Happily Ever After Guaranteed

Though no would believe it as Emmett brought the sole of his boot down on the beaten his victim's wrist, he was reasonable. He didn’t want to beat men to a bloody pulp. Threatening their families took time out of his day. Time he better spent running the Liu Group conglomerate and networking with the Santo Mar elite.

“You’ve disappointed me, Mr. Huang.” Emmett kicked the offender so hard his body bounced again the concrete. As soon as Huang was on his knees again, he kicked him harder. “This was not how I planned to spend my first night back in the city.” Emmett pushed the man with the toe of his shoe until his back was flat on the concrete.

“Please,” Huang begged, “Please!” His sobs made whatever he said next unintelligible. Emmett couldn’t understand broken Mandarin through a fucked-up jaw.

“Time?” Emmett called.

“Five thirty boss.” A voice answered. He couldn’t tell who spoke. Huang was choking on blood and tears at his feet. It was irritating.

Emmett’s lip curled, but he didn’t have time to do more. Flexing his fingers, he chucked his chin at the broken man on the floor.

“Clean him up, send him home, and have dinner with his family.” Eyeing his hands, Emmett added, with no emotion in his voice. “Mr. Huang, you will have my money in my hand at 3 pm tomorrow. If even one cent is missing. If you are even one second late, I’ll have my men burn down your restaurant.”

Bruised knuckles were a bad look on the campaign trail. This would have to be the last time he handled business like this himself. The people he needed to impress didn’t need another reason to look down on him.

Huang trembled on the floor. He tried, and failed, to pull himself up on his knees. After falling for the second time, Huang nodded. His message was received.

Emmett left the warehouse with three of his men flanking him and three left behind with Mr. Huang. Santo Mar had an unfamiliar heat in the air. Security was more necessary than ever until the tension finally broke.

The first of the old bosses from the golden age of Santo Mar crime was dead. Emmett had a lot of respect for the late head of the King of the Southside. Gaines was one of the last men to build his outfit from the bottom up. Despite his adventurous past, Ronald Gaines was best known for his philanthropy and having five beautiful daughters.

What would become of them without their father’s protection?

Once back at his penthouse, Emmett showered, touched up his stubble, and steeled himself for the meal ahead. Though his father officially passed the reins to Emmett after his thirtieth birthday, Helena thought of herself as his advisor. Warren was better about leaving decisions up to Emmett.

While he respected his elders, Emmett would always defer to his instincts before theirs. He was the man they raised him to be, after all. The time for hand holding was long gone. Once he won the city council election, he’d finally get her off his back.

Moving into politics was the best move for their family. His father’s work as an entrepreneur built their wealth and status in the city, but he was a known gangster. Emmett’s reputation was cleaner and thus better to get them right where they need to be; closer to power.

As city planning director he'd have access to better networks for money laundering and loans. The genius part was the decision power over land sale and developments. The salary was less than he made in his sleep, and the title was meaningless. But Emmett could become governor if he kept on this path. No longer would his family have to grease up a seedy politician to execute his plans. He would become the seedy politician.

He had the time, so Emmett took extra care with his grooming. Helena would criticize him either way, but he had his own standard to maintain.

While in China, he preferred a clean-shaven look. At home, he allowed his stubble to grow in. Biweekly trims with every haircut kept Emmett polished but not a Ken Doll. He learned quickly that if he kept clean-shaven in Santo Mar, men thought he was too pretty to beat their asses.

Emmett slicked his hair back away from his face with mousse. On the way out the door, he sprayed cologne his mother bought a few birthdays ago. If he didn’t wear it when he planned to meet her, the bottle would languish unused on his dresser.

Though he left the apartment with a half an hour buffer, he arrived at Chengdu Noodle House at the same time as his parents. Emmett joined his father on the sidewalk, while Warren gave Helena a hand out of the family town car.

His mother eyed him, her stare more critical than he expected. He greeted his father, aware of her scanning him from head to toe. His annoyance almost got him to open his mouth, but Emmett held back. If he mentioned her stare, she’d deny doing anything at all. The night was too young to let her bait him into a bad mood.

“Mother, you look well.” Emmett greeted in his blandest monotone. He pressed a fleeting kiss to her cheek.

Helena smiled demurely. “Yes, I know. Your hair is still damp, dear.”

Emmett sucked his teeth, his frustration strained his voice. “Mother, it’s mousse.”

Helena’s nose scrunched slightly. It was the only part of her that showed any disbelief. She nodded and smiled at the staff before settling her hand in the crook of Warren’s arm. His father led the family into the restaurant. Emmett fell into place behind them and rolled his eyes at their backs.

Childish, sure. But he needed to relieve the dawning headache building behind his eye. Dinner with his parents wasn’t usually so unbearable, so fast. Helena wasn’t being as critical as she could be, but starting so early in the evening was unlike her. The strange tension in Santo Mar must be getting to them all.

The host escorted them to a private room set for six. Emmett eyed the table, curiosity batting away his stress. He took his seat across from his mother, at his father’s left. Helena’s lips pinched with displeasure, but she didn’t enlighten Emmett on what he’d done wrong now.

What was a dinner with his parents without a correction or complaint?

The host settled their menus in front of the family and left without a word. Warren was the first to speak once the door shut.

“Hope Gaines is taking her father’s place as head of the Gaines Family.”

Emmett couldn’t help himself; he snorted. A woman at the head of a crime family? Unheard of. There were girl gangs in the city, but those women couldn’t hold a candle to the power and scope of the seven crime families. Emmett couldn’t imagine Hope Gaines stepping into her father’s shoes.

“The other families will kill her before they let that happen. And her sisters will be next on the chopping block.” Emmett knew this for a fact. He’d do it with any enemy, regardless of their gender. Pull the weed by the root and salt the land.

Warren agreed with a subtle nod. With far too much interest, he added, “Hope has a plan, one that doesn’t end in any of their deaths. I spoke with her this morning. I’ll give her this; Ronald taught her well.”

His father seemed legitimately impressed with his former rival’s daughter. Emmett’s eyebrow raised without his permission. He contained the expression before asking, “What’s our angle, then? Are we for or against?”

Warren met Emmett’s stare evenly. “What’s your opinion on the topic? She’ll be your contemporary.”

Emmett mulled the idea over. Unlike many men in this lifestyle, he had no issues with a woman in a position of power. Women and men bled the same, their money was the same shade of green. As long as Hope wasn’t in his way, he had no problem with her becoming a boss.

If she were a man, that would be her birthright, anyway.

“As long as she stays out of my way, I don’t have a problem with it.” A small smirk curled the corner of Emmett’s mouth. “I don’t know her personality as you do, father. But if she’s anything like Ronnie Gaines, I’m looking forward to the chaos she’ll cause.”

His answered satisfied Warren. His father returned to perusing the menu. Emmett relaxed slightly once the weight of Warren’s regard dropped away. He wanted to know more about this meeting with Hope. He didn’t like the idea of an aspiring boss meeting with his father instead of him.

“Son,” Helena’s soft voice snapped Emmett from his thoughts. He immediately tensed in his seat. He knew better than to trust that tone. It always led to trouble for him.

“Yes, mother?” Emmett hid his face with his menu while he braced for her next critique. What would it be now? Was his suit too big? His cologne too pronounced?

Instead of an insult, Helena surprised him with a question. “Are you in a relationship?”

Emmett was thankful the menu covered the eye roll he had no hope of holding back. With his schedule? What did she think he did when she wasn’t around? He filled his mornings with meetings and emails for their various businesses and investments. His nights were one party or gala after another, so he was always in front of the right people.

In between all that, he managed their less than legal enterprises. Guns, drugs, money laundering. All of that required his oversight, and she knew that. When would Emmett have time for a relationship?

“No. Why do you ask?” Emmett spoke to Helena, but he snuck a glance at his father.

Warren’s eyes flickered once, exhaustion gracing his aging features as he began. “Your mother believes-“ She stopped him with a hand on his wrist and a sharp smile. His father’s mouth shut and his eyes returned to the menu in front of him.

“It’s time for you to get married.” Helena continued.

Emmett dropped his menu. “What?” His eyes glanced at the three extra chairs. Suddenly, the choice in dining room made sense.

“By the time your father was your age, he’d done his duty to the family. He had a wife and a child.” Helena’s voice was still soft, but an edge of steel behind her words revealed her resolve. She was determined to see him married as soon as possible, it seemed.

Emmett shook his head. “By the time dad was my age, he’d been head of the family ten years already.”

His mother dismissed that with a wave of her hand. The host returned for their order, their appearance allowed Emmett to seethe quietly. Once the host left, Helena settled her uncompromising stare on Emmett.

“You’ll need an heir soon. Didn’t your campaign manager say the public favored politicians with wives across demographics? Meanwhile, a bachelor implies instability and commitment issues.” Helena countered.

Emmett looked at Warren again. His father’s words were final on any matter in their household. Yet since his retirement, he’d shown less interest in having an opinion on anything. Warren met Emmett’s stare.

“Ronnie’s death changed things. The other families are restless. They see a power vacuum and they won’t stop at the Gaines organization if they succeed. They’ll get greedy. The peace you’ve known until now won’t last,” Warren explained.

Emmett dropped his father’s gaze. It was clear there was no ground to be gained there. He couldn’t look him in the eye while everything within him roiled against the decision they were making for him. Finding a wife would take time, time he didn’t have. He couldn’t marry some naïve civilian and thrust her into their world. His mother would ruin her long before the horrors of their life had their way with her.

Angry words teased the seam of Emmett’s lips. Their heat left his mouth dry. He saw the sense in his father’s words. And his mother’s insistence on marriage would have come, eventually. It was Emmett’s fault for not seeing this coming. He should have known. He should have prepared.

“What about the campaign? I can’t run for city council and look for a wife at the same time.” Emmett said through gritted teeth.

Helena’s eyes brightened. She tasted his defeat. He hadn’t agreed to anything yet. It didn’t matter to his mother. If she had her way, he’d be married before the year was out.

“A wife could only help you, Emmett. Having a beautiful woman on your arm conveys power. Before you know it, she’ll be a breath of fresh air for your campaign.” Helena smiled smugly.

His campaign was only rumors in the press, it didn’t need a breath of fresh air. That wasn’t Helena’s point. Emmett was well aware of his shortcomings. She’d never let him forget it. He wasn’t charismatic the way he should have been. A politician needed to be beloved by many. Emmett didn’t have that in him.

Helena knew that and thought a woman on his arm would soften the blow of his personality.

“Do I get to pick my bride, at least?” Emmett forced the words out through a stiff jaw. He’d agreed to nothing, but they set the expectation. His parents wanted him married, so married he would be.

His mother beamed. “I didn’t think you’d care, actually. But yes. Your father believed we should leave that choice up to you.”

