    "Why would she leave?" Ray swallowed hard and stepped back, away from them. "Is it because I set a date for the announcement? Was she unhappy here? I thought we had worked through things."


    "To be fair, we are trapping her here. She''s used to her freedom, so we can''t be too surprised if she ran."


    "I suppose you''re right... but still; I hoped she''d stay here of her own free will by now."


    "So, what do you want me to do, Boss?"


    Ray turned his back to them and leaned forward, bracing himself on his desk as he thought.


    "Should we leave her be?"


    "But she could be in trouble." Ray dug his fingernails into his desk.


    "We know where she is, so we can drag her back here. Even without a hostage to keep her here, I''m certain we have enough people to drag her back."


    "Is that... Is that what you want to do, Zain?"


    Zain''s eyes widened. Ray always seemed so certain of himself and made the important decisions on his own. Others trusted him to do it with ease. "I don''t know what we should or shouldn''t do, but I want her here."This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Ray glanced back at him. "So you admit you''ve fallen for her now?"


    "Yeah, I can''t deny it. If this is where the Kuros family were, then she''s probably with Roger. Taking that into account, I don''t think it''s safe for her to be there, neither with him nor that family, so I vote we drag her back here."


    "And you?" Ray looked at Pez. "Will you say what you want to do, or will you continue to stay silent?"


    Pez shook his head as he stared at the floor, staying silent.


    "Boss, what do you want?" Zain asked.


    "I want her here." He rubbed his face. "I want her to be as safe as possible, but I also want her to be happy and healthy. I want the best for my Gracey." Ray turned around and his eyes went to the map on the laptop Zain was still holding. "Where did it go?"


    "Hmm?"


    "The red dot; it''s gone."


    Zain turned the laptop around to see for himself. "What does this mean?"


    Pez finally looked up and at the laptop. He froze. Even if she had found the tracker and tossed it out, the signal would still show where it was. "Either the tracker was destroyed, or she''s somewhere that the signal can''t get out of. It should be strong enough to show up even when she''s in a basement, though."


    "So it''s possible she destroyed it herself?"


    "Yes..."


    "How do we find out actually happened?"


    Pez thought for a moment and held his hands out. "May I?"


    Zain looked to Ray for permission and handed the laptop over.


    Pez sat on the floor with his computer on his lap.


    "We have chairs, you know?"


    Pez ignored them as he went into his audio files, where everything that the tracker would''ve recorded until it went offline were sitting. He couldn''t help but wonder if the earpiece hadn''t fallen out when he woke up, would he have known what was going on with her? He had planned to stay up at first, listening in, but he couldn''t fight the fatigue.


    In the last audio file, Pez went to the end of it right before it cut short from the normal length it auto recorded, and then started a new one. Pez hesitated to let it play.


    What if she said something she didn''t want Ray or Zain hearing? What if she made her choice?


    "What is it?" Zain asked, squatting down as he looked over Pez''s shoulder.


    He jumped. He didn''t even notice Zain was right there. "Um..."


    "It''s an audio file; does your tracker have audio? Is that why you don''t want to open it? I think we can handle whatever she might say about us. It might actually help us know the truth, so let it play."


    Pez cursed at himself. Zain was a lot smarter than he expected.


    "What are you waiting for? If you won''t play it, I will." Zain reached over for the laptop, and Pez covered it with himself like a dome. "Really? I don''t think that''s a wise decision."


    "I''ll do it; just step back, please."


    Zain retracted his hand. "Fine, but don''t you dare try anything."


    "I won''t..." Pez figured they might kill him if he did. He let the ending bit play.


    There was a rustling sound as Grace looked into the fridge. "I hope they don''t mind if I steal a slice of this half-eaten cake for breakfast."


    "We mind."


    Thud.


    "Are you sure this is a good idea? The boss wants this lady for his own."


    "Who cares? She''s a Bertolottis, and he never did anything about it. It''s time we do something on our own."


    "What if he finds out?"


    "It''ll be too late by then. We''ll have her sold off before he''s wise to it." He snickered.


    There was more rustling as one of the men picked Grace up.


    They listened to their steps until the audio cut off.


    Ray, Zain, and Pez all froze.


    "Did... that sound like what I think it sounded like?" Pez held his breath as he looked at the other men.


    "I''m afraid to say it probably was." Zain stood and turned to Ray, who was frozen as he stared at the ground in front of him with a lost expression. "Boss." Zain grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Get a grip! Grace is obviously in trouble and needs help. As loathe I am to say it, Roger will probably help once he finds out what''s going on, but we don''t know how long that''ll take. We have to save her. We have to storm that place even if it turns into an all-out gun fight¡ª"


    "No." Ray shook his head.


    "What? You can''t be thinking of leaving her there."


    "Of course not, but a war between the Bertolottiss and the Kuros is exactly what she wanted to stop. She''s too kind. She wanted to save everyone, and ended up being taken because of me, anyway. Do we have a way to contact Roger?"


    "I have a number, but I don''t think he''d answer to anyone other than Grace," Pez said.


    "Fine, we''ll go there ourselves."


    Knock, knock.


    "Come in," Ray said.


    Bobby, one of Ray''s capos, opened the door. "You have a visitor, again." He sighed and stepped to the side to let Vincent in.


    "I came to see Grace, only to find out no one knows where she is. What''s going on?"


    "That''s private¡ª"


    "Come in and close the door. We could use your help," Ray said, cutting Zain off.

 Chapter 36

    Grace stirred with a massive pounding in her head. She opened her eyes to only see darkness. Something was covering her eyes. She wiggled around on the cold, metal floor, unable to move her tied up limbs.


    I was taken? Again?! When will I learn not to let my guard down?! Grace mentally cursed herself and tried to focus on her bindings.


    Zipties?


    It was then that she noticed something odd. She was wearing a dress, and wherever she was, it was moving. Outside, she could hear a lot of chatter, and what sounded like a person calling out numbers and amounts.


    An auction? Oh, crap!


    She took a deep breath and tried to focus on her bindings. Remembering her training, she wiggled until she got onto her knees and curled forward as she moved her hands.


    Everything swayed again, and there was a loud thud as it felt like whatever she was in, dropped on the floor.


    "And now, for a last-minute entry, and a rarity at that," the announcer''s voice hitched.


    A blanket was pulled off of her cage.


    "Miss Grace Bertolottis; Raymond Bertolottis''s granddaughter." The announcer looked at his paper again with wide eyes.


    The audience gasped.


    "What are you doing? Keep reading."


    The cage to her door opened, and the blindfold was pulled off. The bright light hurt at first, until her eyes adjusted, and she could see the stadium full of people in masks.


    Holy crap. She shuddered. A man grabbed her from behind and forced her to stand as he kept a hold of her. How do I get myself out of this one? She scanned the area for any exits. If she broke free from the man holding her, she wouldn''t last long with her legs and arms still tied.


    What could she do, though?


    I have to wait. She calmed herself as she looked around more. There were four exits. Two upstairs, and two downstairs in the middle sections of the audience.


    "I can''t read this..." the auctioneer said as he backed away from the two men. "If this is right for who she is¡ª"


    "Then we''ll do it." The other man stole the microphone from him. "This magnificent hottie, as my friend here said, is the granddaughter of the Bertolottiss, the ones who destroyed us more than a decade ago. She''s an expert marksman with a background in policing. Who would like to own this sexy woman who can dominate in the bedroom or protect your life?"


    What the hell is he spouting? Grace glared at him. If someone does win me, they''ll be my chance to escape... I hope.


    "Let''s start at a hundred thousand dollars."


    Ha, like anyone would pay that much for me.


    "I see one hundred thousand. Do we see two hundred thousand?"


    What the hell?!


    "And there''s two hundred thousand. Three hundred thousand there. Four hundred thousand. Do we see five hundred thousand?"


    These rich bastards are insane!


    "One million dollars!" someone shouted.


    "Do we have two million?"


    The door at the top opened and a masked man with his jacket hanging off his shoulders walked out. "Twenty-five million dollars!" he called out.


    The audience gasped and started questioning it.


    "Is that so?" The man on the stage snickered. "Any more takers? No? Sold for twenty-five million dollars to that man! Now, come to the back room, and we''ll do the transfer immediately."


    Grace squinted as she tried to look at him, but the audience was too covered in shadows for her to make any distinctions.


    Who in their right mind would pay twenty-five million for me? Someone with a grudge against my grandpa? But aren''t the ones selling me already those people? Unless he has more people after him... Who am I kidding? That''s totally possible for a mafia boss.


    Grace sighed and shook her head.


    This is no time to be lost in thought.


    "Ah!" she yelped as the man forced her back into the cage. "Ugh..." Grace groaned from the impact of landing on the metal floor.


    Shouldn''t they handle precious cargo better?


    They covered her caged and picked it up. She struggled to arrange herself as she did before in the moving cage. Using force and movement of her arms, she snapped the zip ties on her wrists.


    Frig, that hurt. She rubbed the leftover red marks. Now, how do I get them off my legs when I have no space to move around? She lay back with her feet turned outwards and tried to quickly extend her legs.


    Dung.


    She hit the cage bars. "Dammit..."


    "Whatever you''re doing in there, stop it," one of the men spoke up as they carried her to one of the underground rooms. "Don''t worry, Miss Bertolottis; you won''t be in there for long." He snickered.


    "What do you think he plans to do with her?"


    "No idea, but I know what I''d do if I bought her." He guffawed.


    A chill ran down her spike. Hopefully, this person isn''t like these two.


    They brought her into a room, and she held her hands behind her with the broken zip ties, hoping they wouldn''t notice.


    "Do the transfer, and we''ll give you the key."


    Beep.


    "Good doing business with you, sir. Enjoy your new possession."


    The two men headed out with large smiles because of their newfound money. "All ours; Roger doesn''t need to know about it."


    Click. The door closed behind them.


    Grace aimed her feet at the cage door, her ankles still tied together.


    I don''t know if I can knock''em over and run... no... hop away, but I have to try.


    She took a deep breath as she waited.


    The blanket flew off of the cage, and the masked man knelt down to unlock the cage. She looked at him and froze. Even with the mask on, she could tell who it was.


    "Please don''t kick me." He pulled his mask off. "Like it looks like you''re going to." Vincent opened the cage door for her. He pulled a knife from his pocket and cut her zip tie.


    "You''re the one who bought me? Not that I should''ve been for sale in the first place."


    "Yes, and I barely made it here in time for that." Vincent held his hand out to her.


    "Thank you." She took his hand, and he helped her stand.


    "Such harsh treatment..." Vincent kissed her red wrists. "Although it seems you were already on your way to an escape."


    She flinched from the pain on her wrists.


    "Sorry."


    Grace shook her head. "Don''t be. But really, that''s a crazy amount of money for people that don''t deserve it."


    "Sad to say, but much worse people earn much more than they just did. Besides, it''ll be drained from their account soon enough."


    "What?"


    "Let''s get you out of here, and then we can talk."


    "But..." Grace pulled her hand away. "What about Roger? There''s no way he knew about this."


    "Even now you''re worried about him? No, he didn''t have anything to do with this, but if we stay here, things will get worse. I''m here because it was unsafe for Ray or Zain to come in themselves, but they won''t wait long. They want the people who took you, and they want to destroy the Kuros family once again."


    "But..." Grace stepped back. "Do you guys even know why I was here in the first place?! I didn''t want a war! I wanted to resolve this all as peacefully as possible."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "You''re not the only one who prefers peace, Grace, but because of the people involved, that''s not always possible. Not everyone wants peace. Those men who took you, they obviously don''t want peace. Capturing you and selling you off... do you really think people like them would ever lay their grudge to rest?"


    "I... Without Roger, they''d disband. He''s the leader, the glue¡ª"


    "That may be true in an overall perspective, but the ones who don''t want peace would continue down this grudge road. We need to stop them before they grow."


    "You make it sound like they''re a disease or something."


    "Their way of thinking is."


    "Can''t we just let the Kuros family pack up and leave instead of killing them?" Grace gripped the skirt of her dress as she thought about Roger.


    "We''re not mass murderers or anything..." he trailed off, thinking about a previous gunfight that left many dead on both sides. "Come on, Grace; we need to get you to a safe place."


    "Is there such a thing anymore? I don''t think I''m safe anywhere." Not that I was safe as a cop, anyway. "I left Roger with an ultimatum, and I need to know his answer."


    "Even after this?" Vincent ran his hand through his hair.


    "Roger is okay, right?"


    "Last I knew, yes, seeing as he told us where to get you. I approached him as the outside party to things, and he used the security cameras to find out what happened. Instead of him storming in and making a fuss with his own family, I came. He probably knows about our families surrounding his estate right now." He struggled to call the abandoned factory an estate, but he couldn''t argue with the inside of the place. "I doubt Ray will hold back too much; it''s over for the Kuros family."


    "But..."


    He rested his hands on her shoulder and stared into her eyes. "I''m sorry, Grace, but you can''t help your friend now. You need to prioritize yourself for once."


    "I can''t abandon Roger. Why do you think I came here in the first place?"


    "Grace!" He tightened his grip. "He''s fighting with his own family now."


    Bang, bang, bang.


    Shots fired in the hallway outside.


    "Dammit," Vincent cursed. "I''m sorry, Grace, but we don''t have time for this." He ducked down and pulled her over his shoulder.


    "Ah! What the hell is with you guys and carrying me this way?" She pounded a fist on his back.


    "Normally, I wouldn''t, but I need a free hand to shoot. Before we head into fire..." Vincent pulled a gun out from the holster in his jacket and held it out for her to take. "Mind watching my back?"


    "It''ll be easier to do that if you let me down."


    He wiggled the gun around. "Take it or leave it, but I''m not letting go of you until we''re outside in a safe spot, or I have no other choice."


    "..."


    "Your boy is out there, too. He''s probably run inside now since there''s gunfire. He wanted to be the one to save you, but held back for all our sakes."


    Grace finally took the gun.


    Vincent pulled out a gun for himself from his other holster in his jacket. "Ready?"


    "As ready as I''m going to be."


    Vincent kicked the door open and ran out into the hall with his gun ready. He kept a careful eye on his surroundings as he made his way down the hall. The door at the end slammed open. The man held his gun up until he saw who it was.


    "Zain, why are you down here?" Vincent asked.


    Zain''s eyes flickered to Grace. "There''s trouble all around, so I came looking. I''ll cover you two, so let''s go."


    "Really? I''m surprised you don''t want to take her yourself."


    "Normally, I would''ve, but I''m still handicapped." He rolled his shoulder. "So she''s safer with you."


    "Noted."


    Zain led them into the hall leading to the stairs. He halted and held his hand out. "Shh..." He slowed down, hearing people nearby, and made sure they stayed back while he tiptoed up the stairs.


    Bang, bang! Zain shot off a few bullets before the person pointing a gun at them up the stairs had a chance to shoot. The gun fell out of the man''s hand, and he fell back against the wall, sliding to the ground as he heaved in pain.


    Zain rushed up and took the gun.


    "Letting him live?" Vincent asked. "That''s not like you."


    "A certain someone doesn''t like when lives are taken unnecessarily," Zain said and continued upward.


    The closer they got to the surface, the more gunfire rang out.


    "That can''t be good. Maybe you should put me down," Grace suggested.


    "Don''t trust her to run." Zain glanced back at them.


    "Oh, I don''t. I''ve learned enough about her to know she''d throw herself in the middle of everything for her friends." Vincent jerked his shoulders a bit to readjust her, and she groaned. "Sorry, cara mia, but I don''t want you falling or breaking free."


    Ugh... But what about Roger? Everything is falling apart for him because I showed up. Shouldn''t I help him?


    Grace gripped the back of Vincent''s jacket with her free hand.


    "What is it?" Vincent asked as he followed Zain to the top of the stairs.


    "This mess is my fault; I should help Roger."


    "Grace... It''s not your fault that they held on, hoping for revenge. It''s not your fault they''re crazy and low enough to sell people."


    "I''ll help him once you''re safe outside," Zain spoke up. He knew what Roger meant to her, and he couldn''t turn his back on him.


    "Why would you do that? I thought you hated him?" Grace asked.


    Zain went silent and opened the door to the ground floor without responding.


    "Are you serious, cara mia?" Vincent asked. "I''m not around much, but even I can tell he''d do it because he loves you. For such a gruff man, he doesn''t hide his feelings well. How do you feel about him?"


    "Um, shouldn''t we follow him out? If I''m getting too heavy, you can always put me down."


    "Nice try, but I don''t fall for deflections like that."


    She tapped him on the back. "Why would you ask that? Aren''t you supposed to be wooing me?"


    "Because as much as I''d love for you to be mine..." Vincent trailed a finger down her leg, and she twitched, her face burning. "I''m not one who likes getting in the way of real feelings. If it was just lust, or if you didn''t like him back, it''d be different."


    "But weren''t you asking if I had feelings for him? Now you say it as if I do."


    Even I''m not sure about it.


    "I was curious if you''d answer me or not, or if you even know yourself." Vincent sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was a worse man, and I could run away with you right now."


    "If you mean kidnapping me, I think I''ve had enough of it for a lifetime already."


    "Quit yammering and get walking, you two." Zain had rushed back over when he found a path and overheard them talking. "There''s a lot of gunfire in the main lobby, but if we can sneak by, I found an unlocked room with an open window. Let''s go."


    That was fast.


    Vincent followed Zain out, with Grace still over his shoulder. Grace spotted a man round the corner, gun in hand. He spotted them and aimed.


    One of the men who kidnapped me!


    Grace didn''t hesitate. She double-tapped. One shot hit the man''s hand, forcing him to drop the gun, and her other shot hit his shoulder. He fell back, bleeding and groaning.


    Zain and Vincent stopped to look back.


    "You''re as good of a shot as they say," Vincent said. "But didn''t go for the kill."


    "I wanted to, but I automatically aimed for his hand. Ha..." I''m not suited to be in the mafia.


    "Never expect her to," Zain said. "But he can suffer more this way." He ran up to the man and took his gun. Vincent had worn a camera into the auction, so Zain knew it was one of the men who sold her. He resisted the urge to torture him and headed back over to them. "Even in a split-second, you can make that shot."


    "Practice. Lots and lots of practice." Grace sighed.


    They quieted as they stood at the edge of the lobby. Shots were being fired and bodies lay about on the floor.


    "We just need to get around the corner. There''s a door to the kitchen, which leads to the dining room that has a door to the backyard," Zain explained.


    Zain led them from pillar to pillar, trying to stay out of sight.


    "Wait, Roger''s there! He''s in trouble!" Grace wiggled around and kicked her feet. "Let me down, Vincent."


    "No can do, cara mia. Please stop struggling. You''ll draw attention, and I might drop you." Vincent held onto her legs with both arms to stop her from kicking.


    "Didn''t I tell you before? I''ll help him after you''re out of the house." Zain looked back at them. "Tch..." He saw her take aim. "No, no, no. Grace, don''t!" He hissed.


    Vincent held still, afraid to mess up her shot.


    Bang.


    A bullet shot into the man who had cornered Roger, ready to take him out.


    "Arg..." The man fell forward with a bullet in his back.


    Roger''s eyes went over to them right away and they widened. He nodded to her, a pained expression on his face, and he waved them away.


    Zain and Vincent didn''t wait a second longer. They slipped into the kitchen, and past the cook quivering in the corner, to the dining room.


    "No, you don''t!" A man popped up at the other end of the dining room with a machine gun. "That woman, the Bertolottis princess, was sold; she''s not yours to take."


    "Excuse me, but I''m the one who bought her," Vincent said.


    "Go." Zain shot at the man and tossed a chair at him as he fired off more rounds, giving Vincent a chance to run.


    Vincent shot out the glass door, not having any time to open it.


    Grace aimed at the man in the dining room from outside, but Vincent was going too fast, and he went out of sight. "Dammit it," Grace grumbled.


    "He''ll be fine, Grace."


    "But that man had a machine gun! Not so easy to avoid being hit, so let''s get him out of there." Grace pounded on his back with her free hand.


    Dammit! It''s too dangerous to get out of this hold when there''re bullets flying! Or in enemy territory...


    "I''m sorry, Grace, but he''ll be fine." Vincent sprinted away from the factory towards where Ray was waiting.


    "Grace!" Ray yelled, breaking his stoic facade in front of the others, and ran towards them, despite others trying to keep him a safe distance away.


    Once they got close, Vincent set her down and rolled his shoulder.


    "Sorry. I must be heavy." Grace rubbed her sore stomach.


    "Not at all, but I was carrying you for a while."


    "Grace." Ray wrapped her tightly in his arms, his eyes closed as he kissed the top of her head. "I''m so glad you''re safe." He sighed.


