Page 123 of Ruthless Oath

“And I want a woman who respects me and doesn’t cause me so many problems.”

I’m not her.

“You’re going to have to get used to me. I’m not going anywhere. Your father and I have a deal, and you are a key factor in all of this. You’re going to have to accept it.”

Never.

“I can make you something to eat,” he said. “You must be starving.”

I didn’t want to think about eating or starting over. I wanted to get out of here. I had to run.

I tested my legs again by getting up. I wasn’t as shaky this time, but I wasn’t at full strength either. I held on to the arm of the couch and inched my way to the center of the room. Danny’s gun was on a small end table by the chair he had been sitting in when I woke up.

“Lissia.” He came up from behind me.

“What?” I jumped, taking my gaze away from the gun.

If I could get out of the house before he got to the gun, I could escape into the woods. It wasn’t an ideal plan, but it was all I had.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Whatever we have is fine.” I wouldn’t be here to eat it anyway.

“Why are you being so agreeable?” He moved into the kitchen area that overlooked the space where I was.

“Didn’t you say we were starting over?” I asked.

“Hmm…” He eyed me suspiciously. “How about a turkey sandwich?”

“For breakfast?”

“It’s noon, sweetheart. You slept through breakfast.”

“Oh.” I’d much rather have breakfast and a mimosa or two. And I wouldn’t mind some of that sexy banter Marchello and I liked to tease one another with right about now. “Sure.”

As Danny worked in the kitchen area, I casually maneuvered my way closer to the hallway. It was about six feet to the front door. I could make it, but where would I run to? Did it matter? I needed to get out of here. I’d worry about the destination once I was outside.

“Why is this alliance between you and my father so important?”

“You’re making small talk?” He placed two pieces of bread on a plate. “That’s new.”

“No, I, ah, I’m just curious.” I made it to the archway that led to the hall. “I don’t understand any of it, so maybe if you explain it, I could accept the arrangement you made with my dad about me.”

“You must have hit your head pretty hard if you’re considering the arrangement.” He laughed. “If I had known that, I would have knocked some sense into you before you escaped with Marchello. It would have saved me a lot of problems.”

“What kind of problems?” I glanced down the hallway. Light streamed in through the slightly ajar door.

“Accetti intercepted a key shipment I was moving for a new associate. It took weeks to figure out the logistics and to get the authorities to look the other way. I had to pay plenty of people off, and I only had a small window to get the job done.”

“It didn’t go well?”

“Not at all.”

“What happened with the new associate?” I didn’t care about any of this, but I needed an opportunity to get to that door.

“They’re not happy with me or your father since he backed me. They thought they could trust us, and they could have if Marchello and Milo didn’t fuck it up.”

“Didn’t Marchello make that move in retaliation for something you did to him?”

---