Emmett dropped his gaze. How lucky he was that his parents would allow him to choose the woman they wanted him to marry.

A glance at his father forced him to reign in his temper. Warren was already riding backseat in the family business. He wouldn’t care to manage Emmett’s household affairs. Helena could try, but once he married, she was no longer the neck of their family. Her power would go to his future bride. Emmett wouldn’t have to bend to her machinations anymore.

That was the only bright spot in this whole situation and he clung to it.

A quick knock at the door drew their attention before it slid open and revealed their dinner guests. Three stunning Black women stood at the threshold.

Hope Gaines was easily recognizable from her small braids and high forehead. They were a few years apart at Smith, but he’d seen her around campus before he graduated. Kids with their background weren’t allowed to be unaware of each other, though Emmett and Hope never crossed paths before tonight.

The eldest Gaines sister somehow looked older than the twenty-nine years he knew her to be. Her father’s death could have aged her, but Emmett knew the exhausted determination in her eyes well. His childhood was dedicated to succeeding his father. All that preparation meant nothing when it was time to do the work.

He studied her with fresh eyes. She was beautiful, her skin dark and even toned. Eyes a deep brown and fanned by long lashes. Her dark green blouse was tucked into tight, high-waisted pants that billowed into a bell bottom at her feet. He didn’t know much about fashion, but her clothing was expensive and trendy.

Warren and Emmett stood to greet their guests. Hope’s tall, lithe frame blocked Emmett’s view of her sisters. Until a lanky, suit clad body forced itself inside ahead of Hope. Helena joined them and began the introductions.

“This is Hope Gaines and her sisters Charisma Gaines,” the lanky sister winked at Emmett. She took his hand before he could offer it and squeezed it tight in a brutal handshake.

He knew immediately she was not the sister his parents expected him to marry. Her baggy suit was the first hint. The second hint was the memory that followed the name. This was the Gaines sister that got kicked out of Smith for sleeping with members the girls’ sports teams at their private school. Rumor was, they’d found her three separate times on school property.

“And Prudence Gaines.” Helena continued.

Prudence was shorter than her sisters, but when she stepped into view, all the lights in the room seemed focused on her. Their eyes met immediately. Emmett placed a hand against his sternum and his heart skipped two beats against his palm.

He’d come out for a dinner with his parents and now stood in front of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Her skin was rich and dark, with a velvet shine that absorbed the warm light from the chandelier. Prudence shared Hope’s high forehead and cheekbones, but her features were softer. A button nose above her full mouth completed her lush features.

Emmett forgot his name. There was no room for it while his eyes took in curves a man would kill himself over. Hope and Charisma were on the thinner side. Their clothes swallowed any shape their bodies may have. Prudence chose a cream-colored lace dress that hugged her gorgeous curves.

He knew he’d stared for too long when that mouth, her delectable and glossy mouth, curved into a smile. Emmett’s heart thudded hard against his rib cage.

Care thumbed her nose and sniffed. “See what?”

Prue texted the link. “Last month’s Los Ojos update. They covered dad’s funeral. One of their sneaky friends claimed she was at the funeral and everything.”

Care’s arched brows dropped low over amber brown eyes. “How? Barely anyone showed up. Feel like we’d have seen somebody new.”

“I don’t like it. The day somebody figures out who these losers are, the quicker I can give them a piece of my mind.” Prue locked her screen and dropped the phone into her purse.

Her sister only smirked. “It’s just a blog post, chill.”

Their father’s beloved cherry red Buick Skylark glided to a stop in front of the nicest beach side restaurant in the city. A favorite of all the Gaines girls, Abbie’s was Prue’s safe place. It helped that it was still Gaines owned, so she could trust the kitchen.

Though how much longer that would be true, Prue didn’t know.

Care slid her suit jacket over her holster as she exited the car. The guns ruined the lines of her suit. Not that she cared. If they weren’t on such thin ice these days, Prue was certain her sister wouldn’t have bothered covering up her weapons before they hit the street.

The valet opened Prue’s door and helped her step out into the cool, late afternoon breeze. The water nearby sparkled rose gold across her skin. She'd purposely scheduled this meeting at this hour because she needed control over what she knew would be a tedious conversation.

Prue and Care reunited on the sidewalk and fell into step. “Negative attention will not help our situation.” She reminded her careless little sister.

That earned her a pointed look. Sighing, she led the way up the stairs. “I mean the attention we can’t come back from. If the wrong people read this, they’ll-“

Care snorted, “What? Know we’re broke as a fuck and a flea’s ball-sack away from losing everything? Everyone who matters knows that P.”

Prue couldn’t retort before her sister swept forward and opened to door to the restaurant. She tried to saunter inside, but Prue caught her elbow and stopped her short.

“Watch where you say things like that. Things are precarious right now. We don’t need the worker bees knowing there’s a problem in the hive. Right?”

As usual, the severity of the situation wasn’t important to her sister. She shrugged off Prue’s hold with an eye roll. “They’ll figure it out soon enough when they money stop comin’ in. Right?”

There was no rebuttal to the truth. Life was different since their father’s death. The people they once trusted were now the same as their many enemies. There was only enough money left to keep the lights on for three more months. After that, it was touch and go whether they’d live long enough to keep the money coming in.

That didn’t wouldn't deter Prue. “We will put on a strong front to the very end, regardless.” She adjusted Care’s suit in vain. If only they had the money for the family tailor.

Care led the way into the restaurant without acknowledging the host. She scanned the dining room for those who didn’t belong and studied those who blended in too well. The host’s head swiveled between the sisters, obviously uncomfortable.

With her sweet, butter-wouldn’t-melt smile, Prue addressed the host for them both. “Hi, I have a table for two. Under Gaines. My sister will sit at the bar.”

The host visibly relaxed and returned her smile. Though their expression was polite, their eyes were anything but while scanning up and down her body. “Of course, right this way, Miss Gaines.”

They guided Prue across the sky-blue carpet. Their trek to her table allowed her a good look at the guests as she passed. Those she knew got a wave or an air kiss. Those she didn’t know received her best smile. Let Los Ojos call her frosty now.

Prue was still sour over her profile on the infamous gossip blog. She was never anything but perfectly poised at all times. They’d caught a moment of annoyance during the funeral and amplified it beyond reality.

How would they have reacted to the news that men she'd considered family, men she’d known her whole life, were now plotting against her? Wouldn’t they be a little annoyed too?

The host brought Prue to her usual table in a quiet but unobstructed section of the restaurant. Both exits and the restroom remained visible while at a distance. The bar was only a shift in her seat from view. It didn’t have the best view of the water this far from all the windows. Her father taught her better than to put herself in easy view of their enemies.

Care returned to the dining room and took a seat at the bar, well within Prue’s line of sight. It wasn’t until she gave her nod of approval did she take a full breath. Only an idiot would try something this deep in their family’s territory. But Prue was of the belief you could never be too careful.

Her server for the evening arrived within minutes of her sitting down. Jade’s familiar face brought the first genuine smile of the day to Prue’s lips.

“Good afternoon, Miss Gaines. Anything I can get you while we wait for your guest.” Jade smiled with a knowing twinkle in her eyes.

Prue dropped her gaze to the menu. “Please. I’ll order for him right now. He won’t mind.”

This meeting wouldn’t run long, she wouldn’t allow it to. She had two more meetings after this. Each was more vital than the last. Both were potential solutions to her family’s problems. This needed to happen today to cover up any messy overlaps.

Jade left with their order, and Prue’s phone was in her hand before the server made it past the bar. It was her responsibility to replace the holes left behind by their so-called family. Something that wouldn’t have been difficult a year ago was all but impossible now that her father was dead. Care hadn’t exaggerated when she said everyone who mattered knew their situation.

The Gaines Family was on its way out in the eyes of this city. It was only a matter of who would land the first blow.

“Prue, I made it. Sorry I kept you waiting. This traffic is…” stiff lips brushed against her cheek. “Crazy at this hour.”

Predictably, Keith arrived right as her mood soured.

She fought a grimace and forced a smile. “Don’t worry about it. I haven’t been here long.”

Her boyfriend paused right before taking his seat. With a strange look, he finally sat down. Any other time he kept Prue waiting, she’d tear into him with a cold smile and fluttering eyelashes. She no longer reacted that way to any of Keith’s familiar disappointments. Funny he’d notice now.

Jade returned with the appetizer and their drinks. That knowing twinkle now a blinding shine as she set first Keith’s cocktail, then a water in front of them. It took every ounce of Prue's self-control not to roll her eyes. If her family still had their money. If they could trust this city not to take them out. Prue would have gone to any other restaurant.

Everyone on her side of town knew Keith Stone. A Gaines girl didn’t date any man without everyone hearing about it. Prue avoided a lot of speculation with Keith, but now and then tradition reared its ugly head and people had expectations they shouldn’t.

“Y'all are still so cute together.” Their server gushed. She placed a hand over her heart. “You’re gonna have such cute babies!”

Prue’s eyes went wide. “Thank you, Jade! We’re all set now, thank you.”

Jade continued to gawk with heart eyes and heavy, meaningful sighing, but she left their table as told. Prue couldn't wait for moments like that to stop happening.

Prue and Keith talked while they picked at the appetizer. After so many years together, there was nothing new to discuss. She now worked for the betterment of her family, as planned. He was still more certain than ever his father was ready to pass down the family company.

She wasn’t so sure about that, but his career was no longer her business. His father owned the largest ice cream chain in Santo Mar. Keith worked under Clermont’s wing for years now. And after all that time, he wasn’t half the entrepreneur his father was. Similarities between father and son began and ended with their hazel-green eyes and light-caramel brown skin that turned rich ocher in the summer.

Clermont was shrewd, clever, and a master at marketing. Keith was… cute. The way a girl’s first boyfriend should be.

Their conversation flowed easily through familiar patterns until Jade returned with their entrees.

Prue ordered his favorite steak, medium-well, though it hurt her heart to say it. A bed of greens and a pool of sweet potato and cauliflower puree laid underneath. He’d ordered the meal hundreds of times since they’d started dating. Now he eyed his plate like a spider on the table. No, not his plate. He was staring past that, towards her side of the table.

There sat a single cup of coffee. Keith glared at it, then looked up at Prue. The serene air of their conversation dried up. They’d reach unfamiliar territory with one another. Predictably, he looked terrified.

Swallowing thickly, Keith fought to meet her eyes. “I almost forgot to ask, how was the funeral?”

Prue picked up her cup of coffee and slipped slowly. Despite Los Ojos’s assumptions around her lack of grief, she missed her father every day. His funeral paled compared to what he deserved. Burying him didn’t soothe the pain of his loss, but Prue had to go on. He’d want her to. And her family needed her.

Keith, of course, couldn’t possibly understand that.

