Beautifully Brutal (Southern Boy Mafia #1)

by Nicole Edwards

  Samuel paced away from him. “Usually, I wouldn’t stick my nose in your business, but I’m makin’ an exception this time.”

  Max didn’t like the sound of that.

  Samuel pivoted on his heel and thrust his hand through his thick black hair. “This,” Samuel began, waving his other hand around, “is all yours now. You do what needs to be done. Understand? I won’t question your motives, but your head better be in the fuckin’ game. If not, I’ll rip it all out from under you in a goddamn heartbeat.”

  Max didn’t react.

  “That girl… You need to stay away from her.”

  Max knew exactly which “girl” his father was referring to. He also understood why. Courtney Kogan was part of the organization that had been assigned to get dirt on Max’s family. She’d been the one they sent, and Max knew why. Infiltrating his world wasn’t easy, but she’d managed to put herself front and center in his life and was likely putting together all of the information she had in order for the feds to take him down. It wasn’t the ideal situation, he would agree, but Max hadn’t been able to resist her. Hell, he still couldn’t. And that made her dangerous.

  “She’s not a problem,” Max told his father.

  Samuel thrust his hand through his hair once more, glaring at Max. “Sit down.”

  This time Max dropped into his desk chair, but he didn’t relax the way Samuel did when he took a seat opposite him.

  “Did I ever tell you the story about how I met your mother?” Samuel prompted.

  Max watched his father cautiously, curious as to where this was headed. It wasn’t like Samuel to share details of his life, not even with his own kids.

  “The state fair,” Max replied, remembering the brief story he’d heard when he was younger.

  “True,” Samuel said with a malevolent grin. “I met Genny at the state fair. She was thirteen, I was twenty-one.”

  Although he was well aware of the age difference between his parents, he hadn’t known she’d been a child when they’d met. He’d assumed… The thought of a thirteen-year-old wanting anything to do with Max’s father sent a chill shuddering through him. That detail had never been part of the story.

  “Genny’s father, Clyde, was a gamblin’ man,” Samuel said, his eyes looking far off, as though he were revisiting a different time and place. “Loved the horses, that man. He got himself into a bit of a bind, needed a loan. Your grandfather had done some business with Clyde’s old man a time or two, so when Clyde came to him, seeking a loan to help pay off his debt, Floyd felt sorry for him.

  “Unfortunately for Clyde, he hadn’t made good on that debt, and when I was sent to collect … well, he didn’t have the money to repay me.”

  Max’s stomach churned as he predicted where the story was headed. It made sense, explained so much. Still, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “Your mother was the repayment for that debt,” Samuel said simply, meeting Max’s eyes. “Clyde’s only child. A beautiful thirteen-year-old virgin who’d thought she had her life in front of her was promised to me. If you want the truth, she was hard to pass up.

  “So, needin’ to ensure Clyde understood how serious I was, I accepted the offer. Arranged for him to deliver her at the state fair, took possession of her at that time. A few weeks later, I married her, took her virginity. Eventually, years later, knocked her up. Don’t get me wrong. I tried tirelessly for years, but she’d pulled one over on me. Damn birth control. It was her fault, really. Apparently she’d had some intrauterine device implanted”—Samuel waved his hand dismissively—“but eventually she had it removed and went to taking a pill.”

  Max swallowed hard. For the first time in his life, he felt something that didn’t even remotely resemble respect for the man. No, this was hatred. His father had doomed his mother to this life because of a debt. And his grandfather. Clyde. How the hell could he simply hand over his daughter to Samuel?

  “Oh, don’t look so upset,” Samuel said dismissively. “She knew the stakes. I gave her two options. She would marry me, spend the rest of her life with me, or I’d kill her father. It was her choice.”

  Right. Because that was a fucking choice.

  “Clyde’s still breathin’ to this day, and well, you know how it turned out.”

