Chapter 107
[ALEX]
The Whitlock House. I read the name inscribed outside a hundred times before taking a deep breath and ringing the bell. Traveling home was a bitter reminder of why I don't do it often. It was a lot of work. For starters, I needed two planes. My usual plane—the one with enhanced security—was full of my guards, and the plane my guards usually took contained me, Dom, and Mia. Mia was a pain. She'd never flown before and was terrified during takeoff, clinging to Dom's hand.
He was sitting next to her—at a distance—with me opposite. It took every ounce of self-control not to open the door and throw him out. However, as soon as we leveled off, Dom grunted and shoved her hand away, clearly disapproving of her presence.
We landed; the other plane went to a remote location for my employees' "fully paid vacation"—a diversion tactic to throw off anyone tracking me. That was just the beginning.
After landing, we took two cars. I drove home while Dom and Mia circled to ensure no one had followed. There's a lot I need to do before endangering my family—like, you know, dying myself.
Normally, I'd have kept Mia with me. But it had been a long time since I'd visited home, and I needed to prevent my sister from excitedly announcing, "Hannah!" So I left Mia with Dom. Alone. Again.
The door burst open, revealing my wonderfully stupid and sunny twin sister. Aurora is shorter than me, but not short for a girl. Her eyes are a lighter brown—almost hazel—and her hair, now similar to mine, has subtle gold highlights in its long waves. She was in her work clothes; no surprise, given the late hour. I assumed she'd just gotten off work.
"Surprise?" I offered with a crooked smile.
"You actually came!" She flung herself into my arms. I laughed and hugged her back. I carried her inside, and she clung to me like a little girl.
"What's all that noise?" My mother's words trailed off as her eyes landed on me, her lips parting. "Gabriel!" she yelled to my father, presumably upstairs. "Gabriel!"
Before he could respond, she rushed to me. I released Aurora so my mother could hug me. "Oh, Alex," she said, her eyes glistening with tears as she ruffled my hair. "I missed you so much."
"Freckles?" My father hurried down the stairs, worry etched on his face, which vanished the moment he saw me. He's obsessed with my mother and her safety. A smile mirroring mine touched his lips as he looked away from her and at me. "What, did they throw you out of the Mafia already?"
"Ha-ha," I mocked, hugging him nonetheless. There they were—my family. The ones I'd protect until my last breath, if necessary. Well, almost all of my family. "Where's Ronan?" I asked, once we were settled on the living room couch.
"At some party. It's the weekend," Aurora replied.
"No, it's not," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "It's Thursday night."
"Almost the weekend," she countered. "Besides, when did Ron ever care about the day before a party?"
I shook my head. "I thought he joined you at work, Dad?"
"I believe his motto is 'CEO by day, something something by night'," Dad rolled his eyes.
"Male stripper?" I suggested.
My mother threw a cushion at me, which I easily caught. "Don't talk about my son that way, Alex."
"He's twenty-one. Not a kid anymore."
"So aren't you, apparently," she retorted, "considering you got engaged without telling your family."
A dramatic silence followed. I fought the urge to roll my eyes; even in the Mafia, my father would still have my metaphorical "balls" on the table. "It's not really an engagement. It's more of a business deal. We signed a contract."
My parents exchanged a knowing, loving look. "Is it?" Dad asked, hiding a smile.
"Yeah." I blinked. "Why are you smiling? Shouldn't you be furious that I signed a contract marriage to a woman I don't even like, considering your own love marriage?"
"Well…" My mother's voice trailed off.
"You may have followed Damien's footsteps, but you're our son. You're more like us than you think, Alex," my father said, still smiling slyly.
I frowned. "Can you not speak in riddles?"
"Aren't you the Mafia strategist now?" he teased. "Smartest and youngest member? I'm sure you'll figure out what we mean once you marry her."
"I won't figure it out because I won't marry her," I said. "I've devised a plan to end this 'engagement.' It's a work in progress."
"Why?" my ever-curious sister asked. "I looked up Hannah the moment Uncle Damien told me. She's beautiful and seems kind. You two would make a good pair."
I glared at her. "Your boss pays you to research me at work?"
Her cheeks flushed, and my eyes narrowed. Maybe I'd been gone too long; what was going on in her life?
"So?" my mother interrupted. "Do we get to meet this Hannah girl or what?"
"No, you don't. Because I'm not marrying her."
"But why… unless you have someone else?" Aurora's eyes lit up like a detective solving a murder mystery.
One hour at home, and I already wanted to leave.
Chapter 107
"That's not the case," I said firmly. Before she could protest, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," she said, tiptoeing to the door before I could stop her. "I think Ron got my text and came back."
The door opened, revealing Dom and Mia.
"Boss's package," Dom commented, practically shoving Mia inside. She looked panicked, glancing at Aurora and then my mother, who'd followed Aurora. My mother relaxed when she saw me.
"Now I see why you won't marry Hannah," my father commented amusedly from behind me. I groaned inwardly but glared at him.
This was going to be a very long two days.