Page 13 of Vicious Kingdom

My brother’s voice lowered an octave, softened a fraction. “I’m sorry I’ve asked the impossible of you. But one of us had to turn legit.”

It wasn’t impossible. Not the work. But the distance from the famiglia, the separation from my siblings, the constant web of lies I lived each and every day, it was…hard.

I can’t do that at home.

When I returned each night to the tower I rented, high above the city, I left the part I played at the door. There, safely in my empty rooms, I could be Leonardo Mancini, and even though that role was the banished member of the pack, it was still me.

If someone else lived there, I would have to be Leonard Baldwin 24/7. That part of me would be well and truly suffocated.

Just the thought made my chest constrict tightly.

But if it was actually necessary…. Could I?

Maybe I was being pissy. I mean, how hard would it be to add another layer of deception to my life? Watching the elites of society go about their lives, it didn’t seem like they were the models of communication and fidelity. They might shine as couples, each decorating the other in public, but behind closed doors? Did they really have one another’s backs?

“I’ll think about it,” I said carefully.

“There are plenty of desirable candidates.” And now the don was playing matchmaker.

I would rather die than be told who to be intimate with.

A pair of blue eyes flashed in my mind. The color of the summer sky. I turned from the window, not wanting the visceral reminder.

“This business with the taxmen. How serious is it?” Sandro pressed.

“I’m handling it.” And then, because I was petty, I flipped the tables on the don. “But we should look over your books, just to try and catch any red flags.”

Instead of being upset that I questioned him, Sandro murmured in agreement. His phone beeped, and he took it out. From the smile that twitched on his lips, I knew without him saying who’d sent it.

The bastard was happy in the love department.

“What’s your bonny bride up to tonight?” I sighed.

“Playing fetch,” he muttered, but he couldn’t hide the smile from his words. “The damn dog brings the ball to her.”

“But not you?” I guessed.

The don grunted. “He’s partial like that.”

It was easy to believe. People, animals—hell, the devil himself probably would jump to Penelope’s command.

My heart clenched. I wanted that. If I was going to go through with his crazy plan, I wanted that. Someone who would make me smile. If I sacrificed Leonardo on the altar of business, it wasn’t much to ask for someone who made me smile.

“I’ll think about what you said,” I repeated.

“That’s all I ask.” With that, my brother left.

Chapter 6 – Leonard

She was everywhere. Not just in the cafés or the obligatory events we attended. Annaliese was in my thoughts. She was in my fuckingdreams. I woke up gasping for air.

We’d been running through the parks, but some danger beckoned her, and she took off. My feet hadn’t moved. I couldn’t reach her in time….

“Fucking hell,” I hissed, scrubbing my hands over my face. I swore my fingers had been grasping that silky, white-blonde hair right before we took off running. They itched with the visceral reminder.

They wouldn’t stop shaking.

The feeling of losing her was real enough that it made my body sweat bullets. The sheets were soaked from the nightmare.