For better or worse, I’m his wife, and a mobster’s wife needs to be a little badassy and a little sassy instead of crazy and anxious.
Perhaps I’m all those things. It should make for an interesting cocktail.
Chapter Two
Cillian O’Brien
March 2022
I knew I wasn’t dealing with an ordinary woman that very first morning of our marriage. She is the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met. I knew the moment I met her that she was meant for me. I knew that I was meant to help her through this world, loving her all the way. Currently, I’m watching her yell at Stan, her bodyguard. We’re in the kitchen at Sean and Lorielle’s house. I’m drinking my coffee, letting her do her thing. She can handle herself, not that Stan would ever raise his voice back to her. Two years ago, almost an entire generation of our family was wiped out in a single night. All of my uncles and their wives, save for one, are dead, and we were reeling. To be honest, I think we still are, and that will continue until we get the bastard responsible for this. Fidel Popov.
“You don’t talk to women like that, especially our guests,” she says, practically in his face. She takes her role as my wife and Boss Lady Number Two to heart. Between Danica, River, Lorielle, and Ocean, the women in this family are taking care of business. Anything to do with Black Widows, our downtown Newark strip club, they are all over it. Sean happily handed the reins over to them last April. I don’t think he has been in the club when it was actually open, but now the girls handle that, despite the danger of the Popov’s still lurking at our doors, but they went underground after Lorielle. Fidel Popov is on the hit list of every crime family, major and minor, all along the east coast.
Now, reports are coming in that it’s not just the east coast. The Popov’s are like cockroaches. Cockroaches that are systematically trying to take over the country, not to mention whatever the hell they have going on in Russia. If we don’t take them out now, they will be unstoppable. We can’t allow that to happen. There’s more than enough crime in the world. Why couldn’t they be happy with what they carved out a hundred years ago, like the rest of us? Honestly, greedy bastards get what they deserve in the end. We’ll burn the world down trying to eradicate them; make no mistake about that. Alliances are happening left and right. If one good thing has come from the Popov’s attack, it is that peace among the other families has become tantamount.
“I apologize, ma’am,” Stan says.
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Sandy,” she says, motioning to her cousin who is sitting at the bar, drinking coffee.
“That’s not necessary, Cea,” Sandy says, waving her off.
“Shut it, Sandy. You’re a lady and a member of this family. Stan should know better.” I take a drink of my coffee to keep from laughing.
“He does. That’s just how he speaks to me.”
“You mean to tell me you are okay with him calling you woman like that?”
“Yes.”
“But what about your ass?” I stifle a laugh, wondering where this is going and just what the hell Ocean walked into.
“My ass?” Sandy asks, turning bright red.
“How he was going tan that juicy ass? I mean, what is that. How do let a man talk to you like that?” Her misplaced anger is adorable.
“Cea, stop it. I like that, okay. Stan and I are together. That's how we are.”
“What? I don’t understand.” She looks at me like she needs my help. Getting up, I move over to her and lean down to whisper in her ear.
“They are into spanking for pleasure, and I am sure a few things that you shouldn’t know about,” I rasp.
“Oh! Oh, my God. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She taps the index and middle fingers of her right hand on her lips several times. I take her hand, pulling it down to her side, wrapping mine around hers, squeezing.
“No worries, ma’am. It’s all good. I understand how that looked to you.”
“I… um… people like that?” she asks, genuinely confused. I always forget that she grew up on a non-creepy commune. While she did go to public school, she was still very sheltered.
“We should have a movie night soon,” Sandy says. “There are several things I can show you.”
“Um… okay,” Ocean says. Now it's her turn to turn bright red.
“Don’t worry, wife. I can educate you on all things carnal,” I whisper.
“Now?” she whispers back.
“Tonight, when we won’t be disturbed. You have to get to the club, and I have to take care of something for Sean.”
“When are they coming back?”
“Sometime tomorrow.” Sean and Lorielle went on a short trip to Florida, but are due back anytime. After her injuries last month, she’s taken to living life to the fullest, not that I blame her.