Step Bride: A Bad Boy Mob Romance (Includes bonus novel Honored!)

by Hamel, B. B.

  “Lost?”

  I turned and saw a young man standing to my right. It took me a second to realize that he was Franklin, the driver.

  “Oh no,” I said. “Just exploring.”

  He nodded, taking a drag on a cigarette. “Big place, huh?”

  “It’s crazy. How does anyone find anything?”

  He shrugged and ashed his cigarette. “You get used to it, I guess.”

  “How many people are living here?”

  He shrugged again. “Permanently? Supposed to be just Barone and his family, but there’s probably fifty, maybe sixty people staying here at any given time.”

  I gaped at him. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  “Why don’t I see them?”

  “Because they have orders to leave you alone.”

  I let that sink in. “Why?”

  “You’re the boss’s new stepdaughter. He doesn’t want you corrupted, I guess.”

  He was beginning to give me the creeps. “Well, thanks.”

  “Sure.”

  I turned and left the kitchen, walking fast. He had seemed nice at first, but the longer I saw him, the more awkward I felt. I wanted to get away from him.

  I went up to the top floor and began walking again. Paintings lined the hallways, and I began to notice more people around. They all ignored me and walked quickly past, not saying a word. It began to feel a little strange, but I realized it was because they had been ordered not to bother me.

  And that suited me just fine. I wanted to be left alone while I explored.

  Another fifteen minutes of aimless wandering and I came to a dead end. The hallway I had just come down was strange, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  I had to walk to the other end and back again to realize that the hallway had only one single door.

  The door was large and wooden. On a very small metal plaque, there was a name: “Louisa.”

  I cocked my head, looking at it. The name sounded very familiar, and then it hit me: this must be Lucas’s sister’s room.

  Curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself knocking.

  And quickly stopped myself, but too late. I had already knocked twice, loud and booming.

  Why hadn’t I met her yet? I realized that there must have been a reason why they were keeping me from her. Or why she had been keeping herself from me. Maybe she hated me? Maybe she despised my mother for marrying her father?

  I took a few steps back away from the door. I was suddenly very nervous. But nobody was answering, and the silence stretched on. Maybe she wasn’t in her room; maybe I was safe.

  I turned and went to leave. I took a few steps quickly down the hall, trying to be quiet.

  “Running away?”

  I stopped. The voice was young, female, and coming from right behind me. I turned, a knot in my stomach.

  She was pretty, slight, with big eyes, thick hair, and a slim face. I could see the resemblance between her and Lucas, though I guessed she took more after her mother than he did.

  “Uh, I’m sorry,” I said.

  She cocked her head. “For what?”

  “Knocking. I didn’t mean to bother you.”

  “Sure you did,” she said.

  “Uh, sorry,” I said stupidly.

  “You’re Natalie.”

  I nodded. “You’re Louisa.”

  She stared at me for a second. The longer I looked at her, the more I realized that there were bags under her eyes and her clothes were all rumpled.

  She looked tired.

  “Come in then,” she said, disappearing inside.

  I hesitated. I should probably just leave, but she interested me. Curious, I followed her inside.

  Her rooms were bigger than mine. I guessed they took up the entire wing and part of the downstairs. It was a total mess, with clothes and trash all over the place. There were several large screens set up and electronic equipment scattered all over the ground. I recognized a lot of it.

  “Sorry for the mess,” she said, sitting down cross-legged on a couch. “I threw a shoe at Rosita and she refused to come back.”

  I laughed nervously. “Rosita?”

  “She cleans my rooms usually. But she showed up in the middle of a raid.”

  “Raid?”

  “Yeah. Like, World of War Craft?”

  I nodded. “Sure. Some of my friends play.”

  “It’s fun.”

  She watched me as I stood there awkwardly. “So, uh, you’re into computers.”

  “Sure.”

  “Me too. I go to school for computer science.”

  “Good for you.”

  I frowned. She seemed almost hostile one second and completely pleasant the next. I had no clue what to make of it.

  “Uh, so. We’re stepsisters.”

  “Sit down,” she said. I walked over and sat on the couch. “Yep, stepsisters. I’ve never had a sister before.”

  “Me neither,” I said, smiling. “I’m an only child.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “Lonely sometimes, but yeah, it’s okay.”

  “Must be hard too, since your mother and all.”

  I laughed. “Yeah. You’ve heard of her, I guess.”

  “Camille Taylor. Hard not to hear about her.” She paused, looking at her nails. “How much of that crap is true?”

  “The shows?”

  “All of it.”

  I shrugged. “Not much, but I honestly try to keep my distance.”

  “Not into the family business?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Good for you.” She looked at me seriously. “Why did my brother steal a dress for you?”

  I turned beet red. I hadn’t realized she knew about that. “Uh, he was just trying to be nice, I guess,” I said quickly.

  She laughed. “That doesn’t sound like Lucas.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” I muttered.

  “I don’t care what you’re doing,” she said, shrugging. “I really don’t.

  “We’re not doing anything,” I said.

