Page 49 of Ruthless Oath

“Go upstairs and put some clothes on.” I pointed to the hallway. “I have guards in the house, and I can’t have you walking around here practically naked, having my men seeing what belongs to me.”

Defy me, I dare you.

“No.” She held my gaze. “I won’t listen to you.”

“I’ll make you listen.” I lunged toward her, and she hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Just as I got to the doorway, my burner phone rang.

Lucky for her, this call is too important for me to play games, but what a shame for me.

Lissia ran up the steps as I answered the phone.

“Dad,” I said. “Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” His voice boomed through the phone. As relieved as I was to hear from him, I dreaded the pending conversation. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“You heard about the current situation.”

“The war you set off?”

“I’m trying to get things under control. I want to get you home.”

“How is kidnapping Gian’s daughter going to get me home?” he asked. “Does Gian have information that can help negotiate my return? Does he know something we don’t?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“You don’t know yet? That’s disappointing.” He paused, but I knew better than to interrupt. “You took his daughter hostage. The daughter who was about to become engaged to an arms dealer, I might add.”

“I didn’t know that at the time.” I went to the liquor cabinet and took inventory of the bottles.Two. Not enough.

“Isn’t it your job to know that?” he said.

“Yes, but Lissia came to me for help. I thought I was putting our family in a position to negotiate.”

“You got distracted.”

I sat on the floor next to the cabinet as my father’s words cut into me. Lissia had preoccupied me ever since I met her. I couldn’t deny that.

“You better get your head back in this damn game. I will not lose my empire—everything I built for you and your brother—because you got diverted by a pretty face.”

“That’s not what’s happening,” I said. “I thought taking her would make Gian realize we’re not to be fucked with.”

“All you did was fuel his fire. Did you think he was going to cave at the first sign of trouble?”

“I thought his daughter would be important enough to him that he’d do what we wanted.”

“Have you given him any demands other than taking her?” he asked.

“I thought taking her would be enough.”

“You miscalculated. He is far too ruthless, and he’s betting you won’t send her back in a body bag.”

There are other ways to destroy his plans…like taking her innocence.

“You’re supposed to be working with Milo. I trusted both of you to run things until I come back to the states.”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked. “I can stop this war. I’ll give her back. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you home.”

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