    "But Zain is still in there, and Roger needs help." Grace shuttered. "It''s a war in there..."


    "You heard her." Ray raised his hand, swirled two fingers, motioning for his men to enter. "Be careful and don''t kill Roger."


    "Boss, how do we know who to shoot?" one of his men asked.


    "Because they aim at you."


    Grace stepped away from him and turned around. "Oof!" She ran straight into Vincent, and his sturdy body made her stumble back a step.


    He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. "Careful, cara mia." Vincent smirked. "Don''t want to be caught in the flood of men going in, do you?"


    "..." Dammit... He knew I''d go running back, didn''t he?


    Vincent leaned in to stare into her eyes as he pulled her even closer. "He''ll be fine. They''ll both be fine, so quit worrying so much or it''ll take a toll on your health."


    "But¡ª"


    "Grace." A hand landed on her head. "You stay here. Vincent, keep her safe." Ray ruffled her hair and took a few steps towards the factory.


    "Wait, where are you going?" Grace reached out to him.


    "To save Zain!" Ray took off running with his men, who cheered, having their boss alongside them.


    "Ray is still in such good shape; why does he want to retire from being the boss?" Vincent asked.


    "I''m not sure. Maybe he''s just tired."


    "Or maybe he''s hoping to spend more time with you when someone else takes over."


    "Maybe... You''re really not going to let me go, are you?" Grace thought about the gun still in her hand.


    "Of course not; haven''t you been paying any attention? We came to save you, not throw you into someone else''s war."


    "If the Bertolottiss are in there, then isn''t it my war, too?"


    "I''m not letting you go, so unless you''re willing to go through me, you''ll have to stay here. And don''t make me disarm you. I''m letting you keep that in case a random enemy pops up."


    Grace huffed and looked away from him.


    "It''s cute when you''re like that, cara mia."


    She kept her head turned away and tried to listen to the fight, but the factory seemed to block most of it. "Why... What does it mean, anyway?"


    "My dear, my darling, my beloved. It''s a term of endearment, I assure you. And why? Because I had hoped for you to become mine. I know I can give you a good life and love you," he whispered the last part into her ear.


    She twitched from his warm breath, hitting her ear and neck. "Didn''t you just tell me you''d basically give me to Zain?"


    "For now." He kissed her cheek. "You two need to try before I''ll have a real chance."


    "A chance?" She looked at him again and nearly collided with him. "If I choose him, he''ll be my fianc¨¦; there probably won''t be time to see what happens before we tie the knot..." she trailed off as he stared into her eyes, entranced.


    "You may have gone along with it so far, cara mia, but something tells me that when it comes down to it, you won''t marry him unless it feels right. It''s your life; choose how you want to live it." He placed a light kiss on her lips. "And should things not work out, I''ll be waiting for my chance."


    Grace''s eyes widened, and she couldn''t stop staring at Vincent, even when he turned his attention back to the abandoned factory.

 Chapter 37

    Zain had to keep moving and dive for cover as he duelled it out with the machine gun wielder.


    "You think you''d be more careful with a gun like that in your house!" Zain yelled at him.


    "Tch, stop moving and let me shoot you, Bertolottis scum." The man grumbled as he went to change clips.


    Zain heard the first clip unlock and came out from behind a metal pillar.


    Bang.


    The man hadn''t bothered to hide, so it was easy for Zain to take him out then and there. The man fell to the ground, lifeless.


    "Okay." He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulder. "Damn thing is taking too long to heal." He looked at the way out and turned around, heading back to help Roger. "You owe me for this, Grace."


    Zain approached the nearby body and took the gun, along with a new clip, and headed back to where they came from.


    Bullets were still flying every which way, so Zain hid behind a nearby statue as he tried to see where Roger was now.


    He was nowhere in sight.


    "Dammit... He couldn''t have gone far."


    The front and back doors to the factory slammed open and a flood of men came running in with their guns ready. Like a well-oiled cog, they went into formation around Ray, who sprinted towards Zain.


    "Boss?"


    Bang.


    Ray stumbled back as a bullet hit his chest.


    "Boss!" Zain ran over to him, strafing, and shot the man who was cheering because he hit the Bertolottis boss.


    The other Bertolottiss spread out to fight. He skidded in and dropped to his knees by Ray as he called out to him.


    "Ha..." Ray gasped as he opened his eyes. "Even with a vest on, that hurts. Thank you, Vincent." Ray tugged on the bulletproof vest to pull it a bit away from him.


    "You''re... You''re okay?" Zain''s jaw hung open, and he rubbed his eyes, hoping to hide the tears that were threatening to fall. "What were you thinking? Running in like that. Crazy old man..."


    "As if I''m any worse than you." Ray chuckled and then groaned.


    "I really thought you were shot and on the brink of dying, you know?"


    "I may not be dying, but damn, did that bullet hurt. Men, capture everyone!" Ray growled and the group of men who stuck around them went running off. "We can figure out who''s who later."


    Zain helped Ray stand. Ray groaned and looked at where the bullet would''ve gone. "Might''ve still lived."


    "Boss, please don''t do things like that. I thought you wanted to live, especially with Grace being in your life now."


    "You''re right, but you''re discounting how much you mean to me, too. You''re like my third son, though quite a bit younger than the other two would''ve been now." He chuckled and held up his gun. "Let''s go get Roger."


    No matter how much Ray wanted to lead the way as they searched for Roger, Zain pushed his way in front.


    Ray''s flood of men were overrunning the Kuros and capturing them left and right. Everything was slowly quieting down, with fewer bullets flying, but they couldn''t find Roger on that floor.


    "He has to be here somewhere," Zain grumbled. "Where the hell would he go?" Zain slammed his hand on the wall.


    "Maybe he didn''t go willingly. I''ve kept an eye on every dead person and every person being captured as we walked by, but I haven''t seen him. Let''s split up¡ª"Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "No," Zain refused right away. "You''ve already been shot today; I''m not going to be separated from you, and chance something happening again."


    "You realize I''m your boss, not the other way around, right?"


    "Of course, I know that, but you''re someone important to me, like a father, so let me protect you like an underboss should." Zain stepped in front and headed to the basement area.


    "If it were anyone else, or if anyone overheard, I wouldn''t let you get away with that," Ray grumbled and followed him down.


    The basement halls had cleared out, but Zain kept going until they got to the auction area.


    On the stage, Roger was kneeling down, heaving as he held onto his side where blood trickled out. In front of him, a man was yelling at Roger as he aimed a gun at his head.


    "I guess this didn''t work out for him at all." Zain sighed.


    "But we can''t let him die or Grace will be heartbroken." Ray raised his gun and shot without hesitation. His shooting was good as Grace''s; he hit the man in the head. The man fell to the side, dead.


    "Still got it?"


    "Of course, now go help Roger." Ray shooed him over. Ray sat down in the audience for a moment and rubbed his chest where the bullet hit as he watched over Zain.


    "You... why would you come to save me?" Roger coughed and cringed as the pain in his side got worse.


    "Because a certain girl we both know would be sad if you died. Besides, Ray was the one who took the shot. Their skills must run in the family." Zain knelt down and stared firmly at Roger. "I hope you''ve learned your lesson, and you know not to go against us now. Let go of the revenge scheme and just stay away."


    "Stay... away? Ha... But..." Grace''s face flickered through his mind. "I can''t... I love her..."


    "I know you do, but she''s not yours." Zain leaned in close. "She''s mine. And if you want to survive, and have any chance of seeing her again, you''ll be a good little boy and come along with us."


    "Come along?"


    "We''re taking everyone in and hoping you can tell us who was on the other side. And tell us who wants to get their revenge, and not just restart the family. Deal?"


    "Ha... What other... choice do I have?" Roger wobbled, feeling faint.


    "Dammit. Hold on; we have our doctors outside and ready to help the wounded."


    Zain helped him stand and wrapped Roger''s free arm around his shoulders so he could put his weight on Zain and walk.


    "Boss." Zain and Roger approached him slowly. "He''s not looking too good; he''s lost a lot of blood."


    Ray eyed Roger for a moment, frowning. "Lay him down," Ray commanded.


    "What? I just got him up and walking. The doctors are outside; we don''t have to make it far."


    "I already called them in, but I also have emergency supplies with me. Now, lay him down." Ray pulled a small kit out of his jacket.


    "Yes, Boss."


    Roger looked between Ray and Zain. "I''ll... be fine..."


    "What, are you worried I''d try to kill you after saving you? Lie down, now." Ray pointed at the floor.


    "Come on," Zain urged Roger to lie down on the floor.


    With no energy to fight them, and his consciousness wavering, he knelt down. He fell back and groaned as his head hit the floor.


    "Stay awake, Roger." Zain lightly slapped Roger''s cheeks.


    "Why? My eyes... don''t want... to stay... open..." Roger lost consciousness.


    "Zain, you''re going to have to help me." Ray ripped open Roger''s shirt to start.


    "What''s taking so long?" Grace kept her eyes on the factory. Every time a door opened, she hoped to see either Roger, her grandfather, or Zain.


    "They''ll be back soon. Be patient." Vincent pulled her flush against him. "Or do I have to distract you?"


    "Uh..." She pushed lightly on his chest. "Do I even want to know what you''re suggesting?"


    "While making out with you would definitely be a good distraction, that''s not what I had in mind¡ª"


    "That has to be most of them by now, right? Let me go in. I am a cop; I can handle myself."


    "You were a cop, and I know you can handle yourself, but wait a bit longer."


    "Why did those men go in just now? That''s a bad sign, right?"


    Vincent looked over and recognized them. He knew right away someone was injured.


    "Vincent?" Grace looked up at him with her eyes shaking.


    "I refuse to lie to you... so yes, it''s a bad sign. Someone is probably injured. And no, I''m still not letting you go in there. Those were doctors who went running in; we''d only get in their way."


    Grace couldn''t help but worry about all of them. Who was hurt? Her hands shook.


    Vincent hugged her and stroked her back. "Everything will be okay," he whispered.


    "You don''t know that."


    "Not for certain, no, but I believe they''ll be fine. If anything happens, you can rely on me to help you."


    "I can''t take waiting anymore. I''m sorry, Vincent."


    "What? Ow!" Vincent yelped, his grip on her loosening after she stomped on his toes.


    Grace took off back towards the factory.


    "Dammit, cara mia." Vincent took off after her.


    If she was in her own shoes, not the tall heels they put on her, she would''ve gotten away from him easily, but not being used to the footwear slowed her down.


    He grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Please, don''t make this hard on me."


    "They''re coming back out." Grace went into a daze as she watched. Ray came out first and held the door open for a doctor and Zain to come out carrying a stretcher. Her eyes went wide when she saw Roger on it. "Roger''s injured."


    "Come on." He tugged on her arm. "The doctors will take care of him, and I''ll take you home, so you''re ready to see him when he''s allowed visitors."


    "Oh..." Grace nodded, her gaze on Roger''s unconscious body being carried.


    Vincent gave a wave to Ray, then pointed at Grace, and then at his car waiting.


    Ray swung his hand forward, telling him to do it.


    "I''ll get you home safely." Vincent wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her over to his Mercedes. He helped her in and even buckled her seatbelt before hopping into the driver''s seat.


    "Nice car..." Grace mumbled as she slid her hand across the dashboard.


    "Thanks." His car purred as he started her and took off.

 Chapter 38

    Vincent and Grace arrived at the Bertolottis estate ahead of the others. He wanted to escort her in to her room, but she wanted to wait outside.


    "Waiting here won''t do anything. Shouldn''t you get yourself cleaned up and into... your normal attire?" Vincent asked.


    Grace turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you saying I don''t look good in this?"


    "Of course not; you look ravishing, but¡ª"


    "But this doesn''t look like something I''d wear?" She glared up at him. "I''ll have you know, I''ve worn more risqu¨¦ dresses than this... for undercover work."


    He lightly grabbed her chin with his finger and thumb, tilting it up. "I never said you looked bad, nor that you couldn''t wear that, but from what your friend admitted to us, you were not wearing that when you left."


    "Oh... Sorry." Somehow, I didn''t think about that.


    "No worries, cara mia; at least it''s been cleared up."


    "What are you doing to her?" Zain came running over and pushed Vincent''s hands away.


    Vincent rolled his eyes. "I was just clearing up a misunderstanding. Isn''t that right?"


    "Yes..." Grace looked at Zain, her eyes trailing down him. "You''re okay?"


    "I''m okay." Zain patted her head.


    She froze as an odd tingling sensation ran through her. "R-Roger''s... okay?"


    "That''s to be seen." Zain pointed over his shoulder, where they were taking him in. "They did what they could while there to help him hold off until he got here, but he''s in critical condition. They''ll do their best, but we have no guarantee he''ll survive."


    "No..." Grace stumbled back a step and both Zain and Vincent caught her, both with an arm wrapped around her.


    "You should go inside and rest."


    "You think I can rest when my partner is in this condition?"


    "Tch... He''s not your partner anymore, and you''re not a cop anymore, Grace. You''re a mafia princess, so act like it."


    "Is that so? Then I demand for you to let me see him."


    "I have no control over that; you''d have to ask the doctors."


    "Why are you all waiting out here? Get inside," Ray commanded as he rushed over to them. "Thank you for keeping her safe." Ray held his hand out to Vincent. "I owe you."


    "Not really; I helped because I wanted to." Vincent shook his hand and glanced at Grace. "There is one thing you can do for me, though."


    "Name it, and I''ll see what I can do."


    "Make sure our families work more together in the future. Allies, if you will."


    "Deal."


    "Now, I should probably leave your family to organize from today''s mission."


    "You''re welcome to join us, but we''ll be scattered..."


    "Goodbye." Vincent took Grace''s hand and kissed the back of it as he stared into her eyes. "Call me if you need anything, anything at all." He winked at her and turned to head back to his car.


    He''s touched me so much lately... Since when do I let people do that? I let Zain, too...


    "Gracey?" Ray gripped her shoulder. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes... Just in a daze. A lot has happened today." Grace rubbed her face.


    Ray kissed the top of her head and turned to Zain. "Bring her to her room and make sure she relaxes and takes a shower or something. We''ll call when you can see Roger."


    "Yes, Boss." Zain and Grace stood there for a moment, watching Ray as he headed inside. "So, are you coming willingly for once, or are you going to make it hard?"


    "I''m not under house arrest still, am I?" Grace asked.


    Zain shrugged. "Considering you broke out when you were, I''d say probably. Why, is there somewhere you want to go?"


    "No, just curious. There''s nowhere for me to go, anyway. By the way, is Pez okay? You guys didn''t hurt him, did you?"


    "No, we didn''t. We wouldn''t hurt him; he''s one of us now, and important to you. In case you haven''t noticed, the boss wants you to be happy, and your friend being safe here is one of things he''s hoping will make you happy."


    Grace nodded and looked around as other men were being carried into the mansion.


    "By the way, Grace." Zain hugged her, and she jumped a little. "I''m so glad you''re okay," he whispered into her ear. "I''m sorry I had to send Vincent in there, but I definitely wouldn''t have been allowed in, and I didn''t trust that I could get you out of there."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "I..." She hugged him back, relaxing against him. "I understand. Thank you for coming to save me."


    "I''ll always come running to save you, even when you don''t think you need it."


    When I don''t think I need it? "Oh!" Grace gasped when he picked up her in a bear hug and started to walk. "What are you doing?" She frowned down at him.


    "Taking you to your room to rest."


    "Aren''t you injured still?"


    "Yes, so please don''t struggle or I might end up even more injured."


    Grace huffed and tugged on his ear.


    "Ah, careful. I could drop you and hurt both of us."


    "You prefer I tug on your hair?"


    "As long as it''s a playful tug, I don''t mind."


    Grace rolled her eyes. "If you like the feel, it would defeat the purpose." She tugged lightly on his hair.


    "Ha..."


    "What?"


    Zain went silent as he carried her through the front door, held open by a guard, and headed for the stairs.


    His ears are red. So, he really did like it?


    Everyone else was too busy running around to pay any attention to them ¨C or they had just gotten used to Zain and Grace together ¨C so no one said a word to them by the time they got to Grace''s room. He dumped her onto her bed and closed the door.


    With a huff, he sat down on her couch.


    "Too heavy for you?" Grace poked at herself. She hadn''t gotten nearly as much exercise as normal, but she hadn''t lost her hard-earned physique yet. Then again, muscle weighs more.


    "No, you''re not too heavy. You''re light, actually, and I doubt you''d ever be too heavy for me. In case you haven''t noticed, I''m not exactly small, and I have definitely worked on my muscles. What underboss wouldn''t make sure he''s ready for whatever their boss needs?"


    "I have to ask..." Grace fiddled with her thumbs in her lap. "What has my grandpa gotten you to do? Kill people? Fight? Intimidate people? Steal?"


    "Uh... We don''t steal. And are you sure you want the answer to the rest?"


    "I wouldn''t ask otherwise."


    "I''ve done a lot of things you wouldn''t approve of, but we don''t hurt innocent people, and I don''t get sent out to kill specifically. It''s hard to avoid gunfights with this lifestyle."


    Grace nodded. "I''ve noticed."


    "So, technically, I''ve killed people for him, but it''s more like I''m sent to settle things. You know, things had been fairly quiet these days, until we brought you here..." Zain trailed off when she sat down beside him on the couch. "Um... Shouldn''t you go take a shower or something to relax? I''ll wait here."


    Grace leaned on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his. She sighed, thinking about everything that''d happened recently, and about what Vincent said. "I..." she trailed off, not able to finish.


    Zain waited for a moment, and when she didn''t continue, he reached out to her with his free hand and stroked her head. "What''s wrong?" He kissed the top of her head. "Oh, wait, that''s probably a stupid question. What am I thinking? You''re probably too worried about Roger right now¡ª"


    Grace cut him off with a kiss on the lips. She pulled back, cheeks red as she stared into his eyes.


    What the hell am I doing? Moment of insanity! Grace turned away.


    Zain wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back, and gripped the back of her head, pulling her in for another kiss.


    "Mmm!"


    He pushed her down on the couch and deepened the kiss as his hands explored her body.


    "Ha, what am I doing?" Zain backed off and took a deep breath, still leaning over her. "You''re probably in shock and only kissed me because of that, right?"


    "No..." Grace touched her lips as her whole body tingled.


    "Then what was that? And please note." He took another deep breath. "I''m having trouble holding back right now, and you''re the one who started it."


    "I was talking to Vincent..."


    Zain''s eye twitched. "You''re mentioning him now?"


    "Hear me out. He was pointing out how obvious it was how we felt, and that we should try." She pointed between the two of them. "To see if things will work out. I''ve been doubting any feelings on my part, but the more I thought about you, the more I thought he might be right. I''m not sure what I feel for you, but with the lengths you''re willing to go for me, and how much you seem to understand me already, I think it''s worth a shot. I''m not good with relationships... I always buried myself in my job to keep a distance, but everything is different now."


    "A chance? I can use a chance, but after that kiss, are you sure you don''t already know how you feel about me? You may be reckless, but I can''t see you doing that without having feelings for me in the first place. Grace, how do you feel about me?" He kept her trapped there, and knew she could get out if she wanted to, but her lack of resistance spoke wonders to him.


    Grace''s heart pounded even harder. "That''s what I want to find out."


    Zain stared into her eyes, trying to get a read on her. He leaned in close again. "Are you sure about that?" he asked in a breathy whisper.


    Her toes curled, and she clutched the dress.


    He smirked. "So, Grace, what will it take for you to stop denying the truth? You feel the same thing I feel for you." He gave her a slow, soft kiss and gently bit her lip as he backed away. His smirk turned into a smile when he noticed the look in her eyes. It was the same look he had. One filled with desire.


    Since she didn''t push him away, he leaned in to kiss her again.


    Knock, knock.


    Grace jumped and automatically shoved Zain. "Ah!" he yelped as he fell off the couch and landed on his shoulder on the floor. "Dammit..."


    "Grace!" Pez knocked repeatedly. "What was that? I heard a man yell out in pain. Are you okay? Please answer!"


    Grace took a deep breath and carefully stepped over Zain lying on the floor. She opened her door. "Pez, hey..."


    "Grace!" Pez leapt at her for a hug. "You''re okay?" He sniffled, on the brink of tears. "You have no idea how worried I''ve been. The device went out¡ª"


    "Device? Did you track me?"


    Pez froze. He forgot he put it there without telling her. "Uh..."


    Grace hugged him tighter so he couldn''t run away. "I guess that''s a yes. You know, I should''ve known you had something to do with them finding me."


    "In his defence, his tracker saved you." Zain groaned as he rolled onto his back, off his bad shoulder.