“Lovely. Thank you so much for asking.” She set her cup down. “Mother was happy the weather stayed clear. Vee cried, of course.”

When wasn’t her sister crying? Prue envied Vee’s capacity for emotion. She didn’t know what gene one had that allowed you to show how you felt. Maybe Abigail, their mother, robbed her of it, or maybe Prue never had it.

Keith reached across the table to take her hand. Prue slid it out of reach and fixed her hair.

“I wish I could have been there to support you.” He leaned across the table. In a hushed voice, he asked, “Have you heard from any of the cousins? Or… your uncles, at least?”

Prue fought back her annoyance, but a taut sigh escaped through her teeth. “Yeah, okay. Keith? Thank you for your concern, but you’re not allowed to ask me anything about my uncles or my cousins. Ever.”

“I’m sorry.” His expression folded into lines of misery, “I-I heard about the funeral… you know th-the guns?” Keith fought to control himself. He so badly wanted to look calm. But he was sweating bullets and kept looking around suspiciously.

Prue hated when he tried to involve himself in the family business. Before he was sick, Ronald Gaines offered to bring Keith into the fold. The caveat being that she saw a real future with the boy. Even at nineteen, Prue knew better than to make that bet.

Only three years into their now nine-year relationship, Prue clocked Keith for what he was. A rich boy who didn’t have the stomach to run with the men she grew up with. The soldiers in her father’s circle would have eaten him alive.

“Thank you for your concern, but that’s really none of your business.” Prue’s voice sharped to an icy point.

Keith deflated in his seat, an excuse or whine forming on his plump lips. She beat him to it. If she didn’t, she’d snap.

“I want you to know I’ve enjoyed our time together, but it’s time for me to get serious about my future.”

Keith nodded. “Serious. I can be serious. I mean- I’m serious.” His anxiety was tipping into confusion at the topic switch. Prue plowed on. It would be best to rip the band aid off.

“My family needs my support more than ever right now. So it’s in my best interest not to have distractions.”

Blank stare from Keith’s side of the table. She'd miss his obliviousness once this was over. She didn’t like smart men. They led to nothing but problems.

“Eventually,” Prue continued, “your association with me will lead you to a dangerous situation. Like the guns at the funeral, for instance.”

Light flickered to life behind Keith’s pretty eyes. “Wait…”

Prue finished the last sip of her coffee. “It’s for the best that we end things on good terms.”

“End things?” Keith’s eyebrows fell. His shock was palpable.

Smiling, Prue gathered her purse and stood. “I’m so glad you agree.”

Despite Keith’s tardiness, she still had time for her next meeting.

A hand around her wrist stopped her. Desperate eyes stared back up at her. “You-you’re breaking up with me? Why? Wh-what did I do?”

Prue twisted out of Keith’s grasp and checked the room. Sure enough, his dramatics caught the attention of more than one table. Prue took her seat again and fixed her ex with a frosty glare.

“This breakup is mutual, Keith. Give yourself some credit.”

He shook his head emphatically, like a toddler. “No! No, it’s not mutual. I don’t want to break up!”

Prue rolled her eyes. “Okay, then I’m breaking up with you. Happy?”

“No!” Keith whined. Now everyone was staring. He'd reached a new level of obnoxiousness.

Prue seethed, lips pressed together because it was the only part of her she could control. She’d handed Los Ojos yet another story to twist. Though with the way Keith was carrying on, they wouldn’t need to do much twisting.

“Lower your voice!” Prue’s words were sharp. Keith was well familiar with that tone and buckled immediately.

In a hushed voice, hiss words flowed out in a rush, “Tell me, is it someone else? Is it because I didn’t go to the funeral? Because I wanted to go to the funeral. I wanted to support you…” and on and on he went.

Prue’s eyes sought the ceiling for patience and strength. She avoided her sister’s side of the restaurant entirely. Hearing her laughter was shameful enough. One look at the bar would be just the thing to send her over the edge.

“You did not miss my father’s funeral because I did not invite you.” Prue corrected in a hushed voice. “It does not matter that you don’t want to break up. I’m done with the relationship.”

Once it was all out, she could finally breathe again. With a new sense of calm, she looked at Keith’s ashen face.

“Finish your steak, tip the server, and go home. I mean it, Keith.” Prue added.

She didn’t wait for him to obey. After today, she no longer had the right to boss him around. A role she’d fallen into and wouldn’t miss, though it felt strange to stand up and walk away.

Prue crossed the restaurant with her head held high. Care fell into step ahead of her and opened the door so Prue could step out first.

“That went well.” Care commented, oh so innocently.

Prue ignored her.

“I liked the part when you made him cry.” Care snickered.

“He didn’t cry!” Prue whirled on her sister. “Don’t say stuff like that or it’ll spread around. It’s bad enough he did… that. Imagine if mom saw him?”

Abigail didn’t tolerate Keith’s behavior in her daughters. Prue couldn’t imagine her allowing that from her son if she had one. Care belly laughed, no doubt picturing the same thing.

“Look on the bright side.” The valet arrived with their car and handed Care the keys. “He’ll probably ban our family from all his dad’s restaurants. You might finally lose that last five pounds you’ve been whining about.”

Care opened Prue’s door, smiling hard at her sister’s icy glare.

“Keep laughing. One day, you’re gonna need bullets for those pretty guns. And I’m the only one with the arms dealer contact.” Prue grinned widely when Care’s expression turned to stone.

“You always take things too far.” Care smacked her teeth.

The Buick hit the road, and Prue wrapped up a nearly ten-year relationship with a series of social media posts. Just like that, a chapter of her adult life was closed. Prue waited for a sense of loss or regret to hit. She felt only apprehension about the meeting ahead.

The car slowed as Prue hit post on her last breakup draft. She looked up to find the sprawling Spanish-style mansion of one Obispo De la Cruz. Danger settled low in her gut, roiling like nausea, though Prue knew better.

One look at her sister confirmed her suspicions; she had every right to be uneasy. Care inherited their father’s confidence and humor in even the direst situations. If she looked unsure, then Prue should, too.

“Come on, let’s be quick. He gave us his word.”

Prue nodded and wordlessly stepped out of the car.

This was for the family. For Hope. For her father. Prue had to do this. She would do this.

Care appeared at her side. She didn’t reach out to hug her. Though her eyes held a rare note of solemn empathy. There were no visible cameras, but that didn’t mean they around. They couldn’t show weakness in enemy territory.

“Just the way mom taught you.” Care murmured. She led the way up the drive. “Ready?”

Prue took a deep, settling breath. Her role in the family slipped over her and her control returned. Obispo was only a man. Prue grew up around men like him. She knew how they thought, how they lied.

Obispo gave his word he would not make the first move against the Gaines family. Prue needed to convince him to give them his support.

Though no would believe it as Emmett brought the sole of his boot down on the beaten his victim's wrist, he was reasonable. He didn’t want to beat men to a bloody pulp. Threatening their families took time out of his day. Time he better spent running the Liu Group conglomerate and networking with the Santo Mar elite.

“You’ve disappointed me, Mr. Huang.” Emmett kicked the offender so hard his body bounced again the concrete. As soon as Huang was on his knees again, he kicked him harder. “This was not how I planned to spend my first night back in the city.” Emmett pushed the man with the toe of his shoe until his back was flat on the concrete.

“Please,” Huang begged, “Please!” His sobs made whatever he said next unintelligible. Emmett couldn’t understand broken Mandarin through a fucked-up jaw.

“Time?” Emmett called.

“Five thirty boss.” A voice answered. He couldn’t tell who spoke. Huang was choking on blood and tears at his feet. It was irritating.

Emmett’s lip curled, but he didn’t have time to do more. Flexing his fingers, he chucked his chin at the broken man on the floor.

“Clean him up, send him home, and have dinner with his family.” Eyeing his hands, Emmett added, with no emotion in his voice. “Mr. Huang, you will have my money in my hand at 3 pm tomorrow. If even one cent is missing. If you are even one second late, I’ll have my men burn down your restaurant.”

Bruised knuckles were a bad look on the campaign trail. This would have to be the last time he handled business like this himself. The people he needed to impress didn’t need another reason to look down on him.

Huang trembled on the floor. He tried, and failed, to pull himself up on his knees. After falling for the second time, Huang nodded. His message was received.

Emmett left the warehouse with three of his men flanking him and three left behind with Mr. Huang. Santo Mar had an unfamiliar heat in the air. Security was more necessary than ever until the tension finally broke.

The first of the old bosses from the golden age of Santo Mar crime was dead. Emmett had a lot of respect for the late head of the King of the Southside. Gaines was one of the last men to build his outfit from the bottom up. Despite his adventurous past, Ronald Gaines was best known for his philanthropy and having five beautiful daughters.

What would become of them without their father’s protection?

Once back at his penthouse, Emmett showered, touched up his stubble, and steeled himself for the meal ahead. Though his father officially passed the reins to Emmett after his thirtieth birthday, Helena thought of herself as his advisor. Warren was better about leaving decisions up to Emmett.

While he respected his elders, Emmett would always defer to his instincts before theirs. He was the man they raised him to be, after all. The time for hand holding was long gone. Once he won the city council election, he’d finally get her off his back.

Moving into politics was the best move for their family. His father’s work as an entrepreneur built their wealth and status in the city, but he was a known gangster. Emmett’s reputation was cleaner and thus better to get them right where they need to be; closer to power.

As city planning director he'd have access to better networks for money laundering and loans. The genius part was the decision power over land sale and developments. The salary was less than he made in his sleep, and the title was meaningless. But Emmett could become governor if he kept on this path. No longer would his family have to grease up a seedy politician to execute his plans. He would become the seedy politician.

He had the time, so Emmett took extra care with his grooming. Helena would criticize him either way, but he had his own standard to maintain.

While in China, he preferred a clean-shaven look. At home, he allowed his stubble to grow in. Biweekly trims with every haircut kept Emmett polished but not a Ken Doll. He learned quickly that if he kept clean-shaven in Santo Mar, men thought he was too pretty to beat their asses.

Emmett slicked his hair back away from his face with mousse. On the way out the door, he sprayed cologne his mother bought a few birthdays ago. If he didn’t wear it when he planned to meet her, the bottle would languish unused on his dresser.

Though he left the apartment with a half an hour buffer, he arrived at Chengdu Noodle House at the same time as his parents. Emmett joined his father on the sidewalk, while Warren gave Helena a hand out of the family town car.

His mother eyed him, her stare more critical than he expected. He greeted his father, aware of her scanning him from head to toe. His annoyance almost got him to open his mouth, but Emmett held back. If he mentioned her stare, she’d deny doing anything at all. The night was too young to let her bait him into a bad mood.

“Mother, you look well.” Emmett greeted in his blandest monotone. He pressed a fleeting kiss to her cheek.

