Page 116 of Vicious Vows

Milo drew his gun and tugged me to him as Dom ran up the steps. Flashbacks of the night on the terrace in Miami rushed through my mind. Who would get shot this time?

“Get her out of here!” Milo nudged me toward Dom who also had his gun drawn.

The guards who had been by their cars when I arrived were now sprinting to the porch.

“Let go of me.” I thrashed, catching Dom by surprise and causing him to release me. I blew past Milo, pushing open the front door and taking off down the hallway toward my father’s study. The hallway had never seemed longer than it did right now.

“Lissia!” Milo shouted.

“She’ll know I destroyed the monster that hurt her.”

“Marchello,” I whispered, relieved as I followed the sound of his voice. He was alive, and I needed to keep him that way.

Milo and his team of angry, gun-wielding guards followed close behind, giving me pause.

Where are my father’s guards? Why is Marchello here? Why was Milo guarding the front door?

Milo dashed after me, and the realization hit me like an obvious ton of bricks. I was marching into the middle of a battle. A battle that no one could win.

I stormed into the room and inserted myself between two loaded guns, not caring about the consequences. At this point, what did I have to lose?

“Stop it!” I shouted. “What is wrong with you?”

“Lissia.” My father sighed. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“Are you here to kill him?” I asked Marchello as I searched for the truth in his irritated expression.

“I agree with your father for once.” Marchello inched closer to my dad. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“Are you sure?” I whispered.

Marchello glared at me and then at my father as he shielded me with his larger-than-life frame.

“Am I supposed to be impressed that you would remove her from the line of fire you created?” My father waved his gun at Marchello. “We’re in this mess because you couldn’t stay away from her.”

“We’re in this mess because you tried to kill me.”

“And me,” I said. “Do you remember that?”

“That was an accident.” My father shook his head. “But I could also blame you because if you weren’t sleeping with the enemy, none of this would be happening.”

“You’re right.” I glanced between both of their loaded guns, knowing this wasn’t going to end well if I didn’t come up with a compromise. “I’d be sleeping with an abusive, lunatic arms dealer if you had your way.”

“Gian,” Marchello said. “Drop your gun. There’s no way out of this. You’re surrounded.”

“Do you see the lengths your captor will go to?” my dad asked. “You keep complaining about Danny, but Marchello is far worse. He’s willing to kill me in front of you. Will you go back to his bed after he does?”

“Shut up!” Marchello raised his arm, aiming the gun at my father’s head.

Why did neither of them look as stressed as I felt?

“Stop it!” I got in between both of them again.

“Lissia!” Marchello reached for me.

I stumbled back against my father, who took the opportunity to use me as a shield.

“Call them off, Marchello, or they will take her with me,” he said.

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