Page 110 of Savage Prince

“Where’s Mom?”

“Grabbing some coffee and pastries from the café down the block. I don’t know why she insisted, as if this is a social visit.” He rolls his eyes. “She’ll be here in a minute.”

“Oh, stop, Pa.” Serena tries to wriggle free of his hold, but he doesn’t budge. “Well, are you going to sit down or what?” She ticks her head toward the leather couch in the great room. It’s impeccably maintained, her housekeeper must have been coming weekly since I took her. A fresh bouquet of violets sits on the center of the coffee table, my contribution to the inviting room. I’d snuck out of bed earlier this morning and picked them up from a street vendor.

Nothing brings a smile to Serena’s face like those brilliant lavender blooms.

With a grumble, she tows her father toward the sitting area, and I move into step behind them, keeping my distance. At thispoint, I’m more than happy to allow Serena to take the lead when it comes to dealing with her father.

“Sit,” she barks.

And to my surprise, the pissed-off, tattooed King’s enforcer does.

Maybe she really does have her father wrapped around that cute little pinky like she claims. A twinge of hope sparks, but I smother it before it grows out of control.

Serena folds down onto the couch across from him and I slide in beside her, my arm instinctively curling around her shoulders.

“Get your fucking hands off my daughter before I rip them off.” Dante’s words are low and deadly, nothing more than a frosty whisper.

I pull my arm back so quickly I nearly hit the back of Serena’s head.

“Papà!” she hisses.

Dante slides to the edge of the cushion, raw fury blazing across his icy glare. “I agreed to hear you out,cuore mio,but I refuse to sit here and watch as the man who threatened to kill my only daughter gropes you right in front of me.”

“Gropes? I think you’re being a little dramatic.”

“Dramatic? No. Dramatic would be me whipping out my knife, cutting Antonio’s arms off and beating him with them until his body goes limp.”

A shudder races down my spine at the vivid image. I clench my molars to keep the retort from blurting out. He’s not the only one who can make threats here.

“Papà, if you can’t even hear us out?—”

“Us?” he roars. “There is no us, Serena! This man captured you, kept you hostage for weeks and tried to use you to regain his territory.”

“Territory you stole from him!” Serena shouts back.

“It was just business.”

“But for him, it was personal. It was his father’s land, his newly deceased father.”

“Who was a complete psychopath from what I’ve heard…”

“You of all people should know you can’t choose your parents.”

Dante’s eyes flash, nostrils flaring. “Serena?—”

“No.” Her head whips back and forth. “It’s time for you to listen to me.” Her hand closes over mine, fingers tangling tightly with my own. “I love Antonio, and I need you to promise that not only will you return the rightful territory to the Ferrara’s, but you’ll also swear never to hurt him.”

His jaw tightens, a tendon fluttering like mad. “I can’t promise that, Serena.”

“You can and you will, or you’ll never see me again.” She stiffens, her entire body cut from glass. “If I can’t trust you to back off, then I’ll have to run away with him. He has too many enemies now, and I won’t lose him, Pa. So, you’ll leave me with no other choice.”

“You can’t be serious,” he snarls.

“Wait.” I squeeze Serena’s hand, pivoting to face her, my heart nearly exploding from the lengths she’s willing to go for me. We never discussed any of this last night when we returned to her apartment. Her family means everything to her, and her willingness to walk away from all of it for me is incredible. But it’s more than I would ever ask of her. “I could never allow you to make that sacrifice for me,tesoro.”

“Finally,” Dante grumbles. “Someone talk some sense into this girl.”

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