I finally had a family. A family of liars and cheats but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

“Penny, I love you like the sister I’ve never had, but you are bloody mafia.”

Penny rolled her eyes. “This said from the former grifter. I’m just a clumsy Royal Guard. Who in their right mind would believe I’m mafia?”

I cracked my neck. The way the game worked was I’d have to find somebody else to second my mafia conviction. If I could swing someone over to my side my beloved sister in law would be out.

My options were slim. It was me against the queen. Her father and mother were playing so they’d side with her. I had Bryna, but they had become besties. Ariel would always choose Penny. That’s just how they rolled. My choices were Michael, Penny’s brother, Jinx, Roone, and Sebastian. But Penny had Sebastian by the balls even if he wanted to side with me.

There I said it, the king was pussy whipped. The way he massaged his thigh and he shifted uncomfortably, I knew he would side with her. She was using sex to get what she wanted.

I lifted a brow at my brother who shrugged and said, “Sorry bro, she’s my wife and she can literally torture me any way she sees fit.”

Penny smiled sweetly at her husband. “That’s right sweetheart. Besides, I’d never lie to you.”

Sebastian barked out a laugh. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Those two were hopeless. Honestly, they probably should just excuse themselves to run off and bone. I’d already caught them twice in compromising-I-needed-to-wash-my-eyes-out positions around the palace.

So what if Bryna and I had been caught once in the gardens. I was the prince, it was my prerogative. He was the king, he should bloody well know better.

“Roone, mate, you with me?”

Roone shifted his glance back and forth between the two of us. Penny gave him the sweetest grin. That mother fucker was waffling. “I dunno. She is a pretty bad liar. And you got us all in the last round.”

“Why are you bringing up old shit?” Okay, so yes, I’d decimated the royal house in the last round of mafia. But honestly who was going to hold grudges? “Bryna? Baby. Are you really going to side with Penny?”

The love of my life laughed. “I was the first one you killed off in the last round!”

I stifled my chuckle. “But that was strategy darling. You can always call me on my bullshit. I had to take you out.”

“I’ll make it up to you later, but right now I’m siding with Penny.” She winked at me and my fucking dick wanted to follow her…right over to the enemy camp. Traitor.

In the end, my ally came from the most unlikely place. “I second Lucas’s mafia vote,” The dowager queen said with a laugh.

Penny’s mouth hung open. “But Mum!” She used the British phrasing to avoid confusion between the dowager queen and her own mother.

Queen Alexa smiled. “You know how much I love you darling, but your nose crinkles every time you fib. It’s been that way since you were little.”

Sebastian snorted. “Now you tell me…”

Penny’s mouth hung open. “But—”

I held up my hand. “Oh no you don’t. No talking your way out of this one. You’ve had a vote and a second. Show your card!”

Penny harrumphed and turned over her queen of diamonds card marked clearly with an ‘M’. “Fine, you win,” she sulked.

I jumped up with my arms pumping in triumph. “Ha! Told you!! She is MAFIA!”

Roone clutched his heart as if the idea that he could have been fooled by Penny truly wounded him. Most everyone else groaned.

Queen Alexa laughed when I picked her up and swung her around. Bryna wrapped her arms around me. “Congratulations Your Highness. I’m so sorry I sided with the enemy.” Then she lowered her voice so only I could hear. “Is this the part where you punish me for my treachery? I seem to recall something about handcuffs some time ago…and other toys?”

All the blood rushed straight to my dick. “Right, that’s us done. Goodnight family.”

Sebastian groaned. “But you can’t leave now. We’re just getting started.”

“Sorry big brother. My future princess is ready for bed. So I gotta go.”

From the corner Roone gagged. I flipped him off. To my surprise Queen Alexa snort laughed.

I kissed Bryna soundly on the lips, then surveyed my family. It wasn’t the family I’d always dreamed about. It was better. Infinitely better. I’d dreamed too small. They surpassed my wildest dreams. “Goodnight everyone. See you tomorrow.”

And for once I could say that with confidence. I didn’t have to be afraid to love them. They weren’t going to be ripped out of my grasp. Not now. Not ever.

I squeezed Bryna tighter and murmured, “I seem to remember a promise about the freakiest thing I could ever think of…I hope you're ready because I’ve been mulling it over.”

She gave me a wink and slight smile that nearly felled me. “Bring it on. Is this the time I mention that I’ve already gotten a hold of your toys and I know how to use them?”

Fuck I loved this woman. “Yes, this is the perfect time to mention that.”