Page 13 of The Boss

“If you have a reputation like his and a small army on the property—plus, lots of, uh, giant scary dogs, I’m guessing?—then is a security system really necessary?”

“Hm, maybe,” I say, reading the file again. She re-reads it too for a minute. “Anyway, I need a strategy.”

“Okay?” She eyes me warily.

“I was going for seduction but he has multiple strip clubs, right? So I actually think my best bet is to drive him insane. Play the worst caricature of the worst mafia wife ever, whiny, needy, nagging and irritating, right? Get him to call off the deal and send me home.”

“You think?”

“Yes,” I nod. “Then I come back and get to work on Papa and Bosco.”

She tilts her head. “How does Bosco feel about all this? Didn’t he want to marry you too? He must be so disappointed.”

“That’s funny,” I chuckle. “I never really think about him or his feelings.”

“Luna!” Ellie laughs too.

I shrug and admit, “He has always just been…Bosco. We’ve made out a few times, he knew I wanted to marry him. He thought I loved him, probably, because I acted like an infatuated little girl around him most of the time. But his head is always so far up my dad’s ass, I am not sure he’s capable of his own thoughts and feelings. If he wanted to marry me he didn’t really show it or say it. Even when he’d check me out, it was almost in a protective way, like I was too hot to be the don’s daughter. His whole world is through that one lens.”

“Weird.”

“It really is. So. I guess I’ll have to deal with him when the time comes. First, I have to get out of this marriage. What do you think about OperationAnnoy Him To Death?”

“I like it. If he’s really as reclusive as they say, he’s probably very particular about his things and his space. Disrupting that is a solid idea.”

“Think I can be disruptive enough before moving in? Before we make it down the aisle?”

“You can certainly try. You’ll have to meet, have an engagement party, probably a few joint family dinners.”

“Yes. Good,” I nod. “This is good. I feel better with a plan.”

She frowns, “I’m still trying to talk to my uncle, I haven’t given up yet.”

I give her a small smile. “Thanks. I’m not giving up either. Even if I end up married. There’s always divorce. Or I could become a widow, of course. Arsenic soup, chloroform pillow case. Plenty of options.”

“You’re crazy, Lu.”

“All visionaries are. I’m going to start working on my character. Maybe buy some outrageous outfits or start a list of insane demands for his house. Love you.”

“Love you too!”

I hang up and feel significantly lighter, better.

Skulls Quinn won’t know what hit him.

CHAPTER 9

Quinn

“Harder, asshole,” I grit out.

Mac fakes an uppercut to my face then pummels me in the ribs. “You think I’m holding back on you, cousin?”

“I know you are.”

“What I know,” he lands a shot to my gut, “is that you are pissed about the woman.”

I only grunt.