Stepbrother's Lust: A Forbidden Mafia Romance

Reagan’s POV

The drive home was mostly filled with chatter from the two in front while Rose stayed silent throughout the entire ride.

She hadn’t said a single word since we left the club.

Not once.

She kept staring out the window, her fingers clasped tightly together in her lap. She hadn’t looked at me once.

No sarcastic remarks. No glaring. Nothing.

Earlier, getting a reaction out of her had been the goal, but now she’d gone quiet.

The silence was becoming irritating.

I watched her through the reflection on the window.

She still refused to look at me directly, but the second our eyes almost met, she’d immediately look away.

I couldn’t stop the smirk tugging at my lips.

Good.

She’d been trying to pretend none of it happened, but people didn’t fall silent like that for no reason.

Not unless something was eating away at them.

And tonight, I knew exactly what that something was.

She believed I’d been with another woman.

And even worse, she actually cared.

By the time we pulled into the estate, she was out of the car before anyone else, walking ahead without waiting.

She almost tripped stepping onto the pavement but caught herself before anyone noticed.

She never looked back.

Usually she’d have some sharp comment ready.

Maybe curse at the stone or something.

But tonight she said nothing as she walked even faster as though getting away from me was the only thing on her mind.

I watched until she was out of view.

"...Interesting."

Aria watched her disappear toward the house with visible concern.

"Rose?"

No answer.

She kept walking as though she hadn’t heard her.

Her mother frowned.

"She’s been quiet for a while... I hope she’s alright."

Father rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

"Maybe she had a little too much to drink."

She sighed.

"I’ve never seen her like this."

Watching Father casually rest his hand on Aria’s shoulder made something twist in my stomach.

They looked... normal.

Like people whose lives weren’t built on blood and deals made behind closed doors.

I looked away before the thought could linger.

I needed a fucking drink.

The night air paired perfectly with the glass of whiskey in my hand.

Finally...

Silence.

I swirled the whiskey lazily as my thoughts drifted back to Rose.

Funny how one kiss, one stupid misunderstanding, And suddenly she couldn’t even look at me.

I’d expected shouting. Maybe another slap.

Not this...

I leaned back in the chair, letting the alcohol settle warmly in my throat.

If every night ended this peacefully...

Life wouldn’t be so ba—

My phone rang.

Fuck

I stared at the screen before answering.

"Speak."

"And it better be important."

"My apologies, sir."

"The meeting is set."

I sat up straighter.

"Go on."

"He says to meet tonight."

"What?"

My voice echoed through the balcony as I stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor.

"M-my apologies, sir."

"I tried to reschedule, but he hung up immediately and hasn’t answered another call."

A slow laugh escaped me.

"The nerve..."

I rubbed my jaw thoughtfully.

"Where?"

"...Chiva Port, sir."

"Hm."

"Sir?"

Chiva Port.

I couldn’t help but smile.

Atlas really had some nerve.

Inviting me to my port.

I knew every inch of that place better than anyone alive.

If he thought he was walking me into a trap...

He was about to remember whose ground he was standing on.

This is exactly the kind of thing that made the night interesting.

I smiled.

"Gather the men."

"We leave now."

"Yes, sir."

The line stayed silent for a moment.

"You know what to bring."

"Yes, sir."

"No mistakes."

"There won’t be."

"I want men on every warehouse roof before I arrive."

"Already arranging it."

"The east dock?"

"Covered."

"The cranes?"

"We’ll have eyes there too."

I nodded to myself.

"Good."

"If Atlas is planning something..."

I slipped my coat over my shoulders.

"...I want him to think it’s working."

"Understood."

"And tell the others."

I paused.

"Nobody fires unless I say so."

There was a brief hesitation.

"Sir... if he shoots first?"

A faint smile crossed my face.

"Then make sure he doesn’t get a second shot."

The call ended.

This was going to be fun.

"Where are you off to?"

Father’s voice stopped me halfway down the hallway.

"Meeting"

I didn’t stop walking.

"Business?"

"Personal."

His eyes narrowed.

"...Personal?"

"Going alone?"

I knew exactly what he meant.

He wasn’t asking about the meeting.

He was asking whether I intended to bring men.

I smiled without looking back.

He believed every answer had to involve blood or money.

Tonight...

I decided to entertain myself.

"A date."

Silence.

Then—

"Reagan!"

"Oh my God!"

Aria clapped excitedly.

"A date? You never told us you were seeing someone!"

I almost laughed.

If only she knew my "date" was far more likely to end with bullets than flowers.

Father’s expression hardened immediately.

"With who?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"I don’t think it does."

"When were you planning on telling us?" Aria asked, practically bouncing where she stood.

Funny...

How two people could hear the exact same sentence and react so differently.

Father looked ready to interrogate me while Aria looked ready for grandchildren.

"See you later, Father."

"I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting."

"Reagan, you get back here and—"

The front door slammed shut behind me.

At last... it’s fucking quiet.

I clicked my tongue.

Another minute in there and my ears would’ve started bleeding.

One of my men immediately stepped forward, opening the rear door of the waiting SUV.

"They’re awaiting you, sir."

I adjusted my gloves before climbing inside, settling into the back seat.

"Hope they’re ready."

"How many?"

"Eight."

I smiled.

"Atlas doesn’t do eight."

"Sir?"

"Search again."

"We already did."

"You missed half of them."

Silence.

"If Atlas wants us to find eight..."

I looked out the window.

"...he brought sixteen."

"Sir?"

I looked out the window as the car pulled away.

"Someone’s going to regret tonight."

Whether it was them...

Or me...

I supposed we’d find out soon.

The car ride was silent as nobody spoke.

The men riding with me had worked under me long enough to recognize the mood.

Weapons were checked and everyone was on standby.

One by one, the smiles disappeared.

Chiva Port wasn’t somewhere you visited casually.

Tonight...

Someone had decided to challenge me.

I intended to reward the effort.

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