Page 188 of Savage Hearts

He turns to the window again. A faint smile lifts the corners of his mouth. “What I always do when the only two options are shite. Create a third.”

He doesn’t explain that, and I don’t ask. If he wanted me to know, he’d tell me.

“What’s going on with the Italians?”

He sighs heavily, passing a hand over his face. “They’re bloody mad, that lot. Do you know they still have arranged marriages?”

“They can’t want you to marry one of their lasses now!”

“No, not me, obviously. But Caruso’s got it in his head to marry his daughter into the Mob.”

Gianni Caruso is the head of one of the Five Families. Since the capo of the Cosa Nostra was killed a while back, the Sicilians have been jockeying each other for position. No one has come out on top yet.

“Why us?”

He says drily, “Because we’re so handsome and charming.”

“Or because we have something they want.”

“Exactly.”

“Do they have anything we want?”

“Aye. Territory. Distribution. Trade routes. Cash. We had a tentative accord when Diego was in charge, but it dissolved when his memory did. But it hardly matters, considering I don’t have any male family members to sell into slavery.”

My mind starts to turn. I say slowly, “What if you did?”

Declan looks at me sharply.

“Second-in-command is about as close to a son or brother as you have.”

When he understands what I’m suggesting, he says flatly, “You’ve lost your bloody mind.”

“You said you wanted me focused. Nothing like new pussy to get your mind off the old.”

He lifts his brows. “Now you’re scaring me. Also, watch your mouth, mate. Riley’s my sister-in-law.”

“Do you have a picture of Caruso’s daughter?”

“Spider! Knock it off!”

I down the rest of my whiskey, set the glass on his desk, and stand. “Show me her picture.”

“You can’t be bloody serious!”

“Look at my face. Does it look serious to you?”

“This isn’t like adopting a puppy. You can’t take it back if it doesn’t work out. This is a bloodylifelongcommitment we’re talking about!”

“You just made one. Why can’t I?”

He roars, “Because you’re not in love!”

“This wouldn’t be about love. It would be about business. And frankly—I mean this with no disrespect to you or your wife—from what I can tell, a business arrangement with no feelings involved would be a helluva lot easier.”

“I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Just show me a picture of the lass.”