Riding Dirty: Luciotti Crime Family (A Bad Boy Mafia Romance) - Kara Hart Page 0,22

lead without hasty action. I think it's time you start thinking about all of these things. After this job, take a break. Settle down and find a wife. A leader needs a good woman by their side. Otherwise their ego may get the best of them.”

I shuddered when I heard those words. Settle down and find a wife. The thought of settling down didn't interest me one bit. I understood the idea of continuing a family legacy and all, but a wife? Me? I wasn't husband material and most women annoyed the hell out of me. Still, I nodded politely as he lit up his cigar. He walked me outside.

My mother, faithful in every single way, wrapped up the meat and gravy. “Come home more often,” she said, as all mothers did.

“I will, Ma. See you soon.” I kissed her cheeks and turned to grab my rental car. As soon as I got there, though, I stopped in my tracks.

“Leaving without saying goodbye?” Ricky called out, stumbling out onto the gravel. His words slurred and his eyes were closed shut.

“Yep. See you soon, big brother.” I unlocked the car and hopped in. He tapped on the tinted window wildly.

“Hey! Hey!” He yelled. “I have to say something to you, Lucas.”

I rolled down the window and sighed. “What is it?”

He laughed eagerly. “I know what's going on. You can't fool me,” he said. He was out of his damn mind. I looked around for my parents, but they had already gone back inside. My father had probably locked him outside.

“Call a cab, Ricky. You don't know what you're talking about. You need to go home,” I said. I really didn't want to have to take him home.

“Call yourself a fucking cab!” He slipped onto the gravel, shattering the bottle of wine he was holding. He lay on the ground now, groaning loudly. He turned his head and smiled. “I know what dad is promising you,” he whispered.

I started my car. “Go home, Ricky. You're not well.” His call girl stood near the entrance, probably wondering what the best way to sneak off was.

I left him there. Most likely, he would wake up in a pool of his own vomit. He'd probably find his wallet missing and try to kill “the hooker that took it.” This was my fucked up family, the empire that was clearly crumbling from beneath my father.

I didn't want to end up like Ricky, drunk and alone almost every single night, with no hope of climbing the ranks. Maybe my father had a point. How hard could marriage really be? And kids? God. It sounded awful to me. Changing diapers and going to school plays and PTA meetings wasn't exactly what I planned for. But every time I saw Ricky, he was worse than before. I didn't want to end up like him either.

I heard my father's voice in my head, “A man needs a good woman by his side.” My mother was a good woman to him. There weren't many like her anymore.

No matter how bad my family got, I had to remember that I took the sacred oath. I heard the words that were read back to me. I saw the burning effigy and they made me the man I was. I could've objected if I wanted to.

But I didn't. If anyone was going to make this family something again, it would have to be me. First on my list, however, was this unfinished business in Monroe.

7

Dahlia

“Morning time” was a strict routine of hitting the snooze button four to five times, waking up way too anxious because I’m late making breakfast, pulling Jen out of bed successfully, and rushing out the door. Today, was different. Today was my day.

I walked into Jen’s room to find her fast asleep, holding her stuffed lamb. She was an angel, despite her daddy being a devil. I gently caressed her hair and slowly lifted her up into my arms. Six years old was no joke, and she still expected me to carry her to the shower every morning!

“Time to wake up, baby.” I whispered soft and sweet.

She groaned, annoyed that I had picked her up and ended her dreams. “Mommy, no. Five more minutes,” she moaned.

I carried her into the bathroom and started the shower. “No, sweetie. You have school this morning. And you have that big math test, remember?”

“I don't want to, Mom!” She rubbed her hazy eyes and opened the shower door angrily. I ran to the kitchen