Page 63 of Vicious Vows

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

“Lunch?”

“It’s ten o’clock.”

“Wait.” Ricardo grabbed my hand and put me behind him. “Let me have a look around. It is kind of desolate up here.”

“Don’t be silly.” I motioned down the steps. “There’s a ton of people in the showroom. I don’t think we’re going to get ambushed.”

“You never know around here.” He tossed a concerned look over his linebacker shoulder. “I don’t want you to get kidnapped or worse.”

“When did you become my guard again?”

“I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean Marchello doesn’t expect me to look out for you.” He stopped when we got to the empty desk. “I can’t afford another blow to my head.”

“I’ll make sure he never does that again.” I stepped around him, noting the three guards standing outside Nico’s office. “They weren’t there before. What do you think is going on?”

“We should probably go back downstairs,” Ricardo said. “Stay out of trouble and all.”

“Don’t judge me,” a familiar voice said.

“That’s my dad.” I moved toward the office. “What’s he doing here?”

“Wait.” Ricardo blocked me. “You shouldn’t interfere in this.”

“Why not? I’m part of all of this. If I can stop it, I’m going to.”

“I’ve looked out for her since the day Rosalie found out she was pregnant,” my dad said.

“I need to find out why he’s here.” I touched Ricardo’s bicep. “I have to make sure they don’t kill one another.”

“See what I mean about being determined.” Ricardo shook his head. “I don’t want it to backfire on you.”

“I don’t back down from much.” I nodded toward the door. “Let’s go.”

The closer we got to Nico’s office, the more audible the words became. These were not happy voices or “inside” voices for that matter.

“Were you looking out for her when you tried to marry her off to Collins?” Marchello’s tone was laced with fury. “Did you have her best interest at heart when she called you and asked you to come and get her, and you sent Collins instead?”

Oh no.Nothing good could come from this conversation.

“I miscalculated,” my father said. “I should have come for her. If I had, she never would have gone back to you.”

“Did you miscalculate when you sent that fucking scum to kill my brother and me?” Marchello shouted. “Was it a mistake when your daughter, who you claim to love, got shot instead?”

“What?” My stomach churned.

“Lissia.” Ricardo took my hand. “Don’t go in there.”

“That never should have happened.” My father’s fury matched Marchello’s. “If she wasn’t with you, none of that would have happened. This is your fault.”

“I’m not the one who shot her,” Marchello said. “You get that honor all to yourself.”

“No,” I whispered. “That can’t be.”

I let go of Ricardo’s hand and stormed into the office to find Marchello in my father’s face and Milo holding him back.

“Daddy? What is he saying?”

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