Helena smiled demurely. “Yes, I know. Your hair is still damp, dear.”

Emmett sucked his teeth, his frustration strained his voice. “Mother, it’s mousse.”

Helena’s nose scrunched slightly. It was the only part of her that showed any disbelief. She nodded and smiled at the staff before settling her hand in the crook of Warren’s arm. His father led the family into the restaurant. Emmett fell into place behind them and rolled his eyes at their backs.

Childish, sure. But he needed to relieve the dawning headache building behind his eye. Dinner with his parents wasn’t usually so unbearable, so fast. Helena wasn’t being as critical as she could be, but starting so early in the evening was unlike her. The strange tension in Santo Mar must be getting to them all.

The host escorted them to a private room set for six. Emmett eyed the table, curiosity batting away his stress. He took his seat across from his mother, at his father’s left. Helena’s lips pinched with displeasure, but she didn’t enlighten Emmett on what he’d done wrong now.

What was a dinner with his parents without a correction or complaint?

The host settled their menus in front of the family and left without a word. Warren was the first to speak once the door shut.

“Hope Gaines is taking her father’s place as head of the Gaines Family.”

Emmett couldn’t help himself; he snorted. A woman at the head of a crime family? Unheard of. There were girl gangs in the city, but those women couldn’t hold a candle to the power and scope of the seven crime families. Emmett couldn’t imagine Hope Gaines stepping into her father’s shoes.

“The other families will kill her before they let that happen. And her sisters will be next on the chopping block.” Emmett knew this for a fact. He’d do it with any enemy, regardless of their gender. Pull the weed by the root and salt the land.

Warren agreed with a subtle nod. With far too much interest, he added, “Hope has a plan, one that doesn’t end in any of their deaths. I spoke with her this morning. I’ll give her this; Ronald taught her well.”

His father seemed legitimately impressed with his former rival’s daughter. Emmett’s eyebrow raised without his permission. He contained the expression before asking, “What’s our angle, then? Are we for or against?”

Warren met Emmett’s stare evenly. “What’s your opinion on the topic? She’ll be your contemporary.”

Emmett mulled the idea over. Unlike many men in this lifestyle, he had no issues with a woman in a position of power. Women and men bled the same, their money was the same shade of green. As long as Hope wasn’t in his way, he had no problem with her becoming a boss.

If she were a man, that would be her birthright, anyway.

“As long as she stays out of my way, I don’t have a problem with it.” A small smirk curled the corner of Emmett’s mouth. “I don’t know her personality as you do, father. But if she’s anything like Ronnie Gaines, I’m looking forward to the chaos she’ll cause.”

His answered satisfied Warren. His father returned to perusing the menu. Emmett relaxed slightly once the weight of Warren’s regard dropped away. He wanted to know more about this meeting with Hope. He didn’t like the idea of an aspiring boss meeting with his father instead of him.

“Son,” Helena’s soft voice snapped Emmett from his thoughts. He immediately tensed in his seat. He knew better than to trust that tone. It always led to trouble for him.

“Yes, mother?” Emmett hid his face with his menu while he braced for her next critique. What would it be now? Was his suit too big? His cologne too pronounced?

Instead of an insult, Helena surprised him with a question. “Are you in a relationship?”

Emmett was thankful the menu covered the eye roll he had no hope of holding back. With his schedule? What did she think he did when she wasn’t around? He filled his mornings with meetings and emails for their various businesses and investments. His nights were one party or gala after another, so he was always in front of the right people.

In between all that, he managed their less than legal enterprises. Guns, drugs, money laundering. All of that required his oversight, and she knew that. When would Emmett have time for a relationship?

“No. Why do you ask?” Emmett spoke to Helena, but he snuck a glance at his father.

Warren’s eyes flickered once, exhaustion gracing his aging features as he began. “Your mother believes-“ She stopped him with a hand on his wrist and a sharp smile. His father’s mouth shut and his eyes returned to the menu in front of him.

“It’s time for you to get married.” Helena continued.

Emmett dropped his menu. “What?” His eyes glanced at the three extra chairs. Suddenly, the choice in dining room made sense.

“By the time your father was your age, he’d done his duty to the family. He had a wife and a child.” Helena’s voice was still soft, but an edge of steel behind her words revealed her resolve. She was determined to see him married as soon as possible, it seemed.

Emmett shook his head. “By the time dad was my age, he’d been head of the family ten years already.”

His mother dismissed that with a wave of her hand. The host returned for their order, their appearance allowed Emmett to seethe quietly. Once the host left, Helena settled her uncompromising stare on Emmett.

“You’ll need an heir soon. Didn’t your campaign manager say the public favored politicians with wives across demographics? Meanwhile, a bachelor implies instability and commitment issues.” Helena countered.

Emmett looked at Warren again. His father’s words were final on any matter in their household. Yet since his retirement, he’d shown less interest in having an opinion on anything. Warren met Emmett’s stare.

“Ronnie’s death changed things. The other families are restless. They see a power vacuum and they won’t stop at the Gaines organization if they succeed. They’ll get greedy. The peace you’ve known until now won’t last,” Warren explained.

Emmett dropped his father’s gaze. It was clear there was no ground to be gained there. He couldn’t look him in the eye while everything within him roiled against the decision they were making for him. Finding a wife would take time, time he didn’t have. He couldn’t marry some naïve civilian and thrust her into their world. His mother would ruin her long before the horrors of their life had their way with her.

Angry words teased the seam of Emmett’s lips. Their heat left his mouth dry. He saw the sense in his father’s words. And his mother’s insistence on marriage would have come, eventually. It was Emmett’s fault for not seeing this coming. He should have known. He should have prepared.

“What about the campaign? I can’t run for city council and look for a wife at the same time.” Emmett said through gritted teeth.

Helena’s eyes brightened. She tasted his defeat. He hadn’t agreed to anything yet. It didn’t matter to his mother. If she had her way, he’d be married before the year was out.

“A wife could only help you, Emmett. Having a beautiful woman on your arm conveys power. Before you know it, she’ll be a breath of fresh air for your campaign.” Helena smiled smugly.

His campaign was only rumors in the press, it didn’t need a breath of fresh air. That wasn’t Helena’s point. Emmett was well aware of his shortcomings. She’d never let him forget it. He wasn’t charismatic the way he should have been. A politician needed to be beloved by many. Emmett didn’t have that in him.

Helena knew that and thought a woman on his arm would soften the blow of his personality.

“Do I get to pick my bride, at least?” Emmett forced the words out through a stiff jaw. He’d agreed to nothing, but they set the expectation. His parents wanted him married, so married he would be.

His mother beamed. “I didn’t think you’d care, actually. But yes. Your father believed we should leave that choice up to you.”

Emmett dropped his gaze. How lucky he was that his parents would allow him to choose the woman they wanted him to marry.

A glance at his father forced him to reign in his temper. Warren was already riding backseat in the family business. He wouldn’t care to manage Emmett’s household affairs. Helena could try, but once he married, she was no longer the neck of their family. Her power would go to his future bride. Emmett wouldn’t have to bend to her machinations anymore.

That was the only bright spot in this whole situation and he clung to it.

A quick knock at the door drew their attention before it slid open and revealed their dinner guests. Three stunning Black women stood at the threshold.

Hope Gaines was easily recognizable from her small braids and high forehead. They were a few years apart at Smith, but he’d seen her around campus before he graduated. Kids with their background weren’t allowed to be unaware of each other, though Emmett and Hope never crossed paths before tonight.

The eldest Gaines sister somehow looked older than the twenty-nine years he knew her to be. Her father’s death could have aged her, but Emmett knew the exhausted determination in her eyes well. His childhood was dedicated to succeeding his father. All that preparation meant nothing when it was time to do the work.

He studied her with fresh eyes. She was beautiful, her skin dark and even toned. Eyes a deep brown and fanned by long lashes. Her dark green blouse was tucked into tight, high-waisted pants that billowed into a bell bottom at her feet. He didn’t know much about fashion, but her clothing was expensive and trendy.

Warren and Emmett stood to greet their guests. Hope’s tall, lithe frame blocked Emmett’s view of her sisters. Until a lanky, suit clad body forced itself inside ahead of Hope. Helena joined them and began the introductions.

“This is Hope Gaines and her sisters Charisma Gaines,” the lanky sister winked at Emmett. She took his hand before he could offer it and squeezed it tight in a brutal handshake.

He knew immediately she was not the sister his parents expected him to marry. Her baggy suit was the first hint. The second hint was the memory that followed the name. This was the Gaines sister that got kicked out of Smith for sleeping with members the girls’ sports teams at their private school. Rumor was, they’d found her three separate times on school property.

“And Prudence Gaines.” Helena continued.

Prudence was shorter than her sisters, but when she stepped into view, all the lights in the room seemed focused on her. Their eyes met immediately. Emmett placed a hand against his sternum and his heart skipped two beats against his palm.

He’d come out for a dinner with his parents and now stood in front of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Her skin was rich and dark, with a velvet shine that absorbed the warm light from the chandelier. Prudence shared Hope’s high forehead and cheekbones, but her features were softer. A button nose above her full mouth completed her lush features.

Emmett forgot his name. There was no room for it while his eyes took in curves a man would kill himself over. Hope and Charisma were on the thinner side. Their clothes swallowed any shape their bodies may have. Prudence chose a cream-colored lace dress that hugged her gorgeous curves.

He knew he’d stared for too long when that mouth, her delectable and glossy mouth, curved into a smile. Emmett’s heart thudded hard against his rib cage.

Her eyes didn’t know where to land, his soft brown eyes, high cheekbones, or the scruffy start of his beard on his firm jaw. His lips hit Prue the hardest; so pink they looked red, plump and oh so kissable. And when he smiled, the effect of his beauty left Prue’s cheeks hot.

Prue greeted Warren and Mrs. Liu, noting Emmett’s looks came from his mother. Their eyes were the same. Helena’s smile was a brighter version of her son’s. As he pulled out Prue’s chair, his cologne filled her senses, and she lost herself in it's masculine scent. Prue couldn’t place it but knew instinctively that it was expensive. She tried to catch a whiff as he returned to the other side of the table. Whatever he wore, it was much better than the brands Keith doused himself with.

At her side, Care nudged Prue before leaning closer. “He’s pretty. Makes me question my place on the Kinsey scale kinda pretty.”

Prue nudged her sister back, hard. Men usually bored or disgusted Care, so her reaction to Emmett Liu was unexpected. Still, they didn’t set this up to marry her off. She should keep her eyes to herself tonight.

Their hosts ordered for the table before the sisters arrived, so their food arrived quickly. The Gaines women graciously accepted their hospitality. This was unlike any Chinese food she was familiar with, but every dish was delicious. Their father’s reach extended far, but this was a part of the city Prue never dared to explore. A year ago today, the Liu family wouldn’t have allowed their presence here.