    "Thank you for spying on me." She squeezed him even tighter.


    "Can''t... breathe..." Pez wheezed.


    Grace released him. "Thank you, though. I know you only did it because you care."


    "Ha..." Pez nodded as he took a deep breath. "By the way, why is Zain on the ground?"


    Grace glanced back at him. "He fell."


    "Is that what the yell was?"


    "Yes..." Grace tried to keep herself calm as she thought about the kiss again, but she couldn''t stop herself from blushing.


    Pez pressed his hand to her forehead. "Your cheeks are red. Do you have a fever?"


    "No... I''m probably dehydrated." Grace could feel Zain looking over at her with a triumphant smirk. "I haven''t had anything to drink since we got back."


    Grr... Grace''s hands flew to her stomach, and Pez laughed.


    "It always knows the best moments to do that at. Oh!" Pez finally remembered why he was allowed to see her. "Roger has stabilized for now. He''s still asleep, but you can visit him if you want. I''ll tell Mary to whip something up for you."


    "Okay, thank you." Grace watched him leave and then closed the door.


    "Still blushing, are you?" Zain snickered.


    "Oh, be quiet," Grace huffed and wandered into her walk-in closet, closing the door behind her.


    "Do you want me to come with you?''


    "Come with me where?"


    "To see Roger."


    "..."


    "It might be hard to see him in that condition."


    He has a point, but would I really want to bring him in there? "I''ll... I''ll be fine." Grace came out with a change of clothes and a towel. "But I think I''ll take a shower before I see him." She headed into the bathroom.

 Chapter 39

    In the shower, she stood underneath the showerhead with her eyes closed as warm water beaded down on her.


    Memories of all the gunfights, kidnappings, and of both Samuel Russo and the two men who put her in a cage, all ran through her mind, and she shuddered. "Ha..." I''m a cop; I should be used to all this random crap by now. I should be used to the danger and dealing with criminals.


    An image of Roger being taken away as he was passed out played through her mind, and she dropped to her knees.


    What if he doesn''t survive? I was ready to leave with him to settle all this, but his family fell apart, anyway. Everything fell apart because I went there.


    Knock, knock.


    "You''ve been in there a while. Are you okay? I don''t want you passing out in the bath again," Zain called out to her from the other side of the door.


    "I''m fine," Grace replied, not wanting him to burst in again.


    Figuring Zain would keep checking on her if she stayed any longer, Grace quickly scrubbed herself clean and hopped out of the shower. She dried herself off, wrapped a towel around herself and reached for another towel for her hair.


    Her foot slipped on the water.


    "Ah!" she yelped as she fell back, landing on the ground hard. "Ow!"


    "Grace!"


    "I''m fine! Just slipped."


    The door opened.


    Grace stared up at him and clutched her towel as his eyes trailed along her. "I''m certain I locked that door." Grace glared at him.


    "I... I made a key for it in case something happened, like last time."


    "You what?"


    "You could''ve died last time! Drowned in a tub... At least this way I won''t have to break your door down or anything."


    "If someone is going to have that, shouldn''t it be Mary? Hand it over."


    "No." He slipped the key back into his pants pocket. "I''m the one always around you; I''m the one who would need quick access in case something happened. Which it kinda did..." He held his hand out to her.


    "I slipped on some water, that''s all."


    "Don''t brush it off; you''ll probably have a nasty bruise on your butt from this time, but what if you had hit your head?"


    "Why does it feel like you think I''m clumsy or something?"


    Zain shrugged as he fought back a smile. "Come on." He wiggled his hand.


    Grace rolled her eyes and took his hand. He pulled her up, as she kept her other hand on her towel, and her foot slipped again. This time, she face-planted into him.


    "Oof! What were you saying about not being clumsy?" Zain wrapped an arm around her and froze when he noticed he was touching skin, not a towel.


    In her surprise, she accidentally let go of the towel and it slipped down. "Don''t you dare look," she growled at him.


    "But I''m afraid to let go and have you slip again. It''s already happened twice."


    "Zain, let go, or I''ll do something you''re really not going to like."


    He stared up at the ceiling and let out a deep breath as he released her. She snatched her towel and put it back on.


    "I''m fine now, so you should go." She nudged her head towards the door.


    "What if you slip again? I can clean up the floor¡ª" Zain said as she pushed him out the door. "Ha... Probably better I didn''t stay in there," he grumbled and undid a button on his shirt as he waved himself, hoping to cool down.


    Geez, since when do I mess up this much? I must be out of it today, but I guess that makes sense.


    Grace changed and safely came out of the bathroom.


    "Leaving your hair wet? You know there''s a hair dryer in there, right?" Zain pointed back at the bathroom.


    "I know, but I leave it to air dry most of the time."


    "You should at least dry it more with a towel then¡ª"


    "Zain."


    "Yeah?"


    "Thank you for caring so much about me, but I''m going to talk to Roger now."


    "Okay."


    Grace went to leave and stopped when she noticed Zain following her. "What are you doing?"


    "Coming along with you for support."


    "I''ll be fine."


    "Sorry, but I don''t believe you right now, and I think it''ll get worse when you see him."


    "Whatever." Grace rolled her eyes and headed downstairs to their infirmary. The hall had a bunch of people waiting outside, along with several guards by the doors. She forgot to ask Pez which room, but Zain seemed to know, as he passed by her and headed for the second room.


    "Here." Zain held the door open for her.


    "Thanks..." Grace slowly stepped into the room, and her eyes trailed along Roger. He slept with multiple devices hooked up to him, showing his stable vitals, but he looked pale. "Is he just asleep?" She sat down beside Roger and rested her hand on his.


    "For now, yes. I''ll... talk to the doctor; he''s in the next room right now. You can have a moment with Roger. Yell if you need anything," Zain left.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Grace sighed, her shoulders slouching. "Roger... I''ve seen you hurt before, but never on the brink of death like this." She gently combed his bangs back on his sweaty forehead. "I''m sorry I screwed everything up. If I didn''t sneak out and come to you without you even knowing, none of this would''ve happened. And look, I know I was upset about the whole mafia secret, and about you coming after my grandpa, but I still want to be your friend, so please pull through." Grace wiped away a tear. "We''ve been through too much together for you to go out like this."


    She glanced over to make sure the door was closed.


    "And I think you deserve to be the first to know I''ve made my decision on the whole... next mafia leader, and who I''m choosing to date. I don''t know about marriage, and quite frankly, I''d rather wait a long while on that. I know my grandpa wants a marriage, but that part will have to wait. I guess he might still call it a fianc¨¦ announcement, but that can be broken off if it doesn''t work. I know I shouldn''t be loading off on you while you''re unconscious, but... you''re my best friend, Roger, and it''s hard to see you any other way. If it''s too hard to see me and know we''ll only be friends, then you can vanish from my life... but I really wish you wouldn''t. Even going a day without talking to you feels weird."


    Grace let out a long sigh and gripped his hand tighter. I should tell him all that when he''s awake... if he wakes up.


    "Ugh, you better be okay." Grace wiped away a tear, but more fell. "Please be okay... I can''t lose you. Ha..." She sniffled and covered her eyes. "I''m tired of people leaving me."


    Roger''s hand twitched.


    "Roger?"


    He gripped her hand. "Grace..." he mumbled her name and cringed as he opened his eyes. "What... happened?"


    "Oh, gosh." She sniffled. "Um... Should I get the doctor?" She stood and his grip on her hand tightened.


    "Don''t leave, Grace... Tell me what happened." Roger struggled to keep his eyes open as he looked at her.


    "Um..." She took a deep breath and sat back down. "Do you mean you don''t remember the fight your family was having? It seemed like it split into those who wanted to start fresh and those who still wanted revenge¡ª"


    "Not that... You... You were... kidnapped."


    "Oh..." I guess he would''ve been worried about me; I vanished on him after all. "The men who captured me sold me off in that auction house you have underneath the factory, and Vincent bought me to save me. Chaos broke out after that, and I was removed from the premises. I know Zain ran in to help you, and my grandpa ran in after that, but I don''t know who shot you."


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m okay. Now, while I''m glad you woke up and I could talk to you a bit, I think you should rest more. You''re looking quite pale, and those dark circles make you look like a zombie." Grace bit her lip.


    "I''ll be... fine." He laughed and then groaned.


    "I hope so..."


    "Please don''t cry. I can''t wipe away your tears right now... not that I deserve them."


    "Ugh, I can''t help it; seeing you like this is a lot to take in. I''ve lost so many people, and I don''t want to lose you, too."


    "I''ll do my best... to stick around. So, whom did you choose? I just know... it''s not me." He cringed. "And the... next boss..."


    Wait, so he was awake? He heard my ramblings?


    "You deserve to know so..." Grace got up and whispered into his ear her answer.


    The door opened and Zain came back in with a huff. "I think that''s enough alone time." He glared at Roger, who smirked at him. "What''s that look for? And why are you leaning in so close to him?" He hustled over and pulled on Grace''s wrist. "Come on; he needs more rest."


    Grace kissed Roger''s forehead. "I''ll visit you again soon. Promise."


    "You better... Although, I don''t know... what they''ll do with me..." Roger sighed and closed his eyes. He let his grip on her hand ease, and Zain tugged her away.


    "Please get better," Grace mumbled as she left. She let Zain drag her over to the dining room, where he pulled out a chair for her. "Did you come to make sure I didn''t stay with him too long?" She thanked him as she sat down, and he sat beside her.


    "I... I wanted to be in the room with you for support, but with the way you looked at him, I knew you wanted alone time. And yes, I didn''t want you staying too long, so sue me. He''s this family''s enemy¡ª"


    "He''s your cousin."


    "From a family that didn''t want me."


    "Was everything bad with them?"


    Zain''s cheek twitched. "Is anything ever one hundred percent bad? I mean... even I have good memories of the man that beat me. My mother, on the other hand, she was sweet, and I thought she loved me, but she didn''t fight his choice to send me away. My own mother didn''t want me."


    "Are you so sure about that?" Grace poked at the scrambled eggs on her plate. "What if she let you go in hopes you''d have a better life? What if she wanted to get you away from him?"


    "Ha... That''s what the boss said, too. But there''s no way to know the truth, so does it matter now?"


    "Did you lose both of them?"


    "From what I heard, at least. I didn''t go to the funeral, not that they sent me an invite. No one told me what happened either; I just heard it through the grapevine that they were dead."


    "Would you want to find out what happened to them? We both know someone who can find anything."


    "Pez..." Zain shook his head. "No, I don''t want to know. The boss is my family, and the Bertolottiss are my family. And hopefully, you''ll be my family, too."


    "I thought I was a Bertolottis." Grace snickered and Zain ruffled her hair.


    "You know what I mean."


    "Yeah..." Grace stuffed her face with her food as she avoided looking at Zain.


    He couldn''t help but chuckle. "You look so cute right now; like a chipmunk." He poked her full cheek.


    She swatted his hand away, but he just poked her again.


    "Quit that," she mumbled with her mouth full.


    "My, my, when''s the last time I saw you act like this?" Mary chuckled. "Zain, the big, bad underboss of the Bertolottis family, turns into a little boy teasing the girl he likes." She shook her head and set down two plates of apple pie for them.


    "What''s wrong with that?" Zain asked. "Although, I''ll say you have to tweak one word there."


    "Oh?"


    "I''m in love with this strong, capable, and relentlessly stubborn woman." Zain leaned his elbow on the table as he smiled at her.


    "Oh, my." She giggled. "I never thought I''d hear you say something like that. This one here has had his fair share of arm candy, but not once has he ever muttered words of love like that. I don''t think he ever even considered them girlfriends."


    "I haven''t seen him with any women since I got here."


    "Of course not; you''re already enough to handle without any other women here, and in case you forgot, I''m one of the marriage candidates. Not only would the boss have my hide if I were to screw around in this position, but I''m not the kind of man who would do that. Fooling around while single is one thing, but I''d never do that in a relationship. I figure it''s only fair, since I know if my girl two-timed me, I''d kill the other man."


    Grace shuddered. Why is he telling me this?


    "Aren''t you supposed to be trying to win her over, not scare her away?" Mary sighed, shaking her head. "Not that this nice girl would ever cheat, right?"


    "Of course not," Grace grumbled and dug into her dessert. I can barely manage to keep one man, never mind more than that. When was the last time I had a real date?


    "Good, but too bad you seem to attract so many men; your man will have to be good at staying calm and fending them off."


    "Calm?" Zain grumbled. "I''m not always good with that."


    "Learn to be," Mary said and left the dining room.


    Zain leaned in close to Grace. "You are choosing me, right? That kiss in your room must''ve meant something..."


    Grace kept eating as she held back a smirk.


    "Unless you did that with Vincent, too?"


    Grace finished her plate off and stood. "I''m going to relax in my room, and seeing as I''m not in danger anymore, you don''t need to follow me everywhere."


    "That may be so, but I like following you around."


    "What are you, a dog?"


    "If you want me to be." He winked at her.


    Grace was silent as she stared at him for a moment. Is this supposed to be more of his ''showing me he''s serious'' or what?


    "Goodnight, Zain, and thank you for coming to rescue me, and Roger." Grace smiled at him and turned to leave.


    "I''ll run to save you anywhere at any time."


    "I prefer to save myself, but thank you." Grace headed for her room.


    "You have it bad for her, don''t you?" Mary asked as she came back for the dishes.


    "So bad... You have no idea." Zain ran his hand through his hair. "Like a switch flipped, and she was all I could think about."


    "My boy''s all grown up."


    Zain frowned. "I''ve been a man for a long time now."


    "Maybe in age and body, but not maturity." She snickered as she picked up the empty plates. "You''ve matured since she got here, even though it may not seem like it with how you tease her, but I guess love did it."


    "I''ll help." Zain picked up the rest of the plates.


    "See, matured." Mary smiled up at him.

 Chapter 40

    "You have to announce your decision tonight. Are you ready?" Pez asked as he sat on the floor in Grace''s room, staring at his laptop as she lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.


    "I''ve come to terms with my decision, but announcing that in front of a crowd of people... that''s a different story." Grace sighed and rested her forearm over her eyes.


    "You know, I never thought you got all that nervous. You''ve led teams at work, and you''ve been in charge of debriefings and whatnot."


    "I know, but this is different. At work... it''s work! I don''t know how else to put it. Now it''s personal. It''s my future, and the future of the Bertolottis family. This is a lot to have on my shoulders at one time."


    "Agreed, which is why I kept an option for us to run away if need be."


    "Wait, what?" Grace sat up. "What are you talking about? I already told you my plan."


    "But... What if you change your mind? What if he refuses your decision?"


    "I''ve grown to know my grandpa, and I don''t think he''d go against what I want to do." Or at least, I hope he''ll accept it. "This is all an issue of saying it in front of a crowd. I don''t like personal business being passed around like that, and all the stares, and expectations..." Grace waved herself, overheating.


    "Admit it; you''re worried your grandpa will disagree with you."


    Grace glared at him.


    "I know that look; I know I''m right."


    "When are you not right?" Grace threw a pillow at him.


    "Ah! Hey, watch it! My laptop might get hurt." Pez petted his laptop. "Don''t worry; I''ll protect you," he whispered to it.


    "I''m not going to run away from this, from my family¡ª"


    "But a backup plan is always good to have. Even if you ran, it''s not like it has to be forever; just long enough to make another plan or to find a way to sway him to your side."


    "Pretty sure it would look bad on him if I did that."


    "You''ve grown close to this family already?"


    "Yes... He really is my grandpa, Pez; he knows more about my parents than I do. I barely remember them. I''ve missed them so much... my parents and grandparents... It''s been nice to have someone like that again."


    Pez closed his laptop and sat beside her on her bed. He rested his hand on hers on the bed. "You''re making me miss my family. You and Roger are the only ones I have here¡ª"


    "Are you sure? You seem to be getting closer to Zain." Grace snickered.


    "He''s a bully! Okay, most of the time he isn''t, but when it comes to something about you, he is. Like geez... He''s terrifying when he wants something from you! And then he''ll turn around and be buddy-buddy. I don''t know what to think of him."


    "He''s a mix of a teddy bear, and a grizzly bear." Grace couldn''t help but smile. "Both sweet, and rough''n tough. He''s saved me more than once since I got here¡ª"


    "And Vincent? I haven''t had a chance to get to know him. What''s he like?"


    "Mature¡ª"


    "Unlike Zain."


    Grace laughed. "He has his moments. Vincent is... I don''t know how to describe him. He''s unlike anyone else. And when I say he''s mature, I mean well beyond his years. He somehow seems to know how to balance what he wants, and what others want. And somehow, he sees things that others don''t."


    "Sounds wise and mysterious."


    "Yeah, those are probably the best words to describe him. He also has this slight tinge of loneliness to him, but it feels like he keeps it that way on purpose."


    "Sounds kinda like you there."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "At work, you were determined and optimistic, but when I saw you on your own, when no one else was looking, you always had this sad, forlorn look in your eyes. I think it probably feels like that same sadness you exude."


    "Ha... Never thought anyone saw any of my ''pensive'' moments." Grace sighed. "He''s lost a lot of people, too, and he''s had such a big burden on his shoulders for so long, so I don''t think my life can even compare."


    "I think you''d make a good leader if you tried. You''ve done it enough times at work. You know how to rally people together and take control. I think you two have more in common than even I thought. You and Vincent are two peas in a pod, if you ask me."If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I''m not cool enough for that." Grace bumped him with her shoulder.


    "What are you talking about? You''re the coolest girl I know." He bumped her back.


    Knock, knock. "Grace, it''s time to get ready," Mary called to her from the other side of the door.


    "Ugh..." Grace groaned, thinking about the last time she was railroaded into being dressed up for one of the family parties.


    "I heard that." Mary opened the door. "But you know we''re not letting you go to the party dressed in athletic wear." Mary stepped in with a couple of other maids. "Pez." Mary held a lollipop up to him. "It''s time to go."


    "She''s already got you pegged?" Grace''s jaw dropped.


    "Yes; Mary''s found my weakness." Pez gave her a quick hug and rushed for his lollipop.


    Mary held it away when he reached for it. "You have to get ready for the party, too."


    "Wait, what?" Pez froze. "You''re forcing me to go?"


    One of the butlers appeared in the doorway. "Please come with me."


    Pez swallowed hard and inched away from the butler, leering down at him. "Ah!" he yelped as the butler grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.


    "Now, let''s get to work," Mary commanded the other maids.


    Grace stared at herself dolled up in the mirror in a stunning red dress she''d normally only wear while undercover. Her stomach did flips, and she had to fight the urge to vomit at just the thought of announcing her decision in front of everyone.


    "Ugh." Grace shook her hands out and took a few deep breaths. I have to go through with this. No turning back now. I''ve made my decision!


    Knock, knock.


    "It''s open," Grace called out.


    "You look beautiful," Ray said as he approached her.


    "Thanks."


    "So much like your mother."


    "So, what are you doing here?" Grace turned to face him.


    "I''m here to escort you to the party."


    "Afraid I''ll try to run or something?"


    "No, I just wanted the honour of escorting you to the party."


    Grace smiled. "If I end up getting married, you''ll walk me down the aisle then, right?"


    "If? I know this is more of an engagement, and announcing the next leader, but you think it will work out with one of the boys, right? I wasn''t going to wait long before planning the wedding."


    She raised an eyebrow. "You''re going to plan it?"


    "With help, yes. I want to make sure everything is perfect for you. There won''t be a detail I haven''t watched over."


    "Thanks for that, grandpa, but how about you give me time to date my choice first?"


    "But..." He held his hand over his heart. "What if I don''t live long enough?"


    "You''re the healthiest old man I''ve ever met."


    He fought back a smile and failed. "But what if I fall ill soon? Health can change fast."


    "Grandpa, you''re not allowed to leave me soon. You need to live a long, long life for me, okay?"


    He got misty eyed. "Gracey... Of course. How can I say no to that? I''ll stick around as long as possible, but please don''t make me wait to walk you down the aisle."


    "You sound like you''re itching to give me away."


    "You''re keeping the Bertolottis name either way, aren''t you? And you''re going to live here, right?"


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "If I marry Vincent, do you think I''d end up staying here? He has his own family ¨C which you want to connect to ¨C and even if he leads both, don''t you think he''d rather stay in his own home?"


    "No, no, no." Ray shook his head. "I talked to him before even making him an official candidate: The families would combine, and this will be your residence. You two can have hyphenated names if you want, but you are a Bertolottis."


    "You made sure you''d get to keep me around?"


    "Of course; I had to after I foolishly kept my distance from you for so many years." He suddenly had a distant look in his eyes. "We could''ve mourned your parents together. And no matter how much I thought I was protecting you back then, I think my lack of presence in your life led to you being lonely."


