Page 13 of Dangerous Intent

“Marchello is right,” my dad said. “You are under this family’s protection, but there are measures we’re going to have to take to keep you safe until I can undo this deal and bring down this operation.”

“You’ve already completed the first step.” Her voice was low and broken. “That’s why you came back. You didn’t just order that hit, did you?”

“You wanted to know if I avenged my sons.” My father stood in front of us, gazing down at her. He tilted her chin up. “I did what I had to do, but they weren’t the only ones I avenged that night. You have a lot to consider.”

She never took the path of least resistance. Her impulsive behavior wouldn’t allow it. But I would lock her in the bedroom until we resolved this situation if I had to.

“We can keep you safe.” My father stared into her frightened eyes. “Do you stand with us even though I’m responsible for the death of your father? Can you live among us knowing who we are? What we are capable of?”

She swallowed hard as tears streamed down her face. I hoped Gian rotted in hell for every horrible thing he had done to his daughter.

“I don’t need the answers to these questions.” My father released her from his hold. “But my son does.”

I stood and extended my hand for her. “I’m going to bring Lissia upstairs. She’s had a rough couple days.”

They were about to get even harder.

“Milo and I will take care of business,” my father said. “You take care of Lissia.”

Lissia took my hand, but when she stood, her knees buckled and she fell into me. I held her close, guiding her out of the study and to the main staircase.

When I scooped her into my arms, she didn’t fight me, and I carried her upstairs to the left wing of the massive estate. My father’s wing was in the center, and Milo’s and mine were on either side of his. We co-existed in the house as a family, but it was large enough for us to have our own space.

Now, more than ever, Lissia and I needed that privacy.

Once we entered my suite, I closed the door and set her on the couch in the sitting room. I knelt down in front of her and removed her shoes to rub her tired feet.

“Your father,” she said. “Shouldn’t he have sent someone to eliminate my father? I mean, he’s Nico Accetti. How did he just…”

“Walk up to your father on a busy street and assassinate him?”

She nodded.

“He’s a very determined man. When he wants something done, he gets it done.” I got up and took off my jacket. After draping it over the chair, I removed my gun from the back of my pants. “But you’re right, that’s not something he does on a regular basis.”

“You knew?”

“I had a feeling.” I took off my tie and unbuttoned my shirt. “I didn’t know about the transaction or your father being responsible for the auction until today. I thought Collins acted alone.”

“How could he do that to me?” She pushed her hair from her face. “I knew he was mad at me but… This can’t be happening.”

“You need to process all of this.” I sat next to her and took her hands in mine, glancing down at her engagement ring. “I’ll be right by your side.”

“Your father murdered mine. That’s a lot to process.”

“He explained why he did it.”

“That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“No, it doesn’t, but we’re going to have to deal with that later.” I caressed her cheek. “My main priority is keeping you safe.”

“Am I safe here? Because my whole world has been blown apart. I don’t know who I am or where I’m headed.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I clenched my jaw and lifted her hand to point to her ring. “You know where you’re headed. You belong to me.”

When she didn’t reassure me that she would be my wife, something inside me snapped. After all we had been through, now she wanted to have doubts?

“The truth is harsh,” I said. “I get that. Your father was a prick, but now that you know the truth, you have to make a choice.”

---