Obeying the King: The Sovrano Crime Family, #9

By Jessa York

After learning a painful secret--my feelings of disappointment and betrayal overwhelm me.

 

I'm done with this whole--situation.

 

Not that I actually agreed to it in the first place.

 

Still, they opened my world in ways I never dreamed possible.

 

Will I ever be able to forgive--and move on with these men I love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessa York
• Release date: Mar 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215496350

Book preview

1

Giselle

O h, my gosh, I whispered to myself as I stared out the front windshield of Stefan’s car. What did we just do?

Stefan’s chuckle interrupted my racing thoughts. The smartest fucking thing we’ve done in our lives, sweetheart.

He grasped my hand and kissed the back of it. Shivers ran over my skin. I turned to him. Stefan, what did we just do? I asked more slowly this time, annunciating each word carefully.

He smiled his deadly handsome grin at me. Fuck, I missed you. I love you so much—it physically hurts not having you around.

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

His eyes.

His tone.

His words.

Everything he poured out swirled around and wrapped me up.

I missed you, too, I told him the honest truth. I had missed him, so much.

He gazed from the road back to me. Today, we start our lives together. You, he kissed my hand again, me, and Dani. Just like we should have done months ago.

He shook his head and gazed out the front windshield. We’ll go away for a while until everything here cools down. He looked at me for a few seconds. Or not. We can move wherever the fuck you want, sweetheart. Make a new start.

All the air left my lungs, and I started considering the ramifications of what we’d just done.

Oh, my gosh, I said with the last bit of air left in my lungs. You just left your bride at the altar.

Stefan shook his head and turned back to the road. I never loved her.

I shut my eyes and my head slumped forward. Oh, my gosh, this is crazy. Nobody leaves their fiancée at the altar and runs off with another woman.

Oh.

My.

Gosh.

What the heck had I just done?

I mean, yes, I’d been feeling like absolute crap knowing that Stefan was marrying that—that—airhead.

She was not what Stefan needed.

Stefan was good and kind and generous and smart. And she was—none of those things.

I knew in the depths of my soul that she would never fulfill him—never give him what he needed.

I knew that.

And during the rehearsal dinner at Nick and Eve’s house, Stefan looked—oh, gosh—he looked so, so sad.

Other than the one fleeting moment we shared at the beginning of the night beside the bushes, he didn’t look at me once.

And he only spoke to Carlo when he had to.

It was horribly awkward. Eve pulled me into the kitchen and wanted to talk about it.

Of course, she had no clue that all of this was because of me.

If it weren’t for me, Carlo and Stefan’s relationship would still be strong.

Carlo would be busy making babies with Stassia.

And Stefan would be saying his vows to—a woman he didn’t want.

Okay, so maybe Stefan needed a swift kick.

And the thought of Carlo making babies with Stassia made me pretty freaking sick.

But I was the reason these two brothers were fighting.

The reason for the huge rift between them.

Yeah.

I was the reason for all of it.

Stefan’s phone rang and interrupted my thoughts. Fuck, he said and then answered with, Fuck off, Brother. I’m warning you—

Carlo’s voice boomed through the interior of the car. No, I’m fucking warning you— he inhaled loudly, Brother. Get your asses to my place. Now.

Stefan shook his head. I’m dropping Giselle off at my place, first. Then I’ll meet you later.

Carlo chuckled rather sadistically. Not gonna happen, asshole. Listen to me, Stefan, and listen carefully. If you and Giselle are not at my fucking house in exactly thirty minutes—there are going to be consequences. Consequences you won’t fuckin’ like.

Stefan didn’t reply. Instead, he hung up.

Motherfuckin’, asshole, piece of shit, he muttered under his breath.

Yikes.

A sudden wave of regret washed over me as reality sank in even further.

If Stefan dropped me off at his place—wherever the heck that was—and then he went to meet Carlo—they’d for sure kill each other.

If he did what his brother had just ordered and drove us both out to Carlo’s estate—then they’d kill each other right in front of me.

This was definitely a lose-lose scenario. I wracked my brain, thinking of a solution.

Even though I already knew that didn’t exist.

Everyone involved in this ridiculous situation was going to get hurt.

No matter what.

Stefan squeezed my hand and briefly gazed over at me. He’s right. We need to finish this once and for all.

I bit my lip and sat back in my seat—and tried to figure a way out of this situation.

When we finally stopped in Carlo’s driveway, I held tight onto Stefan’s hand. Let me go in and talk to him first, I suggested.

He gave me a sad smile. It’ll be okay, sweetheart. Let’s go inside and wait.

Crap.

But that was exactly what we did anyway.

The house was quiet, and there was an almost eerie sense to the atmosphere.

I realized that I should text Sofia and ask her to take Dani back to my house.

And wait.

Oh, crap, I whispered to myself. I looked over at Stefan. I left my purse at the church. I have to text Sophia.

The sound of a door slamming behind us made me jump. I already spoke to her. She’s taking Dani to your house for now, Carlo said while he glared at me. He dumped my purse on the small table by the door and left it there.

So, he stepped further into the foyer, you’ve chosen my brother? His hands were on his hips and the tone of his voice was not kind.

I— was all I got out before Stefan interrupted me.

She has. I could have just told you that over the phone, Stefan took a step toward Carlo, Brother.

Carlo looked back at Stefan. Can you shut up? I’d like to hear what Giselle has to say.

I took a deep breath—but nothing came out.

I had no words for this.

Did I want Stefan?

Yes.

Did I want Carlo?

Also, yes.

Oh, my gosh.

I was so screwed up.

She’s moving in with me. She and Dani. Just accept it, Carlo, Stefan said in a very matter of fact voice.

Carlo took another step closer to his brother. I said let her fuckin’ talk.

He turned to me and said, We had a great fuckin’ time, Giselle. You cannot stand there and pretend we didn’t. The last few days have been fuckin’ magical. His voice sounded cracked and strained—and he broke my heart just listening to him.

We did, I answered, wanting to run up and hug him.

Then what the fuck was that at the church? You start crying over my brother? On his fuckin’ wedding day? While his goddamn bride is walking down the aisle?

Yeah.

I totally did exactly that.

Gosh, I was a horrible human being.

I closed my eyes and hoped this was an awful nightmare and none of it had actually happened. When I opened my eyes again, Carlo was still staring at me—looking disappointed as heck.

He doesn’t belong with Nevaeh. You know that. I know that. Everyone freaking knows that—except for Stefan. I shot my arm out and pointed toward Stefan. He was about to ruin his life and all everyone did was just— my voice hitched slightly, stand there.

Carlo swallowed and tilted his head. I told you last night that he was a grown fucking man, and he could do what he wanted with his life. He was up at the fucking altar, Giselle. For Christ’s sake, do you really think he’d go that far if he didn’t want to marry her?

Stefan walked over and slipped his arm around me. I didn't want to marry Nevaeh.

Carlo growled, Then why the fuck were you at the goddamn church, dressed in a tux?

I peered up at Stefan—because to tell you the truth—I wanted to know the answer to that as well.

Stefan narrowed his gaze on his brother and said, Because I know you and Giselle have been fucking each other for a while now. And neither of you have reported it to Asher. You didn’t play by the goddamn rules, Carlo. Did you?

I cringed outwardly—and inwardly. And then