    "I was okay while I was with my other grandparents, but they both left me, too."


    "I suppose I should''ve shown up then, but you were an adult, and I was stubborn. I didn''t know what to do."


    "Their deaths didn''t bring you to me, but you wanting a successor did? Grandpa, did you really have to kidnap me and bring me here in such a brutal way?"


    Ray cringed. "The people I had around you found someone stalking you with links to another family; I didn''t have time to wait until everything was ready like I wanted."


    "And pushing for a marriage..."


    "I don''t want you to be alone."


    "But if I have the people here, doesn''t that mean I''m not alone?"


    "Gracey." He petted her head. "I made my decision, and I''m not going back on it. I will give you time to wait and make sure, but I will see you married to the next leader."


    She looked straight into his eyes. "If things work out, then sure, but I won''t marry someone if I can''t see myself in the future with them... in love."


    "Aren''t you already, though?"


    Knock, knock, knock, knock.


    "It''s open!" Grace growled.


    "Sorry!" Pez opened the door. "But I was sent to tell you the party started already, and they want you on stage."


    "Why''d they send you?"


    "Because everyone else is busy."


    "Oh..." Grace took a deep breath.


    "Don''t worry so much, Gracey; I''ll be right there on stage with you, holding your hand." Ray took her hand.


    "You will?"


    "How can I not when you seem so nervous? I''ve seen you go through so much while here and out in the world, but I''ve never seen you quite like this."


    "Ha..." And here I thought I was holding it together pretty well.


    "Come on, you two." Pez pointed at the door.


    "Don''t rush the boss," Ray warned him, and he flinched back.


    "Sorry..."


    "Grandpa," Grace called to him in a warning tone. "You don''t need to scare him."


    "Sorry, Gracey; I can''t help it. I''ve been a mafia leader for decades; being intimidating comes with the territory."


    "It''s okay. I know I need to toughen up." Pez turned his back to them. "I''ll take a while, but eventually I''ll learn to¡ª Ah!" Pez yelped as Grace hugged him from behind.


    "You don''t have to force yourself to change, Pez; you''re great as you are. You can always learn self-defence if you want to ¨C from me, of course ¨C but if you don''t want to, call me, and I''ll run to save you. Always."


    "Thanks, Grace. I probably should learn some self-defence, since you won''t always be able to save me."


    "Pez, while in this house, you are safe," Ray assured him. "I know there are a lot of scary people here, but most of them are good people, and they won''t go against my word. You''re one of us, which means we''ll protect you, not hurt you."


    "Thank you, Boss." Pez bowed to him. "Also, Mary said don''t make her have to come back here."


    Ray exchanged a look with Grace and held his arm out to her. "Enough gasbagging for now."


    "Yeah, we wouldn''t want Mary to get mad or this house will fall apart."

 Chapter 41

    "The lady of the hour has arrived with the Bertolottis boss, Raymond!" one of Ray''s men announced on their stage and clapped as he stepped aside.


    Grace kept her arm wrapped around Ray''s as he escorted her onto the stage. Her eyes swept across the crowd ¨C which seemed larger than the first time ¨C and spotted both Vincent and Zain among them. Vincent smiled and lifted his glass up to her. Zain stood rigid with his arms crossed and eyes trained on her.


    "Thank you all for joining us on this important night," Ray addressed the crowd. "No matter the choice, I will accept it. Vincent and Zain are both great men, but if they hurt my Gracey, I will make them pay," Ray said with a smile.


    The crowd whispered among themselves, some praising Ray, while others felt bad for Vincent and Zain.


    "Your turn," Ray whispered to Grace and kissed the top of her head.


    "I''ve... I''ve been through a lot since I came here. I''ve made both friends and enemies, and I''ve been in a number of gunfights."


    The audience chuckled.


    "I''ve gotten to know some amazing people, even if we didn''t start off on the right foot." She glanced at Zain and bit her lip before continuing. "Umm..." She took a deep breath, and Ray squeezed her hand. "Vincent..."


    Zain''s shoulders slouched, and he turned away, making his way through the crowd.


    "You''re an amazing man, wise beyond your years, and I''d love for our families to be allies, but I''m sorry, I''ve chosen Zain."


    Vincent raised his wineglass to her. "And great allies we will be. I look forward to working with you."


    "Zain..." Her eyes went over to where he was. "Where did he go?" she whispered to Ray.


    "He tried to leave when you said Vincent''s name," a familiar voice called out to her.


    Her eyes widened when she saw Roger standing off to the side in the back with a hand on Zain''s shoulder as he froze.


    "Zain," Grace called out to him again. "You''re rowdy and stubborn, and you have a way of getting under my skin, but you''re also sweet and caring, and I want to give us a chance. And hopefully, in the future, you can be beside me as I become the new leader of the Bertolottiss." Her eyes flickered over to her grandpa as the crowd gasped.


    Vincent nodded as he took a drink. "Definitely worthy of being a mafia queen."


    Ray stared into her eyes for a moment. "Is this... what you truly want?"


    Grace nodded. "I''ve been thinking about it for a while now, and while I might be kinda green here, I think I can use the family to do good."


    "We''re a crime family."


    "But sponsoring the orphanage is a good thing. Controlling the drugs can be good, though maybe I''ll keep my hands out of that one. Helping women find better relationships and helping them get away from their past is something I can''t really do as a cop. I don''t know if you''d trust me to run the family, but I think I can do it."


    "You were such a moral cop, though."


    "And I''ve learned that I can still help people while here, possibly even help more people. I know it''s not in the same way, and I have no intention of messing with your ''protection'' money and whatnot, but I can still do a lot of good."


    "I see..."


    "Grandpa?" Grace could feel everyone''s eyes on her as they waited with bated breath.


    "I think she can do it." Zain popped up behind Grace and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.


    "Oh!" She glanced back at him, and he smiled at her. When did he get up on stage?


    "Yeah, go get yer girl!" someone in the audience yelled, spurring on more cheering.


    "Well, if you''re by her side, Zain, then I suppose it could work. You''ll need some training before you can take over." Ray kissed the back of her hand. "If you''re sure that''s what you want, then it''s yours."


    Grace felt Zain''s grip on her tighten, assuring her he''d be there, and she nodded. "I''m sure."


    "Then..." Ray turned back to the audience and brought his microphone up to speak. "Friends and family, I''d like to officially announce that my granddaughter, Grace, will be the heiress to both my fortune, and my title as the Bertolottis boss."


    "You''ll... you''ll accept me?"


    "Of course; you''re my granddaughter, and I love you. Plus, I think you''d make a good boss, but you might need a little help."


    "You''ll be around for years to help, right?"


    Ray ignored Zain as he cupped Grace''s head in his hands. "Of course; I''ll stick around for a long time." He kissed her forehead. "Because I have someone precious who wants me here."


    "Aw!" Multiple people in the crowd swooned. Everyone there already liked Raymond, but seeing him with Grace made his popularity go through the roof. How could the mobster who used to rule with an iron fist turn into a softie?


    "And I suppose I should congratulate the two of you." Ray motioned for a server to give the three of them a glass of wine each. "To your engagement." He held up his glass, and the audience followed suit.


    "Congratulations!" the audience cheered.


    "Engagement? I said I''d¡ª"


    "Give it up," Zain whispered into her ear. "You''re mine now, fianc¨¦e," he said in a low growl, and she shuddered.


    "We''ll see about that..."


    Zain chuckled. "You make it sound like you weren''t the one who chose me, but you are, and you did it in front of everyone." He kissed her cheek. "I can''t believe after what happened in your room that you''d make me think you were choosing Vincent, after all."


    "What happened in her room?" Ray set the microphone down and turned back to them, his eyes narrowed and focused on Zain.


    "Uh..." Zain swallowed hard and backed away, taking Grace with him. "Nothing."


    Ray stepped towards them. "What have you done to my granddaughter?"


    "Nothing!"


    "I don''t believe you one bit." Ray pointed a stern finger at him.


    "Um, didn''t you want me to date them?" Grace asked, confused by his sudden change in behaviour.


    "Yes, but I didn''t want you two to be intimate yet. I wanted you to at least have a wedding date set beforehand."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Sorry, grandpa, but you don''t get to choose that."


    "What? Why are you making it sound like we went all the way or something?" Zain finally released her. "We didn''t, Boss; I assure you."


    "Are you saying you haven''t put your hands on her in a lustful way?"


    "Crap," Zain cursed under his breath, knowing he couldn''t lie to Ray. "That''s a completely different question." Zain''s back hit the wall.


    "Is it, really? Doesn''t one lead to the other?"


    "I guess... Damn it, Boss; I thought you wanted us to be together?!" Zain took off running, and the crowd laughed as Ray chased him.


    Such a complicated person. "Please enjoy the party," Grace said into the microphone and got off stage. "Ha..." Some of these people are familiar, but I still have a long way to go if the boss is supposed to know them all.


    "Are you doing okay?" Roger asked.


    Grace turned to him. "Shouldn''t I be asking you that? I''m surprised you''re up and about already, considering the bullet wound."


    "Still hurts... and hurts to walk, but I couldn''t miss your big day." He forced a small, bittersweet smile.


    "Roger..." Just looking at his pale face and injured body made her want to weep. "I''m sorry."


    "For what?"


    "You know..." She looked around the room full of people.


    "For being a Bertolottis? You can''t help that. For my failed revenge plot? At the rate I was going, and with how they turned on me, that wouldn''t have worked out either way. For choosing Zain over me? I''m a little bitter about that, but according to your grandpa, I wasn''t an option. Maybe if I had approached him in differently, I could''ve been an option, so this is on me, not you." Roger winked at her. "Aw, come on." He nudged her. "I''m alive, you''re alive; we''re not doing that bad right now."


    "But what''s going to happen to you? Quite frankly, I''m surprised they let you come to this event... or out of that room at all." Figured they''d put you back in the basement cell if anything.


    "Yeah, I''m surprised about that, too. Your grandpa has been visiting me regularly and talking through everything. About the Kuros family and what happened. About you."


    "Me?"


    "He had a lot of questions about you. He wants to know you better, and he''s enjoyed my stories about you."


    "Oh, no... You didn''t."


    "I did." Roger snickered. "He knows some of your most embarrassing moments."


    "Roger!"


    "Sorry, but it helped me get on his good side."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "It means he''s open to giving me options. The Kuros who wanted revenge are being dealt with, but the rest of us have two options. We either join the Bertolottiss or leave town."


    "Wait, what? He wants you guys to join us? Isn''t that taboo in the mafia world?"


    "He''s Ray Bertolottis; he can do whatever he feels like."


    "How about we talk more away from this noisy crowd?" Grace nudged her head towards the balcony.


    "Sure; I could use some fresh air."


    Grace held onto his arm as they headed through the doors to the balcony. She leant on the railing and took a deep breath of cool, fresh air. "Have you decided what you want to do?" Grace asked.


    "I''m..." Roger gazed at her sadly as she stared at the sky. "I''m not sure what I should do. I don''t know if I could be a part of the Bertolottis family."


    "Why not? Zain''s here, so you already have a blood relative around, and more might join."


    "Really?" Roger sighed, shaking his head. "You always were clueless about this kind of thing."


    "Clueless?" She frowned at him, her brows furrowed. "About what?"


    "Ha... You''re here, Grace." He finally turned away from her to stare into the distance.


    "Shouldn''t that be a reason to stay? Pez is here too, so the three best friends can stay together."


    "I don''t know if I can stay when I know I''ll have no chance to be with you."


    "Of course, we''ll hang out..." she trailed off when she noticed his expression. "You don''t mean as friends, do you?"


    "No. I''ve been in love with you since the day you saved me during training."


    "Isn''t that the first day we met? Oh..."


    "Exactly."


    "You never said anything."


    "Ha... I actually tried to a bunch of times, but you never noticed, Miss Oblivious. Even when I thought I was being direct, you always thought I was joking or meant as friends. I love you, Grace, so it might be better for me to stay away from you."


    "But... You''re my best friend, Roger."


    He nodded. "It goes both ways, but it''ll hurt to see you with him all the time. It was one thing when you were single and never seemed to even have an interest in dating, but now you''re engaged. There''s a high probability of you ending up with him, and I don''t think I''m prepared to watch it happen."


    Grace could feel her tears welling up.


    "I have to ask... that day you showed up at the factory, were you prepared to leave with me?"


    "Yes... We would''ve left the city together and stayed away from the families, and hopefully, stopped the fighting. Things didn''t go as planned, though." She sniffled and wiped her eyes.


    "It probably wouldn''t have worked."


    "Why?"


    "They''d chase you. Those men came back to save me, not because they had any particular feelings for me, but because they didn''t want you to be sad. They know what I mean to you, so they put themselves in the middle of a gunfight to save me. There''s no way those two would''ve sat back and let us run away. It was a nice thought, though; you and me starting again in a new town where no one knows us."


    "Is that your plan now? Have you decided?"


    "It''s my only option now, isn''t it? If I''m not joining the Bertolottiss, I have to leave this town and not come back."


    "You can''t even visit? So I''ll never... see you again once you leave?"


    "I''m sorry."


    "Ugh... How can I lead a family if I can''t even stand one person leaving me? I''m going to ruin this family and be seen as weak for these tears, right?" She kept wiping them away, but they kept coming back with no end in sight.


    "Grace..." Roger knew Zain would slug him if he saw, but he couldn''t help but reach out to her. He pulled her in for a hug. "I''m sorry," he whispered. "I can''t stay here."


    "I don''t want to lose you." She buried her face in his chest.


    "I''ll be alive, somewhere else."


    "But I won''t see you, and from... the way it sounds. Ha... It sounds like you''ll never talk to me again, either."


    "I''m sorry," he whispered his apologizes to her again. "But now that you know how I feel, and I have no chance at all, I don''t know how to keep seeing you¡ª"


    "At least be a pen pal or text pal. Whatever, just don''t cut me out completely. I need you." She clung to his back as she cried harder.


    "I''m not leaving yet."


    Soon enough. The lump in her throat stopped her from saying any more.


    A sudden chill ran through Roger''s spine, and he looked at the door leading inside where a daunting figure stood glaring at them. He swallowed hard and hugged Grace tighter.


    The door opened. "What''s going on here?" Zain asked.


    "Um... This is a private moment. Can you come back later?" Roger waved his hand to shoo him away.


    "Excuse me? That''s my fianc¨¦e, you''re hugging." Zain stepped towards them and kicked the doors closed behind him.


    "She was my friend long before you came into the picture, and she''s not feeling well right now."


    Zain finally noticed Grace''s sniffles and quiet crying, though he couldn''t see her face yet. "What happened?" All the tension released as he stepped towards them.


    "I made my decision." Roger knew that Zain knew about his options.


    "I see. I guess I won''t be seeing you around here for much longer."


    "Wow, you actually don''t seem happy about that. When we were talking the other day, I was sure you''d be happy to have me gone."


    "What?" Grace finally pulled away from him and glared at Zain with her tear-stricken face. "Did you push him to leave?"


    "What? No! I know what he means to you; I wouldn''t¡ª"


    "But you''ve also shown how jealous you can get, which would mean you don''t want him around, right?"


    Zain scratched the back of his head. "Look, I''m up for whatever makes you happy. If you two make sure to keep a little physical space between you, then I''m fine with him staying." He''d prefer Roger leave, but his feelings about it weren''t important to him when it came down to it. He looked straight into her eyes. "I didn''t tell him to leave, okay?"


    Grace nodded and turned back to Roger, pouting.


    "Man, Grace, you''re purposely making this hard on me, aren''t you?" Roger sighed. She rarely got this emotional. He''d only seen her this bad one time before, early on in her career, when her grandparents passed away. "I put a lot of thought into this, and I have to leave. You know why, Grace, and crying won''t get me to change my mind."


    "I''m not... crying because I want to... Ugh..." Grace turned away from both of them. "You know I hate crying, but I can''t seem to stop right now."


    "I think it''s all just finally catching up to you." Roger gripped her shoulder. "Knowing you, you haven''t dealt with all... or many of your emotions at all since coming here."


    "Ugh, this isn''t about my grandpa, or how I got here. I''m fine with this place. They''re my family now. It''s you, Roger; how do I get used to my best friend being gone?"


    Roger swallowed hard and took a step back. "Slowly... and one step at a time. It''ll be hard at first, but eventually, you''ll be used to living without me, and I you. Ah!" Roger yelped as he was smacked in the back of his head. He turned and his eyes widened, then the others noticed too that Ray had joined them.


    "Why are you making my Gracey sad?" Ray asked, looming over Roger.


    "Crap... I decided¡ª"


    "I know what you decided, but from what I heard, you''re not going to talk to her after you leave, are you?"


    "Well, how am I supposed to¡ª"


    "You pick up a phone. You call, text, or even video chat, but what you don''t do, is leave my Gracey in tears," Ray growled at him, and both he and Roger flinched back.


    "What do you want me to do? You don''t think I want to break down in tears, too? She''s my best friend; I''m going to miss her more than any of you will ever know, but I have to go, and talking with her will make it harder to move on."


    "Don''t you think it''s cruel to turn your back on your friend like that? I thought you were as close as family? I thought you were a true mafia member, and we don''t turn our back on family."


    "We all know that''s not true." Zain sighed, thinking about his parents.


    "That situation was different, and you know it."


    "By the way, where''d Grace go?" Zain asked. He didn''t see her leave, but seemingly, neither did Ray nor Roger.

 Chapter 42

    "Ugh." Grace had slipped out behind the guys while they were distracted. She kept her head down and wiped away her tears as they finally eased back, but she knew her eyes would be red and anyone could tell she''d been crying. "Oof!" Grace ran into someone. "Sorry." She side-stepped, but so did they. "Ah-ha... Sorry again." She stepped to the side once more, and they followed. "Are you doing this on purpose?"


    "Yes, because I can tell something is wrong."


    Vincent...


    "I need to go, so please don''t move. Eep!" Grace yelped when he grabbed her arms and pulled her out into the hall with him. "What are you doing, Vincent?"


    "The woman of the hour is trying to run away with her head down like this, and she''s refusing to look up at me. I can only assume you''ve been crying." Vincent backed her up to a wall and placed his hands against it on both sides of her as he leaned in close. "Look at me, Grace."


    "Ugh... No."


    "Do I need to make you?" he whispered into her ear.


    "Let it go, Vincent."


    "No."


    "Why not?" she growled.


    "Because I''m worried about you."


    "Why?"


    "Because I care. Why else? Do I really need a reason to worry about someone? Are we not close enough to worry about each other?"


    "I guess..."


    "And I may have told you to go after Zain, but if things aren''t working out already, I''d welcome you with open arms."


    Grace sighed and looked up at him. She scrunched back a little when she finally realized how close he really was. "This had nothing to do with Zain, actually."


    "No? Then what are the tears about?" Vincent gently ran his thumb under her eye. "You''re supposed to be the proud heiress today, being prepped to be the next leader of the Bertolottiss, are you not?"


    "Yes, but apparently I''m going to lose my best friend soon. I never thought he''d want to completely cut me out of his life."


    "So he decided not to stay? A shame..." Vincent trailed off in thought.


    "You knew about the ultimatum? How much do you know?"


    "More than you can imagine." He lightly tapped her nose. "My family specializes in information."


    "This is where you ran off to..." Zain grumbled as he saw Vincent looming over Grace. "Always with other men. How am I going to survive this?" Zain took a deep breath and approached them.


    "I''ll warn you now, Kuros, treat her well, or I''ll come with different intentions." Vincent backed away from her. "I have someone to talk to now. I''ll see you another time." He winked at her and walked away.


    "Why''d you leave?" Zain asked as he approached her.


    "I couldn''t stand you all arguing. Besides, I want to be alone right now."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He lightly touched her hand. "I don''t want to leave you alone. I don''t think alone time is a good thing under the circumstances. Time to think and ruminate on your feelings has a tendency to make one feel even worse. I was also hoping we could start this relationship on a high note."


    "If you''re asking me to go back in, I''d rather not."


    "I''m not one for big crowds. I''d rather we have some time for just us¡ª"


    "I''m not in the mood for romance."


    "How about for some pampering, Mafia Queen?"


    Grace shook her head, a small smile playing on her face. "You don''t have to call me that. I''m nothing like a queen, anyway."


    "I don''t know about that. A badass who kicks butt, runs into danger to save people, and who''s rocking that dress right now; you sure seem like a queen to me." He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. "Would you like to cuddle up on the couch in your room, my queen?"


    "Stop calling me that!" Grace laughed.


    "But it''s your position now, isn''t it?"


