Page 97 of Tangled Lies

Talon and Jett both looked at me.

Family dinner hadn’t gone well.

“Barone, sir. I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding. Margaux has agreed to the marriage her father arranged with your blessing. What’s changed?” I asked since I was the only one in full control, at least on the outside.

Fuck. Ronan didn’t lose his cool.

“Things change. Her father is no longer here. The senator has made a better offer, but the agreement is she’s marrying into the Thorne family. You should have disclosed that information before bringing her home.”

“Father, we don’t go back on our word. Ronan is ensuring that there is no shame on the Barone family name,” said Maddox Barone.

Shit was bad when the eldest of the Barone kids was here taking Ronan’s side. They all had an unspoken code. Bloodwas thicker than water, but blood was useless when power was concerned.

“Maddox, this doesn’t concern you. If you aren’t careful, I’ll arrange another marriage for you.”

Maddox drained the liquid in his glass in one gulp.

“Barone, this was your fucking idea. You don’t get to take her away now. Move the fucking wedding up if you want the trust fund sooner. I don’t care. You are not handing her over to the Thornes,” Ronan said.

Barone’s face had darkened a few shades of red.

“You don’t get a say in this matter. They’ve offered the contract for the new casino plus an additional five percent of all earnings for the next ten years.”

Talon blew out a breath.

“So she does have a value to you then, and not just whatever the deeds are in that trust fund. Did her uncle specify that he wasn’t going to pursue the zoning changes or that he was going to stop the Thornes and their shell company?” Talon leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

We were all in Angelino Barone’s office. It was supposed to be a drink and then family business. Margaux was with Talon’s sister and Ronan’s half sister. They weren’t worth being included. Women didn’t have much of a role in the family. I could see why Ronan was so hesitant about marrying in the first place.

If it was between being a trophy wife to the family or Carrow’s puppet? The decision for all of us had been easy. Margaux hadn’t really known, but I saw the way she looked at us. We were no longer just an escape. We were her choice.

“No. But I think we can strong arm the Thornes to stop competing with us. The zoning is another issue, and I believe I can have him kill the proposed changes,” said Barone.

Only the paranoid survive was becoming more and more true. That marriage certificate had been a strategy that was going to be our ace. All the gambling in this city, and marriage was rarely the thing that tipped a hand. In the Barone family?

None of us revealed this though. It wasn’t the right time.

Something crashed in the hallway, and all of us looked toward the door.

Jett beat everyone there. I could guess what he saw or maybe what he didn’t see.

“No one’s there. But maybe we table this little chat, uncle,” Jett said.

Barone knew exactly what Jett was saying when he said uncle. We didn’t exactly love the family hierarchy, but when we did? We were saying fuck you, we’re done.

Throwing around the blood that tied us all together was about the only thing Barone cared much for.

“Fine. Fine. You have a few days to turn the girl over.”

Ronan stormed out of the room, nearly knocking over Jett who was already following him out.

I stayed behind. The anger seething inside me alive and ready to kill the thing in front of me. Instead I did what I could. I turned back to Barone.

“Barone, how did you find out about Thorne's engagement? Did you suddenly take up reading tabloids or social media?”

He pulled out a cigar and cut the tip off before answering.

“Here.”