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"You’re grieving. Go change. Eat some food.”

"But—”

His eyebrows rose. “This isn’t the time, Raven. I love you too much to watch you make a spectacle of yourself in front of everyone because you hate the person replacing the one you love as if he could ever truly take his place.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you more than my own life. He’s the best. Let him do his job.”

Her lower lip trembled. “We’ll talk later.”

"Argue, you mean?" he said in a lighter tone.

Her face softened briefly before she hugged him and stomped down the hall. Still holding her heels in my hand I stopped by my cousin Ivan, the new De Lange boss—my boss technically.

"So,” He eyed me up and down. “I can’t decide if you’re dressed like a guy who fucks his way through Wall Street or a rebellious pastors kid with a trust fund.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to pack.”

He stared down at my hands and smirked, a dimple making itself known on his right cheek. “She throw those at you?”

"And if she did?"

"Did you deserve it?”

I grabbed the glass from his hand and downed all of it. “She’s not angry enough to throw them yet, but I have high hopes for future weaponry by way of spikey heels, in fact I eagerly await it.”

“You’re weird.”

"So you’ve said every day of my life.” I sigh, handing the glass back to him. “She won’t come out unless forced. I’ll take care of it. Oh also, I take it I’m not fired?”

I said it loud enough for Dante to hear.

He shared a look with Ivan. “Do your worst, Ace.”

Permission.

Excellent.

I nodded. “And by that you mean my best. I won’t let you down.”

"Good.” Dante clipped. “And Ace, I know this comes as no shock, but touch a hair on her head in any way that doesn’t help her through this and I’ll slit your throat. She belongs to the Alfero family until I give her away, until I walk down that aisle. I’ll cut your hands from your body if I find out they soiled any part of her. Understood?”

Ivan choked on a laugh next to me.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not into girls. I like women. No offense, Dante, but your precious daughter is safe.”

"Is this a bad time to remind you that you’re only six years older than her?” Ivan pointed out.

I glared at him.

“What?” He shrugged. “I’m just saying, it’s not like?—”

“Stop talking. I’m getting bad thoughts,” Dante interrupted glaring at me. “Make it better, Ace, and meet me later. We have more…intel.”

I nodded. “I figured as much. Answer one thing…”

Ivan and Dante both froze in place.

"Never mind,” I whispered hoarsely. “I think you just answered my question, and I think my job just got a bit more difficult.”

Dante placed a hand on my shoulder. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”