Chapter 161

ISABELLA’S P.O.V.

Just like Enzo had predicted, a file came in about an hour later and to say that we were stunned by what we saw would have been an understatement. The commissioner had been embezzling some money which was no surprise but he was sending it to Benito. He had been working right under our noses and we never thought to check it out. About an hour after we got the file, the news broke to the media. It was a cluster fuck to say the least and the house phone rang.

I decided to pick it up. “Hello?”

“Where is Lorenzo?” it was the commissioner. I tried to hide my smile. “Tell him it is important. We had a deal. If I protected him, he would protect me. He has to make these claims go away. If He doesn’t do that, I will be ruined.”

“You should have thought about that before you started working with Benito,” I drawled and I heard his breath catch. “Was it good? Was the thrill of believing you were deceiving us good enough? I hope it was worth it.”

“I could take you down with me,” he warned and I scoffed. “I kept details on our business together. All I need is my laptop and I will ruin you.”

“The same laptop that is currently in my custody, right?” I mused and he gasped. “Have a good time in jail, commissioner. I hear they aren’t very keen on officers of the law in there.”

I hung up before he could say another word and looked up at Mac who was standing in front of me with his hands crossed over his chest. He had an amused expression on his face but all I did in response was shrug. We were the only two at home excluding Leo who was asleep. Enzo and the others went out to handle some business.

“I want burgers,” I announced rising to my feet. “Can you drive me to get some?”

“I’m not your help.”

“No, you’re just my babysitter. I could go on my own but we both know that Enzo will throw a hissy fit. What do you say?”

He rolled his eyes then gestured for me to come with him. “You are fucking lucky that you’re pregnant. That is the only thing that would make me even remotely consider it.

We made our way to the nearest McDonalds and I ordered a large burger and fries. Mac sat with me at a booth where no one could see us and we ate in silence. For someone who inhaled grease, he was picking at his food. Since everything happened with Carmen, he had been a little different. He hadn’t completely gotten over it and it was worse because he refused to speak about it.

“I believe some part of her truly loved you,” I said softly and he stilled. “Her obligations were to you, not to us. I don’t think she meant to hurt you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he mumbled but I wasn’t willing to let it slide this time.

“You have been a shell of yourself since she left. You deserve some closure or something. You deserve to be able to talk about her without feeling like you are intruding. You loved her, it seems absurd to think about but you do.”

“She landed you in the hospital and she had Leo taken.”

“Benito did that, not her,” I countered.

Was I furious with Carmen? Of course I was. If I saw her right now, I was going to beat her into a fucking bloody pulp but I could be pissed with her while also simultaneously understanding that Mac had loved her. Mac was my brother- even though we had never really spoken about it since we found out. Even before finding out, he was like a brother to me. I cared about him and I wanted the best for him. He wasn’t going to have that if he didn’t heal first.

“She isn’t dead,” he said slowly and I raised my brows. I honestly thought that Enzo would have made sure that she was dead. “Lorenzo asked me to take care of her and I couldn’t do it. I asked her to run away and never come back. I couldn’t do it to her.”

“It’s fine, I never would have expected you to and somehow, I don’t think he would have either,” I shrugged. Lorenzo knew better than to think Mac would do that. I poked at his side. “You’ve always been a softie.”

He scoffed. “Please, I am anything but soft. I am one of your husband’s go-to men, I am not a softie.”

I smiled wide. “The fact that you try to avoid it only makes it more obvious that you are one but whatever floats your boat. I can’t believe you are my older brother. It seems so weird.”

“I knew,” he announced and I stilled. I turned to him with furrowed brows and he smiled. “I didn’t know for sure but I suspected it. He wanted you dead so badly. It had to be important. I didn’t know what it was about. I suspected you were his bastard affair child and he wanted to get rid of you, that was why I went looking for you but you look nothing like him.”

I hummed under my breath. “At least one good thing came out of it, right? If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have found me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t get all emotional on me right now because I will leave you at this table, pregnant or not, I do not give a shit.”

I smacked his shoulder making him laugh out loud. It had been a while since I heard that sound from Mac and needless to say, it felt good. He wasn’t where he wanted to be but he was getting there, it was only going to take some time but he was going to be fine. He would get over what happened with Carmen.

“You are so rude,” I mused taking a bite out of my fry. “You are definitely not winning Godfather with this one. I am sure Matteo would be more than happy to take the title.”

He snorted. “I already got Leo, I think I won the freaking jackpot already. Matteo can take this one, it might make him feel a little better about himself.”

My jaw dropped. I was about to respond when I heard a chair scrape as it was dragged towards our table. I narrowed my eyes at Peter as he sat down in front of us. “What a nice family reunion. It is a shame that I have to interrupt.”