    "I''m not taking over yet."


    "Soon enough. Boss man will stick around for a long time, but he probably won''t wait as long as you think he would before giving you his position."


    "You''ll stay as the underboss, right?"


    "Underboss, and hopefully, husband." He tugged her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Damn, you''re beautiful."


    "My makeup is probably running down my face, and all smudged right now."


    "And yet you''re still gorgeous and make me want to whisk you away. On that thought, maybe I should. Boss man can handle the party, and we could use some time together."


    Grace clunked her forehead against Zain''s. "As much as I''m enticed by you, I''m too tired and want to rest."


    "Funny, you''re the one with your head in the gutter instead of me." Zain smirked. "I was suggesting we just cuddle on the couch, remember?"


    Grace froze. Dammit, he did say that, didn''t he? "Oh, shush you... Let''s go." Grace took his hand and led him away up to her room. "I don''t even feel like changing for bed or anything." She plopped down on the couch.


    "I could help you with that."


    "Ha ha... Don''t you dare try something like that, mister... yet."


    "Yet? Interesting." He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her over to lean against him. "I''m definitely looking forward to my future together with you."


    Grace kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for not punching him."


    Zain smirked. "I can hold back most of the time. Besides, he''s injured."


    "So are you."


    "True, but he''s a lot worse off. I''ll be better in no time at all." He trailed his fingers down to the tip of her chin and lifted it up. "Are you sure you only want to cuddle?" he whispered. "That look in your eyes is ready to devour me."


    She lightly pushed on his chest and chuckled. "Quit teasing me; we''re not going too far tonight. I''m tired."


    "How about we start with a kiss and see how it goes?" Zain leaned in close.


    Their lips lightly brushed, and then she leaned into it, and he knew he had her. His arm around her waist, he pulled her close as they kissed and leaned back on the couch. In an instant, he flipped them over so he was on top.


    "Oh!" Grace didn''t have long to be surprised, distracted by his hands trailing along her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. His hand found the edge of her dress, and he slowly slid his hand along her bare skin. "Mmm..."


    Knock, knock.


    "Ignore it," Zain mumbled and continued.


    Knock, knock.


    "Gracey, you''re in there, right?" Ray asked as he knocked again.


    Zain got off her immediately and cursed under his breath. "Worse timing ever." He helped her stand and fixed her clothes. He looked her over. "Good to go." He smacked her butt, and she gasped. "Oops... I didn''t think that through." He backed away from her with his hands up.


    "Whatever; I don''t have time to deal with you." Grace opened her door. "Grandpa, what''s up?"


    "I should be asking you that." Ray glanced past her at Zain. "You left without saying anything to me. Are you feeling alright?"


    "Yes, just a bit overwhelmed and tired."


    "It was a big night for you, and I was hoping you''d stick around the party for a little while, but I don''t want you too worn out. Zain," Ray called out to him. "You don''t need to be a bodyguard right now, and I could use some assistance at the party."


    "Uh... I was kinda..." Zain trailed off under Ray''s glare. "I''m coming." He groaned and headed for the door. "Goodnight, Grace."


    "Goodnight, Gracey." Ray hugged her.


    As soon as Ray turned, Zain pulled her flush against him and kissed her.


    "Ow!" Zain yelped as Ray grabbed his ear. "What''s the deal, Boss? Nothing wrong with a kiss goodnight, right? Ah, Boss!" Zain looked back at Grace as he was dragged away.


    "Ho..." Grace let out a deep breath and touched her lips.


    I definitely made the right choice.

 Chapter 43

    "We probably should''ve done this before, but now that you will be taking over as boss, you need to know all our members. We have ones outside of town, and other''s that don''t live here, but these are the ones who I could gather on short notice," Ray explained to Grace as they stood in front of a long line of men going down both sides of the path to the Bertolottis estate.


    Grace had seen many of them in passing, but never realized how many there were.


    How is this only a part of them? And most of them are capos! I guess when they said the Bertolottis family was big, they weren''t kidding.


    They went along, greeting each one individually. Some were nervous, others bored, and some were even excited to meet her. Ray had boasted to them about her in the past, even when she didn''t know about him.


    Once they finished, they headed back inside the mansion.


    "I''m good with names and faces, but I think that was too many at once for even me." Grace sighed, rubbing her eyes.


    "Don''t worry about it too much; you''ll have more chances to interact with them in the future." Ray patted her on the back.


    "And they''re not going to be mad if I don''t remember their names? You know, if you give me some sort of member record with names and pictures, I can memorize that."


    Ray laughed. "You''re such a diligent worker, aren''t you? I can give you that, but I''d rather you spend time getting to know them personally, rather than reading their profiles. Don''t worry, Gracey; either Zain or I will be with you to remind you who they are. They know we''re big, and you''re new, so they won''t be insulted."


    Grace stretched out her arms and looked around the lobby. "So, what''s next for you to teach me?"


    "We don''t have to rush it. How about we take a break for now? I have a few business calls to make."


    "Um, shouldn''t I join you with that sort of thing to learn?"


    "I can see the wheels turning, Gracey; you''re still trying to memorize the men. One thing at a time, okay?"


    "Okay." Grace nodded.


    "Good." He kissed her forehead and looked around. "Where''s your tail?"


    "Tail? You mean Zain? He said he had something to do today."


    "That''s odd... He''s always hovering around you, even more so since you chose him."


    "I''ll go check on Pez and... Roger. It''s not long until he leaves here, is it?"


    "Probably not, but you have to respect his wishes. One day, maybe he''ll come back around, and you two can be best friends again."


    Grace sighed, her shoulders slouching. "It doesn''t sound like that''s going to happen."


    "You never know." He squeezed her shoulder and headed to his office.


    What can I do?


    She walked mindlessly until her feet led her to Roger''s room. She stared at the door for a while, wishing to talk to him, but not sure what to say.


    Knock, knock.


    Grace waited a minute. When he didn''t answer, she knocked again, her ear against the door, listening for any sound of movement.


    "Roger? I''m coming in..." She opened the door to his room to find it empty. The bed was empty. No flowers she had brought for him. No extra set of clothes sitting on the dresser nearby.


    Nothing but an empty bed.


    "Roger?" Grace slowly walked in and looked for any sign of his being there. She rushed out to double-check and make sure it was the right room.


    No one was in the hall guarding him, and it was the right room.


    With slow, unsteady steps, she entered again and sat on the bed. "Ha... Where''d you go?"


    I wasn''t ready for you to leave yet.


    She pulled out her phone and called Roger. It went straight to voicemail, so she called Pez.


    "What''s up?" Pez asked as he answered, and she could hear him eating a lollipop.


    "Roger''s gone. Do you know where he is? He didn''t say goodbye or anything."


    "..."


    "Pez?"


    "He saw me before he left."


    "Is that so?" But he didn''t say anything to me... Why? I at least deserve a goodbye. She pressed on the bridge of her nose as she tried to hold back her emotions.


    "He didn''t tell me where he was going or what he was going to do, but he left a letter for you."


    "He did?"


    "Yeah... I''m sorry I didn''t tell you right away."


    "Um... I''ll come for my letter, I guess. Are you in your room?"


    "No, actually; I''m setting up all the new equipment the boss let me order, and I''m setting up my cave. I''m in the basement."


    "Isn''t the basement just full of cells? And I thought you wanted out of the basement?"


    "I thought I did until I saw this place. It''s huge! And the equipment he let me buy... It''s way better than what we had as cops. So top of the line, I''m in love. You have to see it. Just use the staircase on the other side, and it''ll lead to my cave. I''ll leave the door open for you. See you soon." Pez hung up before she could say anything.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "I guess I''ll see you soon." Why leave me a letter?


    Grace had to poke around to find where the entrance to the stairs was hiding behind one of the mass of doors. This place is too big. She made her way down and the door was open like Pez said it was.


    "Welcome!" Pez cheered, swivelling around on his new chair.


    He hadn''t finished setting everything up, but he had a super computer with more than a dozen monitors and multiple keyboards.


    "Watch this." Pez hit a button hidden under his desk and a door in the back that looked like a bare wall, opened.


    "A secret room?"


    "I made my own panic room. If anything happens, I can hide in there. It''s not finished yet, but I''ll have everything I need to survive for an entire month. As one of my closest friends, you are welcome to use it as well."


    "Hiding isn''t my way."


    "I know, but just in case, I figured it''d be best if you knew it was there."


    "Thank you, Pez..." Grace trailed off when she saw the letter sitting off to the side in his desk.


    "It''ll be so much more awesome when I''m done, but even in its current state, I''m so elated!" Pez spun around on his chair again. "I''m in heaven. By the way, I knew your grandpa was loaded, but this... Damn! He literally let me buy whatever I wanted for my cave!"


    "Congrats, Pez; your dream came true."


    Pez followed her gaze. "Ha..." He sighed and picked up the letter. "I know; I miss him, too."


    "At least you got to see him before he left. I didn''t get the same courtesy."


    "Come on, Grace; you know why. It''s easier to say goodbye to me than you; he''s not in love with me. I mean, we love each other as close friends, but it''s not the same thing you two have."


    "Had."


    "Grace... He''s not dead."


    "But he doesn''t want to see me again, so he might as well be. I won''t know anything that''s going on with him. I won''t know if he''s okay. I won''t know if he ends up married or having kids... Nothing. No going drinking after work¡ª"


    "You''re not a cop anymore."


    "We could''ve still gotten together after a hard day or something."


    Pez fiddled with the letter. "We both know how he feels about you, but from what I can tell, you still don''t see him that way."


    "No." I don''t think I can. "But he was still my best friend. I didn''t want to lose him."


    "I wish I could help, but there was no changing his mind. Trust me; I tried. You don''t have to read whatever''s in here if you don''t want to. I can hold on to it¡ª"


    "Gimme." Grace snatched the letter and carefully opened it and then hesitated to pull the letter out.


    "You can sit on the couch over there as you debate with yourself." Pez directed her towards a couch in front of a seventy-two inch TV.


    Grace nodded and sat down while still staring at the letter. After a few minutes, she swallowed hard and opened the letter. A photo fell to the floor by her feet. She recognized it right away.


    It was a photo of their party after their first big bust. She had a copy of the same picture already, though it was in her locker at the police department. She hadn''t noticed it before, but in the picture, he was looking at her instead of the camera.


    Grace,


    I''m sorry I left without saying anything to you. I know you deserve better, but it would hurt too much to say goodbye to you. I''m not even sure I''d have the nerve to leave after saying goodbye, anyway.


    I don''t want you to cry over this. I know you hate crying, and I hate being a source of your tears, especially when I''m not there to brush them away, but I had to go.


    I have to move on.


    I have to move on from my revenge against the Bertolottiss, and I have to move on from you.


    I''ve loved you for so long now, and I think I knew years ago you''d never love me back. Not in the same way, at least. I kept holding onto hope that you''d change your mind and see me in a different light one day, but with your engagement to my cousin, I don''t have much hope left there.


    I know it''s not fair to you. You didn''t do anything wrong.


    I need to have space away from you. I need to move on with my life, and if you''re beside me the whole time, I''ll want to keep holding onto that hope that you''d change your mind one day.


    Zain, he''s... Well, he''s bull-headed and sometimes an idiot, but he cares about you enough to save me, so I guess I can''t really bad-mouth him here. If he ever does something stupid like hitting you, I hope you give it to him ten times worse, like I know you can.


    Stay strong, Grace, and live a good life.


    Be happy.


    And try not to get into too much trouble.


    Your BFF no matter the time and distance,


    Roger


    Grace''s tears dripped onto the letter. She sniffled as she wiped away her tears.


    Pez picked up the photo from the ground and petted her head. "What did he say?" Grace handed him the letter. "You don''t mind if I read it?"


    She shook her head no.


    He read through the letter and felt himself tear up. "Man, why didn''t he just say this to you directly instead of in a letter?" He sniffled. "Ugh, I mean, I know why, but so harsh. Even I''m ready to cry."


    Grace glanced up at him, and she spotted something on the back of the photo. She plucked it from his hand to read.


    I''ll always love you.


    "What the hell?" Grace cried harder and showed Pez the message. "If you''re going to love me anyway, why not be beside me?!"


    "I think the temptation would be too much." Pez pulled out a tissue and blew his nose. "Ha, I didn''t expect to get so emotional again."


    "Again? Did you cry when he said goodbye to you?"


    Pez''s lip quivered. "I''ll refrain from answering that question."


    Which is as good as answering it, but I can''t blame him.


    "Ugh." Grace rubbed her face and slapped her cheeks lightly, hoping to snap herself out of it. "I can''t keep crying over him. I need to distract myself somehow."


    "You can help me set up some more things."


    "Are you sure about that? I don''t want to break anything..."


    "I wasn''t talking about anything tech related, but rather my panic room. There''s a lot of work to be done there."


    "Oh, that..." Grace hummed as she thought about it. "Might work as a good distraction, but shouldn''t we have an expert help us out?"


    "I have everything planned out perfectly, with every detail written down; we just need to follow the plan. Easy, right?"


    "Sure..."


    "I thought you said this would be easy?" Grace yelled as she blocked her face from the water gushing out of a burst pipe.


    "I don''t know what we did wrong!" Pez went to look back over his plans. "This shouldn''t be happening! No, no, no! I can''t let any of this water out of the room. All my new toys can''t handle this much water."


    The water suddenly stopped.


    "What''d you do?" Pez asked.


    "I didn''t do anything."


    "What are you two doing? Don''t you know to turn off the water before playing with the lines like that?" Zain asked from the doorway with a huff. "You two are lucky I came along."


    "Where''s the valve for that?" Pez looked around the room.


    "For the whole estate? In the basement storage room. For this place specifically." Zain stepped out of the room and pointed at the panel on the wall. If it wasn''t open, you couldn''t even tell it was there without feeling around for a button. "I expected better from both of you. And why do renovations in here on your own? I knew you were decking it out, but did you completely overhaul it on your own?"


    "I got help from a few guys, but I didn''t want others in here... or knowing about it."


    "Your panic room? More like an apartment, but it was here before you got here. Well, it wasn''t set up as an actual ''panic'' room per se, but it was a basement apartment."


    "Why was it like that in the first place?" Grace asked.


    "For the last tech-head that wanted to live with their computers in this cave. Although I must say you''ve brightened it up down here and have way more equipment."


    "Oh yeah. Why are you down here?"


    Zain took a step down onto the water-filled floor. "I came looking for you. You weren''t in your room, and you didn''t answer your phone. Next place to check is with Pez." He held his hand out to her.


    "Uh, I''m a bit dirty right now, and soaked to the bone."


    "As if I mind a little dirt." Zain took her hand and led her out onto the dry floor above. "Have you been crying? Your eyes are red." Zain lightly touched right below her eyes.


    "I... Uh..."


    "Roger''s gone," Pez said, still looking at his plans.


    "Oh... I see..." Zain thought for a moment. "How about you get cleaned up, and I''ll help our little buddy here fix this?"


    "Cleaned up? There''s still more to do here¡ª"


    "Learn to take a hint, Grace; I want you clean so we can go on a date."


    Her cheeks flushed. "Oh... Pez¡ª"


    "Get going." Pez waved her away. "You deserve some time to relax and go on a date with your fianc¨¦."


    "Um, okay..." She looked up at Zain, and he kissed her on the cheek. "Dress up; we''re going someplace nice," he whispered to her and headed in to help Pez.


    An actual date?

 Chapter 44

    "Why are you fidgeting so much?" Zain asked as Grace shifted herself on the seat once again.


    "Because people are staring at us, and this is such a high-class restaurant." Grace glanced around. Tables were moved away from theirs to give them more space, and a bunch of the tables had other Bertolottis members as guards.


    "You should get used to it; you''re the Bertolottis heiress. Besides, the boss is still worried someone else will cause trouble. When you take over, you can decide how many people you want to bring with you, but for now, that''s his decision. Unless you prefer being stuck inside."


    "I preferred when I could go out on my own, or at least with only one person, not a crew with us."


    "He loves you, that''s all. And I''m injured, so even being the best fighter¡ª"


    "Ahem," Grace cleared her throat.


    "The best fighter aside from you, and I''m not enough to stop him from worrying. In some ways, I''m not sure he''ll ever stop worrying. Considering what''s happened to the rest of his family, I can''t blame him either."


    "I guess... but does it have to be so many? They stand out too much. Don''t we have some women members? We''re surrounded by guys."


    "We do, but these are actually our single members."


    Why does it feel like they''re more disposable or something? What am I thinking? Grandpa doesn''t look at his family members that way, direct blood relation or not.


    "I know what you''re thinking." Zain chuckled. "But these are also the ones who offered themselves up for bodyguard duty."


    "What? Why would so many do that?"


    "They want to be close to the next boss? Much to my chagrin, I''m certain a many of them want to take my position, not that any of them will actually challenge me for it."


    Grace frowned. "They want to marry the next boss?"


    "The next boss who''s hot and in charge." He winked at her.


    "Shouldn''t that upset you? Especially considering how jealous of Vincent and Roger you''ve been."


    "Yes, but you''re mine, and I''m not going to mess this up by being jealous and trying to hide you away or something. I''m not our boss, and while I am a bit possessive, I''m not going to start a war with everyone who ogles you. That is, unless you want me to."


    "Of course not."


    "Then as long as they keep a distance, we''re all good."


    The waiter set down their food in front of them; the plate shaking. "Please enjoy." He gave them a small bow and excused himself.


    Grace raised an eyebrow as she looked at the meal he had ordered for her. Sicilian chicken spaghetti. The same thing she ordered when she went out with her grandpa. The dish her father liked. "This better not be hot."


    "I know; I''m the one who ate your meal last time, remember? This is the non-spicy version."


    "Oh, so I should be able to taste it and not burn my tongue off."


    "Yes."


    "Thank you." Grace dug in. "Mmm! This is good." She nodded in approval.


    Zain smiled as he watched her eat, glad he brought her out.


    After eating their meal and dessert, and talking the whole time, Grace excused herself to use the bathroom.


    Who would''ve thought I could have so much fun even with the guards around?


    "Ha..." Grace sighed and patted her belly. I ate too much.


    "Enjoying yourself?"


    Grace jumped and turned. Her eyes widened as she stared down the barrel of a gun.


    Bang!


    It only took a second for Zain to bolt out of his seat, running to the women''s bathroom where Grace had gone, followed by the other guards.


    "Grace!" Zain yelled as he slammed the door open. He froze at what he saw.


    A dead body on the floor.


    Grace standing with a gun in her hand, staring at the body.


    "You''re okay?" Zain waved the other men away and closed the door behind him.


    Grace didn''t respond; she just stayed staring at the body.


    He stepped around the body and casually slipped the gun out of her hand. "Grace," he whispered her name and gripped her shoulder.


    "I..."


    "What is it? What happened in here?" Zain eyed the gun on the floor by the dead woman. "Or should I just guess she drew on you, and for once, you reacted in kind versus trying to avoid killing?"


    "The look in her eyes... She was determined to kill. I still should''ve shot the gun out of her hand like normal, but I automatically went for a kill shot." She had been quick enough to knock the gun aside at first, but didn''t manage to disarm her.


    "I think it was a kill or be killed moment. You did the right thing, Grace. If you didn''t, that could''ve been you splayed out on the floor. Ha... I guess you''re right about getting a female guard in here."


    "Is it always going to be like this? Will I always have to worry about an enemy popping up and trying to kill me?" This is worse than being a cop... "I thought everything had finally died down. Roger isn''t an enemy anymore, and his family is being dealt with. So, who is this woman?"If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I''m sorry to say, but the boss has made a lot of enemies throughout his lifetime as a mobster. He has made a lot of friends too, though."


    "What are you saying?" Grace finally dragged her eyes away from the dead woman to look at him.


    "It''s not all bad."


    "I know that."


    Zain sighed. "It''s not too late, you know. Are you sure you want to be the next boss?"


    "Yes; I''m not changing my mind there. But I refuse to make this a part of my normal life." She pointed at the body, the bullet straight through the middle of her forehead. "And... I still can''t believe I didn''t hesitate."


    "You have good instincts, Grace; it''ll help you in the long run."


    "Yeah, I guess so. Can we find out who this lady was? I''d rather stop the source."


    "About that... Boss and Vincent have been working together for a while now to track down part of the Marini family."


    "Marini? That sounds familiar."


    "It should; they were the ones targeting you before you even came here. We mentioned them to you before."


    "Oh, right! Yeah, they were one of the reasons you guys kidnapped me instead of approaching me like normal humans, right?"


    Zain''s cheek twitched, and he cringed. "Basically, yeah."


    "They''d been so quiet, I forgot about them."


