Page 87 of Tainted Ties

“He didn’t kill Enzo,” I fired back. “I can’t prove it, but he had no reason to do so. He wouldn’t jeopardize the contract, not when I was on the line.”

Surprise flickered in my father’s gaze. “You’re defending our enemy?”

“Yourenemy!”

The displeasure I felt on the inside must have shown on the outside because my father chuckled, wiping a hand down his face.

“Oh,cara.” His smile was ominous. “You’ve fallen in love with him.”

My father had the resources now to hurt Roman and whether I agreed to his plan or not didn’t matter, he would move forward with it anyway.

Maybe that was why I hadn’t cared if I wore my heart on my sleeve, finally putting a name to these emotions thickening inside my chest.Love.

“I have never asked you for anything. If you ever loved me at all, you won’t hurt him.” The desperation in my tone was horrid, but I couldn’t lose Roman. “Please,Papà.”

The silence dragged on and I could feel the daggers shot my way by Raphael, who hadn’t uttered another word since my father last spoke.

“As you wish.”

Though relief washed over me, easing my tension a sliver, my father was never one to negotiate.

“But I still want him alone. He needs to sign over everything that belongs to me.”

“Let me talk to him,” I argued. “He might listen.”

“If I use you as leverage to lure him here, I don’t trust that he won’t bring backup.” He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “No. We’re doing this my way. You trust me and I trust you. That’s how this works.”

But I didn’t trust him, not even a fraction of the word.

In fact, once I left this office, I would tell Roman about what my father was up to.

“If you risk my plan by not doing what I told you.” The determined gleam in my father’s eyes was vicious. “Well, you know how vile I can get.”

A shiver slid down my spine, knowing what he was capable of.

Standing from my seat, I stepped toward the door but stopped short when my father spoke again. “I will send you the details of when and where to meet me.”

Chapter31

Roman

Aweight had lifted from my shoulders when I told Aurora I loved her, but it settled deep into my heart knowing, she didn’t feel the same.

No matter, I’d keep her regardless.

It was past midnight when I headed out of the Underground Club. I had needed to release the pent-up tension from Aurora’s lack of ‘I love you’ and my uncle’s refusal to leave her out of the plan.

I unlocked my car door, itching to go home and crawl into bed with my wife, to hold her while she snored lightly in my arms.

Her demeanor was odd earlier this afternoon, but it could have been because she was visiting her mother and brother’s graves.

It had taken everything in me not to order Ricardo to follow her.

I wanted Aurora’s trust and her loyalty to me.

Suddenly, I lurched forward when a strong force hit me in the back of the head, pain blooming and disorienting me.

I blinked rapidly to get rid of the black spots forming in my vision when I felt the sharp jabs everywhere.

---