Her Mob Boss (Book Three Of The Brave Series)

22-The McGreaves

     22-The McGreaves

"We are about to enter a den of suspicious and vicious beasts. We need to have solidity in our story. Chase, Harry, do you guys remember the story Elena told about how our relationship began?" They nodded vigorously.

"Good." Rysen nodded as the car pulled up to the curb. The got out of the vehicle, Chase and Harry first, then Rysen who turned back to Elena and held out his hand. She took it and he helped her out of the vehicle, straightening the dress as she stood. Her hands were shaking so badly but she didn't notice until he gripped both her hands causing her to look up at him. Their eyes met and Elena felt the anxious butterflies in her stomach cease to exist. His pale green eyes steadied her and suddenly she remembered what she'd done back at his house. Her face instantly became a flame as she remembered the feel of his lips against hers for the second time. The hour-long ride had gone by without a thought as Chase and Harry had kept her busy, filling her in on the McGreaves family.

From what she'd learned they were an Irish gang family from the North that had been slowly taking over other gang territory and seemed to have been keeping an eye on the Santigo's stomping grounds. When word came of possible marriages, they'd come down from the North to match Rysen with their seventeen-year-old daughter Anita, the Santigo's assumption was for them to have access to the territory without making it an all-out gang war.

"There is nothing they won't do to get more. They have no morals and they have killed before; it just was never proven to be them in the legal sense. Once they found out that Rysen already had a woman they were furious and demanded proof. Apparently, the photos taken by Rysen's parents of you staying in the house wasn't enough. Hence, the dinner we are about to have to suffer through with flawless acting skills." Chase said with a flourish at the end. It had taken some processing from Elena's side but what she knew for certain was that their relationship would have to be one hundred percent indisputable, and after their conversation earlier, Elena felt that that wouldn't exactly be difficult to do. On the other hand, this was a dangerous place to be with a lie and as she stared into Rysen's face, his square jaw and ruggedly handsome features, she felt that she could handle it. She had to.

Rysen raised his hand, his fingers gliding against Elena's face, noticing a small birthmark under the right corner of her doe eyes. He leaned down, and kissed the spot gently causing her breath to freeze in her throat. Then he leaned down to her ear and whispered to her "I won't let anything bad happen to you. I'd die first." Elena smiled softly and reached up, her heels making her slightly closer to his height. Her hand reached his face, her fingers cupping his jaw in her hand, his scruff slightly grazing her palm.

"Never die, live. Because we'll be fine." She said, sounding much more confident than she felt on the inside. He chuckled, patting her the leg that he had attached the small handgun to before turning and holding out his arm. She linked her own arm through, and they made their way to the front door, Harry in front and Chase behind them.

The house was large, excessively so. It took up the space that three normal houses normally would. Pueblo styled and painted a soft warm beige, it had a flat roof and large windows in the front. The driveway was a large loop around a beautifully glistening gothic water fountain. The front porch was empty aside from the three marble pillars that held up the roof. The front lawn was mowed to perfection, not a single flower or tree in sight, no form of decoration or claim of family life. The curtains were drawn tightly closed but there was a flicker of movement in one that signaled they were watching. Elena's eyes moved around subtly, watching for movement.

"There are two to the right, one inside, and one on the left. They're watching us." Elena whispered to Rysen. He nodded softly as they walked up the small staircase to the front door. Harry rang the doorbell and merely seconds later the door was opened by the cliched butler. An older gentleman, half bald, wearing a slick black uniform with a deadpanned look on his face. He had bags under his eyes and his body looked frail even within the suit. He was worn out and tired, anyone could see that. But the McGreaves didn't care what their 'help' felt or how tired they were.