Page 56 of Sold To My Ex's Dad

Ignoring his bait, I shoot back, “Your father’s inside, waiting. He’s going to want to talk to you.” My words are pointed.

He laughs it off, clearly unfazed. “Yeah, sure, Chef,” he replies with a dismissive wave of his hand.

I stiffen, my patience thinning. “And about the loitering—this is your only warning.”

Undeterred, Donnie steps closer, invading my space, and deliberately blows smoke in my face. My anger flares, but I keep it under control.

“Do that again, and I’ll be serving your ass for dinner,” I warn, my tone turning icy.

Donnie’s chuckle is dark and ominous. “You might want to be careful, Chef. The old man won’t be around forever,” he taunts, a veiled threat hanging between us.

With a sneer, he and his friends pile into their car and peel away, leaving a cloud of exhaust in their wake.

The tension from my standoff with Donnie clings to me as I push through the back door into Savor. Allie's orchestrating the kitchen like a seasoned pro, her focus unshaken.

I give her a wink to bolster her confidence as we continue the night’s service.

I trail behind the servers into the dining area, ready to introduce the dish. But the night takes a dark turn when the front doors slam open, and there stands Donnie, flanked by his thugs.

Donnie’s smug voice slices through the heightened silence of the dining room.

"Enjoying dinner, folks?" His sneer is insidious.

As his men brandish their guns, the room's atmosphere shifts from fine dining to a freeze frame of fear.

My instincts kick in, hard and fast. I dive toward Sophia, the nearest waitress. I shove her to the ground, covering her with my body as gunfire punctures the ambient music.

I press Sophia firmly to the floor, whispering, "Stay down!" My eyes scan the room, calculating my next move.

This is no random outburst. Donnie’s here to make a statement, guns blazing. It’s clear now—whatever leash Luca thought he had on his son has been broken. The room is a chessboard, and it’s Donnie’s move, bold and violent.

Shielding Sophia, my mind races to Allie. Protecting her, the restaurant, and our guests is all that matters now.

I lock eyes with Donnie, my gaze full of cold resolve. I’m ready to do whatever it takes.

This ends tonight, one way or another.

Chapter 34

Allie

Gunfire rings out, and immediately, I'm in motion.

Aiden and Sammie, two of our servers, dart past me into the kitchen for cover. My heart’s racing but it's Patrick I'm worried about.

I charge out of the kitchen, my voice slicing through the noise. "Call 911!" I bark at the waitstaff scrambling around me.

Staying low, I hustle into the main dining area, where gunshots are pinging off the walls. The room has become a disaster scene straight out of a movie—chairs overturned, glasses shattered. Guests ducking and running for cover, gunmen with their weapons pointed with one outstretched hand.

Then I spot him—Patrick—down on the floor with a growing stain of red on his pants that screams trouble.

My stomach flips with fear, but I can’t freeze now.

I take a split second to assess the scene—locating the shooters, the exits, and Luca and his men. Patrick’s lying there bleeding, and every instinct is screaming at me to run to him, but I’ve got to be smart. I can’t help him if I get taken out, too.

The gunfire has ceased for the moment. Breathing deep, bracing myself against the fear, I’m ready to make my move.

Across the ruined dining room, I spot Luca and his crew, standing firm and armed to the teeth. Conflict and anger etch deep lines on the older man’s seasoned face.

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