She was vividly aware of this as Helena made small talk with Care.

“Charisma, I was told that you and your sisters attended R.L. Smith Academy. Emmett attended as well. Did you ever run into each other?”

Emmett cut his eyes at his mother, but face remained blank. Prue filed away that look to examine later.

Care snorted through a mouthful of spicy garlic heavy green beans. She started to answer, then paused to swallow around the mass in her mouth after a pointed look from Prue.

When she answered, her trademark smug smirk brightened her face. “You’re thinking of Hope. Or any of my other sisters. I got kicked out in the tenth grade. “

Helena’s thin eyebrows arched, “Oh, really?”

Prue would strip to her underwear right there at the table before she let Care tell that story. Her sister wore her expulsion like a lesbian badge of honor. She'd inexplicably charmed many women with that story. But this wasn’t the time for a trip down memory lane with Charisma Gaines.

Their hosts needed to see her family in the best possible light. She was trying to marry their son, after all.

“Hope, weren’t you at Smith while Emmett was still there? You’re not that far apart in age.” Prue interjected, innocent curiosity in her voice.

Hope froze when she looked up from her plate and all eyes were on her. She’d been reserved since their father passed. Only speaking once spoken too, giving one-word answers that stilted attempts at conversation. Prue throwing the spotlight her way didn’t suddenly change that pattern.

“I was a few grades behind, but I remember him around campus.” The table waited for her to say more but Hope seemed content with her answer. She returned her focus to her plate.

Prue took the lead again, as their mother taught her. Smiling at Helena, she added, “He’d graduated by the time I started school, but I always knew when we’d shared teachers.”

Steeling herself, she looked at Emmett before continuing. He was still painfully handsome. Her heart stuttered as she added, “Everyone spoke so highly of you. All the upperclassmen had a crush on you even after you graduated.”

“What about you?” The Boss of the Liu Crime Family’s tone was soft, but his deep voice added heat to his words. Or maybe it was his eyes making Prue’s skin hot. They stared at her with a startling intensity.

Flipping her hair to stall (and cool her suddenly overheated skin), she answered with a calm that was alarmingly cooler than she felt. “What about me?” Prue hoped the effect of his eyes and his voice went unnoticed by her sisters.

Emmett’s eyes were molten pools of chocolate as he clarified, “Did you have a crush on me, too?”

Prue smiled coyly. “I'd never met you. How could I have a crush on someone I don’t know?”

He conceded her point with a nod, but the heat in his eyes never died. They seemed to ask, What about now?

“Thank you again for your help with security at my father’s funeral.” Hope’s voice broke the tension between them like a bucket of ice water on a hot day. “Your support is much appreciated.”

Warren nodded genially, graceful as an old king. “Your father and I were close once. Things changed, but he was a good man.”

Surprisingly, the old Liu boss spoke little and hung in the background for most of their meal. Helena lead the conversation from the beginning, speaking more than her husband and son with an authority unseen in many wives of their class. Prue found that fascinating. She grew up knowing wives in the life should be seen and not heard. Yet from this one meal it was clear that though Warren was once the head of the Liu family, Helena was still its neck.

“You had a meeting with my father earlier today.” Emmett's cold voice cut through the warmth of the exchange between Hope and Warren. “If you wanted the support of my family, you should have come to me.”

For the first time all night, her eldest sister showed authentic emotion. Light filled her shadow ridden eyes. A smirk lifted the corner of her lips. All the Gaines women knew that look. She’d seen it many times before Hope artfully emasculated a man. Prue sent her a warning kick from under the table. Her mouth couldn't fire off like a Tommy gun tonight. They shouldn’t make new enemies. The Gaines women couldn't afford the problems they had as it was.

Hope didn't glance at Prue, and made no sign she'd felt anything at all. “I meant no disrespect. I was under the impression our fathers left this world with our two families at peace. And as heir, I thought it important to introduce myself to all his old allies.”

Prue studied Emmett’s reaction, but he was frustratingly unreadable. A man with a face like that shouldn’t be so good at masking. “You’re serious about taking your father’s place, then?”

Hope’s smile sharpened, and a challenge filled the hollows in her cheeks. “It’s my birthright.”

Emmett’s expression was again indecipherable, but he didn’t seem against her declaration. Warren looked amused. Prue’s eyes drifted to Helena, and found the older woman already studying her.

Meeting Mrs. Liu’s calculating gaze felt so much like staring into the eyes of a predator. Helena was a shark. It was obvious from her bespoke sheath dress in eye searing red, a color found in all the company's within their corporate holdings. Obvious from the sly look hidden behind a polite smile.

Prue checked out of the conversation as soon as her sister dived into her rehearsed speech. Tonight wasn’t the first time she’d heard Hope defend her right as their father’s heir, she would handle Emmett. Prue would face Helena.

“I noticed your name attached to a handsome young man from the city for a long time. A high school sweetheart?” Helena asked. Her curiosity was a barely there front while she studied Prue’s reaction.

Mrs. Liu likely knew all about Keith and the breakup. She was not a woman to come unprepared to a social meeting. But how Prue responded would tell her a lot about her future with the woman’s son. If she had baggage, aka her ex, that was a mark against her. If Prue was heartbroken, then she was still pining. Another mark against her.

Prue’s unbothered by her probing. Her marriage to Emmett would be contingent upon her ability to produce an heir. Not embarrassing the family was part and parcel of that. Her mother raised her to know her role in their world, and prepared her meticulously to perform it. The best schools, elocution classes, even her coming out party, had all been in preparation for Prue to marry and marry especially well.

Keith came from money, as clean as any other business in America. He wasn't from Old Money, which mattered in Santo Mar. If they'd married, Prue's social status wouldn't have changed, and she'd have transitioned from her father's estate to Keith's mansion without reason to complain. But that wasn't good enough for the daughter of Abigail and Ronald Gaines. Prue was raised to turn out a woman like Mrs. Liu. Comfortably rich, the head of several boards and charities, locally impactful and beloved.

Knowing this, Prue doubted she ever loved Keith the way another girl of her class would have. She'd always known she was meant for more. Leaving him felt akin to closing the chapter on a mildly interesting book. The only notable benefit was how easy it was to maintain a chaste reputation if you're only connected to one man.

“We ended things recently, actually.” Prue sounded appropriately affected with a light expression. As fresh as her breakup posts were online, she'd seem crass not to express some affection for that period of her life.

The Liu Matriarch’s eyes sharpened, the shark sensed blood in the water. Yet her well maintained face folded with sympathy, “Oh no! And after so long together.”

Prue pushed a wistful note to her voice. “We were going in different directions in life. I’m ready to settle down and start a family. We agreed it’s best to pursue our dreams apart.”

Helena grabbed Prue's hand and squeezed it supportively. Victory shone in her brown eyes, but her lips were lifted sympathetically. “It’s good to know what you want at your age. Life’s too short to waste time. And you are…”

With a beauty pageant smile, Prue answered, “Two years younger than Hope.”

Finally, a sincere smile flashed across Helena’s face. “A fine, age. Just about as old as I was when I settled down with Warren.”

Inwardly, Prue lit up like the Cheshire cat. A tamer smile was all she allowed to show. She and Helena were on the same page. Her support was guaranteed, Warren would likely follow her lead. Now, the only person she needed to impress was Emmett.

Hope and the men talked business until the servers arrived to take their plates. Prue listened, but she spent most of the dinner staring at Emmett. He never stopped being pretty. She couldn’t get enough of his voice. Every time his eyes strayed to her end of the table and lingered, Prue’s cheeks overheated.

Attraction was good. There needed to be common ground if the marriage would work. With luck a lack of attraction would never be their problem.

But she was getting ahead of herself. Prue needed to give her family an advantage. Negotiating from a place of desperation would cause trouble within the marriage. Prue couldn’t have that. Any deal between their families would require a lot from the Liu's and they'd reasonably ask for a lot in return. Emmett had a reputation of ruthlessness regarding debts owed. Though there were doubts he'd earned that reputation because of his father's notorious brutality during his come up.

There was no such thing as divorce in their world. Either death did you part, or you lived separate lives while being married on paper. If she didn’t come into this marriage on stable footing, she could suffer for it for the rest of her life.

At first glance, the Liu Family was as perfect as could be. The press swept their less legal businesses under the rug in the media. If you didn’t grow up in Santo Mar, you’d never believe they were one of the oldest crime families in the city. They were the only other family that maintained a foot in both worlds. And now they were making their shift into city politics. Prue saw her opportunity there.

Despite the years that separated their attendance at Smith, she was familiar with all the important alumni. And had a few mutual friends from Emmett’s graduating class. They still tagged him on social media, though not as often in recent years. His profile was dominated by promotion posts for his businesses. Not a selfie in sight.

That told Prue two things; either he didn’t care for social media, or he didn’t want his real life online. Not rare for men in his position. Enough idiots have gotten arrested or audited because of their posts. But his camera-shy online presence wouldn’t help his upcoming election at all.

During the meal, Prue studied how he interacted with others closely. Emmett always controlled his expressions and tone. He slipped up when Helena interrupted him or commanded the table. And again, when looking at Prue. Other than that, the Liu Boss always looked like a man in complete control of himself. Those glimpses of genuine emotion gave her a lot to work with.

The unconventional party stood as a unit once the server cleared the last dish away. It was late, yet no one made the first move to leave. There was nothing to be said right then they couldn’t say tomorrow. Prue was ready to call it a night. Her falsies weighed her eyes down and her stilettos were sending bolts of fire up her calves. Unfortunately, her work wasn’t done yet. Emmett’s eyes tracked fire from her lips to her neck from across the room. A jolt of lightning zipped through Prue's veins.

She needed to get him on board with the arranged marriage. With Helena’s support, Emmett’s agreement would seal the deal. Now was her chance to impress him.

“I’m feeling full after our meal. Would you like to take a walk with me?”

Care and Hope stared at Prue, but she didn’t break eye contact with Emmett. She couldn’t. Looking at him felt too good.

If her request surprised him, he didn’t show it. He agreed with a delicious rumble, “Yes, of course.” Then turned to say his goodbyes to his parents.

Care grabbed Prue’s arm and turned her to meet their gazes. “Are you sure about this?” she asked in a hushed voice. “I didn’t get any vibe off him at all. Man’s pretty as fuck, but he’s like a brick wall.”

Prue restrained an eye roll because of their company. “He stared at me the entire meal. It annoyed him Hope went to Warren, but he didn’t shoot you down during your pitch. That’s positive to me.”

Hope’s head tilted as she considered Prue’s words. Care looked unconvinced. “You really think you can get him on board?”

Their eldest sister glanced over her shoulder. “His parents seem like allies, but they’re not the ones we need to convince.”

