Merger: A Just Business Mafia Romance

by Kiera Silver

  Her father snarled, and a genuinely animalistic snarl erupted from his mouth. He pointed to the stairs, barely looking at her. “Go to your room.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It hasn’t been my room for more than a year, Dad, and you can’t just ground me or send me away when you don’t approve of what I’ve done!”

  “Go to your room!” he roared again. “I’m going to have a talk with Moretti, and I don’t want you overhearing it. So go to your room. Now.”

  She looked uncertainly at Larenz, who was nodding, but Grace was furious. “Dad, you’re being unreasonable!”

  Larenz squeezed her hand gently before letting go. “It’s okay, Grace. Your dad clearly wants to yell at me, and perhaps it’s best if you don’t hear that. Maybe you should go upstairs, or perhaps the kitchen to check on dinner?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and she glared at both of them as she realized they both wanted her gone. There was clearly something more going on here, and she was determined to discover what it was, but she also had a feeling that they weren’t going to speak freely while she was in the room.

  With a stiff nod, she darted up the stairs to her old room, leaving the door cracked until she heard footsteps moving deeper into the house. They were likely going to her father’s den for their discussion, and she wasn’t about to be left out of it. She waited a couple of minutes to ensure that they had time to get settled and would be less likely to realize that she was lurking near the doorway to eavesdrop before leaving her room.

  She walked quietly down the stairs, carefully avoiding the one that always squeaked underfoot. She had never been one to sneak out of the house, but she had learned how to move up and down the stairs quietly during the time she had lived with her father, just on the off chance she had decided to embrace teenage rebellion.

  She was still steaming at their high-handed behavior, daring to send her away as though the discussion didn’t affect her. She realized if she didn’t stand up for herself now with Larenz, she’d end up embracing the same role for him that she played for her father, that of the obedient, good girl who didn’t present problems or cause arguments. That was an unsatisfying way to live in a parent-child relationship, and it was a completely unacceptable thought for marriage.

  Part of her was tempted to storm into the room and demand to hear their conversation, but she was certain that they would both fall silent until she agreed to leave again. She didn’t appreciate being treated like a naughty child, but she also wanted them to speak to each other freely. After her father’s intense reaction, she was also certain that they knew each other. She had expected her father to overreact to her newly married state, but she’d never heard him raise his voice that way before, especially to her.

  With that in mind, she approached the den, unsurprised to find the door closed. She took a deep breath and quietly turned the doorknob, moving so slowly that she felt like her muscles would scream from tension by the time she finally turned it completely and eased the door open a couple of inches until she could hear them clearly. Moving just as cautiously as she had down the stairs, Grace eased her back against the wall, bracing herself against it as she positioned her ear at just the right spot to best hear what they were talking about.

  “…game you’re playing, Moretti, but you’ve crossed the line. How can you drag an innocent child into this mess?”

  Larenz laughed at Philip’s words. “I’ll do what I have to in order to protect my family, but you should note that Grace wasn’t innocent, and I can tell you for sure that she definitely isn’t a child.” He was slightly concerned by the way Philip’s face reddened, the man looked like he was on the verge of a heart attack.

  It made him unaccustomedly compassionate for a moment, and he thought about going easy on the other man. Then he remembered the months’ long investigation the police commissioner had instigated against the Moretti family, trying to find all their mafia ties and throw him, his brothers, and his father in prison. It wasn’t just their lives at stake. There were his sisters-in-law and sister, mother, and a niece and nephew to consider as well. Reminding himself of that hardened his resolve to be as blunt and brutal as possible with Philip, hoping to convince the old man to call off his bulldogs.

  “How dare you? I don’t know what you’ve convinced Grace to do, but it’s over now. I want you out of my house, and I’ll have the last laugh when I see you behind bars. It’s clear now that you know about the investigation, so I might as well lay it all out on the table for you. We’re so close to search warrants and an indictment that I can taste it. Whatever you’re pulling here has made me all the more determined to bring you and your entire family down.”

  Larenz was slightly startled to hear they were that close to closing in, but he struggled to hide any hint of reaction to the news. He kept his tone even, though nothing close to friendly. “I think it would be in your best interest, and mine too, to find a way to divert that investigation, Commissioner Faulkner.”

  Philip glared at him. “I have a job to do, and I’m not going to be swayed by someone like you.”

  Larenz ran his fingers across the platinum band on his left hand, being obvious in how he twisted it around his finger. “Are you considering the fact that we’re technically family now, Philip? You don’t mind if I call you Philip, do you? Unless you prefer that I call you Dad?”

  “You son of a...”

  Larenz clicked his tongue. “You really don’t want to finish that sentence, do you? After all, we don’t want Grace to realize there’s any friction between us. We’re trying to protect her here, aren’t we? We don’t want anything to happen to her.” He pushed aside the vaguely disquieting sense of guilt that accompanied his words as he issued a veiled threat. The idea of hurting Grace was abhorrent, but he couldn’t allow the other man to know that he would never do such a thing to Grace, even if it were the only way to end the criminal investigation.

