Page 32 of The Brat's Bargain

The game had changed, the stakes higher than ever before. And as Antonio raced towards an uncertain future, he prayed he wasn't already too late.

CHAPTER 13

CROSSROADS

Antonio's heart pounded as he raced up the steps of Damien's penthouse. The threat against Damien's life echoed in his mind, drowning out all rational thought. He pounded on the door, fear and adrenaline making his hands shake.

The door swung open, revealing Damien with a gun in hand. His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with concern. "Antonio? What the hell are you doing here?"

Before Antonio could respond, Damien pulled him inside, checking the hallway before slamming and locking the door. He turned to Antonio, his face a mask of barely contained fury and worry.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Damien growled, crowding Antonio against the wall. "I got a threat against your life. You shouldn't be anywhere near me right now."

Antonio's breath caught at their sudden proximity, his body responding to Damien's presence despite the danger. "I got one too," he admitted. "About you. I had to warn you."

For a moment, they just stared at each other, the air between them charged with tension and unspoken emotions. Then, as if a dam had broken, they surged together. Damien's mouth crashed down on Antonio's, hot and demanding. Antonio met him with equal fervor, fingers tangling in Damien's hair as he pressed closer.

The kiss was all teeth and tongue, desperation and relief pouring out in a clash of lips and wandering hands. When they finally broke apart, both panting, Damien rested his forehead against Antonio's.

"You stubborn, reckless brat," he murmured, voice rough with emotion. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

Antonio managed a shaky smirk. "I have some idea. But maybe you should remind me, Daddy."

Damien's eyes darkened at the name, his grip on Antonio's hips tightening. "As much as I'd love to bend you over right here and fuck some sense into you, we've got bigger problems to deal with."

Reality came crashing back, the brief moment of reunion shattered by the weight of the threats hanging over them. Antonio nodded, forcing himself to focus. "Right. So what's the plan?"

Damien stepped back, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "First, we need to figure out who's behind this. Then we take them out, hard and fast."

They moved to Damien's office, poring over intel and making calls to their respective networks. As they worked side by side, the familiar rhythm of their partnership fell into place. Antonio's quick wit and outside-the-box thinking complemented Damien's strategic mind and ruthless efficiency.

Hours passed in a blur of activity. As leads began to coalesce, pointing towards a coalition of smaller families seeking to exploit the rift between the Benedettis and Lombardis, the tension in the room ratcheted up.

"We need to move on this now," Damien said, his voice tight with barely contained rage. "Before they can launch whatever they've got planned."

Antonio nodded, adrenaline thrumming through his veins. "I'll call my mother, warn her to beef up security on our territories."

As he reached for his phone, Damien's hand shot out, gripping his wrist. "No. It's not safe. We can't trust anyone right now, not even family."

Antonio's eyes narrowed. "She's my mother, Damien. I can't just leave her in the dark."

"And my father threatened to disinherit me if I didn't cut ties with you," Damien countered. "Family isn't always on our side, baby boy."

The endearment, spoken with such casual possessiveness, sent a shiver down Antonio's spine. He wanted to argue, to push back against Damien's control. But a larger part of him craved it, needed the stability Damien offered in the chaos swirling around them.

"Fine," he conceded. "So what do we do?"

Damien's smile was all predator as he pulled Antonio close. "We go to ground. I've got a secure bunker where we can lay low and plan our next move."

The elevator ride to the sub-basement was charged with unresolved tension. Antonio could feel the heat of Damien's body beside him, hyperaware of every shift and breath. By the time they reached the bunker, a state-of-the-art facility hidden beneath the building, Antonio felt like he might combust from the conflicting emotions warring within him.

As soon as the heavy door sealed behind them, Damien was on him. He shoved Antonio against the wall, pinning his wrists above his head with one large hand. "Do you have any idea," he growled, voice low and dangerous, "how fucking terrified I was when I got that threat against you?"

Antonio's breath hitched, arousal and defiance warring within him. "Probably about as scared as I was when I thought you might be in danger," he shot back.

Damien's free hand cupped Antonio's jaw, thumb brushing over his bottom lip. "You shouldn't have come here. It was reckless and stupid and?—"

"And exactly what you would have done if our positions were reversed," Antonio interrupted. He met Damien's gaze head-on, chin lifted in challenge. "Admit it, Daddy. You're not mad that I came. You're mad that I beat you to the punch."

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