Prue's caught on Emmett’s as he approached. His heat filled gaze brazenly traveled up and down her body. His parents were speaking, but he obviously wasn’t listening. His dark eyes were a feather-light touch on her skin and raised goosebumps everywhere they tracked.

Yeah, she could get him on board.

Care huffed, restless. “Fuck, I’m not going home right now, am I?”

The sidewalk they were on was sparsely populated, allowing to Emmett walk close beside her. He didn’t want anyone getting in their way, so he sent a few guys ahead to redirect foot traffic. Emmett didn’t need to flex his power. Everyone knew this part of the city was his domain. But the impressed flutter of Prue’s eyelashes remained fixed in his memory long after she turned to stop at the light.

“You’re staring at me.” Her gaze didn’t stray from the passing cars in front of them.

Her voice made her beauty even more overwhelming. You’d expect a high-pitched voice with her sweet as caramel dimples and smile. Emmett grew up with rich girls and their Californian vocal fry. Visually, Prue fit right in with the women he grew up with, expensively dressed and well groomed. Yet she sounded like a lounge singer. Like she drank whiskey straight and had a smoking stick for her cigarettes.

Emmett wished he were witty, so he’d say something that’d make her laugh. He’d bet his trust fund she had a great laugh.

“Am I not meant to?” It took him a beat to find his voice. Looking at her made his social skills worse than usual. It was hard to speak while his mind filled with every minute detail of the woman beside him.

She smiled. “If you’re going to stare, you might as well give me a compliment.”

A laugh barked from his mouth without permission. She gave very little of her true self, but that comment was no act. That brief glimpse of her humor stirred a hunger for more. More of her wit, beauty, and charm. More of her eyes, sparkling and bottomless, fixed on him.

Emmett smothered his laughter, though he couldn't drop his smile as he leaned close, brown eyes locked onto brown. “You’re beautiful, satisfied?”

Prue shrugged, her expression coy. “Never. But I’ll give you another chance.”

The light changed, and she swayed within reach as they crossed. Emmett resisted the urge to grab her by the waist. Barely.

“I’ll try harder next time.” Emmett was sincere through his humor.

He looked at her to say more, and sense escaped him when Prue bit her plump bottom lip. Looking away was harder than it should be. Emmett shouldn’t be promising this woman anything. There was much to consider before he could see her again. Like her sister wanting to use his family as a springboard for her ambitions.

Prue’s heat filled brown eyes lifted to his, “Looking forward to it.”

Emmett struggled to remember his responsibilities with her eyes on him. He faced ahead and focused on the chill night air. Yet he never lost his awareness of her. Prudence Gaines remained a burning heat at his side. Her perfume a constant reminder of her presence. But even she couldn’t stop the angry path his thoughts traveled.

The election was supposed to be it. One last hurdle. One last duty to the family. Now his mother wanted him married. And she’d mentioned heirs, so children were the next hurdle. Emmett was, in so many words, fucking over it. He was thirty-three years old, the head of his family. And he was still taking orders from his mother.

As beautiful as Prue was, she was another sign that Helena thought Emmett couldn’t do anything on his own. Remembering that reminded him of the purpose of this walk. Hope wanted something from them, and Prue was the honeypot. Why?

“What’s the plan with this arrangement between our families?” Emmett began. “I understand needing an ally. But marriage deals? Is it the fifties again?”

The heady warmth emanating from Prue’s deep brown skin chilled with the wind. She carefully adjusted her dress. Not the first transparent stalling tactic she’d displayed tonight. What a fascinating woman.

He watched the gears turn in her head as they turned a corner. Would she tell the truth? Or redirect him the way she’d redirected her sister at dinner? Prue was skilled at dodging topics she didn’t want to discuss. Emmett admired that quality in her. The wife of a boss would need to be discreet.

“The other families don’t want to negotiate without getting something in return. They’d rather we were dead or under their thumb if they knew what Hope was planning. We can’t waste our father’s legacy because of a few misogynists.”

The reality of women in their world wasn’t one Emmett envied. She wasn’t wrong about what the other families would do. Kill the sisters, take the territory, and grow their empire. Even the Gallagher Brothers, as useless as they are, could have done it. But absorbing the Gaines organization was more hassle than it was worth. The families that would need the boost couldn't afford it, and the ones who could afford the effort didn't care to absorb what Ronald owned. Nobody wanted to lose money rocking the boat when the current system kept their pockets fat.

Something the Gaines sisters were likely counting on.

“Why not get out of the city? You’ll always be a Gaines, but a woman like you would have no problem landing on her feet.” Emmett braced himself to look at her again and still lost his train of thought.

Prue’s face was unreadable and still so beautiful. Her skin seemed lit from within. Emmett couldn’t stop staring. Wavy, dark brown hair flowed to delicate shoulders.

“A woman like me?” She purred. Simple question, but her voice sent all the blood in his body racing to his dick.

“Uh-um… I mean…” Emmett stared down at her. Fuck! Rookie mistake. Now he loved how he towered over her.

Her body language changed again, the warmth she exhibited now molten. Prue drifted closer, close enough he felt her shiver. Goosebumps raised on her skin and her smile turned dangerous.

“I know what you mean." Prue teased.

“Intelligent and beautiful.” Emmett found his voice. He shucked his jacket and settled it around her shoulders. “I can tell you'd have no trouble getting your way.”

The fabric hung heavy on her curvy frame, yet all it did was enhance her appeal. She looked in need of protection. Emmett would give her whatever she wanted, do whatever she asked, if she kept looking like that. Which was exactly why she was with him now. He couldn’t let himself forget. There was a purpose to this walk. This woman may be as beautiful as a rose, but he needed to remember her thorns.

“If you had another option, would you abandon your family legacy?” Prue asked.

Her innocent question evoked the memory of searing pain in his side. Emmett thought he had another option once. Only once. He knew better now and set to his duty as a Liu. The pressure he endured as a child wasn’t for nothing. His family kept mouths fed and money in pockets, Emmett wouldn’t abandon them. Walking away was never an option.

He didn’t have to say anything. She smirked. “Then you get it. There’s no walking away from this. For any of us.”

Despite the sense in her words, Emmett wanted to disagree. Women married out all the time. There weren’t the same expectations for sons and daughters. Sudden movement in his periphery raised alarms in Emmet’s head. Someone was following him. His men remained nearby, and no one would dare do anything in his territory. Whoever they were, they'd be dead before they attempted anything.

He dismissed it immediately. Until Prue froze at his side. Following her icy glare, his eyes landed on a tall man in black. Prue wouldn’t look away from him. That stuck in Emmett’s head, so he stared at him harder. She knew that man.

Emmett signaled his men, bring him to me.

Two broke off from the set behind them and approached the skulking figure. He froze when they approached but didn’t fight as they led him across the street. Before they came to a stop in front of them, Prue was moving. She stuck a gun under the man’s neck and hissed in her low, sultry voice, “Jordan. Why am I not surprised to see you here?”

Where the fuck did she get a gun? Emmett shook his head and stepped close to cover her.

Jordan was sweating bullets. Prue’s gun pressed so hard against his skin he couldn’t arch away. Emmett’s men stood at his back, and an angry woman was at his front.

“It doesn’t have to be like this, P. James only wants what’s best for the family.”

“Excuse me?” Flames filled Prue’s eyes. The urge to kiss her was surprising and overwhelming. Emmett forced himself to look away.

“Clear the street. No one needs to see this.” He sent away the rest of his men.

“Hope is what’s good for the family! This was what dad always intended and you know that. He’d kill you all if he knew how you’d betrayed his name,” Prue clicked the safety off.

Jordan pissed himself, “Please Prue, we’re cousins! Oh God, I’m sorry!” A snot bubble formed and popped, tears streaked across light brown cheeks.

Prue shushed him, her temper holstered. She stopped pressing the gun against his neck and settled it against his chest.

Emmett paced away from the scene. He needed room to breathe where his attraction to Prue wasn’t turning him on. His security filled the space he vacated, blocking Prue’s other side.

“I don’t know why James has you in these streets.” Prue continued, “Shouldn’t you be in medical school right now?”

Jordan panted with fear. His chest shuddered away from the gun before a racking sob forced him to inhale and press against it. Whoever sent him misjudged his mettle. The boy was worse than soft; he was a civilian through and through.

Hope left out the active threats on their lives when she asked for his help. Their situation was more precarious than they let on. The other families may not know what Hope was planning, but her uncles did.

“I had to! Uncle James took my money for school. He said once he got Uncle Ronnie’s spot, he’d pay me back.”

Prue put the safety back on and returned the gun to her little purse. “So, you need money.”

Pulling out her phone, she tapped the screen awake. Her beautiful French tipped nails moved fast. A whoosh left her phone and Jordan’s pocket lit up.

“That’s thirty thousand. Enough for this semester, at least. Start applying for loans and stop listening to James.” Prue raised one warning finger, her brown eyes severe. “I don’t want to see you until your graduation.”

Jordan wiped his face and sniffed. Prue was so much smaller than him. He should have disarmed her up close. Yet he deflated like a little boy and meekly thanked her.

“What about James?” he asked timidly.

“He will get you killed. Go to your mama’s house and stay there till next semester. I’m serious, Jordan, cousin or not; if I see you again, I won’t hesitate.”

Nodding, Jordan shrugged off Emmett’s men and took off. He got around the corner before Emmett sent someone after him. He wanted to know more about what this Uncle James had planned for his niece.

Once they were alone, Emmett appraised Prue with fresh eyes. She’d been reckless, yes. But brave. She was no shrinking flower. She did not wait for him to make the first move. From the moment he was near, Prue was in control of the situation. What kind of socialite was she?

Prue caught him staring and tilted her chin defiantly. “Still think I could walk away from this?”

Not anymore. The way she held that gun, maneuvered a room, and flirted with him all spoke of meticulous training. Emmett could spot a person born for a purpose from a mile away.

But he couldn’t admit that to her, yet. “Your family needs more help than you let on.”

She didn’t refute his assessment. “We all have weaknesses we want to cover up. Not all of us are as skilled as you.”

Emmett’s mouth twisted. What did she know?

Prue smiled at his expression. “Ah, I wasn’t going to mention it yet. I noticed your name coming up in certain circles recently. Excuse me for my assumption, but you don’t seem like a man with a lot of friends.”

She wasn’t wrong. Emmett wasn’t naturally charismatic the way his family’s ambition required him to be. He didn’t dislike socializing; he hated the hypocrisy. The elite of Santo Mar weren’t different from the bosses that ran this town. He didn’t appreciate wolves in sheep’s clothing, picking their teeth and judging him unworthy.

