Page 26 of The Devil's Fire

“Figlia, we were just talking about how both families should attend Sunday Service together sometime.” The sound of my father’s voice made me turn away from the Devil's eyes.

“Oh, I was actually planning on leaving at the end of this week, so…” I trailed off with an apologetic smile.

“Leaving? To where?” His brows furrowed in disapproval.

“I’m going home, papá. I wasn’t supposed to stay this long, anyway.”

“Nonsense! You’re staying.” He erupted strictly as if I was a child.

“I have to get back to mom. Plus, I have work.” I tried to explain, but he wasn’t having any of it.

“Is this what she’s doing to you? Keeping you away from me all these years and making you work? No daughter of mine should work. You’re staying. And no more hotels. This is your home.” My father left no room for discussion.

I let out a quiet chuckle and shook my head, giving in, despite dreading the phone call I would have to make to my mother.

At least I would spend more time with Cara.

“Damiano, let’s get back to my proposal. What do you say? With me in charge of your products, there will be far more distribution and more money!” My uncle's speech was slurred as he made his proposal with a cocky smirk on his face. He was already disgustingly drunk.

Damiano glanced at him with an unimpressed expression with one brow raised.

“If I do that, there will be no products left to sell. Your snorting ass will leave us out of business.” Damiano spoke calmly, and my uncle’s smile fell.

“Do you think I’m a crackhead?” He scoffed, his lips curling into a devious smile as his drunken slur continued to fill the room. “I heard that whore of a mother you have is a sniffing crackhead.”

The room fell silent.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly as Damiano's eyes darkened, the golden-brown depths turning into an abyss of darkness. It was as if a storm had gathered within his gaze, brewing with an intensity that sent shivers through my entire being.

I stopped breathing, not daring to make a sound. Fuck. If a look could kill, this was it.

The dark intensity in Damiano's eyes was a lethal weapon that threatened to unleash its fury.

I blinked, and when I opened my eyes again, Damiano had grabbed my uncle's head. He violently slammed it down on the table, causing a sickening crack, before dragging him across it. The plates and glasses crashed to the floor, creating a cacophony of destruction.

I scrambled away from my seat, my heart pounding, terror gripping me as I watched the scene unfold before my eyes.

“I dare you to say that one more time.” Damiano's voice was ominously low, making me shudder in fear.

Everyone in the room stood frozen, no one daring to interfere. He had Cara’s father in a deadly grip, staring him down with his cold, lifeless eyes.

“Cara, take Althaia away from here.” I heard my father say, but my legs remained frozen.

My father tried to reason with Damiano, but Lorenzo blocked him from getting closer. He looked like he was ready to kill my father if he dared to intervene.

“I said your whore of a mother -” My uncle didn’t even finish his sentence as Damiano grabbed his jaw, his fingers digging in so hard it looked like he was about to break it.

He slightly turned his head to look at my terrified face. The look on his face had my knees weakening in absolute fear.

“Don’t look.”

That was all he said to me as he pulled out a knife. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the Devil in action.

A scream of pain pierced my eardrums, as my uncle’s tongue dropped to the floor. I followed the trail of blood, seeing my uncle’s mouth sputtering blood out like a waterfall.

Cara's words were pleading as she tried to get me away, but my feet wouldn't budge as my eyes stayed glued on the blood.

I looked up when my view was suddenly blocked. Damiano was looking at me with a frown on his face.

---