Page 72 of Tangled Lies

“Tell my father I’ve brought my fiancée to meet him.”

The guy nodded and said, “I will let sir know you are here.”

Talon leaned closer to me.

“She was already an approved fiancée, right?”

I nodded, but I was going off of our fearless leader’s words. I would assume he knew who he was betrothed to. All the effort in the world to get revenge while fixing some stupid shit with being undercut and fucked over, and somehow she was standing here in the heart of the Barone family. Interesting choice, brother. I hope he knew what he was doing.

We stood waiting for only a few seconds before Margaux’s hand snaked around my forearm. I looked at Ronan, where he still securely held her other arm.

“You do have some self-preservation instinct, don’t you, angel?”

She looked up at me and gone was the girl that seemed to know how to push all our damn buttons. No, this was that meek little scared mouse we saw time and time again trailing behind her uncle.

“Well, well. Fiancée? Unexpected.”

The head of the family stood at the top of the stairs where all our gazes instantly went. Would he be in a good mood or a bad mood? Hard to say how this afternoon would go.

“Sorry, Barone, for the surprise. But I thought you’d be happy to know that Margaux Harrington accepted my proposal, even after I explained to her how you arranged the marriage with her parents.”

Fuck. I looked away. I couldn’t watch. My heart seemed to tick down the seconds until the man laughed.

I took a deep breath for the first time since stepping into this place.

“My boy. I’m glad you finally saw the wisdom in my choice.”

Barone walked down the stairs in a slow, controlled manner, like he did almost everything. He knew how to set the stage in any room he went into.

“I have business to discuss with you boys, but I guess we have to get a wedding date nailed down as well. The sooner the better. Margaux Harrington, welcome to the family.”

She wasn’t letting go of me anymore than she was letting go of Ronan.

“Angel, let go. You two need to follow first.”

She looked at her hand, her fingers digging into my skin.

“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Her voice was low, and I doubted that Lino Barone had heard anything.

He led the way into the formal dining room. The only place we ever ate when we were invited.

“Sometimes I just can’t decide if being buried alive would be more exciting than these little family get togethers,” Jett whispered to Talon and me.

He wasn’t wrong.

Barone had his seat at the head of the table. His wife, regardless of mistresses, had a place at the table, and no one wasever allowed to touch her seat. Next to her were the legitimate children, and across the way? Us, or any illegitimate children. No one else came to family dinners. Cousins, extended family. Ronan was the only reason we even were invited. That, and we were useful.

We all sat, and a new spot was set for Margaux.

Barone stood at the head of the table waiting for everyone to arrive.

“So that idiot of an uncle of yours finally decided to honor your father’s agreement?” Barone asked.

Margaux looked at Ronan and then at his dad.

“No. I recently found out about the agreement though, and I want to honor his last wish. My trust was set up the way it was based on my dad’s specific plan for me. I am here to fulfill that agreement.”

That was a pleasant surprise for an answer. I didn’t believe for one second it was exactly how she felt. I would suspect the reason her uncle was making it nearly impossible for her to marry Ronan was something in the trust that he wanted.