Page 31 of Malicious Marriage (Mafia Lords of Sin #9)

DEAN

J une passes in a blur.

Clover’s uncle appearing out of nowhere seems to set her on edge and I don’t see her in the days following the wedding.

My attempts to reach out are met with reassuring texts, so I choose to trust that she’s simply bonding with family.

Considering her sister’s disappearance, I don’t hold it against her.

But just as I grow concerned that I haven’t seen her, things go to shit at work and the Russian deal implodes.

No one gives me an explanation as to why they suddenly decide to pull out of the weapons deal and any contact I make with them is answered by a wall of silence.

A good deal in our favor suddenly turns into a disaster with weapons pouring into the country that I can’t shift and no one wants to buy because they fear retaliation from the Russians.

At one of the emergency meetings I call about this disaster, Don points out how we’re bleeding money and if we aren't able to start shifting the weapons, it won’t be long until the law catches wind of what we’re doing.

The more stock we hoard, the bigger the charges if the cops ever catch us red-handed.

My first suspicion is that the Russians caught on to my plan to shift our drug trade back into the territory they stole from us, but none of our cooking houses or drug runners run into any issues.

That side of the business is completely unaffected, so I reason that this is purely a weapons-based issue.

I try for days to get ahold of the Russian general I was dealing with and he eventually responds by blowing up two of my warehouses and completely destroying all the weapons stock inside.

This means war.

Not only did they accept a deal for regular weapons, but they pulled out, refused to pay, and then blew up all the holdings, making the product completely unsellable. The loss is eye-watering even for us, and my patience immediately runs out.

New York breaks out into an all-out war between us and the Russians.

Don gets shot in the shoulder on an early Thursday morning and ends up in the hospital for four days.

Jack ends up in a shootout just trying to buy coffee a week later, so I triple the security at my home and the Byrne manor to ensure Clover remains safe.

Bobby’s family are also placed under armed security and protection while the streets run red with Russian blood.

I no longer care why they decided to screw us over.

All that matters now is crushing them as swiftly as I can so that no one else thinks they can take us on.

I’m done playing nice with the Russians and any other family that thinks they can mess with us.

Living up to the dangerous Savoy reputation is easier than I’d like it to be, but it works.

Whatever the Russians take from me in terms of property and manpower, I take from them tenfold.

The violence in the streets takes up most of my time and what little time I can carve out for Clover ends up in us fucking like rabbits despite how each time she tells me it will be the last time.

There’s no stress relief quite like burying between her thighs and losing myself for a few hours.

It’s the best way I can show her that I care about her, and each time I leave, she kisses me and promises to be waiting for me when things calm down.

As long as she’s safe, I don’t care how long this takes. I’ll wipe the Russians right out of the damn city if I have to.

Until Trisha calls me.

I’m halfway toward the airport, where several Russians have taken several of the shipments hostage, fresh off the plane.

I’m intent on killing every single one of them until Trisha calls in audible pain and panic about the baby.

I almost don’t believe her until her father’s voice yells down the line that this time isn’t a false alarm.

The baby is coming and I don’t want to miss it.

A baby that I still haven’t had a paternity test for.

Is it even mine? Do I go and witness the birth of a baby that isn’t mine, or go to the airport and miss the moment my child comes into the world? There isn’t really a choice here, just a lot of unresolved panic.

Jack changes direction in just one word and redirects me to the hospital where Trisha is four hours into labor and begging for me to be by her side.

Being there almost feels like a betrayal to Clover who has been nothing but a supportive rock since we exchanged vows.

Even if I tell myself we’re not really in a relationship, I can’t deny that my feelings for her are growing day by day.

So, before I enter the birthing suite, I text her and fill her in on everything related to Trisha’s current state. Her reply is exactly what I expect. Support and understanding, along with warm wishes for luck.

Trisha labors for a total of nine hours while the world outside continues to spin in chaos.

She gloats often about how I came to be by her side and hold her hand, how I’m the one who did this to her and she’ll never let me forget it.

