Page 114 of Not Mine to Keep

“I know, and I’m sorry.” I raced my hand along the spines of the books in the library, stopping at the sight ofThe Odysseythere as I talked on the phone to my aunt.

The story of Scylla and Charybdis popped back into my head, and I cringed and closed my eyes.

“Keeping everything a secret was the lesser of two evils.” That was a phrase I wanted to erase from memory. “I thought so, at least. But because of me, you were placed in harm’s way.”

“You think I care about myself?” Aunt Tia said in an exasperated tone. “I could have helped you.”

“You mean have your friends from Kentucky take us away, and we’d have to hide forever? Not what either of us wanted.” I opened my eyes, backing away from the wall of books. “You’re only fifty-five, by the way. You have your whole life ahead of you, too. Maybe everything happens for a reason, though. I can only say that now since you’re okay and, well, because I know in my heart Alessandro will be, too.”He has to be.

“They’ll get him back. But right now, you need to focus on what’s coming with Armani.”

“I know.” Not that she knew exactly what was coming—that I’d be placing myself in danger in the hope that Marcello snapped and Armani chose to protect me. But my husband’s life was on the line because of me, so I’d do what was necessary to protect his family now. It was my turn to step up.

Before she could summon whatever it was she’d planned to say next, I spied my father-in-law in the doorway. I quickly wrapped up the call and tried not to show my nerves when I choked out anI love youbefore hanging up.

“You know,” my father-in-law began once I’d set aside my phone, “this was my daughter’s bedroom. My wife converted it to a library since Bianca loved to read and write.”

I wanted to offer my condolences a hundred times over for his loss, and to promise he wouldn’t lose another child, but when he closedandlocked the door, my lips sealed together, trapping the words behind them.

“I’d never let my daughter do what you offered to do.” The deep frown lines were only a hint at the true pain beneath the surface. “And my son would never forgive me for it.”

“What are you saying?” I whispered, struggling to turn up the volume while talking.

“Gabriel’s beenmafiosotoo long. He may work for AISE now, but he’s not one of us. If he was, he’d never suggest you place yourself in danger. Or for you to help kill your own father.”

He reached behind his back, and at the sight of a 9mm, my nerves bested me and corrupted my ability to think clearly.

Danger gleamed wickedly in his hand, a sharp contrast to his calming tone as he said, “Your father would win if you helped take his life. That light of yours is bright. It’ll be extinguished if you personally help kill Armani. And it’d destroy my son to see that happen.” Erasing the space between us, he rested a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get my son back, but I will not tell him I let you risk your life to murder your father.”

“What choice do we have?” I was choking back a sob, though, because he was right. Risk taking a bullet to keep Alessandro and his family from danger? Yes. But I didn’t have it in me to help kill someone, especially not someone who shared my blood, even if I hated the man. “You can’t kill him. I know Constantine said—”

“No one is dying today.” His hand slipped free from my shoulder, and he quietly reached into his pocket for his phone. “Well, hopefully not.”

“How, then?”

Facing the wall of books, he asked me in a somber tone, “Did my son tell you what happened after his sister died?”

I swallowed. “Yes.”

He kept his eyes on the bookshelves. “I did everything in my power to save my sons so they didn’t wind up behind bars or dead. Although I know your father doesn’t know you well, I do believe Gabriel’s right in that he’ll do what it takes to protect you, not just for the sake of his bloodline.”

“Because it’s what you’d do?”

“It’s what any father who gives a damn would do.” His shoulders dropped as if the weight were too much to bear. “I’ve been working ona plan. I was waiting to get confirmation it was a go, so Gabriel was unaware I’d set the wheels in motion before his arrival here.”

“What, um, wheels?”

He faced me, and I knew he was every bit as emotional as I was, but like Izzy, he hid it well. “I called in a favor to the CIA director, urging him to call in a favor to AISE.” He checked the time on his phone. “An FBI SWAT team will arrest your father and his men when they get here.”

My body shuddered. “Wait. How’s that an option now, and it wasn’t before?”

“I need you to trust me, okay?” His eyes narrowed as he waited for confirmation, so I nodded. “We don’t need to risk your life for Armani to sacrifice his, but he can stillthinkhe’s saving you.”

Attempting to chase away my chills, I rubbed my arms.

“You’ll be arrested today, too.” He let his words sink in before continuing. “And then AISE will offer him a deal. Your freedom and immunity in exchange for him to talk. He knows he’s dying. He’ll accept the offer to keep you out of jail in the hope that you can run the organization in his absence.”

“Oh.” The chills journeyed from my arms straight down my torso to my legs.

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