Hand in hand we walk beside each other and enter the building. New York is pretty much the colder version of LA. Everything is almost the same here, except you have a huge variety of vegan, juice restaurants and now even places where you can smoke dope and eat it in your food out in my neck of the woods. While I don’t mind the occasional visit to the Big Apple, I might’ve hit the top level of my palate being here when Isabella was undercover. I’m ready to get back to the Los Angeles sun and Rodeo Drive. Honestly, I have a surprise planned to take Isabella out for a shopping day. She deserves it after everything she’s been through.
“ Mr. Funar. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Brutus, one of Ion’s more seasoned members of his security team says.
I give the old bastard a smile, “You as well, Brutus. Tell me, how’s the family these days?”
Brutus takes in a heavy breath, “I’d be lying if I said good. Dottie was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. Stage three. The kids are taking it really hard.”
One of the things I hate most in this world is how the kindest people end up with cancer while the twisted fucks live out their days healthy and happy. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Please let me know if I can do anything for you guys. I mean that, anything.”
“Thank you Mr. Funar. Mr. and Mrs. Petran have been very generous ensuring she gets to see the best oncologists and surgeons in all of New York. They’ve even given me days off and paid me for them too. I’ll tell ya, never have I had a boss like these two. I’m truly blessed. Anyway, enough small talk. You know I’ve gotta pat you down and clear ya before you can head upstairs. Your pretty friend too.” Brutus gives Isabella a look, narrows his eyes and I can tell he recognizes her. I watch as the man’s eyes linger down to her finger and he chuckles. “Boy, they don’t know what kinda show they’re in for upstairs, do they?”
“I’m afraid not, but do me a favor and don’t spoil my fun?” I cackle, slapping the man on the shoulder. He nods and proceeds to conduct the routine security check on not only myself but Isabella. You can never be too careful these days it seems.
The two of us enter the elevator and I give her a sensual kiss, sliding a hand under her dress I skim my fingertips across the lace thong she has on. “Daddy’s going to feast on you later, little girl.” I whisper in her ear, pinching that budding clit of hers.
I remove my hand and stand up straight just as the elevator doors come open, revealing numerous head clan members and their wives. Ion is the first to greet us with Mariana by his side. I think about how long it’ll take them to put two and two together, until I see they both shared a confused look. “Marcel, while we appreciate Isabella attending this meeting is only for Clan members and their wives.” Ion states, keeping his eyes trained on me. It’s almost as if he wants me to challenge him.
Isabella shocks me as she waves her left hand around like she’s the queen of fucking England, “Surprise, guys. You can call me Isabella Funar now.”
Mariana tries to hide her cackle as she looks to her husband, clearly loving the sassiness beaming from my wife. Ion on the other hand looks a bit pissed. “You eloped?”
“Considering it was the safer of the options, yes. Wouldn’t want any more bombings to happen.” I state. Ion sucks in a breath and nods.
“Can’t say I blame you there. Just didn’t expect you two to get married so soon.”
Isabella cuts in, taking her hand in mine. “With all do respect, Ion. Marcel and I waited far too long. We weren’t going to wait a moment more. Not when we knew what we both wanted.”
“Awe!” Willow, Duncan’s wife coos from beside us. “That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!” Willow is the bastard daughter of the Adame Clan. Her father died a few years ago and because her siblings were all deceased as well she was the next in line. However, back then she was set to marry a male clan member. Willow, being the spitfire she is, said fuck that and ended up marrying the man her father sent to bring her home safely. More than that, she was the first woman ever given power in the Clans. So, she’s basically a legend.
Willow bursts into tears in front of us, causing everyone to look at her in shock. The room goes silent and I catch her husband in the corner talking to Philippe, but immediately he comes over to his wife.
“Are you okay, Willow?” Mariana asks.
Willow nods, “Yes, I’m so sorry. Bloody hell. I’m pregnant. This isn’t the way I wanted to let everyone know but dammit this spawn is making me emotional as hell! Graham never made me like this . . . but this kid. Ugh! I want to cry about everything under the bloody sun.”
Mariana chuckles and walks over to Willow, wraps her arm around her and leads her off into another room.
Ion remains standing in front of Isabella and I, “I understand the reasoning you two eloped. We were hoping to use the next wedding as a way to draw out Philippe’s ex-assistant. No matter, Elena is marrying Isaac in a few months. We can try to use their wedding as a way to get the mouse into the trap.”
“Is that what was so urgent?” I ask the King of the Clans, who nods.
“Yes, now let’s get this meeting started. We have much to go over.”
Chapter 27
Isabella
If I regret anything while I was undercover for the government, it’s missing the births of my niece and nephew, Livia and Felix. Missing such a pivotal moment in my best friend’s life was awful. Even moreso, she went through a painful delivery with these two little miracles. It’s a blessing none of them passed away. I’m not too familiar with preeclampsia but let’s just say I did my research. Terrifying doesn’t even touch it. I can’t imagine something being wrong with your body, something which you can’t control and you have to hope and pray it’ll get better. Thank God physicians are advanced in this day and age. If we were one hundred years in the past all of them would’ve probably died.
Livia smiles brightly at me in her bouncer, cooing as much as she can. She has her mother’s olive skin tone with her father’s dark eyes and hair. God, even at this young age I know this little girl will end up being a beauty queen one day. Aria’s always been breathtakingly gorgeous and when you combine Aria Funar with Salvatore Moretti – fuck, let’s just admit their kids look like aliens. They’re gorgeous. Even little Sorina is shockingly beautiful. You think one of these kids would’ve inherited their grandfather’s ugly nose, but nope. These three are picture perfect.