  Philip swayed, his skin looking completely gray. “You expect me to just look the other way? I know you’re running guns and who knows what else through the city. You seem to have been responsible for the death of an FBI agent, and I’m not convinced that you didn’t have anything to do with the disappearance of Senator Randall Adams.”

  Larenz shrugged in a non-committal gesture. Technically, his brother Armo had been the one to do away with the FBI agent, but the man had been crooked and a danger to Armo’s wife. Larenz had been involved with the disposing of the senator, but he was confident that the man’s body would never be found. “Since we’re both aware of what I can do, I’m sure you don’t want to leave Grace in a vulnerable position.”

  The older man swallowed thickly, looking helpless for a moment. “What do you want? Do you want me to cancel the investigation in exchange for you annulling the marriage?”

  Larenz laughed softly. “I’m afraid an annulment is not possible, and it’s not happening either.” A surge of possessiveness swept through him, and he had to clench his teeth to fight through it, shocked by his response. After a moment, when he had calmed down, he cleared his throat before speaking again. “After all, I’m not releasing my bargaining chip. Grace stays with me, and you can be certain she’ll be safe as long as your investigation dies a quick death. I’ll take care of her and our children.”

  Philip let out a small gasp. “Is she pregnant?”

  Larenz shrugged. “Not for lack of trying on my part, but I don’t know for sure.”

  “I’m an honest man, Moretti. I’ve always held out against corruption and bribery. I’ve even stood strong in the face of threats from scum like you. You’re asking me to put aside my reputation.”

  Larenz shrugged, keeping his expression hard. “I’m just asking you to think about Grace before you make your next move. You need to decide which is more important to you, your reputation, or your daughter? And any future grandchildren,” he added with a small smirk, wanting to drive home the point. If he had his way, he’d never have to have this discussion with Philip again. It could di
sappear into the background, and having the other man aware of the power he wielded over him would be enough.

  He could see Philip crumble along with his resolve. The older man’s shoulders slumped forward, and his expression was one of utter defeat. It was a disquieting sight, and Larenz felt a moment of pity for the other man. He couldn’t act on it, or show any signs of doubt or weakness, but he was surprisingly sympathetic to the position in which he had shoehorned Philip Faulkner. It was the other man’s attention to his family and dangerous intentions toward them that had prompted this response, but he was still capable of feeling some compassion for the other man.

  With that in mind, he softened his tone slightly. “I promise you I will take care of her, and I won’t deliberately hurt her as long as we’ve reached an understanding.”

  Looking weak, the other man nodded. “You’ve gotten what you wanted, Moretti. My daughter’s the most important person in the world to me.”

  He inclined his head as he got to his feet. “You should pull yourself together then, because Grace will be expecting us to have reached some sort of accord. I suggest neither one of us give her the details of the situation surrounding my marriage to her. It’s for the best, and there’s no reason to hurt her.”

  Philip nodded again, still looking devastated. It was as close to an agreement as he was going to give that evening; of that much, Larenz was certain.

  With a small sigh, he stood up from the couch, planning to retrieve his sullen wife from her room. He was going to have to work for it to make it up to her, and he stumbled for a moment when he realized he actually cared about doing so. As long as he had Grace, he controlled the situation with the police commissioner, so it was in his best interest to keep her happy. That was all there was to it, and the only motivation for wanting to make up with her.

  He couldn’t blame her for being angry with him anyway, because he’d been a high-handed bastard, though marginally less so than her father with his demand that she go to her room. He had to hold back a chuckle as he remembered the glare she had given both of them, and he was surprised that she had actually given in without an argument.

  He was even more surprised when he opened the door to the den and found her in the hallway with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at him. Apparently, the earlier show of docility had been just that. He cursed softly under his breath, and closed the door behind him so Philip wouldn’t see her. He grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her down the hallway when she tried to resist him. She opened her mouth, clearly intent on protesting, or perhaps even screaming. He held up one finger, giving her a stern look. “Don’t push me.”

  If possible, her eyes darkened further with anger, and she dug in her heels more insistently. Unfortunately for her, the laminate flooring provided no easy resistance, and he was able to drag her along with only a sharp tug. She let out a sharp cry of outrage when she realized that he was dragging her to the front door. Grace renewed her determination to fight, and he had to tighten his grip as he cursed.

  “I’m not going with you! Get out of this house! I never want to see you again!”

  As she continued to kick and hit at him, he let out an impatient sigh before he finally bent over and picked her up, slinging her over his back like a sack of potatoes. She pounded on his back and he winced under the force of her blows. She would probably leave bruises, which he was certain would please her to no end.

  He shook her just hard enough to get her attention before slamming the palm of his hand across her buttocks. “Quiet down before you get you and your father hurt.”

  She went completely still, and though he wasn’t foolish enough to believe she’d lost the will to fight, his thinly veiled threat had gotten through to her. She obviously didn’t want to risk her father being injured, either in the process of trying to rescue her or as retaliation from Larenz. Anger radiated off her in waves, and he strode to the front door, realizing the night ahead of him was nothing like he had anticipated. He’d figured that it would be a short, heated confrontation with the police commissioner, followed by a stilted and awkward dinner, and culminating with a night in his new bride’s arms. Everything had gone to hell, but at least he had the problem with the investigation solved.

