Page 26 of Heartless Union

He raises an eyebrow. “Seem what?”

“Like you’re always bothered by them. Them and Gabriella. Your father, too.”

“Are you asking me if I like my family? While I hate my father, despite how much my siblings annoy me sometimes, they’re my family, and I would do anything to make sure they’re ok.”

An older man, probably in his sixties, with a younger man who looks to be around Rocco’s age, approach us. Rocco immediately tenses.

“Congratulations on your marriage,” the older man says with a smile that makes me uncomfortable.

“Carlo,” Rocco greets the older man. “Dante.” His eyes the younger man. “I don’t recall inviting either of you.”

“I’m good friends with your father,” Carlo says. “Of course, I’d be here.”

“Mmm,” is all Rocco says.

Dante flashes me a smile. He’s quite handsome; I’ll give him that. He could rival Rocco in that department. “Pleasure to meet the bride.” He grabs my hand and kisses it.

Rocco only glares at him until he releases my hand.

Straightening, Dante eyes Rocco over. “So, have you found out who might be making a move on your father?”

“Not yet,” Rocco says through clenched teeth. I feel like I’ve walked into something I shouldn’t be a part of.

“Oh, that would be me,” Carlo says so simply it takes me a moment to realize what he said.

Rocco freezes. “What?”

“I’m the one who wants to make a move against your father.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I could use allies, and I know you hate your father more than anyone. I can trust you, Rocco. When I make my move against him, I want you at my side.”

“What makes you think I don’t have plans of my own?” Rocco asks.

“Because you don’t have the balls to take down your father,” Dante says, straightening his cufflinks. “But my father does.”

Rocco looks back and forth between them. “What exactly are you planning?”

Carlo smiles that scary smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

“Is that a threat?”

Carlo and Dante share a look before walking away.

Rocco looks like he wants to run right after them, but he holds himself back. “The gall of those two. On my wedding day, no less.”

“You don’t trust them?”

“Of course I don’t trust them, Lara. They’re planning to make a move against my father, and they just announced it to me without any fear. Which means they have something in place already.”

“What about us?”

He glances down at me. “What about us?”

“Will … I be ok? If your father dies, that is.”

“He’s not the one with the real power here. I am.”

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