Felix on the other hand is asleep in the bassinet. Marcel and I have been visiting his sister and brother-in-law for the last three days and one thing I can say about Felix is how much like Salvatore he is. Little Felix sits in his bouncer or swing and stares at everyone around him. He barely makes a peep. It won’t surprise me in the least bit if this little guy grows up to be just as calculating as his father, if not moreso.
“You’re staring at them like you’ve never seen a baby in your life.” Aria laughs, while Sorina comes running over to me so I pick her up. I scoop the toddler up in my arms, and my ovaries almost burst when she tucks her head against my chest and sticks her thumb in her mouth. Seems like this little one is ready for a nap.
“I’ve seen plenty of babies. I’m simply taking them in. Lord knows when the next time I’ll see these three are.” I admit, feeling a sense of sadness rush over me.
My hope is that Marcel and I can visit more often, but who knows what’s in store for us. Last week my father was arrested. Somehow it shocked our King and Queen, but I informed them he’d been trafficking not only arms but women as well. That his arrest was karma getting back to him for the horrific things he’d done over the years. At that point in time Marcel told me I’d be the accountant for the Funar Clan, which I obviously accepted. But what shocked me more than anything is how Mariana asked me to take a series of interns from other prominent Clan leaders and have them learn to do accounting as well. She stated how we needed to be able to trust those looking at our numbers, and I agree.
“You’ll see them soon enough. You just have to promise me one t
hing, Isa.” Aria states, looking at me with the utmost seriousness.
“Anything. What is it?”
“You need to pop a kid out by the time these two are toddlers. I love having babies around and since I can’t have anymore kids because of how high risk I am . . . you’re going to have to sacrifice your body for the greater good.”
We both bust into laughter but come to a stop when I hear Marcel speak from behind me. “We don’t have to wait until these two are toddlers. We can start trying next month, if you’d like, babygirl.”
When Aria hears the term babygirl she cocks a brow and I pray she doesn’t know what it means, but at the way her cheeks flush a bright red— she knows.
“Maybe we can start trying in six months or so. I want to enjoy our honeymoon phase, Marcel.” I whisper, looking up into those dark eyes of his.
He snickers, “You say six months when you actually mean two.”
I playfully smack his arm, “So what?! It’ll happen when it happens.”
Marcel dips his lips down a few inches from mine, “We’ll have an entire house full of pitter pattering feet in five years, baby. Just you wait. I’m going to keep you pregnant as much as I can, filling you—”
“Whoa. Okay, how about we stop right where we’re at?” Aria shoots out, standing up. “As a matter of fact, I’ll leave while you two finish whatever . . . this is. Watch the kids, you’ll need the practice.”
Aria runs out of the room like a bat escaping hell while my husband and I laugh amongst ourselves.
It’s in this moment I realize this was always my dream —being part of the Funar Clan.
Epilogue
Marcel
Two months have flashed before my very eyes. It’s crazy how when things are normal and you’re happy, time seems to fly by even quicker than you realize. Or maybe that’s just life in general. Hell if I know. Things always seemed to go so slow for me in the past. It could just be from the fact I wasn’t really happy. I was simply surviving. I’ve never admitted this to anyone before but I knew something was missing in my life. Seeing so many of the other head Clan members had their wives and were happy as hell. In a sense I felt jipped by not being married. What I didn’t realize until now is that even if I was married I wouldn’t be satisfied. I’d feel stuck in a marriage I never wanted. Therefore I choose to look at things in the way that everything happened for a reason. ‘Cause if it didn’t I never would’ve married Isabella.
Shit, I still chuckle knowing the crush she had on me when we were kids. If I only knew back then what I know now.
“Have you heard the new rumor?” Stefan asks from beside me at the poker table.
While I’m not this guy’s best friend . . . I do appreciate everything he did for Isabella. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a total tool and not many people like him, but Stefan will never change. He stays authentic to his shitty attitude. That key fact is what deems him to deserve respect from me, though. He and his family are here in Los Angeles on business with his wife’s oil company and he reached out to me, suggesting the women go have a day on Rodeo Drive while we have a relaxing day smoking cigars and playing poker.
I wanted to tell him it was a bad idea, but I’ve been a tad bit stressed so I accepted.
“What rumor?” I inquire. Stefan always knows something before anyone else. He and his little birds so to speak are everywhere, always watching. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least bit if he has someone watching every clan member, even Mariana and Ion. Fuck, now that I’m thinking further into it. I wouldn’t put it past him.
Stefan picks up his glass of brandy and chuckles lowly, taking a hefty sip before he responds. “Rumor has it I’m no longer the black sheep of the clans anymore. Apparently, one of our head Clan members is infatuated with a prostitute.”
I cough, this information striking me to my core. As Clansmen we’re not permitted to be actively chasing after women such as this. Shit, thinking back I remember the hellfire Willow had to go through just to marry Duncan. “Is this a joke?” I know it isn’t. Stefan Dalca doesn’t joke with anyone.
“No, Marcellus. I’m afraid not.”
“Who is it?”
Stefan gives me a look, cocking a brow. “Let’s think about this. Who is one of the only single clansmen left?”
“Davide Lupei and Mikel Lungu if I’m not mistaken.” Davide oversees our operation in Italy while Mikel handles Africa.
“Correct. Think about who the dog is out of the two.”
“Davide. He’s always been one who’s eyes never venture far from any woman. I’m more surprised he’s found one to focus on.”
Stefan nods, “Yes, my sources tell me he’s paid to be with her numerous times. I have a feeling this is only the beginning.”
“Do Mariana and Ion know?” I question. If they did, surely they’d shoot it down.
“No, not yet.” The way Stefan responds tells me he’s got something massive planned. But of course, he is the Clans own personal shit stirrer. Oh well, I’m going to stay in my lane and not worry about the others. The only thing I should be focusing on is putting a baby in my wife’s belly.
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Covert (The Clans Book 9) Page 10