  As he reached the front door, he heard Philip rushing down the hallway after them. Larenz spoke over his shoulder towards his new father-in-law. “Thank you for your hospitality, but I think we’ll have to take a rain check on dinner.”

  “Put my daughter down!”

  Grace had ceased fighting, and now she spoke in a level tone. “It’s okay, Dad. I’ll be fine. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

  Larenz watched the commissioner, waiting to see his response. A moment later, his shoulders slumped. “I’m here if you need me, Grace.”

  “I know, Dad. I’m going to work this out myself though. It’s between me and my husband.” She spat the last word as though it was the most detestable thing ever.

  Phillip’s shoulders straightened, and he looked at Larenz with renewed determination. “If you hurt her, I won’t stop with arresting you. I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands and let the courts deal with the pieces.”

  “Fair enough. For now, I think we have an understanding, and I need to reach the same situation with Grace, since she can’t follow a simple direction to stay out of something.” He gave his father-in-law a small grin. “I guess she’s like you in that regard, always sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.”

  Grace let out a cry of outrage. “This is my business too, you asshole!”

  He didn’t bother to respond as he stepped through the doorway, not looking back at Philip as he marched to the waiting car. His driver betrayed no trace of concern or surprise to see him carrying his wife over his shoulder. The man opened the back door and stepped aside as Larenz dropped her in, ensuring she landed on the plush seat of the limousine before sliding in beside her. After he had engaged the locks, he crossed his arms and braced himself for the explosion. It was certain to be a nuclear one.

  Chapter Five

  Grace glared at him, trying to hide any trace of fear. If someone had told her an hour ago that she would fear her husband, she would have thought they were insane. She’d seen the bossy and stubborn side of him, but she had never realized that there was a deeper, darker core to the man she’d fallen in love with.

  No, it had to be lust. It was just a simple case of infatuation that he had twisted into something he wanted her to believe was more. Now that she knew the truth, she couldn’t continue to love him and be able to respect herself. She wasn’t that weak and pathetic, and she was determined that the first thing she would work on would be eradicating any soft feelings for the man who had manipulated her. “I want a divorce.”

  He didn’t even blink. “No.”

  Her mouth dropped open, and she leaned forward a little bit more to glare at him. “You don’t get to say no. Marriage is a mutual decision, but anyone can leave it. I don’t need your permission to get a divorce.”

  “No,” he said again in that same infuriatingly calm tone.

  She let out a small cry of annoyance, frustrated beyond belief. “No, what? I just told you. You can’t stop me!”

  Larenz’s face was serious when he replied. “Grace, I can stop you from doing anything, and I can make you do anything.”

  She glared at him. “Oh, is that because you’re my husband?” She didn’t hold back the bite of sarcasm in her tone. “That kind of marriage went out in the fifties.”

  He was perfectly calm as he pulled a bottle from the limousine’s minibar and poured himself a drink. He lifted the bottle in her direction and waved it slightly. He shrugged when she shook her head before returning the bottle to the bar. “I can do anything I want, or convince you to do anything I want you to do, because of who I am. I’m your husband, but we both know that I’m more than that. You had to eavesdrop and learn everything, which is probably for the best. Now you know what’s at stake, and why you’re going to compl
y.”

  She glared at him. “I’m not staying with you! There’s nothing that can make me do that.”

  He sighed. “I guess I was wrong then.”

  He wasn’t the type to admit such a thing, and she eyed him skeptically. “Wrong about what?”

  “I thought you loved your father more than that. I meant it when I told him I wouldn’t hurt you unless absolutely necessary, but I didn’t promise you the same thing about him. To be blunt, you’re my guarantee that he won’t do anything stupid, and you’re going to stay right where I put you. If you don’t, it won’t be just your life at stake. It’s your father’s too. Of course, you also have a mother and siblings too…” His voice trailed off meaningfully, allowing her to fill in the blanks.

  She shrank back against the seat, glaring at him as a sense of futility swept through her. “I hate you.”

  He shrugged again. “Perhaps it’s easier for both of us if you really do, Grace. Approach this as a merger of our two companies, and we’ll both be on more solid footing. Try to remove yourself from any emotions like love or hate. It’s just business.”

  A sharp pang shot through her chest, and she forced herself to acknowledge it was just business to him. She’d known it from the moment he had made his revelations to her father, but hearing him confirm it himself was heartbreaking on a new level. It didn’t help that she shouldn’t love him, because at that moment, she still did. Her goal was to cut away that love as quickly as possible, and one of the best ways to do it was to remind herself that it had all been a lie on his side. “Did you ever feel anything for me?” She forced herself to ask the question, needing to hear his cold and ruthless reply to help harden her heart.

  He hesitated for a moment, taking a long drink before he looked at her. He appeared sincere, but she couldn’t trust anything that came from his mouth. “I feel more than I expected to, but I’ll do what I have to do to protect my family.”