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‘Dad would have approved.’
‘That’s exactly why we don’t. Why not explore what you have with this other chick instead? Nicole is hot, and rich, and has some insane connections, but she won’t make you happy.’ Ewen grabbed the wine bottle and put another healthy glug of it into his glass.
‘It’s too late for that. It’s all agreed. Tony would have my balls if I backed out.’
‘He’d get over it,’ Maeve shrugged. ‘He didn’t exactly want her to marry you.’
‘I won him over. I don’t want it to cost us any of our guys if I fuck it up.’
‘So what, you just move into hers and listen as she rides her bodyguard every night?’ Maeve raised a brow at me as Ewen took another slice of pizza and tucked in.
‘I won’t move in. I’ll stay here.’
‘And what about kids? When she has babies to continue this line you are so desperate to keep going, are you going to just never see them? Let her raise them? A nanny? Do you want your kids to have the same distant dad as we did?’
I rubbed my eyes and shook my head. ‘No. I don’t want that. I’ll make it work. I’ll keep the kids here.’
‘While you run your mega crime syndicate throughout Europe? Tell me how that’s going to work.’
‘I don’t fucking know Maeve. How do you make it work? You have kids, you are growing the Thompson syndicate from strength to strength. Why can’t I?’
‘You can, but something’s going to have to give. The kids came to us as teens, that’s a whole different thing than babies and toddlers. But I have something you won’t have. Someone who will always be behind me, supporting me. Cam is my rock and we couldn’t do it alone.’
‘Tell me about the other chick,’ Ewen said.
‘Never mind. No point.’
I didn’t think I could talk about Valentina without wanting to go over to her flat and snatch her up, taking her home and keeping her for good. I had to keep my mind on other things. Keep pushing forward with the business.
I’d been home almost a week when Tony would no longer take my excuses to avoid dinner. The dining room sat empty with only myself and the staff who loitered near the far wall as I waited for the Valettis to join me.
Hell, I didn’t know if I’d even be able to look them in their faces after what I’d done to their cousin and niece.
Tony arrived first, walking past me and clapping me on the back with a loud thwack.
‘Good to see you Logan. Fine job you did with Alfie and my money. Good to know I can count on you, son.’
Hearing son on his lips sent my stomach into a flip. I’d craved my father’s approval so badly that it hit a part of me I’d been searching to fill. At the same time guilt roiled through me. Guilt because I wanted to ditch his daughter and try to convince his niece to give me a chance.
‘No worries,’ I said with a shrug as a young man poured me some wine.
‘Have you thought about how you want to expand, drugs, laundering, hitmen?’
I coughed on my sip of wine as he spoke so openly. We rarely discussed business with guests in our home, but Tony clearly had no such qualms.
‘You know we’re big in the illegal pharmaceutical trade. I want to expand into more medical grade stuff throughout Europe.’
‘Hmph,’ Tony said as he took a mouthful of his own wine, holding up a finger to signal a moment, but before he spoke Hugh came into the room with his usual cocky grin plastered to his face.
‘Ah, the prodigal son returns,’ he said, taking the seat to the left of his father. His voice was full of ire as he said son, his dislike of me spilling into the word.
‘Ah, Hugh. Have you been up to much since I last saw you? Or just nose deep in a pile of coke?’
Tony guffawed as Hugh reddened with fury.
‘Where is Mother tonight?’ Hugh asked, changing the subject while scowling at me like a sullen child.
‘At a spa, I think. Or in Milan? I don’t know.’ Tony shrugged and looked at his watch.
