Married To The Mafia

9. Eat Carrots. Not Your Master.

__________________________

.

.

.

|| STELLA MARTIN ||

.

I walked into our room with a bright grin on my face.

"Whoa whoa.. What's with the blinding lights?" Anthony laughed when I walked in.

"Babe, you are up!" I grinned, placing a kiss on his lips as I sat down on his lap.

"Mmhmm." He hummed as he sniffed my hair making me giggle. "Why did you wake up so early? I like to watch you sleep."

"Creep." I laughed.

"Say that again!" He said turning so that I was under him, my head caged between his arms.

"Babe!" I laughed. "I came here to get my phone. I have to call Jo." I tried to push him off but of course, I couldn't even move the hulk an inch.

"Why?" He sucked on my neck and I bit my lip and inhaled to stifle a moan.

"It's.. Babe stop!" I said when he continued teasing me.

"Okay okay." He laughed. "So what's going on?"

"It's Anika's birthday and Ava wants to surprise her." I said but was surprised to see his smile falter.

"Oh." He said.

"So I was going to call Jo to ask her to get a cake."

He just nodded and got up. "I am gonna go freshen up.".

I sat up and watched his retreating back. Why did he behave like that?

Was it because Gregory had to marry Anika because she was pregnant? But it has been four years. Why haven't they warmed up to each other?

Was Anika different from what she seemed to be?

I shook off my nagging thoughts and dialed Joanne's number. I was doing this for Ava so it was fine even if Anika was a bad person.

"Hello, master to the most useless dog in the world speaking. Who's this?" Joanne chirped. I could hear Wolverine's growl in the background.

Jeez. This woman!

"Hey, you at the vet's?" I asked. Obviously you i***t.

"Nah, at the zoo actually." She said and I rolled my eyes. "At the Apes enclosure."

Wolverine growled a bit more.

"Don't get him worked up." I narrowed my eyes though I know she can't see it.

"Please. My boy doesn't do anything with 'work' in it." She said and then screeched. "Owww.. Eat carrots. Not your Master."

"Okay okay now listen."

"Speak."

"Get a cake on your way back. It's Anika's birthday and Ava's planning a surprise."

"Yeah? She didn't tell me."

"Maybe she didn't remember."

"Okay, I will bring it. Anything else? "

"Nope. Bye. "

"Byeeee."

|| XANDER KING ||

.

Bloody nonsense.

I hung up my phone and stuffed it into my pocket.

I had finally found out who had trashed Stella's apartment.

And unfortunately, it DID have something to do with us.

I was sitting in my car, clutching my hair. I had no idea how the f**k I was supposed to keep everything under control, at least until the wedding.

Gregory was busy with something very very important and Leon was useless in these kind of situations. I couldn't even tell Anthony. He would stress out and ruin everything. That woman was the death of him.

And then only I was left and I have to handle all this even though I don't f*****g want to because Grandma will kill me if I don't.

I had tried to cover up the case as a random armed robbery and the police had bought it. But that dumb Stella's two friends had caught on.

And that brunette was hell bent on finding them and probably murdering them. For a f*****g dog.

Speak of the devil. I thought as I watched her pull up next to me.

I got out as she did and she waved at me, a stupid grin on her face, all of her sadness and worry from yesterday long gone.

"Hey Xander!" She waved like an i***t.

"Hello.." What was her name again?

"Joanne. Joanne Lake." She smiled knowingly.

I nodded.

"Where's Daniella?" She asked as she made her way to the trunk of her car.

"I just dropped her back at her apartment." I said.

I locked my car and turned to see her make her way to me.

What does she want?

"Can you hold these?" She forwarded all the bags in her hand. Do I look like a bloody butler?

I clenched my jaw as I took it wordlessly. All of this is only till the stupid wedding.

She turned around and opened the passenger door and took out a cake.

Oh.

"Something special today?" I asked.

Why am I even talking to her?

It's because the faster I become friendlier with her, the better. That way I can pry into her business without raising questions.

"Anika's birthday." She chirped, locking the car and making her way to our mansion.

"I didn't know."

"That's okay. You are not married to her; not your job." She shrugged.

I doubt Gregory knew.

Wait, Anika is getting cozy with these girls, isn't she?

"She told you it's her birthday?"

"Nope. Stella did. I spent the whole morning with that woman and she didn't tell me. I don't think she remembers it herself." She said. "I guess that happens after marriage and kids."

"Some people just don't care." I said. Come on woman, give me an opening so that I can figure out if you know something.

She stopped and turned to me.

"Everyone cares. They pretend they don't because they know it's useless to expect others to do something for them."

I nodded. I was not going to argue with her. I had better things to do.

"So you went out to get a cake and got all these?" I raised the bags in my hands.

"No no, I went to the vet, the police station, and met up with the renovation and interior designing team." She blabbered. So she went to the cops.

"And how is your dog?" I asked. I didn't want to be too obvious.

"He's up and growling. I smuggled in a Puppuccino because he can't function without it. But that ungrateful brat just started cussing at me because I normally get him at least two."

I opened the door for her. Is this girl crazy?

"That's nice. And what did the cops say?"

"I didn't know you talked so much. You come across as the quiet type. But look at you bombarding me with questions as if trying to figure out what is going on. As if trying to get a head start so that you can do something." She turned to me and paused yet again.

Why can't you just say what they did?

"I am just asking because you are a part of my family now and I am a well wisher." I said.

She chuckled.

I c****d my head at her. What was she laughing about?

"Appearances can be so deceiving. But some of us see right through it."

"What's that supposed to me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady and low.

"The King's been around for four generations. Yet not a single scandal. Isn't that weird?"

"Maybe we are clean? People with principles?" I challenged. I felt my blood boil. Did she know something?

"Too clean to be true."

She adjusted the cake in one hand and took the bags from my hands while I stared at her hazel eyes.

"The corner of your lips, Xander; they have lines from shouting a lot. So your quiet persona is a façade. Your knuckles are scarred. Your eyes are as cold as a ruthless murderer's." She said slowly, her voice so sure and challenging. "You guys are definitely not clean."

"Did Anika tell you something?" I gritted out, trying to keep my anger under control.

"Nope. I was bluffing." She c****d her head and then grinned. "Hit the bull's eye, didn't I?"

With that she walked away.

This girl was clever.

Fuck how did I make the mistake of taking her for a fool?

.

.

.

_________________