Page 48 of The Bonventi War

"Actually," I say, "ladies, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to speak with my brothers." I turn to Raven. "Why don't you stay here and get acquainted," I say and lean down and whisper into her ear, "That alright?"

She nods. "Yes, I'd love to."

I rub her shoulders and walk away. As I do, I hear Livia ask, "So, Raven, how do you know our Gio?"

And while I'm curious to know what she'll say, I spot Enzo and Marco near the bar, deep in conversation. Marco, ever the politician, is charming a small group of donors while Enzo observes with his usual intensity.

Marco finishes when I appear. "Everything alright?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah. They're donating a nice chunk of change, so, you know, charming them up a bit."

"You know, speaking of charming, that's the infamous Raven, huh?" Enzo asks.

I turn to look at Raven talking and laughing with Alina and Livia. "Yes."

"Are we still saying you're just protecting her and that's why she's here, or are we admitting she's gotten under your skin?" Marco asks with a smile.

"If you weren't recovering from being shot, I think I'd punch you right now," I say.

"Ohh, she's definitely under your skin," Marco says.

I shoot him a look.

"You two," Enzo says, shaking his head. "Jesus. She seems like a real put-together woman. Doesn't seem like she belongs to the family she's in."

I nod, a bit of anger rising in me at the thought of what they did. "Yes, and if you mean she's out of my league, it wouldn't be wrong."

Zo laughs. "No, you're a Bonventi. Wearethe league. Just, you know."

I shake my head. "Yeah, I?—"

"Well, well, well, look at the three pretty Italians hanging at the bar," a familiar voice says from behind me.

Ares.

"How the hell are you, Ares?" Enzo asks, giving him a hug. "How's the family?"

"They're good. They send their regards, and some money to donate for Alina's thing," he says with a laugh.

"Marco, good to see you," he says, shaking Marco's hand.

"Gio," he says and turns back to look at Raven, then back to me. "So, the gym girl's officially part of the family gatherings now?"

I clench my jaw. "Watch it."

"Hey, just saying," Ares raises his hands in mock surrender, "quite a turn of events considering who her brother was and, you know, all the other shit about to rain down."

Marco clears his throat. "Well, people aren't their family's sins. She wasn't involved. Fuck the brother, though. Getting shot hurts."

"It's on my list of things to not have happen to me today, so hopefully, I'll never know," Ares says and takes a drink of his whiskey.

"I get it, she's something to look at," Ares says while keeping his gaze on Raven a bit longer than I'd like.

"Well don't fucking look too long," I say.

"Ares, you'll have to excuse my brother. He's in a crisis where the woman he's vowed to protect now holds a piece of his heart, and he must choose between?—"

"No one has a piece of anything. But if anyone messes with her they're going to wish they hadn't," I say, looking at Enzo, not letting Marco finish.