Matthew Parnell joined the Lundy Family out of high school and quickly befriended Wyatt Lundy, son of the Family boss, David Lundy. David was a fair and well-respected businessman who owned more than one successful real estate company that he used as a legitimate cover for his illegal activities in the largest organized crime family apart from the New York Five. Matthew rose faster in the ranks than anybody before him, which allowed him to work in various arenas such as drugs, money laundering, extortion, and deliverance of the consequences. It wasn’t long before David tested Matthew’s abilities by handing both him and Wyatt the Boston territory. Elated that he was quickly on his way to the power he dreamed of, Matthew stepped away from getting blood on his hands and relied heavily on Evan Crescent to take care of whatever business Matthew felt appropriate.
One year after arriving in Boston, Matthew met Elise when she checked into his hotel for a weekend vacation. He fell madly in love with her, and they married only a few months later. He was both surprised and elated when she returned his love after he made it painfully clear to her that he would not accept a child in his life. So when she announced she was unexpectedly pregnant, it was a betrayal that cut him deep and would never be forgiven. Matthew resented Elise for forcing him to play the happy, undeniably in love couple for the public, but he had no choice—he would do what he must if he wanted to maintain his social standing and gain the power that had been his goal since joining the Family.
Matthew’s problems were only exacerbated by the fact that Wyatt felt he didn’t need to work as hard, feeling entitled because he was David’s son. Matthew never said a word about Wyatt’s gambling or drug use, but he did put a stop to Wyatt’s time with their girls when it was discovered that one had gotten pregnant. The pregnancy was quietly terminated and, fortunately, Matthew’s problems with Wyatt didn’t last much longer. Wyatt had decided to spend his birthday in Las Vegas and was supposed to be gone for five days. It was six months later when his body was found decomposing in the hot desert sun with two gunshots in his head.
***
Dressed in a tuxedo, one hand in his pocket like he didn’t have a care in the world, Matthew met Renee when the elevator doors opened. Looking at his daughter reminded him of Elise, and when he thought of Elise, it took everything he had not to be disappointed, hurt, and angry. A camera flash out of the corner of his eye broke his train of thought and he straightened his posture as Renee stepped forward with all the grace and poise expected of her. It was time to play the happy father for the crowds.
Checking to make sure the media was watching, Matthew held her at arm’s length to look her over, forcing a smile and giving his daughter a firm look. “Appearances, Renee. You’re the daughter of Boston’s Man of the Year.”
Renee nodded her head and took her father’s arm as they entered the ballroom to greet their guests. There was applause and greetings from every angle of the room as Matthew and Renee smiled and waved, Matthew internally toasting himself just for being him with his daughter next to him, boasting with pride. Guests approached to give their hugs and handshakes for what seemed like an eternity until a familiar face entered the room. Matthew knew the effect David being here would have on Renee.
Matthew took David’s hand with a smile. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this,” David replied with a jubilant grin.
“David!” Overly excited to see him, Renee stopped herself from jumping into his arms to hug him.
“You didn’t think I would miss this party, did you?” David laughed playfully at her as he broke the hug and planted a loving kiss on her cheek. “You and I will dance later.”
***
Renee counted eight scarlet lapel pins shaped like teardrops attached to each of the eight men she had met with earlier. Each pin represented proof of payment for the pleasure of going upstairs with their companion after the party. She received varied reactions from each of them, from disgust to humor, as she knew she would. Even she knew that any full-grown man would be more than slightly offended at the fact that he now had to transact business with a teenager, but not one of them made a derogatory comment to her as they accepted their pin.
Renee played her part as she mingled with guests who were pretending to listen to the governor-elect’s wife prattle on about one thing or another of no import when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her girls in the process of being cornered by a man who had apparently already started raiding the open bar. She saw Kristin slowly backing away from her client, trying to keep from making a scene as he continued to try to close the gap between them. Renee briefly locked eyes with Kristin, who was clearly giving the damsel in distress look.
Gracefully as she could, Renee interrupted her guest’s story. “I’m sorry to intrude, but I need to say hello to someone before they leave for the evening. Thank you so much for coming. We will have to try to find each other later on so you can finish your story.” It was a lie, of course, but it was time to go to work.
Renee wrapped her arms around Kristin in a welcoming embrace, while at the same time nonchalantly placing her foot on top of the offender’s, her floor-length gown covering the fact she was digging her one-inch heel into his foot. The more he tried to dislodge his foot, the more weight she put down. The look she gave was daring and cold, and she spoke to him with authority through a forced smile. “Judge Middleton, are you forgetting there is an expected etiquette for tonight that you have agreed to follow?”
Judge Middleton, a middle-aged and arrogant man, knew they were being watched and didn’t appreciate a child digging her heel into his foot. Through teeth clenched and a smile he responded, “Get off my foot, bitch.”
Renee applied more pressure and he sucked in a breath of pain. “Am I correct that you were told it is still early in the party and that you would have to be patient for your pleasure?”
He could only nod.
“Would it be fair to say that you will be more than happy to wait at least another hour before casually and discretely leaving with her?”
“Yes,” he said, sucking in a hard breath, thinking her heel would go through the top of his foot.
Renee drastically applied more pressure and leaned into him, her ear close to his mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear you.”
“Yes,” he said forcefully through the pain.
Renee smoothed the front of his jacket and straightened his pin. “I’m so happy this misunderstanding has been cleared up. I sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, but I would advise avoiding the bar for a little while. For future reference, you will address me as Ms. Parnell.”
The wide-eyed judge nodded and Renee removed her foot from the top of his. As Renee crossed the room to greet another guest, she locked eyes with Sasha, who was smiling and raising her glass in a silent toast to a job well done.