  She smiled. “Sure you’re not.” She stretched her legs out, putting them in my lap. I was surprised but didn’t move away. “Sorry I’m being weird. I’m just exhausted.”

  “I can come back later if you want.”

  “No. Stay for a bit. I want to get to know my new stepsister.”

  And so began the weirdest conversation of my life.

  She began by asking about life at college. Evidently, Louisa didn’t go to school and had opted to drop out of high school pretty young. I told her about class, about friends, and about partying, but she seemed most interested in asking about the computer lab.

  Next, she wanted to know about past boyfriends. I was vague on this, and when I questioned her back, she completely ignored me. It was more like an interrogation than a conversation.

  But she fascinated me. The way she jumped from topic to topic, her infectious laugh, her strange smile, it all drew me into her. I wanted to be her friend.

  Finally, I decided to ask more about her.

  “So, how come we haven’t met yet?” I asked.

  She cocked her head. “You haven’t come here before now.”

  “Sure, but you missed that dinner.”

  She smiled. “I don’t leave my room.”

  “I mean, I wouldn’t want to leave my room for that either.”

  “No,” she said, interrupting me. “I don’t leave my room.”

  I stared at her. “Ever?”

  “Well, no. I leave sometimes. I go for walks outside. But mostly, I’m in here.”

  I blinked at her. “Why?”

  She shrugged, looking away. “You can ask my dad about that one day, if you want.”

  “I doubt I will.”

  She looked back at me, that smile returning. “He’s not such a scary man, you know.”

  “I didn’t think he was.”

  “Sure you did. Because we’re mobsters.”

  I gape
d at her, surprised. “Uh,” I said, “what?”

  She cackled at me. “Don’t act dumb, Natalie. You’re part of the Barone Crime Family now.” She leaned closer to me. “We’re all violent criminals here.”

  “You don’t seem violent,” I said.

  “Not right now.” She leaned back and yawned. “Okay, sister, I think bonding time is over.” She moved her feet and I stood up.

  “Well, uh, it was nice talking to you.” I felt completely off balance.

  “You too. If you see Rosita, tell her to stay away. I have more shoes.”

  I laughed, nodding. “Okay. I will.”

  She rolled over, pulling a blanket on top of her. I watched for a second and then turned and left.

  Out in the hall, I shook my head. What a totally strange and surreal experience. As if my life weren’t weird enough, now I had a stepsister that might have been totally nuts. Beautiful and very interesting, but nutty, without a doubt.

  I headed back toward my room, shaking my head, wondering when the weirdness would ever end.

  Chapter Sixteen: Lucas

  I poured myself a whisky and stretched out on the couch, ready to try to think of a plan to deal with the Russians, when someone began banging on my door.

  “Shut the fuck up,” I yelled.

  The banging did not stop.

  “I’m going to rip off your balls,” I growled, getting up, “if you do not stop.”

  I yanked open the door.

  “Hi, big brother.”

  Louisa smiled in at me.

  “What are you doing here?”

  She moved into my room. I frowned at her but shut the door.

  “Thought I’d pay you a little visit.”

  “You haven’t been here in a while.”

  She walked over to my liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink.

  “Things are different now.”

  I frowned at her. “Aren’t you too young to drink?”

  She knocked it back. “Probably.”

  “What’s up, Louisa? I’m busy.” I sat back down, stretching my legs out.

  She poured herself another drink and then perched on top of the coffee table. I refused to take her bait; she was constantly doing strange things just to get a rise out of anyone. Usually it was the staff that had to deal with it, but every once in a while Louisa decided to make me the target of her games.

  “I had a visitor earlier.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “People know not to bother you.”

  “She was very interesting. I can see why you like her.”

  I took a quick breath. “Natalie.”

  “My new sister. I like her.”

  I frowned. What the heck was she doing visiting Louisa? Not that there was any real rule against it, but I was willing to bet that my father would have preferred she didn’t. Louisa could poke plenty of holes in the little illusion of power and control that my father had worked so tirelessly to build.

  “What did she want?”

  “I think she was just exploring, stumbled into the spider’s lair.”

  “Well, I guess it’s good that you two met.”

  Louisa nodded, sipping her drink. “She likes computers too.”

  “So you have something in common.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Be nice to her, Lucas.”

  I clenched my jaw. “I am being nice.”

  “No, you’re not. You think you are, but you’re not.”

  “What do you know? You’re too busy hiding in your room, throwing your little temper tantrum.”

  “Three years isn’t a temper tantrum.”

  I stared at her, not responding. It was an argument we’d had many times since she had decided to lock herself away, and I wasn’t about to have it again.

  “Do you like her?” Louisa asked finally.

  “We’re not high school kids, Lou.”

  “Answer.”

  I sighed. “Maybe.”

  “I think she likes you, too.”

  “I know that.”

  She climbed off the coffee table and fell onto the couch next to me. “Just be nice, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  We drank in silence for a few minutes. It actually felt nice to spend a little time with my strange sister. We used to be close, a long time ago, back before our mother passed away, back when we were children.