    "Well, that''s because we''ve been dealing with them in the background with Vincent and his family. I''m surprised they had anyone left to send after you."


    "Wait, so they''re dealt with already?"


    "I thought so, but I guess it depends."


    "On what?" Grace asked.


    "It depends on if there are other hotshots in that family trying to come after you."


    "Why are they coming after me?"


    "Bossman may have butted heads with them when they tried to take over some of our area, and they lost... badly. They had to run away with their tails between their legs."


    "Do I want to know how many families my grandpa has had to run outta town?"


    "Probably not. How about I get you out of here?" Zain wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His plans were ruined, so he wanted to take her somewhere else.


    "And the body?"


    "It''ll be cleaned up and whatnot by the others; you don''t have to worry about it."


    "Easier said than done."


    Zain kissed her temple and led her out of the bathroom, around the body. A couple of their men ran in to clean up while the others followed them out.


    "I guess we should head home and tell grandpa."


    "He likely already knows, but I don''t want our date ending on this note."


    "Then where are we going?"


    "Somewhere nearby."


    Zain brought Grace up a long stretch of stairs to a fenced off a cliff with a fantastic view of the city lights and starry sky above. The guards were keeping their distance, as per Zain''s request.


    "It''s beautiful here." Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "And the air is so cool and fresh."


    "I guess this place suits you better than a fancy restaurant?"


    Grace shrugged. "I can like both, right?"


    "Of course."


    "But I think I''d prefer if we could at least skip on the lady trying to kill me."


    Zain thought back to the restaurant that got shot up. "You seem to have bad luck with restaurants."


    "I suppose you''re right. I guess I''ll stick to eating at home."


    "Even the boss doesn''t get attacked as much as you, so I''m thinking you''ll be fine after the Marini issue is solved."


    "However long that takes." Grace sighed and gazed up at the sky.


    "Grace." Zain lightly touched her hand to grab her attention. "I know you made the choice, but since I have fallen in love with you, I wanted to ask you myself." Zain knelt down on one knee.


    "Zain?"


    "I know you''re still uncertain about me, but I''m sure about you." Zain pulled a red velvet box out of his pocket. "This is the one thing my mother gave me before sending me away. It''s her engagement ring." He opened it up to show her a stunning, platinum diamond ring."


    Holy crap... That diamond is huge! Grace''s jaw dropped.


    "Grace Morris Bertolottis, will you marry me?" Zain stared into her eyes as he asked.


    "I... How are you so certain about me? I was sure you just wanted to be the leader."


    "You''ll be the leader, and that''s fine with me. I still want you," his voice deepened and pupils dilated.


    Grace''s heart skipped a beat. "Oh..." She bit her lip. They were already engaged, but it still felt different. Important. Desired. "Why?"


    He smiled at her. "Because you''re the strongest, most amazing woman I''ve ever met, and I''d be a fool if I didn''t show you how much I want you. I may not seem like the most emotional person and whatnot, but if there''s one thing I''ve learned from Boss about emotions, it''s to follow your heart, and my heart''s been pointing at you for a while. Maybe even longer than I think."


    Grace frowned. "What do you mean by that?"


    "I mentioned it before, didn''t I? I saw you at your parents'' funeral. I wanted to protect you then, even when we were kids, and I want to protect you now. I know you won''t want me to most of the time, but I''ll still want to. When Boss sent me to keep an eye on you, after the Marinis took notice of you, I was amazed by the woman you became. And you know what? I still had the urge to protect you. That''s why I can''t help but think that it was you all along."


    "Are you sure you don''t just like to protect women and family?"


    Zain chuckled. "I can''t deny that, but I know this is different. I can feel it. So, are you going to keep leaving me hanging? Like the view too much?" He smirked.


    Grace laughed and wiped away the tears in her eyes. "Of course, my big lug; I''ll marry you."


    Zain slipped the ring onto her finger. "It didn''t feel like a real engagement to me without this ring."


    "I''m still not looking to get married right away."


    "That''s fine." Zain wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. He lifted her into the air and spun her around.


    "Congrats, Boss!" a few of the guards called out, having been watching the whole time. A few more came out of the bushes, whistling. "Liked this more than your announcement, Boss."


    "I can''t even tell who they''re calling, Boss," Grace whispered.


    "I think they''re talking to you, the future boss."


    "Um, is it me or are there more guards than before?" Grace wiggled her feet in the air, hoping he''d set her down.


    "Boss man... er... Big boss? He sent us after hearing what happened. He wanted to come himself, but the little guy managed to keep him at home," one of their men explained.


    Must mean Pez.


    "He''s super worried about you. Boss? Miss Boss? Um... I''m not sure what to call you." He scratched his cheek and averted his gaze.


    "Grace is fine with me."


    "No can do, ma''am; that might be fine for upper members." He glanced at Zain. "But for soldiers like us, titles as a show of respect. Since you''re going to be the boss in the future, you''re the head of the family."


    "He''s not going to give on this, is he?" Grace whispered to Zain.


    "Nope." Zain smirked.


    "What do I tell them to call me, then? Boss would be confusing."


    "I don''t mind calling you, Boss." His smirk spread into a smile as he held back his laughter.


    "Of course you wouldn''t." Grace rolled her eyes. "Can you put me down now?"


    "Nope; too happy, and I don''t want to let go." He snuggled his head into the crook of her neck.


    She couldn''t help but giggle from his hair tickling her neck. "Zain! Quit it! We have company waiting for an answer."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "I guess ma''am works... kinda. Ma''am or Miss Bertolottis work for me."


    "Yes, Miss Bertolottis," they all said as they bowed.


    "Damn..."


    "Feeling like a real mafia princess now?"


    "Kinda."


    "Good, because you are one. Now, my princess, how about we go home?" Zain wiggled his eyebrows.


    "Mmm, sounds good to me." Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.


    "Whoa! Zain''s a lucky man!" someone in the crowd cheered.


    "Yes, I am."


    Grace blushed all the way up to her ears. "Are we always going to have an audience?"


    "When we''re not at home, probably. You''ll get used to it."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, because you''ll be too distracted," his lips brushed against hers as he whispered.


    As soon as Grace and Zain got into her room, he pushed her up against the door and kissed her. His hands travelled down her curves to the slit in her dress. "Please don''t make me wait anymore," he whispered into her ear. His hot breath tickled her ear.


    "Mmm..." Grace bit her lip. "I''m yours." She pulled his jacket off and tossed it aside.


    Zain let out a low growl as he lifted her up, his strong arms supporting her as they kissed until he dropped her on the bed. "I''m definitely not going to let you sleep much tonight."


    Grace chuckled. "Good." She ripped open his shirt, surprising him.


    "She finally shows her claws."


    "We''re only just beginning."

 Chapter 45

    Knock, knock.


    "Gracey, you have a visitor," Ray called out and knocked on her door again.


    "Mmm?" Grace cringed as she opened her eyes. She went to roll out of bed, but a strong arm was wrapped around her midsection from behind.


    Crap.


    "Zain," Grace whispered as she tapped on his hand on her. "Zain, wake up."


    "Mmm..."


    "Gracey? You''re normally up before this to go out on your run; are you feeling okay?" Ray asked.


    "I''m fine!" Grace yelped as Zain snuggled up to her. "Just... indisposed at the moment. Give me a few minutes."


    "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "Certain." Grace nudged Zain. "Wake up! My grandpa is at my door," Grace hissed.


    I know we''re engaged, but I still don''t want him seeing us. Grace''s mind went blank as she realized she was still naked.


    "Zain, wake up, now," she commanded him.


    "What''s up?" he mumbled and kissed her on the cheek. "Need to go for your run?"


    "A bit late for that. But my grandpa is at the door."


    Zain''s eyes shot open, and he released her. "Crap. Why didn''t you wake me earlier?"


    Grace''s expression went flat. "You''re the one who refused to wake up!"


    "Then slap me awake or something; I can take it."


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "Am I getting in a bit over my head with you?"


    "We don''t have time for this." Zain rushed to get out of bed and find his clothes wherever she tossed them before hiding in the bathroom.


    Instead of doing the same, Grace was watching him scurry around as she held back a laugh. Turns into such a teenage boy when it comes to grandpa.


    "Gracey?" Ray sighed. "I''m certain you want to see your guests, but if you''d rather sleep your day away with Zain, I guess I''ll go tell them that."


    With Zain...? He knows?! Grace scrambled out of bed to throw some clothes on and stood frozen in front of her door.


    "I know you''re standing right there. Do I need to get the key and open it, or are you going to face me?"


    Grace swallowed hard. Why am I freaking out?! I didn''t do anything wrong. We were two consenting adults who are engaged! Then why do I feel like I''m in trouble?


    Her hand shaking, she opened the door. "Grandpa..."


    "I''m not an idiot, and you two aren''t children; I know what''s going on. Should I expect some great grandchildren soon?" Ray asked.


    "Grandpa!" Her jaw hung open.


    "What? I know what you two were up to, even if Zain tries to hide himself in your bathroom. It''s a bit hit-n-miss on trying to get him up in the morning, but don''t let him ruin your morning routine."


    Grace covered her reddening face with her hands. "Oh my gosh, please stop," her words were muffled by her hands.


    Ray laughed and patted her head. "I will expect them someday, but when you''re ready. Zain, stop hiding in the bathroom."


    A moment later, the door cracked open, and Zain peeked out. "Am I in trouble?"


    "For sleeping with your fianc¨¦e? No... I expected this eventually. I am the one who set you two up. I''d rather not really know about it, though. Maybe I should only send Mary to get you." Ray sighed. "This is a bit much for me. Anyway, we''ve been keeping your guests waiting."


    Who could I have as a guest?


    Grace followed Ray down the hall. She looked over the railing at the entrance and froze. He was facing the other way, but she''d recognize him anywhere.


    "What''s up?" Zain peeked overtop of her.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Without a word, Grace bolted down the stairs past Ray and jumped down half of them.


    "Roger!" Grace called out as she lunged at him. He turned around just in time to catch her.


    Zain stared at her from above with his jaw hanging open. "How long until I''m greeted so emphatically?"


    "Vanish for a few days and it might happen." Ray nudged him with his elbow.


    "If I did that, something tells me Grace would have my hide."


    Ray raised an eyebrow. He''d never seen Zain like that with anyone other than him. "She''s tamed you so fast; maybe she will make a great leader."


    "As much as I want to argue with you, I concur."


    "Ah-ha..." Roger cringed as he hugged her. "I know I''m up and about, but I haven''t healed yet." He set her down, and she frowned up at him, her lip quivering. "Grace... Please don''t give me that look."


    "You left without saying anything. And now you show up..." She took a step away from him to look at the suit he was wearing. "Dressed up, and with Vincent. Hello, Vincent."


    "Hello, cara mia." Vincent winked at her.


    "Why are you two showing up together? And why did you vanish?" Grace smacked Roger in the arm.


    "Ow! Don''t hit injured people!" Roger stepped away from her.


    "Don''t leave your best friend after making it sound like you never wanted to see me again!" she huffed and crossed her arms. "Do you know how sad I was?"


    "Considering how sad he was, I''d say he has a bit of an idea," Vincent spoke up when Roger stayed silent. "He missed you too, cara mia. So much so that he accepted my offer, instead of running away with his tail between his legs to some far-off city we''ve never heard of."


    "Offer? What offer?" she asked Roger, but he was still mentally arguing with himself about how to proceed.


    "Seeing as I''m a busy man, and I want a good, beneficial friendship with the Bertolottiss, I needed someone as a go-between for our two families. When I heard about the Mr. Kuros here being a little lost pup." Vincent gripped Roger''s shoulder. "I decided to take him in. It took a bit of convincing, but someone who''s already your best friend seemed like the perfect person to communicate with you, the future leader."


    "So... he''s a part of the Moretti family now?"


    "Yes; our newest member. Some of the others questioned taking him in, but he''s worked with me to prove himself already. He found and helped me capture the new leader of the Marini family that was after you."


    Grace''s jaw dropped. "The same Marini family that sent someone to kill me recently?"


    "One and the same."


    "Where are they now? What about their family? I don''t imagine they like their leader being captured. On that note, why were they after me before I even got here?"


    "They''ve been worried about the Bertolottiss expanding, and somehow, they found out about you. They figured if they had you, they could use you against Ray. Since they failed in capturing you, they wanted to kill you to put the Bertolottiss into turmoil, opening up some of your territory for their taking. They wanted to expand, not that they actually have the chops for it."


    "So, Miss Bertolottis, what do you want to do?" Roger finally spoke up.


    Grace scrunched up her face at Roger. "It doesn''t sound right coming from you. If you''re supposed to be the link between the families, I think we can be on more familiar terms."


    "Don''t get too familiar, though," Zain yelled from behind.


    "Didn''t sound right saying it either." Roger sighed. "It''s weird to call you anything other than Grace or partner."


    "Stick with those; I prefer them. Okay..." Grace sighed as she tried to gather her thoughts. "You left me a letter¡ª"


    "I actually wrote that before I accepted Vincent''s offer."


    "But everything you said and wrote, plus vanishing without saying goodbye, are all clear indications that you didn''t want to see me again. So how did Vincent convince you?"


    Roger rubbed his face and glanced at Vincent, who cocked an eyebrow. "He made me worry about you with the Marini family, and he painted a picture of both our lives without each other, and it didn''t look good. And he pointed out that running away from you won''t help me forget you. Not that I ever truly thought I could. He also explained how I can''t protect you from all these new threats if I''m not around you."


    "Then why not join the Bertolottiss?"


    Zain clenched his fists and took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. Ray gripped his shoulder and tugged him back to make sure he didn''t do anything he''d regret.


    Roger glanced at Zain. "Because that''s a little too close, and therefore, too painful. Vincent is giving me an in between point; I won''t be beside you all the time, but I''ll be near, and we have a reason to see each other and work together."


    "We''re friends, Roger; that''s the only reason we need."


    "Tell that to your future husband. I don''t think he''d like us meeting up for personal reasons all the time, and I can''t blame him; I''d be jealous, too."


    "So would I." Vincent winked at her again and could feel the rage instantly emanating from Zain.


    "He convinced you to stay in my life, even though you can''t expect more?" Grace hated asking in front of the others, but she wasn''t sure when she''d have the chance. For all she knew, he''d try to vanish on her again.


    "Grace..." Roger sighed, his shoulders sagging. "He made a lot of good points, and he gave me a new place to start over." Roger''s cheek twitched up on one side.


    "There''s more!" Grace pointed at his face and leaned in close. "Fess up."


    "He mentioned that you''re not married yet, and many marriages end in divorce," Roger whispered to make sure Zain couldn''t hear. "For now, my arms will stay open if you choose to run from him."


    "But I l¡ª"


    "Don''t... It''s what I''m holding onto for now. However little hope that may be. Just let me have this, Grace, or would you rather I did vanish?"


    "Of course not." Grace sighed and gave him a little push. "I never wanted you out of my life, I just..."


    "Didn''t feel the same way I do?"


    "And she never will." Zain hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I know you lot are waiting for us to break up, but even outside of the rushed announcement, she agreed to marry me." Zain lifted up her left hand and kissed the engagement ring. "She''s mine for life, boys."


    "We''ll see about that." Roger glared at him.


    "Boys, boys, let''s not fight over her." Vincent stepped between them. "We have more important business right now. What do you want to do about the Marini family?"


    "I''m sure my grandpa would like to have a chat with the leader..." Grace looked over at him and he smiled, fixing his lapels. "That''s a definite yes. Now, about the rest of them... you said they''ve been a nuisance to our families, right?"


    "Indeed; a thorn in both our sides."


    "How about we start this alliance with a show of power?"


    Vincent''s eyes narrowed as he smiled. "I like how you think."

 Chapter 46

    Do I really have to wear this to go after them? Grace ran her hands down the sleek black dress. It''s easy enough to move in... but shouldn''t I wear pants or something?


    "Knock, knock, I''m coming in." Zain opened the door to her room. He whistled when he saw her. "Someone''s looking hot."


    "Why don''t you actually knock and wait to be told to enter?"


    "If you want that, then lock your door."


    "Oh..."


    "Something wrong?"


    "Why are they insisting I wear this dress to make a stand at the Marinis? Shouldn''t I wear a suit or something like you guys always do?"


    Zain took off his jacket and draped it on her shoulders. "You know what? It''s a little big, but it works for you. Just need your gun and a hat, and you''re good to go, Mafia Queen." Zain cupped her cheeks in his hands and gave her a kiss. "Let''s go show them what happens when you mess with the Bertolottiss."


    "What are the chances this escalates from a show of power to an actual war?"


    "With a group our size? Not likely, but some of them are a bit crazy, so a random one or two might charge at us. Don''t worry; I''ll take''em out before they can come close to you."


    Grace rolled her eyes.


    "What? The boss doesn''t have to go running in." Although he knew Ray had a habit of it.


    "I''m not suited to staying behind in the safe area, either. I do run into battles."


    "I know; I''ve seen you do it. I''d rather you didn''t, but at the same time, I admire that you do. It''s a bit different, though; you tend to run into danger to save people, not kill them." Not that saving someone couldn''t end up leaving someone else dead.


    "What do you expect? I''m a cop¡ª"


    "Former cop; you could manage both if you were a regular member, but not as the next boss."


    "Well, being a cop is in my blood. I may have changed a bit¡ª"


    "A lot; you were super moral to start... Shutting up now." Zain looked away, avoiding the glare she was giving him.


    "Circumstances change people; we know that. I will let more things slide than I used to, but my ultimate goal is still the same. I want to make our city a better, safer place for all."


    "Sounds weird coming from a Mafia Queen, but I suppose I should welcome you to the grey area in life. I can take care of the things that are too much for you if you want."


    Grace reached up and adjusted his tie. "Thank you, Zain; I''m going to need you beside me for the foreseeable future."


    He smiled and leaned in close. "Now that is something I can definitely do for you, Miss Bertolottis." He gave her a slow, soft kiss. "I wonder how long until I become Mr. Bertolottis."


    "Are you okay giving up your last name?"


    "I may have been born a Kuros, but I''ve really been a part of the Bertolottis family for a long time. At least now I can officially have the name."


    "Were you always hoping my grandpa would adopt you?"


    Zain shook his head. "No; him treating me like a son is enough, but I can''t help but admit my younger self pined after a last name that didn''t haunt Boss."


    "I suppose it still makes it a dream come true for you. I hope that wasn''t the real reason you wanted me."


    "Of course not." He picked her up in a bear hug. "It''s a nice bonus, but I want to marry you because I love you. I don''t even mind that you''re going to be the next boss instead of me."


    Somehow, that part doesn''t surprise me.


    Knock, knock.


    "Are you ready, Gracey?" Ray asked.


    "Yes, grandpa." Grace rushed over to open the door.


    Ray eyed her and then whistled. "You definitely look like a mafia boss now." Ray took his fedora off and put it on her. "Instead of waiting, how about we go in as co-bosses right now?"


    "Wait, what?" Grace froze. "I thought... I needed training or something."


    "Between your time in the field as a cop and your time here, I''d say you have enough experience to co-lead. This is the best way to learn how to command our family; with me supporting you at your side." He held his elbow out to her. "Let''s go wreck some havoc."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A fleet of cars full of men from the Bertolottis and Moretti families flooded the streets as they headed to the Marini estate. It wasn''t anywhere near their full forces, since they didn''t want to leave their homes unguarded, but it was more than enough for the Marinis.


    They surrounded the Marini estate, and Ray, Grace, Zain, Vincent, and Roger approached the front gate together.


    The guards who were aiming at them from the entrance froze when they saw the army of mobsters, and Ray in the front. Almost all mafia members in the area ¨C no matter what family they came from ¨C knew about Ray and could recognize him.


    "What are you doing here?" One of their upper members came out armed and with their own men behind them.


    They tried to be intimidating with their guns ready, but they all looked around, and knew they were outgunned.


    Grace stepped forward. "The Marinis have been putting their noses in places they don''t belong and trying to take over the wrong territory."


    "Who... Who says you can rule over so much?!"


    "Pretty sure it''s been ours for a long time." Grace glanced back at Ray, who nodded. "And if you disagree, we can take it out on them." Grace pulled her phone out of her pocket and showed them a video of their leader tied to a chair.


    The men gasped and chattered amongst themselves. "Shut up!" their commander yelled at them. "Don''t be intimidated. Haven''t you heard? The Bertolottiss have gone soft; they won''t do anything to the boss."


    "You heard them," Grace said to their man on the other side. She had to stop herself from flinching from the scream he let out when he was tortured with a hammer to the shin. The men yelled, and as soon as one of them stepped towards Grace, Zain shot at their feet, and they jumped back.