In college, he got by because of his money and his proximity to drugs. His face attracted women, which didn’t hurt his popularity one bit. These days, he needed to impress the grandmothers and parents of the idiots he went to college with. They knew about his father and weren’t impressed with Emmett’s pedigree.

He ignored her statement and got to the root of her words. “You think you have something to offer me?”

Her answering wolf-like grin had every inch of him standing at attention. “I know I have something to offer you. It’s up to you to allow me to show you.”

There were a lot of things he wanted to show her when she looked up at him through the fan of her long lashes. This was a bad idea. Emmett wasn’t interested in a charity case. He had enough on his plate with the elections. He didn’t need a wife. Contrary to what his mother believed.

But she was so... beguiling. Chocolate brown eyes that stared into Emmett with enough heat to melt the icy clench of his jaw. The fists he hadn't felt forming from frustration loosened. His fingers twitched, the urge to touch her so strong he'd almost reached before swiftly aborting the move. Prudence Gaines was desire incarnate, and he was only a man. The truth of it surprised the automaton in his head, tuned only to achieve and obey his parents.

In the end, Emmett’s doomed interest in the Gaines woman decided for him. “Alright. Show me.”

~

Before he laid down for the night, Emmett gave into his curiosity and looked Prudence Gaines up. He ordered a full breakdown on her history before that obnoxious red Buick turned out of sight earlier that evening. It wouldn’t be ready for days. He didn’t want to wait for that; he wanted to understand Prue now. Her public facing life was easily accessible.

She was famous in town for being a beloved rich man’s daughter and a local socialite. Emmett scrolled through picture after picture of her at events, on red carpets, and best of all showing off her killer body and beautiful smile. The further he scrolled, the more candid and real her pictures became. Fewer events, but several vacations with family and a small cache of friends. Minutes after that he hit Prue's adolescence. Cheerleader, equestrian, beauty queen for a local charity patronized by the mayor's aunt.

The time capsule of her life made Emmett lose his mind a little. He imagined himself there with her, younger and not yet the boss of Liu Group. While their background's matched. All the best schools, the extracurricular activities that mattered on college applications, and, of course, only associating with only the "right" people. Their lives couldn't be visibly more different.

As a child Emmett didn't summer in Greece with his family. There were no ski trips unless he were invited by the "right" friend's parents. His summers were spent in China, being trained vigorously in tradition, the language, and culture for the day he eventually took over for Warren. Winter holidays would be austere if not for the rigid social calendar Helena kept up.

Prue's life seemed... charmed, and a familiar and unwelcome yearning tugged Emmett's chest. Between breathtaking selfies and ad campaigns, Prue had multiple photos with her family. Prue’s priorities were clear, her sisters above all else.

Emmett's lip curled. He scrolled over yet another picture of a skinny man that was an even skinnier teen a decade ago. With a flick, he scrolled to the very top of the page, hoping to see the last of that clinging twerp. Her most recent post declared that part of her life over. He checked the timestamp and couldn’t help but smile.

She ended a nine-year relationship hours before offering herself up as a wife candidate. Prue Gaines was mercenary.

~

The next morning Emmett met Prue at a restaurant she picked. He’d never gone into Gaines territory and wasn’t familiar with Abbie’s.

The Southside featured many low buildings, step-staired towards the beach. Some of the streets were at a steep angle, others curved down the cliff-side towards the pier. Abbie's was nestled amid high-end beach themed shops and restaurants, within a throws distance of the sand. The exterior resembled a greenhouse, with fresh white paint framing and colored glass windows. They made the lower half of the building with multicolored sea glass set in stucco.

And definitely popular. Emmett arrived at mid-noon and passed a line out the door on his way to the hosts station. It was midday on a Wednesday, yet the restaurant was bustling with activity. His men pressed close, weary of the many bodies. Aside from one clumsy attempt by her cousin, Emmett’s men had no reports of malicious activity on Gaines territory. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen.

The host didn’t react to his security at all. He gave Prue’s name, and she led him through the restaurant to the one table away from all the windows. It was a smart location for a hunted woman. His wife would need to be aware of things like that. Though that wouldn't change his intentions for even showing up today. Emmett remained stone faced the entire drive over, convinced nothing would sway him into the decision. The Liu Group would not get involved in the Gaines power struggle, and he would not marry her.

He felt absolute in his decision and even scheduled a call with his mother later to tell her as much. Then his security detail parted to take their posts around the room, and Emmett laid eyes on her.

Prue Gaines sat at a table for two in the rosy light of golden hour. Her maxi halter dress revealed more smooth brown skin than he'd seen the night before. The hem pooled at white painted toes in another pair of breakneck heels. She’d yet to notice him, so Emmett drank in the sight of a goddess on Earth.

At some point last night, he convinced himself he exaggerated her beauty in his memory. Emmett spent hours on her public pages, filters and good angles could have warped his opinion. There was no questioning the real thing. Prue smiled up at him when she noticed him approaching the table. All melted chocolate eyes and sweet caramel dimples.

His heart thudded painfully against his rib cage when she stood to greet him.

Prue air kissed each cheek and hugged him close like they were old friends. She was so pretty in the daylight. Golden light streaming through the multicolored windows lighting her in a heavenly aura. Her perfume surrounded Emmett, and his hand spasmed against the perfect slope of her back. He’d forgotten she was this beautiful. How had he forgotten she was so stunning?

“You’re on time.” She sounded surprised.

Emmett cocked an eyebrow. Now that there was space between them, he could think. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Prue smiled again. It was her most consistent tick. She seemed to do it when she was nervous. Even after only knowing her for a few hours, Emmett knew she’d hate that he’d caught one of her tells.

“Of course, have a seat.”

She moved to her chair, as if she were going to seat herself. Emmett moved her out of the way gently, then pulled the chair out for her. Once she sat, shooting him an amused grin along the way, he pushed her chair into the table.

“Thank you.” Prue bit her lip, that warm whisky voice sugary sweet.

Emmett swallowed around a dry throat. He was fucked.

He didn’t want her to look at anyone else like this. Didn’t want her speaking to another man the way she spoke to him. There was something dark about this gorgeous woman, and Emmett wanted to possess it.

But having her would be a mistake. He didn’t need her family’s burdens. He didn’t want to give his mother the satisfaction. And so many more practical reasons that didn’t matter when Prue leaned forward, a challenge in her voice, and said, “You’re staring at me again.”

“You’re beautiful.” Emmett returned.

Her smile softened into something sincere. “Better. I like my compliments a little more poetic, but you’re learning.”

Delicious, she knew. This was why Abbie’s was her happy place. All the food was exceptional. Prue cut him off. He didn’t need to tell her what she already knew. She needed him to agree to back her sister.

“You, of all people, understand not admitting weakness to an unknown ally.”

Emmett recovered from his steak euphoria and met her eyes steadily. “You’re impulsive. I can’t have my wife threatening men in the street with guns.”

“Of course not.” Prue agreed easily. His eyebrows skyrocketed, the most he’d let his expression slip since they met. She drank it up.

“I would expect my husband to do that for me.” Prue speared a chunk of buttery lobster and brought it to her lips.

Emmett’s gaze was searing when she dared to meet his stare. She’d seen this look on his face a lot last night. He looked hungry, like Prue was a feast after a years long fast. He was so good at hiding his true thoughts and feelings, but Emmett couldn’t disguise how much he wanted her. As a known local beauty, she was no stranger to the covetous gaze of men. It was their desire for her, and the interest of women who wanted to look like her, that filled her bank accounts now.

Yet the eyes of strangers didn't affect Prue the way Emmett's did. Keith had never once looked at her and made her need to cross her legs for relief. Her cheeks hadn’t stopped burning since she first saw him across the restaurant. Prue's entire body felt oversensitive. His eyes sweeping over her body evoked goosebumps across her skin. For reasons she didn’t want to examine, Prue sincerely hoped Emmett agreed to marry her.

Emmett had more reasons the deal between their families wouldn’t work and he argued half-heartedly throughout their meal. He put more passion into devouring his steak than he did arguing against their union. All the while devouring Prue with his eyes. Weak in the knees from his consistent attention, Prue countered every reason and insisted they brought more to the table.

“You need votes. The votes your current social currency can’t secure for you. Being Ronald Gaines’s daughter means something to certain people. Many of those people you want on your side if you want a chance in hell of winning the city council seat.”

Emmett’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know I’m running for office?”

Prue smiled coyly and dropped her eyes to the table. “I know a lot of things.” She continued, “Your family is gunning for the Asian demographic because you have so many of them under your thumb. They will get you far, but imagine the heights you could reach if you got the Black population of your district on your side?”

“How do you know what district I’m running for?” Suspicion furrowed Emmett’s brow.

She pushed this angle. “Votes will get you far, but you’ll need more than that for your seat. And we’ve already seen your pretty face isn’t getting you in the rooms with the right people.”

Emmett smirked. “You think I’m pretty, Prudence Gaines?”

Prue stumbled over her next words, “Wha- Um… yes. But one look at the engagement across social media platforms and mentions by the press show no one expects you to go far in this election.”

His amused expression snapped into a scowl. “How do you know about my social media engagement?”

Prue flipped her hair over her shoulder. His eyes tracked the movement with a hungry look. It tripped her up again. Her tongue felt thick. She’d met him twice and her body didn’t know how to act. Prue wasn’t sure she disliked the feeling as much as she should.

“I do my research.” She continued, “My behavior last night was impulsive, I apologize. I usually have my sister with me for protection. When I saw my cousin, I acted in fear. But I know for certain I am asset that can benefit you.”

Emmett had every reason not to go through with this deal. In his shoes, she wouldn’t either. The Gaines organization was fractured, and their pockets were empty. There was an uphill battle ahead of Hope, and no guarantee of payoff for supporters. Didn’t matter. Prue couldn’t allow him to back out without a fight.

Emmett leaned forward. “Has that happened before?”

Prue shook her head, trying to dispel the rush of desire his concern created. Lord, give her strength.

“No, things aren’t that bad.” The 'yet' went unspoken. Prue’s uncles didn’t want to kill their nieces, but they would. They gave the Gaines women grace because their father died recently. But the clock was always ticking towards the end of it all.

Emmett’s handsome face turned to stone. “Do you need my protection?”

Prue wanted to laugh. He’d give her his protection if he married her. Yet he had every reason not to do that. Her family’s circumstances were bad, he'd clocked that quick enough. Half-measures wouldn’t save them.

“I can’t accept your protection, Mr. Liu. It would send the wrong message.”

“Why?” Emmett demanded.

Prue didn’t fight the laughter this time. He sounded so indignant. It reminded her he wasn’t all that different from the mafia princes she grew up with. Emmett was used to his word being final. Everything happened because he said it did. He probably hadn’t heard no in years until Prue refused his offer.