  Yes, Max knew exactly how that’d turned out. Genevieve hated Samuel, hated her life, and spent most of her time getting fucked by the hired help or drowning herself in booze. But at least her father was breathing. He wondered what Genevieve’s mother would’ve said about it all. The woman had died during childbirth.

  Max sighed. “And what’s the point of your story?”

  Samuel leaned forward, his eyes hard. “What I didn’t bother to tell you was that, at the time, your mother had a boyfriend. Nice, well-off young man who’d promised to marry her and give her a perfect life when he got back from the military. He was quite a bit older than she was but younger than me. A bit of a prude if you wanna know the truth. Never touched her.”

  “She was thirteen!” Max exclaimed. “How old was he?”

  “Seventeen or eighteen, I think. Anyway, that doesn’t matter because she was mine. But that boy, he wasn’t happy that he’d lost her, although he’d started a new life, waitin’ for her to grow up, to be old enough for him to claim her. Accordin’ to Genny, he was comin’ back for her. She used to love throwin’ that in my face.”

  Fuck. Genevieve had been thirteen. What the hell would any fucking grown man want to do with a thirteen-year-old girl?

  “Did he?” Max asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

  “No, he didn’t,” Samuel snarled. “He didn’t come back for her because he made a new life for himself, established a reputation that people respected, fell in love with a good woman.”

  Max studied his father. “Who was he? What was his name?”

  Samuel glared back at him, hatred igniting in his golden eyes. “Casper Kogan.”

  Max’s eyes widened as the shock hit him square in the chest.

  Courtney’s father?

  Genevieve?

  Holy. Fucking. Shit.

  So it wasn’t merely a coincidence, or even just a job. Courtney had been sent there … because of her father?

  Samuel got to his feet. “I knew you’d figure it out. And if you know what’s good for us all, you’ll stay the hell away from that girl. We can deal with a lot of things, Max, but this man has a vendetta against me. He hates me for what he believes I did to Genny, and I’m sure he’s out for revenge.”

  Max couldn’t believe it. He didn’t know Casper well, but he knew that the man was over the moon for his wife, loved her. But he’d been in love with Genevieve? When they were kids?

  “Oh, don’t try to figure out the romantic angle,” Samuel stated as though reading Max’s mind. “It’s not always about love, son. Sometimes, it’s simply about paying someone back for ruining what they thought they’d had at one point. Casper wears the white fucking hat; he saves people. But he wasn’t able to save Genny.”

  Samuel was referring to Max’s mother, admitting what they’d all known. She’d been ruined by him, taken down a path that she clearly hadn’t seen coming, and look at her now. She was … damaged.

  Samuel took a step closer. “I may be leavin’ the decision makin’ to you now, but you cross me, boy, and you won’t like the consequences.”

  Max got to his feet, his hands fisted at his sides. “I know what I’m doin’,” he told him, shaking off all the images of the story his father had just told him.

  “That girl’s a problem. She’s doin’ her daddy’s dirty work, and I doubt she even knows it. I’ve talked to her; your mother has talked to her. She’s sneaky, I’ll give her that. The only person who put two and two together was your mother.”

  Which explained the downward spiral Genevieve had been on for the last couple of years. She’d known who Courtney was, known she was Casper’s daughter.

  “I want that girl out of the picture.”

 
; “She’s not a problem,” Max assured his father, trying to rein in his anger.

  “Send her on her way, Max. Do what’s right by this family.”

  “I said,” Max snarled, “she’s not a problem.”

  “Is that why you spent the weekend fuckin’ her in your penthouse?” Samuel snapped.

  “For the record, I wasn’t with her. Not that I should have to explain myself to you or anyone else,” Max hissed, the anger intensifying, threatening to boil over.

  It didn’t matter how much respect for his father he’d once had, Max didn’t appreciate when anyone—fucking anyone—questioned him. Not his actions, not his motives. Not a goddamn thing. He knew what the fuck he was doing.

  Samuel eyed him suspiciously, and Max didn’t move a muscle. “That’s not what Artemis told me,” Samuel stated roughly.