    I''m not good for this part of it! Why couldn''t they just cave right away?


    Grace narrowed her eyes and gave her best sly smile. "Since that''s not enough, we can just steamroll over your place and completely irradiate you through sheer force." Grace shrugged and waved her hand, signalling for all the Bertolottiss and Morettis to be ready to attack.


    "It''s not worth it!" One of the men on the other side threw their gun and took off running.


    A couple of their men followed suit, running away, but more of them dropped their guns and raised their hands.


    "What are you guys doing? We can''t back down!" he yelled at them.


    "Our boss has been captured¡ª"


    "Who cares?!"


    Even more of them dropped their guns.


    "We don''t like the way things have been going, anyway."


    "I don''t know why the boss was trying to throw us into Bertolottis territory."


    "Didn''t you hear about the one they sent after the woman? It''s a horror story now."


    The Marini family argued amongst themselves.


    "What do we want to do with them?" Grace asked Ray.


    "I mostly wanted to scare them, but they look on the brink of disbanding." Ray stroked his chin. "I really didn''t expect them to start fleeing and turning on each other so quickly. I guess there was turmoil before we got here."


    "Can we pick a new leader? And how about we expand our area a little bit, since they were trying to take over part of our area?"


    Ray nodded. "I like it. You''re thinking like a real mafia boss now."


    "How to pick? Hmm..." Grace stepped closer ¨C much to Zain''s chagrin ¨C and she pulled her gun out, pointing it at the man who was trying to lead them. "You''re not suited to lead." She shot at his feet and everybody stopped. Even Zain and Ray were surprised by her.


    Roger knew her too well. It was all an act. He was about to step forward as backup, when Vincent grabbed his shoulder.


    "Leave her be," Vincent whispered. "This might very well solidify her future as the leader."


    "Who here is a close relative to the current boss?" Grace asked them, her gun still pointed at them. "Or is it only this man?"


    Another younger man stood out from the crowd. He was still baby faced, and she couldn''t tell if he was a teenager or an adult. "Who are you? State your name."


    "Alex Marini, son of the man you captured."


    "Willing to abide by my requests?"


    Alex nodded. "Considering what we''ve done, it''s generous, but will you release my father?"


    "In due time... though I''m not the one who decides the timeline." She nudged her head back towards Ray. "You two, step forward." She pointed at Alex and the man who was trying to lead them.


    "Tch." The other man glared at her as he followed her command.


    "These two are your candidates for your new boss," Grace spoke to the entire Marini family. "And we''re going to do a vote right now. Who votes for Alex?"


    Two-thirds raised their hand and Grace nodded.


    "And just to make sure. Who votes for this man?" She pointed her gun at him again.


    The veins in his head bulged as he clenched his teeth. It looked like less than one-third voted for him.


    "There you have it. Your new boss is Alex. Now, we''ll contact you about our new territory in a few weeks while you settle into your new position."


    "You can''t do this!" the other man yelled.


    "Pretty sure I just did." Grace smirked.


    The man lunged at her.


    Zain cursed under his breath, wishing he had stayed right beside her.


    Grace side-stepped, grabbed the man''s wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. On the ground, she twisted his arm back and pointed the gun at the back of his head.


    She leaned in close. "That wasn''t smart. Do you know how many times I could''ve killed you by now?" Grace whispered. "What does attacking me accomplish?"


    "Shut up!"


    Grace tightened her grip and slammed his head into the ground.


    "Ah!"


    "Anyone else looking to do something stupid?"


    Everyone other than Alex in the Marini family backed away. "I''m sorry about him. Can we deal with him ourselves?"


    Grace eyed him for a moment until a shadow loomed over them.


    "I''d like to deal with him." Zain cracked his knuckles, and Grace could feel the man shudder under her. "But fine; this can be a show of good faith." He held a card out to Alex. "Generally, we''ll contact you, but if you find you can''t deal with him, I''d be happy to take him off your hands."


    Alex nodded and took the business card.


    Zain held his hand out to Grace. "I think we''re done here, don''t you?"


    "Yeah." Grace let go of the man and took Zain''s hand. "We''re done. I''ll be in touch, Mr. Marini." Grace gave him a tiny wave and wrapped her arm around Zain''s as they headed back to the others.


    Alex smiled as he watched Grace and commanded a few men to take their former stand-in leader into the house.


    "That was epic, Grace." Roger smiled and resisted the urge to hug her. Instead, he held his hand up, and she high-fived him as they walked by. "I definitely feel like I don''t have a chance," Roger grumbled.


    "We talked about this." Vincent rested his hand on Roger''s shoulder. "Even if they get married, things may change later. In case you''re open for your heart to change, how about I set you up with someone to get your mind off her? At least for now?"


    "I don''t know if I can ever get her off my mind."


    "You won''t know if you don''t try. I know a couple of women who might be a good match for you. How about I introduce you to them?"


    Roger hesitated as he thought about Grace, and nodded, anyway.


    "Good." Vincent smirked. "Because we have a party to go to soon."

 Chapter 47

    Grace stretched her arms out as she entered her bedroom. "That went better than expected." She rolled her shoulders and came to a stop in front of the coffee table in her room. "What''s that?" she asked, looking at the piece of paper on the table.


    Marriage certificate? Wait, it''s signed? I didn''t sign this.


    "What''s up?" Zain loosened his tie and stood beside her.


    She picked up the certificate and held it up to him. "Is this real?"


    "It looks real..." He took it from her. "But I don''t remember signing this."


    "Funny, cause neither do I, but both our signatures are there, and they look spot on."


    "Uh, maybe Boss really is pushing for a wedding to be soon." Zain set the certificate down. "Not that I mind, since I''m sure about you."


    "Thanks..." Grace sighed. "Why does it feel like I''m going to be ambushed with a big wedding?"


    "Because it''s your grandpa we''re talking about."


    "You know what? I don''t even mind if we get married." From what I can tell, it''ll work out well. "But I''d rather not make a big deal of it."


    "You''d rather have a small, intimate wedding?"


    "Yes, like literally only people who live in this house and on the estate. We have enough land that we don''t even need a separate venue."


    Zain smiled at her and kissed her cheek.


    "What was that for?"


    "I wasn''t sure you would be ready any time soon, but you have thought about this, haven''t you?"


    "Well... yeah... I mean, my grandpa kinda had me kidnapped in order to marry me off or something, right?"


    "To the next leader and whatnot, but honestly, I don''t think he''d keep to it if you didn''t want to. Not anymore, anyway. He''s a lot softer with you around."


    Grace smirked. "Are you the one who''s having cold feet now?" She poked him in the chest, and he grabbed her hand.


    "Is your memory that short? I already told you I was sure. I''m not backing down from this. Even if you didn''t want a wedding at all, and you wanted to go submit this and whatever needs to be done, I''d do it right now."


    "Good, because I want it now." The door to her room opened, and Ray walked in with a bunch of people behind him and Mary.


    "Now? As in right now? Have you gone crazy, old man¡ª Ah!" Zain yelped as Ray grabbed his ear. "Sorry, Boss." Ray let him go, and he stepped away, holding onto his ear.


    "Yes, right now. I ordered everything a while ago, and we have the whole family here. Also, our allies ¨C the Morettis ¨C are here outside helping us set up as we speak."


    Grace''s jaw dropped. I hope Roger isn''t there... That''d be too mean. "You can''t be serious. Why the rush?"


    "I figured the sooner you''re married, the sooner I''ll get a great grandkid." Ray smiled at her. "I know you''re the type to not want one out of wedlock, and I don''t know how long I have, so let''s keep this relationship on the fast track, shall we?"


    He''s lost it... "I thought you''d stick around for a long time."


    "Of course, but the earlier I get a great grandkid, the more time I''ll have with them. Let''s get them all set up." Ray swirled a finger in the air and walked out.


    Zain was dragged away, and Grace was caught up in a whirlwind of Mary and a bunch of maids she barely knew. Any time she tried to move away or say anything, Mary hushed her with one look.


    You know what? I think she should be the boss; she can already control everyone here.


    "Well, what do you think?" Mary stood Grace in front of a full-length mirror after she made the other maids leave.


    "I... I don''t know. Clothing has never been my strong suit." Grace trailed her hands down the dress. It is a super smooth material. Must be expensive.


    "What''s wrong? You don''t look happy. Did I do something wrong with the design? Or are the measurements wrong? They look fine to me."


    "Wait, what? You made this?"


    "Yes." Mary smiled and straightened her back. "I made your mother''s dress too, back in the day. She would''ve loved to see you." Mary wiped a tear away.


    "Thanks. But can this all be set up in such a short time? I don''t really have any fancy speech to say or anything. I mean... I suck with this kind of thing."


    "As long as you say I do, then I don''t think anyone cares. Besides, I''m not sure Zain wants to ramble on, either."


    "I don''t know. He might do it just to embarrass me."


    Mary chuckled. "He does like to tease you, doesn''t he? You''re in for a lifetime of it, but I''m sure you can handle it." Mary pushed a strand of Grace''s hair back.


    Music started to play outside.


    "I think that''s your cue." Mary nudged her towards the door.


    "Shouldn''t they have waited for me to be right there?"


    "That''s Ray for you."


    Mary followed her down to the doors to the backyard.


    Grace stopped when she saw who was waiting for her. "Roger? What are you doing here?"


    He turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Other than wishing this was for us? I''m walking you down the aisle."


    "I thought... my grandpa would want to do that."


    "Apparently, he had other plans. Besides, he said I knew you better, and I''ve known you longer, so it''s only right if I give you away." Roger''s cheek twitched. He knew Ray was also trying to make sure he knew Grace wasn''t his.


    "You didn''t have to agree to do this."


    "I don''t know if Ray would''ve let me say no, but if it''s come to this, I''d like to have some sort of special place in the wedding, and walking you down the aisle is pretty special if you ask me."


    "How about the male form of Maid of Honour or something? You are my best friend, after all."


    "I think this works fine. Your ''Maid of Honour'' is still a guy even without me around." Roger smirked.


    Grace''s jaw dropped. "Pez?"


    "You know it. Now, let''s go before someone has to come get us." Roger held his arm out to her.


    "Thank you, Roger, for everything." She took his arm.


    "Anything for you, Grace," he whispered and walked her through the door. "Stay calm," Roger said when she tensed up. "You''ve dealt with groups this big at work; you can do it now."


    Grace had seen many of the people on the left side, but only a couple on the right. They must be split up into Bertolottiss and Morettis. Vincent was in the front row, and he smiled when their eyes met.


    She finally looked at the podium they had set up, and if Roger hadn''t led her along, she would''ve stopped. Ray was waiting there for her with Zain dressed in a tuxedo, his eyes on her.


    "Grandpa, are you allowed to do this?" Grace whispered as she stood in front of him and Zain. "Thank you, Roger."


    He nodded, kissed her on the cheek, and sat down beside Vincent in the front row. Zain took her hands and smiled at her.


    "Of course I can do this, Gracey. I''m allowed to do almost anything." Ray smiled.


    Why does it feel like even if I didn''t fall for one of them or choose someone, he could''ve just submitted papers, and I''d be married according to the system?


    "All of us here already know how I started this all," Ray began. "I wanted my precious granddaughter to marry the next head of the Bertolottiss, both continuing my bloodline, and securing her future. I will admit I didn''t know whom she''d choose, but it being Zain made me feel like a proud father. Now, I don''t want to ramble, so let''s get on with it. Zain, do you take Grace to be your wife, to have and to hold, with the understanding that if you break her heart, I will break you?"


    There were a couple of chuckles in the audience, but everyone there knew he was serious.


    "I do..." Zain swallowed hard. He knew Grace could handle him herself, but he also knew Ray wasn''t giving him an empty threat. Ran held up a ring for Grace, and she slipped it on his finger.


    "Grace, do you take Zain to be your husband and future underboss?"


    Grace stared at Zain for a moment, feeling all the eyes on her. Knowing Roger was in the crowd made it harder to speak up. She knew how he felt, and she didn''t want to make things worse.


    "It''s okay..." Roger whispered, and she glanced at him. He took a deep breath and nodded.


    "Grace..." Zain''s grip on her hands tightened.


    "I do." Zain put a wedding band on her finger with the ring.


    "Good, you may now kiss the bride," Ray said.


    Zain wrapped his arms around her and picked her up as he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hair draping down around his head as she pulled away and looked into his eyes.


    "I love you," Zain whispered.


    "I love you, too."


    Zain spun her around and the crowd cheered, congratulating them as they set off wedding poppers.


    "Time to drink!" Ray yelled, and they cheered louder.


    "Are you going to put me down yet?" Grace asked as she played with his hair.


    "I really don''t want to... Too many guys with their eyes on you in this dress, wishing you were theirs."


    "You''re going to have to put me down eventually, and I''m sure my grandpa wants a dance." Roger probably does, too.


    Zain pouted. "But I wanted to whisk you away."


    "Zain," Ray called out to him, and he froze.


    "I wish I didn''t have to share you so much, but I don''t think I can get away from it this time." Zain set her down and turned to him.


    "Congratulations, son." Ray gripped his shoulder, crushingly tight. "Why don''t you have a drink and chat with some of the members you''ve barely talked to since Grace showed up? I''m going to dance with my granddaughter."


    "Yes, sir..."


    Ray pushed his way between them and held his arm up to Grace. He nodded his head towards the dance floor they set up nearby. "The first dance is ours."


    She wrapped her arm around his and let him lead her over.


    He patted her hand. "I know this was supposed to be your father''s job, but¡ª"


    "He hasn''t been around for a long time, and neither have my other grandparents, so any thoughts of having a first dance with my father, or father-figure, was long gone. So thank you, grandpa, for being here and taking me in as a part of the family. Heck, I stopped thinking about marriage and only thought about the job for so long¡ª"


    "We are family, Gracey." He held onto her hand and waist and started to dance. "We always have been, and I should''ve shown up in your life sooner. It must''ve been lonely to lose them all like that."


    "Same for you, right? You lost both your sons and your wife."


    "But I have all the Bertolottis family. I have support to help me through... and I got Zain out of it."


    "For my parents, I had my grandparents, and for them... I had Roger. It was still early in our friendship, but he was there for me."


    "And despite all the fighting and secrets, I think that man will always be there for you, no matter how much he wants to run away. So will Zain, though, so try not to break his heart."


    "I won''t. So, when will I start to learn the ins and outs of your job? I have a lot to learn before I even think of taking over."Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "I don''t know; you seem to pick things up pretty fast. If you give me a great-grandbaby, you can take over sooner than you''d expect, and I can take care of the baby."


    "Do you have baby on the brain or what? And is that a permanent babysitter offer?"


    "Naturally." Ray smiled. "I didn''t spend enough time with my kids when they were little, and I missed my chance with you. New ones would be my final chance." He sighed.


    "Laying it on a bit thick, aren''t you, grandpa? You know babies are a lot of work, right?" And I''m not sure I want any; I''m not suitable for it.


    "Of course, I know that."


    "Wouldn''t you prefer to relax when you retire from being the boss instead of having the stress of taking care of a baby?"


    "Not at all. I can''t relax if I have nothing to do, and taking care of a baby is a full-time job. I will admit to having a lot to learn, but Mary can teach me, so please think about it."


    "I have a feeling I''ll have no choice but to think about it, because you''ll end up bringing it up all the time."


    "You''ve gotten to know me so well in such a short amount of time." He chuckled and gave her a spin. "I don''t actually want to pressure you, but at the same time, I really want one."


    "Then go adopt one."


    "I''m a bit old for that now, and you know how I feel about my own blood."


    "Of course; otherwise, you wouldn''t have gone through all this trouble and named Zain as your heir right away."


    Ray''s eyes shook. "Do you think I''m cruel for not naming him as my heir?"


    "I guess that depends on how he feels about it. I expected him to be angry about choosing to be the boss myself, but he doesn''t seem to have an issue with it. Surprisingly, it doesn''t seem like anyone does, at least not openly."


    "Of course not; you''re amazing, and no one wants to tick me off."


    "Ah..." I should''ve thought of that.


    The song finished, and another man stood beside her with his hand out as the floor flooded with other couples. "I hope I can at least have a dance." Roger gave her a wistful smile.


    Grace could see Zain drinking with some of the others, but his gaze was on her. He nodded and looked away, knowing it was her choice, and that she''d want to dance with her friend.


    Grace took Roger''s hand, and he pulled her close. "Congratulations," Roger whispered. "You look gorgeous today, and every day, for that matter."


    "Thanks..."


    "Even though I wish this were our wedding, I''m at least happy you''re with someone who''ll try to make you happy."


    "Thank you, Roger, for everything. For being my best friend; for not leaving, and for walking me down the aisle. I know it must''ve been hard."


    "Yes, but no one else is better suited to the position, though I think Ray is a close second." Roger sighed and rested his head on her shoulder. "I can''t believe how fast everything changed. Seems like yesterday we were hunting down criminals together."


    "And now we''re criminals who have an alliance and work together. How often can I see you?"


    "That really depends on work. It won''t be every day, or even every week, I suspect. For all I know, we''ll go months without seeing each other."


    "Ugh... It''s been hard enough going even a few days without talking to you, but I guess a few months is better than never." Grace sighed. "Can''t we at least get together every week? You are nearby with the Morettis."


    "Grace..." His brows furrowed and grip on her tightened. "I don''t know if that''s a good idea." He knew he''d be tempted to do something, since she knew about his feelings, regardless of Zain.


    "Even if we bring Pez? I know he''d love to meet up with you every week, too."


    "How am I supposed to get over you if I see you every week?" He didn''t actually want to get over her, but he didn''t like his odds of waiting for the situation to change sometime in the future.


    "But..." She cringed, not sure what to say. She knew he was right, but it didn''t make it any easier. Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "That''s your decision to make. Just know I''ll miss you, and so will Pez. You can call me anytime. And since we''re in an alliance, you can come over any time, too. Don''t ever vanish on me." It was hard enough the first time.


    "I''ll try not to." Roger swallowed hard. "Grace..." The music stopped, and she took a step away from him, tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and kissed her cheek. "We''ll see each other soon, but I want to say that the door between us will always be open," he whispered and walked away.


    What does that mean?


    Pez whistled as he came up to her. "I''m not much of a dancer, but I can''t not dance with you at your own wedding," Pez bowed and held his hand out to her. "I know Zain''s been waiting, but I''m going to hide in my cave with a plateful of desserts after this. Please don''t let him come after me for dancing with you first." Pez shuddered. "I can even feel the animosity from him as he glares at me."


    Grace took his hand. "It''s okay, Pez; he''ll wait. I really didn''t expect you to want a dance, since you don''t like crowds."


    "But it''s you we''re talking about. You''re one of my best friends; I have to be here. I''m also a part of the Bertolottis family, so we were all invited."


    "A little afraid to find out what would''ve happened if you didn''t show up?"


    "Terrified of finding out!"


    Grace chuckled. "I''m sure he wouldn''t do anything to you, but thank you for coming."


    "Even though you didn''t know it was happening."


    "On that note, did you know?"


    "Uh, I think that was a long enough dance." Pez tried to pull away, but Grace tightened her grip and pulled him in closer.


    "That''s a definite yes."


    "Don''t be mad! He told me not to tell either of you two."


    Can''t blame him for keeping quiet. "How long was this in the works?"


    "He started to plan it right after you announced your choice. He made sure everyone promised to keep it from you two and made sure all the Bertolottiss were here."


    "I don''t know why I was surprised at all." Grace sighed. "He''s been wanting this since before I got here."


    "Based on what I know of his history, I''d say he wants to make up for lost time with you... and with your parents. He has a lot of regrets, and didn''t want to keep adding to them with the distance from you."


    "Have you talked to him much? I didn''t think you''d be able to with how you are."


    "Hey, I resent that! But... I guess I know what you mean. He''s super intimidating until he starts rambling about you and asking questions about you. He is a curious grandpa mob boss, indeed. You''d never guess how caring he is, or how much he wishes you''d let him dote on you."


    "Dote on me? How?"


    "Buy you stuff. He wants you to ask for things. I think he wants to flaunt all their riches and get you the best of everything around. He''s rich enough for it, that''s for sure; you saw the setup he bought me, and I''m just your friend."


    "Not just that; you''re a Bertolottis now, and in charge of all electronic security and whatnot. You sound important to me."


    "And I wouldn''t have been accepted at the drop of a hat unless I was connected to you."


    I suppose that''s true.


    "Ha, this is tiring. I''m at my limit," Pez groaned, barely moving his feet.


    "Pez..." Grace sighed and stepped off to the side with him.


    "Yes?"


