She made him hard as fucking rock, and it drove him crazy. Paige didn’t show any sign of wanting him for anything other than a friend. She wouldn’t acknowledge him as a stepbrother, only as a friend.
It was the first time in his life he’d been marked for the friend category. He fucking hated it.
“I thought I’d find you out here,” Luiz said, coming up to step beside him.
“How is everything?”
“Fine, Paige is avoiding the designer trying to give her a new wardrobe.”
“Where is she?” Donnie asked, hating the way his cock twitched at the sound of her name.
“She’s working at the diner. Don’t worry, Tonio and Jake are watching over her.” Luiz pulled out his own cigarette. “How much longer we got?”
“I don’t know. Dad’s still convinced she knows something.”
“Money and coke went missing. Her father was the one controlling that shit. He went missing, presumed dead.”
“We found a body, Luiz. It could have been him.”
“With no way to identify him. His teeth were ripped out and his entire body burned to a crisp. We don’t know if it’s him or not. Everything was destroyed and taken from him.”
“Do you really think Richard Jones is alive?”
Donnie looked at his friend and shrugged. “I don’t know what I believe.”
Finding out about the death of her father, Paige had been distraught. Donnie had stood outside of her bedroom door listening to her cry. She wouldn’t even allow Sharon into her room. The whole situation was heartbreaking, even to him, and it wasn’t his problem.
“I thought I’d find you out here,” Anthony said.
He looked toward his father, hating the sight of him. The bastard looked way too happy.
Luiz tensed up, and he knew it had to do with his sister Maria. She had lost three babies and been hospitalized six times. There was nothing they could do about it. However, Donnie was starting to get a plan forming, which he’d tell his friends soon.
“What do you want?” Donnie asked, taking a deep inhale on his cigarette.
“I need answers from Paige, and I need them now.”
“It has been over a year, and nothing has happened. Why do you think something is going to change?”
“Sharon’s taken care of.”
“She’s a whore that has been bought and paid for.”
“Well, let’s hope Paige has a little whore inside her, as otherwise she’s going to be swimming with the fucking fishes.”
Luiz snorted, but Donnie didn’t give away his anger.
“We need to make sure she stays quiet or knows what Richard did.”
“Why didn’t you find out if he was dead or not?”
“I told you there was a body but no way of clarifying if it was him or not,” Anthony looked between them. “You’re paid to follow fucking orders. You may be The Family’s sons, but you will still be held accountable for your actions.”
“We’ve done nothing but uphold every rule and contract.” Donnie had over fifty kills to his name. It wasn’t something he was proud of, but he’d do whatever needed to be done in order to keep Paige safe.
His little stepsister had gotten under his skin.
“Well, tonight we’ll find out. Several men are coming, and Sharon knows it’s time to show off Paige.”
Anthony’s words had Donnie freezing to the spot. “What?”
“You heard me. Paige is like any other daughter, step or not. She will be married off. Find out what you know. By the time she’s finished school, I want her married and out of the house.”
Anthony left them alone with that bombshell.
“I swear, Donnie, I don’t know how much longer I can take it. I have to pretend I don’t give a shit about Maria while I do business with her scum of a husband. She’s scared of fucking everything.” Luiz spat each word out.
“I know. We can’t react too quickly. If we’re to take over the ruling of The Family, we need to attack from all angles.”
“This has added a complication,” Luiz said.
Yes, it had added a complication, and not one Donnie wanted to think about. “I’ll handle it.”
“Are you sure? It’s Paige. She’s a little fucking spitfire and will get herself into trouble.”
Donnie didn’t need to be told what Paige was like. She’d almost caused a war by being disrespectful at dinner parties. He laughed remembering how Anthony almost had a coronary when she called out Maria’s husband on domestic violence. If it hadn’t been for Jake, the evening would have ended in disaster.
“How can you sit at a table with that pig? Did you see Maria? Did you? She’s terrified.”