  “And what the fuck does Artemis know?” Max tossed out, letting his father hear his irritation. “He knows exactly what Angelica wants him to know. And what I do is none of her fucking business.”

  “Maybe not. But you need to keep your fuckin’ dick in your pants until after the goddamn wedding. Until then, this can only end badly.”

  “It’s bein’ handled,” Max assured his father, not intending to go into details as to how.

  “Fine.” Samuel thrust his hands in his pockets, continuing to glare back at Max. “However, this girl… I don’t want her anywhere near this family ever again. I let it go on for far too long, waitin’ to see if Casper would play his hand. I’m tired of waitin’. If you can’t make that happen, then I will.”

  Max growled. It was involuntary. Any threat to Courtney, regardless of who was making it, would never sit well with him. There wasn’t a man or woman alive who he wouldn’t gut and let bleed out if they ever laid a hand on her. His father included. And if Samuel thought for one single minute he could intimidate Max with threats, he’d better think again.

  “I see it in your eyes. She means somethin’ to you, son. But that’s gotta stop. She’s not good for this family. And the more she knows, the more of a liability she becomes.”

  “She’s—”

  “Don’t lie to me, Max,” Samuel bit out, his voice low, threatening. “Nothin’ you can say will convince me that she ain’t important. But I want you to move forward, do what’s right. Marry that goddamn bitch,” Samuel said, pointing toward the door. “She’ll understand her place.”

  Max wasn’t so sure that was the case, but he didn’t bother to argue with his father. There was no point.

  Without moving an inch, Max watched as Samuel retreated toward the door and left his office.

  When Leyton stepped into the room a second later, Max instructed him to close the door.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I want eyes on Courtney. No matter what, do not let her out of our sight.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “If so much as a single hair on her head is harmed, I will—”

  “No need to clarify, sir,” Leyton stated. “I understand.”

  And with that, Leyton turned and left the room.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Weddings… Seemed everyone was planning them these days.

  “I’m gettin’ married in less than three weeks!” Marissa exclaimed in a harsh whisper, her blue eyes sparkling, her grin wide.

  Courtney laughed at her best friend as they sat on Trace’s sofa, talking and sharing a bottle of wine. “That you are.”

  “I still can’t believe it, Court.”

  “Well, you should. You’ve even got the dress to prove it.”

  Courtney watched as Marissa’s face flushed with happiness. After all that Marissa had been through, it was refreshing to see the other woman so happy. And Courtney was happy for her. In twenty days, when Marissa married Courtney’s older brother Trace, Marissa would officially become Courtney’s sister-in-law.

  Since their fathers were in business together, Courtney had grown up with Marissa. They’d been best friends since birth. They’d made it through school, through their first boyfriends, their first heartbreaks, their first loves… All of it they’d done together.

  And when Marissa had nearly been kidnapped, Courtney had vowed to find the bastard who’d dedicated his time and effort to hunting her down. Unfortunately, Courtney had let Marissa down in that regard because she’d refused to go to Max, refused to find out what he knew. If she’d done that, it likely would’ve been over a long time ago, and Marissa wouldn’t have been shipped off to five safe houses in a period of a year.

  And Courtney would forever carry that guilt around with her.

  “So, tell me about the rich girl.”

  Courtney smiled. “Not much to tell. She’s rich.”

  “And stupid, apparently.”

  “That goes without sayin’,” Courtney replied. “In her defense, she was raised by the hired help. Her father works twenty-four seven. Her mother is out spending his money as fast as he’s makin’ it.”

  “So she has daddy issues?”

  “Among others.”

  “Was she nice?” Marissa inquired.

  “Yeah, she was. And when she wasn’t rebelling, she was almost tolerable.”

  “Then you should be happy. She’s gonna get the help she needs.”

  Yes, thanks to Courtney’s interference, the girl was spending time in rehab. And hopefully, when she got out, she’d be ready to start over.