“Without a deal, you’re doing a favor. My family can’t owe anyone favors right now.” Biting her lip, Prue watched Emmett’s eyes catch on her mouth. “And it wouldn’t look right for an unmarried man to protect an unmarried woman. People would talk.”

His desire to help, but only on his terms, would ruin Prue’s prospects. If she failed to secure a husband of value, that was it for them. Not only would her reputation suffer, but her sister’s would be worse off because of it. Pretty as he was, Emmett wasn’t worth the risk to her sisters. No man was.

An old woman with a yapping Yorkie approached their table. “I thought that was you!” The woman cooed. In a blur of powder blue pantsuit and White Shoulders she kissed Prue on each cheek.

Shirley Baker pulled back with a smile, “Prudence, honey, how are you? It’s been an age since you’ve visited, girl!”

Emmett sat tense and silent in his seat. The emotion that finally broke through his mask was out of sight. At some point they’d leaned towards each other, now a chasm lay between them.

Shirley Baker was a wealthy socialite a few years before Abigail Gaines’s time. She’d married well and often, building her fortune with each passing husband. After the death of her sixth husband, Shirley turned her attentions to politics and philanthropy. Her wrinkled, jewel encrusted hands held the connections Emmett needed for his city council seat.

Luckily for him, Shirley’s known Prue since she was barely a thought in her mother’s belly.

“Mrs. Baker!” Prue stood up and hugged the septuagenarian properly. “I’m doing well and yourself?”

“The lord saw fit to allow me another day, so I am blessed. Thought I’d stop by the best restaurant in town.” She grinned and pinched her cheek.

Prue’s hand went to her chest. “My mother will be so happy to hear that. Have you met my guest, Emmett Liu?”

Shirley shot Prue a knowing look, a smile in the corner of her pink painted mouth. “I know of Emmett Liu. Warren and Helena’s boy, yes? How are your parents, young man?”

Emmett swallowed hard. An awkward beat passed before he found his voice. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Mrs. Baker. My father's retired, but my mother remains active in the community.”

Slowly but surely, his confidence built. He finished with a politician’s smile, “I’m sure she served on the same library fundraising committee as you.”

The elderly guest studied Emmett. “Yes, of course. What a delightful woman. Everyone at the club still talks about her. And how do you know our Prudence?”

Shirley’s tone, though polite, barely masked her curiosity. Prue was aware of the picture they made; private table for two in the corner, Prue’s newly single, Emmett’s a known bachelor. She’d planned the setup meticulously.

“We met recently,” Prue returned with a smile, “His family was an enormous support at the funeral. I invited him to lunch as a thank you.”

Shirley’s eyes softened and Prue swallowed back her grief. Even in death, her father's effect on people remained visible. She looked away from Mrs. Baker and found Emmett already staring at her.

Emmett’s eyes were warm and so open. His face was relaxed. A genuine expression replaced the blank mask, and he looked years younger. “There’s no need to thank me for that, Prudence.”

Prue struggled to remember why she’d set this meeting. Her mind was too full of Emmett and his soft eyes. The way he said her name felt too good. She needed to marry him for her family. Wanting him for herself was never a part of the conversation. A guttural smoker’s cough startled Prue. She removed her hand from Emmett’s arm. Her hand felt cold and tingled with the memory of his touch.

Shirley eyed Emmett like a hawk. “How nice.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Prue pressed icy fingers against her hot cheeks. If Emmett were any nicer, she’d need to rub an ice cube against her skin.

“Shirley girl! Is that you?” A woman stood up from across the restaurant and waved.

“And that’s my cue. Lovely to see you again. I must visit and see that mother of yours.”

Her eyes touched briefly on Emmett's wrist. “Mr. Liu. Nice to meet you again.”

Shirley sashayed away. Once she was out of earshot, Emmett leaned forward. “You knew she’d be here.” It wasn’t a question, but the strange expression on his face demanded an answer.

“I knew you needed her. Mrs. Baker was once the wife of three mayors and a judge. She has her finger on the pulse of the politics in this city.”

As a child, Prue revealed a knack for collecting friends and connecting people. She’d known before they met that Emmett struggled in that area. Helena Liu served on more than one committee with the woman. Had she never made an introduction? Maybe he’d made a terrible impression or no impression at all.

Emmett frowned. Prue took a sip of water to hide a smug smile. He was cracking.

“You really believe you can get me the city council seat?” He asked.

“Marry me and you not only get the support of the Black people in your district, but you get the backing of the Santo Mar elite. Shirley Baker isn’t the only socialite I know. She was the most convenient.” Prue’s voice didn’t waver or crack. She spoke with more confidence than she had any right to.

Emmett rubbed his hand across his lips, agitating them until pink flesh turned red and plump. She shouldn’t, but Prue wanted to kiss the thoughtful look off his face.

Nope! Not happening. This was a marriage of convenience. Not lust. Prue would make it a mantra until it stuck.

They finished their meal and left their table side by side. Care and Emmett’s bodyguards stepped into place around them before they reached the doors.

“You present a compelling proposal, Miss Gaines. But I’m not sure your family’s plan will benefit us enough to jump on board.”

Prue nodded in agreement. “I’ve done my best to show our strengths and it wasn’t a match. I understand.”

Emmett’s men opened the door for them, but Care left the restaurant first. She returned after checking the street. Prue raised her eyebrows before shooting her glance down. With the arm not near Emmett, she shook her phone twice. Care left the restaurant without a word.

She’d wanted to wait to pull out this next trick. Shirley Baker should have projected Prue’s influence, but Emmett was turning out to be a hard man to impress. She couldn’t deny her family’s need and he was only protecting his empire. In his shoes, Prue wouldn’t help the sinking ship either.

She fumbled with the hem of her dress and clutch at the stairs. Her heels were her preferred six-inch beige pumps that went with everything in her wardrobe. Unfortunately, these steps were for people with flat shoes and no personal taste. Prue knew it was too easy to fall down the stairs. Vee did it often, in flat shoes no less.

Emmett offered Prue his arm. She searched his expression for anything that would reveal his thoughts. There was nothing. Prue settled her hand against his bicep and allowed him to guide her down the stairs. Emmett’s arm was rock solid under her touch. She doubted he’d let her fall if she tripped. His strength was surprisingly thrilling.

His cologne overwhelmed Prue in the best way. It wasn’t the same as the night before. That one was all darkness, leather, and smoke. An expensive campfire. This cologne was brighter, hints of cardamom and saffron infused with something unmistakably Emmett Liu. She liked it and leaned closer for another whiff.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Prue wasn’t ready for their time together to end. She was discovering a lot about herself the longer they were together. She'd always appreciated Keith’s body. But Emmett’s strength made her feel safe and delicate. Like nothing in this world could touch her. It was a hard feeling to give up, knowing how little of it she'd get in life.

“Do you think you could wait with me while they get our car?” Prue looked up at him through her eyelashes. She loved how tall he was. She had to look up to meet his dark steady gaze, even in her highest heels.

“Of course.” Emmett agreed quickly. Even though he had every reason not to help her, he seemed in no hurry to leave her side. Prue’s hand was still nestled in the crook of his arm when Care finally pulled up.

Pulling away was the hardest thing she’d done all day. Early evening air swirled in the space created between them and chilled Prue to her core. She regretted forgetting her jacket on the way out, but nothing would make her regret wearing this dress. Emmett’s eyes hadn’t stopped devouring her since they found Prue in the restaurant.

“Thank you for this evening, Mr. Liu. If I hear from you soon, I hope it’s only good news.”

Prue leaned on tiptoe and kissed his stubbly cheek. A barely there peck that didn’t convey nearly as much of the lust and need rolling through her. The she slipped into the passenger seat of the Buick and didn’t look back.

“Did you do it?” She asked through tingling lips.

The restaurant was behind them, but Prue’s mind remained on Emmett. His scent, his eyes, and his soft cheek.

“Text confirmation arrived before you got in the car.” Care replied.

Prue took a deep breath and exhaled, visualizing all the tension in her body going with it. “Good.”

Care side-eyed her. “Sure this’ll work? Liu didn’t seem to take the bait.”

Flipping her hair off her shoulder, Prue said, “I have a meeting with Ramón tomorrow, either way.”

Emmett Liu wasn’t the only marriageable man in their world. Choosing him first was based entirely on practicality. The problem was Prue wanted to marry him. And for none of the right reasons. Nine years with Keith, and he’d never made her cheeks hot, or her body erupt in goosebumps.

Care side-eyed her, her apprehension apparent even when she said nothing. Prue didn’t have to explain anything to her, but she couldn’t sit in her sister’s judgement a second longer.

“It’s time we focus on support from the sons instead of the fathers. One of them will crack. Even if Emmett didn’t.” Prue muttered.

Her sister shrugged, “Men are men. If you think this will work…”

“I know it will.” Prue snapped.

Ronald Gaines follows in his ancestor’s footsteps today after passing this fall. Gaines leaves behind all daughters. Five bargaining chips he never cashed in to protect his enterprise from usurpers. Now his widow and children eye his former supporters, wondering who among them will make the first move for the empty throne.

Hope, the oldest, leads the procession with her mother on her arm. At her age, Abigail Gaines maintains all the beauty and poise that made her a socialite in her youth. For today, at least, she’s still the wife of a boss.

Following the duo is Prudence, all of Abigail’s beauty yet none of the warmth. Her eldest sister’s grief is plain while Prudence Gaines looks frosty and annoyed. Is it the glaring absence of long-time boyfriend Keith Stone, making her look peeved instead of aggrieved?

Verity and Justice Gaines hold all the grief her eldest sister is missing. Verity, a beauty in mourning despite the tears that mar her cheeks, walks with middle child Charisma Gaines. Justice ends the procession visibly broken up. Pero nuestras amigas couldn’t get a clear shot of her face.

The crowd assembled for Mr. Gaines’s sendoff was noticeably lacking in the family department. Known associates like James ‘J-Don’ Du Pont, Oscar Gaines, and Xavier Montgomery were nowhere in sight. Meanwhile, Warren and Helena Liu, notable members of the Santo Mar elite, attended. Their only son, entrepreneur Emmett Liu, wasn’t in attendance.

Nuestras amigas allegedly overheard one of the Gaines sister’s let slip that the Novikov and De la Cruz families received invites too. Only the De la Cruz clan attended.

A surprise arrival from the Enzo Villanova and his nephew Rafaele Rossi stirred grieving attendees to action. People flashed their guns, Charisma Gaines, of course the fastest with her weapon. Hope calmed the agitated crowd with few words. She stepped into her father’s role as if she’d been born to it.

With all these criminals around, what are the Gaines women thinking?

The city has its eyes on the Gaines women. Ronald Gaines was a man beloved by Santo Mar. But the Father of the Golden Age of Crime has many enemies. Who will Head the Gaines Family now with no son to take the throne?