Page 77 of Vows of a Mobster

“Then give me her real last name,” I demanded.

“I’m having our guy pull the property records of the house she lives in,” Antonio explained. “She said her grandmother took her in. We’ll trace her information that way.”

If there was something I was expecting, this wasn’t it. I trusted Antonio and his judgment. There was no reason not to believe what he was saying but I still struggled to take his word at face value. Brianna didn’t exactly pretend, there was honesty surrounding her. Even now that she knew what I represented, she still didn’t quiver.

What was Brianna hiding?

We both heard her soft footsteps before she came into view.

“Keep digging,” I demanded as we both lifted our heads to find Brianna descending the stairs. Her easy mannerism and the way she carried herself wasn’t fake. I couldn’t see her as a liar or a cheater, but if she was undercover, I had to ensure my family and businesses were protected. It wasn’t just about me.

“Hey you two,” she greeted us both with a small smile playing around her lips. “You know, when you stop a conversation as someone enters the room, it means you were just talking about them.”

My lips curved into an amused smile. It seemed to happen around this woman all the time. She stirred up my cock and my happiness. How appropriate!

Whatever Brianna was hiding, there was no denying that she was kind. Watching her easy way with Antonio made it evident she had a pleasant personality. His somewhat gruffy ways sometimes put women off but not her. And she certainly knew how to charm people. Antonio was already eating out of her hand, even with the big question about who she really was lingering in the air.

When she bent over, leaning to check the contents of the fridge, her butt on full display, I thought I’d burst in my pants. I couldn’t wait to get her into our bedroom tonight.

“Okay,” Antonio exhaled in exaggerated breath. “I prefer salmon. My doctor said I need to eat more fish.”

Brianna quickly straightened up and her eyes flashed concerned. “Are you sick?”

“No, bambina,” he assured her quickly. “As you get older, red meat is not as good for you.”

“Well, it is fine in a balanced diet.” Her eyes turned to me in question.

“Salmon is fine with me.”

“Great, we have a winner then.” She smiled happily. “You two sit down. If I need you, I’ll let you know. Otherwise, you’ll get on my nerves, hovering in my way. But you can talk and keep me company. Emma or the girls usually keep me company when I cook.”

“Are you sure you are not Italian?” Antonio asked jokingly.

She pulled her phone out of her back pocket. “You guys don’t mind music, right?”

“No.” I told her although I had a feeling we would not like her music very much. She scrolled through her phone and pressed the button. As soon as the music blasted through her phone, I saw Antonio wince and I had to stifle my laugh. Thankfully, she turned it down to a low volume.

She put the phone on the table in front of us and beamed. “Let’s get this party started.”

I honestly didn’t know a single person that would leave their phone face up, in front of someone like us. Was she really that trusting or was it a show? My gut told me that’s who she was and that alone showed how different she was from us. We had secrets to keep, contacts to hide, messages to transmit via coded methods.

Brianna commenced with digging all ingredients out of the fridge and placing them on the counter.

“Yes, Antonio,” she started talking. “I am sure I’m not Italian. Not a lick of Italian blood in me.”

“You are an American,” he replied, smiling. “You cannot be sure of that.”

“Actually, I can,” she glanced over her shoulder. “I’d bet you, but it wouldn't be fair. I would totally win and rip you off.”

“Okay, bambina,” Antonio was having a good time. “Tell us. What is your heritage?”

“English and Swedish,” she replied without turning around.

“Swedish?”

“Yes, my dad was the first generation born here.” She moved over to the counter and started cutting her vegetables and dicing fresh spices. She knew her way around the kitchen. “Probably where Emma gets her blonde hair and blue eyes.”

Her cutting paused for the briefest moment, and I wondered if she regretted the words. But then she resumed cutting, humming along with her song. I shook my head at the crude words in the song. Although there was something relaxing about this very moment. Watching her preparing dinner, humming along with the song, her body swaying to the music. This was her every day around the people she loved. This would be her family life one day.