She screams obscenities at me and tries to claw the eye out of a nurse she claims was looking at me wrong, but soon, she reaches the cusp of her labor and Trisha turns into a terrified, exhausted mother-to-be.

My daughter is born at eleven at night on June twenty-ninth, weighing 5.9 pounds. I see her only briefly because she’s taken away to be cleaned up and cared for, and once I have the doctor’s attention, I ask the most crucial question.

I want an immediate paternity test.

Trisha tries to fight me, but the doctor agrees and says she’ll put a rush on it.

Several hours later, I pace the waiting room while anxiety churns up the nausea in my gut. Jack appears with coffee in hand and offers it to me with a tight smile.

“Any news?”

“Nope. What happened at the airport?”

“The Russians are dicks, I swear. While we were fighting on the tarmac, a bunch of them were in the tower trying to find out where our shipments were coming from. I got to them in time, and I don’t think they passed any of that information to anyone else, but I killed them for good measure.”

My frown deepens. “So rather than make a deal with us, they want our supplier?” I scoff darkly. “Good fucking luck.” The coffee tastes like shit, but it’s hot and I’m running on fumes.

“Yeah. Don’s already been in touch with our supplier and given them a heads up. They’re going to go into lockdown for a few weeks to remain protected, but I think we’re good. The Russians aren’t getting close.”

Coming to a stop, I slowly sit in one of the shitty plastic chairs with a groan. “When did things get so fucked up, Jack?”

He sits beside me with a weary sigh. “Fuck knows.”

“Last month, I was riding a high. The deal was in place. Clover was on my arm. My focus was charity work and dodging the wicked witch. Now we’re losing men, businesses, buildings…

The Russians are coming for us at the airport, of all places.

I barely get to see Clover, and now…” I motion toward the hallway leading to Trisha’s room. “I might be a father.”

“Well, I can’t soothe everything, but I can tell you that Clover’s happy. You saw her last week, right? She and Bobby have been pretty focused on looking for Hailey.”

“You’re giving her what she needs, right?”

“Of course. Unrestricted access to resources and money just like you instructed. Her uncle is weird, though.”

I fix him with a tired look. “How so?”

Jack shrugs and leans back. “I dunno. He gives me the creeps, I guess.”

“Noted.”

“As for the Russians… we always knew there was a chance they could try and screw us, right?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re just being insanely aggressive, which, frankly, doesn’t mean shit because we’re much more powerful than them.”

“It would help if I knew why.”

Jack laughs dryly. “Like the Russians need a reason to be deranged fucking animals.”

“True.”

“And Trisha?” Jack’s hand lands on my shoulder. “Never put your dick in crazy.”

“Fuck you,” I snort, elbowing him. “She wasn’t crazy when we first met.”

“She totally was. She just hid it and you didn’t see it ’cause you thought she was hot.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“But hey, try to focus on the positives, right? You might have a daughter.”

Our gazes meet. “I might have a daughter.” Isn’t that just an insane thought? Dragging my hand through my hair, I massage my temples with my knuckles while I drink. “How long do these things take?”

“A while,” Jack murmurs. “Even if it's expedited, you’re looking at a few more hours.” Jack glances at the time display on his phone. “Let me take you home. Go back to Clover, get some rest.”

“You’re right.” Sighing deeply, I drain my cup and stand. “I need sleep.”

“Mr. Savoy?” Before I can move, a kindly looking nurse enters the waiting room holding an envelope.

“Yes?”

“This is for you. Your paternity results.”

I stare at the envelope and suddenly, I’m unable to move. Jack rises and takes it from the nurse with a smile. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll be at the desk if you need to discuss anything.”

“Thanks,” Jack says again and he waits for her to leave. Then he faces me and holds the envelope. “I guess I don’t know shit.”

“Yeah.” I stare down at his hands. “What do you think it says?”

He shrugs. “I’m not going to guess. This is too important to you.”

My heart clenches and I slowly take the envelope from him. It opens easily and the results spill out onto my waiting palm. There’s a lot of text to work through but it might as well have been in a foreign language because only one part stands out to me.

DNA is not a match.

That baby is not mine.