  Then of course the business tore us apart, as it does to all families.

  Before I could get too melancholy about it, my phone began to ring. I stood and walked over to it, picking it up. “Yes?”

  “Lucas, come to my study.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes,” Arturo said, annoyed. “Now.”

  He hung up.

  I turned toward Louisa but she had already left.

  Damn girl. Why did she seem to care if I was nice to Natalie or not?

  Of course I was being nice to Natalie. Lou didn’t want to know how nice I was being.

  Shaking my head, I left and headed down toward my father’s study.

  I knocked once and pushed open the door.

  “Father,” I said.

  “Lucas, come. Sit.”

  I shut the door behind me and sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk. He stood up and walked to his liquor cabinet. “Drink?”

  “Whatever you’re having.”

  He poured two whiskies and then handed me one, sitting down in the chair next to me. “Tell me, how did the meeting go today?”

  “Vasili remains a little worm,” I said.

  “Good then.” He smiled. “What did he say?”

  “Good news and bad news there.”

  “Bad first.”

  “Bad news is, the Russians were definitely involved. But the good news is that Vasili says to check the truck that was taken into custody.”

  Arturo frowned. “Why check the truck?”

  “I don’t know. But he seems to think that will help us.”

  “Hmm.” He leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink. “Lucas, how are you getting along with your new stepsister?”

  I sipped my own drink to mask my discomfort at the sudden change in conversation. “We get along fine,” I said.

  “Good, good. I haven’t gotten much time with her. I had heard that you’ve been seeing her.”

  “Did you?”

  “The staff talks,” he said, waving his hand.

  “Well, someone needs to try to make her comfortable. This is a strange life.”

  He nodded. “And what’s your assessment of her?”

  I frowned. “That’s what you normally ask me when there is an asset in play.”

  “Is she not an asset?”

  “She’s family.”

  “Yes,” he said, nodding, “family.”

  “Do you not trust her?”

  “I fear her, more like. I don’t know what she believes about us and our family. Her mother knows and is completely fine with it, maybe even smitten by it. But the girl I worry about.”

  I nodded. I understood his fears. I had shared them initially when I had heard that Camille’s daughter was coming to live with us, back before I knew that I had married her.

  We survived through loyalty and secrecy. If someone was disloyal, they couldn’t live in the compound. Natalie was going to see and hear things that could potentially hurt us if they ever got out simply by living in the same building that we lived in.

  And truthfully, I was still worried about what she thought. She never really said much about our business, which on the one hand was good, but it did show that she feared us. Fear was useful sometimes, but I didn’t want her to be afraid. I wanted her to understand.

  Still, I couldn’t voice my fears to my father. I didn’t want him to suspect or worry about Natalie. I knew that I could handle her, knew that she wouldn’t do anything to harm us. Not yet, at least.

  “I trust her,” I said. “She doesn’t talk about the business, but she knows.”

  He took another sip. “How sure?”
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  “I’m a good read, father. I’m sure.”

  He nodded. “Very well. I’ll trust you, Lucas, but don’t disappoint me. Keep an eye on that girl.”

  “I will keep her close.”

  “Good.” He stood up and walked around his desk, finishing off his whisky.

  I stood. “Anything else?”

  “Get into that truck. Keep me informed.”

  “I will.”

  He sat down and folded his hands. “One last thing, Lucas. You were in charge of security the night of the exchange, and you failed. What happened?”

  I stared at Arturo. It was the question I had been dreading. The truth was, I had failed that night, though it wasn’t entirely my fault. Rodney’s team was supposed to keep us updated and safe, but he could never have guessed that the cops would come in force and seize everything.

  Rodney did what he always did. He survived. He had warned us that something odd was coming with just enough time for us to get out of there with minimal losses, but still, I had trusted Rodney.

  “It was my failure,” I said. “I take responsibility.”

  Arturo frowned. “Don’t protect your people. If someone failed, punish them.”

  “If you want to punish someone, punish me. My people are my responsibility.”

  He didn’t like that. I could see the anger twitch in the corners of his eyes, but he kept himself in check.

  “Be careful, Lucas. You’re not above our rules.”

  “I understand that.”

  He stared at me and I kept my face impassive.

  “Go. Get inside that truck.”

  I nodded, turned, and then left.

  Out in the hall, I headed back toward my rooms, annoyance running down my spine.

  Arturo was too controlling. He wanted to micromanage every single operation that I was involved with. I understood the impulse, and I didn’t hate him for it, but he was going to get in the way.

  I sighed, releasing my anger. I was glad that conversation was done and over with. Although I didn’t love how it went, I felt like I had a weight off my back.

  Back in my rooms, I smiled down at the package I had bought earlier in the day. It was the thing I had been looking forward to all day long. Lou had walked in just as I was about to put it all together.

  But I was finally alone. My mind ranged back to my stepsister’s body and the way her lips felt around my cock. I loved the way she swallowed my cum greedily and licked me clean afterward.