Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father (Brooklyn and Aden) novel Chapter 82

Chapter 82
Brooklyn

My father settles me into a comfortable chair at the center of the group. Louisa, to my right, shoots me a cold smile.

Baby Isa is in Louisa’s lap, and she coos a happy greeting to me, so I give them both a warm smile in return.

It’s a happy affair, really. Everyone seems eager to greet me, to bring me plates of food, to ask me about my life, my studies, and my career.

Overall, I’m kept quite busy and happy, getting to know my biological family and all of their friends.

Almost like last time we saw each other, I didn’t have to flee for my life…

I catch a glimpse, as the sun starts to set, of Hudson still playing volleyball. Apparently, his team has progressed to the championship round.

As people start to settle in for the evening and stronger liquor starts to be poured into everyone’s cups, I start to notice…well.

That there are a lot of young men around.

I glance around the circle, noting that there are, of course, women—aunts and cousins, many of them.

But I’ve also been introduced, this afternoon, to a variety of handsome young men. All here alone.

And all, seemingly, single.

For instance, the one who is talking to me now—or, should I say, who has been talking at me since he sat down in Louisa’s seat as soon as she abandoned it to go feed the baby.

“Yeah, I’m in finance,” he is saying, and takes a swig of his beer. He gives me a little smirk. “So, you majored in psych, right?”

I squirm a little in my chair, uncomfortable. “Um, how did you know that?”

“Your dad told me.” He uses the neck of his beer bottle to gesture towards my father across the fire. “Or at least, he told my dad. Who told me.”

The guy looks at me again. “They, uh…know each other.”

This guy is not a wolf; he’s human, which means his father is human, too. A regular criminal, not a wolf one.

“Oh,” I say, my lips pursing as I look away from him. Am I supposed to know what that means?

“Yeah,” the guy continues—what was his name again? “So, our dads think it’s a good idea if we like, get to know each other.”

He waggles his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I sit back in my chair, my mouth falling open.

“So are you free?” he asks, leaning in. “On, like, Saturday? I’ll take you out somewhere nice…” He runs a finger along my forearm, which I immediately snatch away.

“Um, sorry,” I say, staring at him. “But I’m engaged.”

“What?” he says, sitting back in his chair. Then, suddenly, he laughs. “No, you’re not.”

“I assure you,” I say, opening my eyes wide and leaning forward. “I am. To that guy.”

I point over to Hudson, who is still playing volleyball in the fading sun.

“No, seriously,” the man says, taking another swig from his beer. “If you’re engaged, then where’s your ring?”

I fish around in my bag and then slide my engagement ring back on my finger. I hadn’t wanted to risk it slipping off and getting lost in the sand.

“Seriously?!” the guy shouts, his face going a little pale when he sees the size of it.

He stands up immediately from his seat and stalks off towards my father. I stare after him, hearing him as he mutters, “Then why the hell am I here?”

As I watch the disagreement break out, I see, out of the corner of my eye, someone else take his seat.

What had changed that he suddenly wanted me to meet new people?

“Who are you?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. “Are you one of the candidates?”

He smirks and shrugs. “I am if you want me to be.”

I can’t help the little smile that creeps onto my lips.

He’s terribly handsome, this young man with the dangerous tattoos climbing all the way up his neck.

And, he’s been really, really nice to me in these past few minutes.

“I’m Colsen,” he says, leaning over the side of his chair to extend his hand for a shake.

I take his hand on instinct, but my blood goes cold.

It’s something about his touch. Lena reacts warily, perking up.

And I realize exactly who he is.

Colsen.

That name has been rattling around Aden’s kitchen for weeks now—Aden’s top enemy, the guy my father blamed for blowing up his party—the one who tried to kill us.

As my face goes pale, Colsen laughs and withdraws his hand. “I see my reputation proceeds me.”

“Um.” I stare at him with wide eyes, not knowing what else to say.

Because in front of me is one of the most dangerous men in the underworld, second only perhaps to Aden himself.

Colsen, the young Kingpin of the city’s moonshard and heroin trade.