    "You know I love you, but you seriously need to exercise more. We weren''t moving that much, and you''re tired. At least add a short walk in, even if it''s just around the estate."


    "It''s the crowd! Being around so many people makes me tired faster. But... I''ll think about it."


    "All I can ask, I suppose." Grace gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Go grab some food, and then you can retreat to your cave."


    "Yes, ma''am. Oh, and I hope you have a good time after this." Pez gave her a little wave and headed for the table of sweets.


    "A good time? What is he talking about?"


    Before Zain could approach her, Vincent stepped in. "I hope you''re not too tired for a dance with me." He held his hand out to her.


    "Of course not. I''d love to have a dance with you." She took Vincent''s hand.


    "You''re looking ravishing, as always," Vincent whispered.


    "Ha ha, you don''t need to flatter me so much, but thank you."


    "I''m not trying to flatter you; I''m stating my opinion. I don''t know why you''d doubt it. You seem confident most of the time until someone compliments you. You don''t need to be so humble. In fact, I don''t think mafia bosses are humble at all." He chuckled. "We''re an egotistical bunch."


    "Probably because you guys always have to deal with so much while leading your family."


    "I suppose. Some of us could use a bit of humbling, though."


    Grace looked into his eyes. "Are you sure it was okay to give up on ruling the Bertolottiss?"


    Vincent smirked. "I think you''ll do a good job leading it, and seeing how in-love you two are, how could I keep standing in the way? That wouldn''t feel right. Now, if you two breakup, and I''m available, you won''t hold it against me if I pursue you, right?"


    "I... I don''t think we''ll breakup, but I guess I wouldn''t. I''m not sure Roger would like it, though."


    "He would be my competition, then."


    "By the way, I know it hasn''t been long, but how''s he doing?"


    "Roger? He''s... still adjusting and still pining. Don''t worry; I''ll make sure he''s at least distracted soon enough."


    I feel like I shouldn''t ask about that.


    "You won''t be an easy woman to get over for either of us."


    Grace froze, but Vincent kept her moving. "I thought... that you were more interested in the title, and I just happen to be okay in your books, not that you actually... you know."


    "At first, I thought you were a means to an end, but you were also interesting. You''ve shown how strong you are, and how you don''t like having to rely on others too much, and that you have an open mind. I wasn''t sure you could stand being a part of the mafia, with your high ground as a cop, but I guess things have changed for you."


    "I''ve learned even more about how things aren''t black and white, and that I can still do good without being a cop. I may not like everything we do, but there are things I will be able to do with my family, that I wouldn''t be able to do as a cop. And as someone who''s been more frustrated than you can imagine because a stupid technicality got in the way of capturing a bad guy, I can appreciate the roundabout."


    "Be careful how much darkness you let come in; it can push you too far."


    "Are you speaking from experience?"


    "Yes, actually. I''ve done unspeakable things... that I thought were necessary at the time, but I just couldn''t see the other options. It''s especially hard at the beginning." Vincent sighed, a far-sighted look in his eyes.


    "I have a feeling you''ve gone through a lot to become the man you are today."


    "You definitely wouldn''t like who I was."


    "I like who you are now, though. You''ve surprisingly turned into quite the pillar of support for me. Thank you, Vincent; I''m glad I met you."


    "Don''t make it sound like I''m out of your life now." He dipped her.


    "Oh!"


    "I plan to be a part of your life in some form for the foreseeable future." He smiled and pulled her back up. "At least as a friend and ally to you and the Bertolottiss, and only the future knows if it will turn into anything else." He wiggled his eyebrows.


    This man is definitely dangerous! Grace took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Don''t push your luck, Vincent."


    "Or else the mutt glaring at me will attack? Oh, I know." He chuckled. "But like our mutual friend, I''d rather not completely shut the door on our potential."


    "I plan to stay with Zain."


    "I know, but I also know that we never know what life will throw at us. I also wanted to make sure you know you can call on Roger or myself should you need assistance... with anything.


    "Aren''t you a bit busy for that?"


    "I don''t know... I have a reliable group of people who can help me with my work. Maybe I should make sure to sneak out and visit you from time to time." He winked at her.


    "Looking to cause trouble, are you?"


    He smirked and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "If I can sway you after you''ve committed yourself to him, maybe you two aren''t as in love as I thought you were."


    "Quit it, you." Grace shook her head. "There''s no space for you between us. You''re just... charming, that''s all." And handsome.


    "Hmm, charming? I like the sound of that, but I hope I''m more than charming."


    "Wise and handsome. Don''t tell Zain I said that; he''ll get jealous."


    "Pretty sure he''s already jealous, because I''m dancing with you right now, but alright. I don''t want to get you into more trouble." The song ended, and Vincent sighed. "I would''ve liked to keep you in my arms longer, but I''d rather not get attacked right now and make a scene at your wedding." In one swift movement, he swooped in and kissed right beside her mouth. "Well, not too much of a scene. Arrivederci, cara mia." He walked away, leaving her stunned.


    "Are you trying to make me jealous or what?" Zain asked from behind, startling her.


    "Oh, Zain..." Grace frowned, her brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"


    "I''m your husband, and I get the fifth dance with you? Plus, you love at least two other men and have no issue kissing them." Zain grumbled.


    "On the cheek! And they''re my best friends." Vincent kissed me... Grace rolled her eyes and grabbed his tie. She yanked on it, pulling him close, and stared into his eyes. "You''re my husband, and you know I''m not giving them up, so you''ll have to put up with that. As for the dancing part, you''re next." She gave him a quick peck on the lips and led him onto the dance floor by his tie.


    "You are such trouble," Zain said in a low growl.


    "You knew that before you married me."


    "I suppose that''s true." Zain smirked and wrapped his arms around her. "You''ve been trouble since the moment you stepped foot in the estate."


    "Isn''t it more like trouble since you guys kidnapped me?"


    "Never going to get past that, are you?" Zain sighed and gave her a twirl.


    "I married you! Ha... I think I still need time for it to sink in. I''m married..."


    "Yes, you are." He lifted her into the air and kissed her as he turned.


    "Wow, ha ha," Grace giggled and held onto him. "How does it feel, Mr. Bertolottis? Does it feel weird to take your wife''s name?"


    "Not at all, Mrs. Bertolottis; it feels perfect. Did they tell you what comes after this?"


    "Um... No..."


    "They''ve set it up so we can go to one of the Bertolottis vacation homes for our honeymoon."


    "We get a honeymoon? Wait, the Bertolottiss have more than one vacation home?"


    "You still don''t realize how much of a rich heiress you are, do you?"


    "And if we choose, doesn''t that mean it''ll be another day? We''d need plane tickets¡ª"


    "Private jet."


    "Right... What was I thinking?"


    "Anywhere you want to go? Europe? Asia? Just go up north more? We''ve got a great one in the country if you don''t want to leave."


    "I''ve never gone travelling, but I''m not sure I want to."


    "Oh?" Zain raised an eyebrow. "I thought you''d be gung-ho to go to Europe or something."


    "I don''t like long plane rides, and where would you want to go?"


    "I don''t mind staying in the country; less distraction. I''d rather focus on you, not sightseeing." Zain leaned in close and kissed her ear.


    "H-hey!" Grace twitched away. "A little much with an audience here."


    "And our vacation home up north is nice and secluded. It''s also a safe house for if we need to hide out, but it''s better to call it a vacation home. So, let''s go up north." He lifted her up over his shoulder and took off.


    "Hey, what are you doing?!" Grace covered her burning face with her hands.


    "Whisking you away." Zain ran off past their guests and family with a wide grin.


    "Oh my gosh... This isn''t a good look for the future leader!" Grace complained, still hiding her face in her hands.


    "Everyone here knows we''re married; they''re not going to think less of you for being whisked away by your new husband on your wedding day. If anything, there''re probably a bunch of them cheering for us, Boss included."


    "Sadly, you''re probably right..."


    "Sadly? Why''s that? It''s awesome to have people root for you. It''s our wedding day, enjoy it!" Zain slapped her on the butt as he laughed and skipped towards the limo, waiting for them.


    "Ah! Hey! I warned you last time about that."


    "But we''re together now... It''s not a big deal, right?"


    "Ha..." Grace growled and slapped him back. He jolted a bit and stopped right by the limo. "The surprise smack isn''t so nice, is it? And unless I say otherwise, assume what I''ve told you before to still be in effect."


    "Uh... I actually didn''t mind since it''s you. A little startling, but kinda hot. And does this mean you''re going to make good on your threat? I mean, I''m kinda fond of my man-parts, and was hoping they''d be a part of our upcoming fun."


    "Zain... Please stop talking and put me down."


    Zain opened the door to the limo and laid her down in the back. As he spoke to the driver, Grace sighed and stared at the ring on her finger. "Such a whirlwind."


    Zain slammed the door shut behind him. "Okay, wifey, we''re on route, and I think it''s time we start enjoying ourselves." He crawled over her, since she was still lying down, waiting for him. "No one around to interrupt us." He kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I can''t believe how much Boss kept popping up."


    "Mm... Zain?"


    "Yes?"


    "Shut up." Grace pulled him down for a deep kiss, and he moaned.


    The limo went over a bump, and it sent them tumbling off the back seat.


    "Ow..." Zain groan as his back hit the floor.


    "Crap." Grace pushed herself up, ready to get off of Zain, but his arms wrapped around her waist. "What are you doing?"


    "Enjoying the view." Zain smirked. "And if we go back on the seat, it might happen again. Maybe we should just stay on the floor."


    "You want to have sex on the limo floor?" She looked over at it. "It looks clean, but I don''t know..."


    Zain raised an eyebrow as he silently stared at her.


    "What?"


    "I honestly didn''t think you''d be open to doing it in a moving vehicle. I thought we were just going to make out and maybe get a little extra handsy right now."


    Grace''s face turned bright red, and she tried to pull away from him again. "I thought... you wanted that with how you were talking. I guess I was wrong. Let go." She tapped on his arms.


    "Hmm... I definitely don''t want to let go, if that''s what you had in mind." Instead of letting go, he slid one hand down her backside as the other reached for the tie at the back of her dress. "In fact, I love that idea."


    "Uh, maybe you were right, and we shouldn''t do it in a moving vehicle." Quite a few things could go wrong.


    "But now that you''ve put the idea in my head, all I can think about is getting you out of this dress." The tie came loose, and he slowly unthreaded her dress.


    "But... Mmm..." She held back a moan. "I... don''t have anything else to wear."


    "You''ve got one of those slip things underneath, and we have packed bags in the trunk. If you want, you can have my shirt," Zain smirked. "You can have my jacket, too; I don''t want you feeling cold while I carry you to our vacation home."


    That''s right; we''re going straight there. Grace smirked and loosened his tie. Once she did that, he knew he had got her. "You make it hard to say no, Zain," she whispered his name and kissed his neck, making him shudder. "Besides, it''d be cruel of me to leave my new hubby this hot''n bothered when I''m the one who caused it."


    "Yes, it would be." Zain tugged her dress down off her shoulders and trailed a finger down her back.


    "Mmm... I hope the ride isn''t too bumpy."


    "Who cares? We''ll definitely have some fun." Zain sat up with her to toss his jacket aside and nearly rip his shirt off to get it out of the way. "I''ll try not to rip the dress."

 Chapter 48

    "Why is your shirt long enough to be a dress on me?" Grace tugged at the hem of his shirt on her.


    "Man, it was probably a bad idea to let you wear that." Zain sighed.


    "Oh? Does it look bad?"


    "On the contrary; you look too hot like that. I know we just had¡ª"


    Grace held a finger up to his lips. "We''re almost at the vacation home; we''re not doing anything more right now."


    Zain pulled her over to sit on his lap and hugged her. "We can stay like this though, can''t we? ''Cause I don''t want to let go of you..." He kissed the top of her head.


    "Okay," Grace sighed and leaned back into him. "It''s a little weird that you''re missing your shirt, though." She smirked.


    "I''ll get it back later, but I think it''s in a better place now."


    Their limo pulled up to a giant cabin in the middle of the woods. The door to the back opened, and their driver waited for them. "Sir, Madam."


    Zain shimmed over to the edge, not willing to set Grace down, and lifted her up as he got up out of the limo.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever seen a cabin this big..." Another mansion. Grace stared at the wooden cabin with wide eyes. "On that note, why do we need one this big in the middle of nowhere?"


    "So we can all hide here if need be."


    "Oh... Right; forgot it was one of the hideouts."


    "Once in a blue moon, Boss vacations here with as much as the family that wants to come."


    Zain walked up to the front door. "Keys are in my... your pocket."


    Grace went through his jacket pockets and pulled out a set of keys. "Do you keep all the house keys on you all the time?"


    "Yes; how else can I run to a safe house if it''s locked?"


    "Good point."


    "The one labelled three."


    "Thanks." Zain leaned closer to the door so she could unlock it. "You know, you could''ve set me down. Aren''t you worried about your shoulder, carrying me around like this?"


    "It''s our wedding day; I have to carry you to the bedroom."


    "Even though we''ve already been up to no good?"


    Zain chuckled. "Yes; this is different. The official wedding night." He kicked his shoes off at the door and carried her upstairs.


    "Wait, what about our luggage?"


    "Grace, chill; everything is set up. And don''t worry, we''ll have our privacy."


    "We probably need it since you get a bit loud." Grace smirked.


    "I''m loud? We''ll see about that." Zain kicked the door closed and dropped her on the bed. "I''m certain I can turn you into the loud one." Zain smirked as he crawled onto the bed over her. "I hope you''re ready for a long night."


    "Bring it."


    Grace and Zain lay together snuggled up in bed, glowing from their long night together as the sun peeked on the horizon.


    "That was the best night ever." Zain sighed and rubbed her arm. "I''m glad Boss pushed for this to happen so fast. Honestly, I''d say I wished I''d gotten to meet you sooner, but I don''t think I was a good enough man back then. At least I could''ve been there for you, though." Zain twirled a strand of her hair around his finger.


    "Yeah... I don''t know how that would''ve gone, since I was a cop. There''s a reason we didn''t get along in the beginning, you know?"


    "I''m not sure being a cop was the issue, so much as I kidnapped you at first. I know it was for Boss, but still... Even I question my methods, but he was adamant about bringing you to the estate and away from the people after you as soon as possible."


    "If he was trying to save me from people, why try to marry me off? I still don''t get it."


    "As a way to decide the next leader. He wanted his blood to be attached to the title. That... That and it might be because of your lack of dating. He knew your dating history, or for the most part, lack of dating, and he didn''t want you to be alone. Can''t complain though, since we fell in love." Zain kissed her cheek.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "I still can''t believe I''m married. It''s not that long ago that if you told me I''d get married this year, I''d look at you like you had two heads. By the way, how long do we get for our honeymoon?"


    "Two weeks. Boss wanted us to have time together away from the rest of the family, and I plan on us spending most of it here."


    "I assume we can at least explore the area; you know I like going for my daily run."


    "True, and I can join you if I''m awake. Honestly, I''m still a little worried about you going out on your own, even though you''re good enough to take me down. My size alone makes me less likely to be targeted."


    "Zain."


    "Yes?"


    "We''re on Bertolottis land, and there''s no way to stop me from going out on my own, is there?"


    "I guess you''re right, but that doesn''t mean I have to like it. At least make sure you have your cell phone with you and call me if you need anything. Even if you hear a noise in the woods and think there might be something there, call me, and I''ll come running."


    "That''s good to know." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. Too bad calling for help normally comes after I start investigating on my own.


    "You''re not going to call for help, are you?"


    "If I remember to."


    "Geez... I need Pez to put a tracker on your phone or something in case you vanish for too long without contact."


    "Who would''ve thought the big bad mafia underboss was such a worrywart?"


    "Grace, I know you well enough to know trouble follows you, and I love you, so of course, I''m going to worry."


    "Fine, you can track my phone or whatever. I don''t really care. Other than my run, you''re probably going to be nearby most of the time, anyway."


    "True, since you''ll be the new boss. I hope I get some good bonuses for being the boss'' husband." He trailed his hand down her side.


    "Sure." Grace gripped his chin. "But you''re going to have to know when to keep it professional."


    "Nothing that would make others think or speak badly of you. Trust me, I know all about being an underboss."


    "But you didn''t date my grandpa."


    "No, but you both have me on a short leash."


    Grace couldn''t help but laugh. "A leash? Makes you sound like a dog."


    "I was already your guard dog, so I guess it matches."


    "Well, my loyal dog, how about we have some more fun?"


    Zain woke up on the second week of their honeymoon to find Grace gone again. "I don''t know how she manages to go running even when on our honeymoon." Zain groaned and rolled onto his side. Grace had gone out every single day of their honeymoon for a run, trying a new direction each time.


    His hand landed on something on her side of the bed. "What the...?" Zain grumbled and picked them up. "Swim trunks? We don''t have a pool here, so..." Zain sighed as he sat up and stared at the swim trunks. "She wants me to join her for a swim?"


    Unlike Grace, Zain hadn''t wandered off to learn the area, so he pulled up a map of the area on his phone.


    "I guess I''ve got a long trek ahead of me. I hope it''s worth it."


    "Man, why did she have to go so far away?" Zain grumbled as he made his way through the woods, swerving around trees and hoping he didn''t get lost.


    Slap.


    He smacked another mosquito on his arm. "She should''ve warned me I''d be eaten on the way there..." Zain climbed over a fallen tree and spotted an opening to a beach by the lake. "Finally!" he cheered as he ran onto the beach. "I feel like I''ve been walking for hours!" Zain laughed and looked around. "Grace? You''re around here, right?"


    Splash.


    The water in the lake splashed around as Grace emerged from underneath the water. She wiped her hair back out of her face and looked at Zain, staring at her with his jaw hanging.


    "Aren''t you going to join me in here?" Grace called out to him.


    Zain tossed the shirt he had hanging open onto the beach and splashed through the water as he approached her. "Never ever wear that in front of other people, even if they''re a part of the Bertolottis family." Zain bit his lip as he stared at her.


    "What are you going on about?" Grace stood with her hands on her hips.


    "That bikini! It''s too sexy! I''d rather not have other men drooling over you."


    "Then what do you expect me to swim in? Would you prefer I swim naked?" She tugged at the string to her bikini to tease him.


    "When it''s us alone, and we know no one will disturb us, sure, but you know what I meant. You''re too¡ª"


    Splash.


    Grace splashed water at Zain and laughed. "Of course, I know what you meant; I know how jealous you get. Besides, I don''t like being ogled by strangers, and I don''t go swimming often." She splashed more water at him.


    Zain blocked his face with his hands. "Is that how we''re playing it?" He used both hands and sent a wave of water at her.


    "Ah!" Grace squealed and retreated deeper into the water.


    "A game of cat and mouse now?" Zain growled and chased after her.


    Grace and Zain lay on the beach after tiring themselves out.


    "I''m surprised you''re such a good swimmer," Grace huffed and closed her eyes.


    "Same to you, especially since you said you don''t swim much. But do we have to turn everything into a competition?"


    "You''re only complaining ''cause you lost."


    "I didn''t lose! You were already swimming when you said to race, which is cheating."


    Grace laughed and stretched out in the sand. When''s the last time I went on a real vacation? She felt Zain move and could feel him leaning close, staring at her. She peeked with one eye. "What''s up?"


    "It''s nice seeing you so relaxed. I feel like I''ve gotten to see your playful side out here. You always seemed too serious, but I guess you know how to have fun. And next time you want a race, how about we use the pool at the estate? We can even bet on it... like master for a day or something."


    Grace smirked. "Funny, I thought I already was your master."


    "Technically, not until you take over the boss'' job."


    "Is that so?" She raised an eyebrow.


    "Not saying I wouldn''t do things for you if you asked, but it''ll be different when you take over. Okay, okay, stop giving me that look. I guess we both know I''m weak to you, and you could ask for almost anything."


    Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. "I have a weakness for you, too."


    "Ha... Still tempting me even out here..." Zain sighed.


    "You know what I want to do right now?" Grace bit her lip.


    "Oh, so tempting... especially with no one around¡ª"


    "I want to make a sand castle. I haven''t done that since I was little."


    Zain''s jaw hung open. "Seriously?! That is not where I saw this going. You just pulled me in for a kiss... and bit your lip like that. Damn, woman; don''t screw with me." He tried to pull away, but she kept her arms wrapped around him.


    "Are you saying you don''t want to play with me?"


    "No, because you teased me too much, and I need to go for a cold swim again." He pulled a hand off and kissed the back of it. "You have fun with your sand castle; I''ll be back in a little while." Zain took off back to the lake.


    Aw, I think I teased him too much. "Oh well; I guess I''ll build the sand castle on my own."