  Marissa poured more wine and moved back onto the couch. “What’s your next assignment?”

  Courtney sipped her wine, looking down at the cushion. “Dad wants me here until after the wedding. Then I’m sure Hunter or RT’ll find someone else for me to babysit.”

  She didn’t bother to tell her best friend that she was technically on an assignment, that she was once again tasked with trying to dig into Max’s world. Nor did she tell her friend that she was doomed to fail because after all they’d been through, after all the shit Courtney had lived through, still finding herself in love with a fucking killer, she had fucked it all up.

  Let’s set the record straight right now. I don’t trust you, Courtney. I’ve never trusted you. You’re a good fuck, yes. But other than that, you have nothing to offer me.

  “You need to tell him no,” Marissa said, her back stiffening.

  Courtney’s eyes widened as she tried to process Marissa’s words. Surely she hadn’t been reading her mind.

  “It’s time they let you do something you want to do. Your talent’s wasted on these snotty little brats whose daddies have more money than sense.”

  Courtney smiled. She loved how defensive Marissa was of her. They’d always been that way, having one another’s backs. Before Courtney could respond, her cell phone rang. She snatched it up from the cushion.

  Unknown caller.

  Stabbing the screen, Courtney brought the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Who is this?”

  More silence.

  “Damn it. If you’re gonna keep callin’ me, you better find the balls to say something,” she snarled, lowering her voice.

  When she was met with more silence, Courtney hit the button to end the call.

  “What was that about?” Marissa asked, her eyes wide with concern.

  “No idea.” Courtney glared at the phone. She needed to get Dominic to trace the calls, but she hadn’t found the time or energy, not to mention the desire to tell him about what was going on. If word got out that someone was harassing her, Casper would likely assign someone to watch her. And that was the last damn thing she needed.

  “How long has that been goin’ on?”

  Courtney looked up at Marissa. “A couple of days. They never say anything.” Ever since the night Max had taken her to his penthouse to talk. Or more accurately, the night Max had shattered her heart with his callous remarks.

  “How many times have they called?” Marissa probed.

  “Too many,” Courtney replied. “I’m sure it’s just some kids bein’
stupid.”

  Courtney didn’t think that at all, but she couldn’t very well tell Marissa that. Despite the fact that Marissa was her best friend, Courtney couldn’t bring herself to talk about Max, or anything related to him. Not the assignment she was on—the one she’d failed miserably at on Friday night—and not about the threatening phone calls she’d started receiving in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday. She knew that it wasn’t a coincidence, either.

  The two times the caller had said something, it had been along the lines of “Leave Max alone,” but the caller was using a voice modulator, making it impossible to tell whether it was a man or a woman.

  However, Courtney wasn’t stupid. She knew of only one person who would want to warn Courtney away from Max. Only one person who would resort to childish bullshit.

  His future wife.

  Then again, Courtney couldn’t blame the woman for being angry. Courtney had battled with the green-eyed monster more than once in the last couple of days herself.

  Which was why she’d vowed to stay away from Max at all costs. She was biding her time before she told her father that she couldn’t go through with the assignment because she had stupidly come clean with Max the last time she’d seen him.

  “Have you told Trace?” Marissa’s question interrupted Courtney’s thoughts, pulling her back to the moment.

  “No. And you won’t, either,” Courtney said sternly. “I can handle myself. I don’t want anyone else involved.”

  “Is it Max?” Marissa inquired.

  Courtney shook her head sadly. “No.”

  “What happened between the two of you, anyway?”

  Taking a deep breath, Courtney faced off with her friend. “I can’t say. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but—”

  “If you tell me, you’ll have to kill me. I know the drill,” Marissa said with a snort.

  Courtney laughed. “Not exactly what I was gonna say, but sure, let’s go with that.”

  “Fine. Then let’s talk about my wedding.”

  Courtney grinned, grateful that Marissa was willing to change the subject. And though her mood had darkened somewhat, Courtney welcomed the chance to not think about Max.