Page 14 of Sinful Daughter (Dark Mafia Sins 2)

“You dishonor my daughter, then ask for forgiveness?”

My father stalks toward Marco. One fist pulls him up before his other hand slaps Marco across the face. The sound echoes in the room. Italian curses spew out of my father’s mouth before he pushes him back to his knees.

“I meant no disrespect.” Although Marco is on his knees, his back is straight, and he stares my father in the eye.

Father pulls his gun out and aims it at Marco’s forehead. A gasp leaves me and my mother at the same time.

“I want to give her my last name. May I please have your permission to marry her?”

Oh no. I remember Marco’s picture in the pile of suitable husbands. I’m grateful to Marco for saving me like this, but I don’t want to marry him, or anyone else.

My father’s eyes narrow on me, waiting for my objection.

“Aria. Do I shoot him?” I’m asked.

Marco is looking straight ahead, refusing to look at me. He has no tears or begging in his eyes as he keeps them on my father. I swallow. I’m a bad person. Who takes their time in deciding if a man should die because they’re protecting my secret?

“Please don’t.” My eyes go from Marco to my father.

“Do you accept his proposal?” he asks, his gun pointed at Marco.

My breathing comes out harsh and irregular as I try to gain control of myself. I want to say yes, but it gets caught in my throat. My mouth is dry. In slow motion, my father pulls the trigger at the same time I yell, “Yes!”

His gun clicks, but no bullet leaves the chamber. Both Marco and I let out a breath we were holding.

My father smiles, putting his gun away, and offers Marco his hand. “Congratulations.” They shake hands as I realize I accepted a marriage proposal.

Everything happened so fast. My mind is still playing catch-up.

“Come, we have business to discuss.”

Marco gives me a soft smile while following my father out the door.

As the men walk away, my mother comes up to me. “He’s a suitable match. I think you’ll be happy with him.”

I’m going to be sick. My father made an opportunity to get his own way. I should have known better. He is conniving, smart, and ruthless. He always gets what he wants, and I gave him the perfect chance to make me agreeable.

Maybe I can convince Marco to take it back. Even as I think it, I’m smart enough to realize it will never happen.

I walk up the stairs to my room, and a new bodyguard is standing before my door. “Where is Leo?” I question.

“He doesn’t work here anymore.”

My mouth opens and closes before I slam my door shut. I’m left in the shadows of my room. Leaning back on my door, I bang my head three times. Now I need to figure out a way to get out of this arranged marriage.

I’m not allowedto leave the house. The compound is on lockdown, us girls under lock and key. We breathe the wrong way and our father’s guards tell him about it. He’s refusing to allow us out of the compound in fear of retaliation from the Mancinis. For the first time, we have ordered all the men out of our home and have placed extra guards on duty. I no longer have the privacy of swimming without armed guards on standby.

It’s believed the Mancinis stole our weapon shipments and then used them to shoot up one of our businesses. My family’s compound reminds me of a colony of ants right now. There is a constant hum of men coming and going at all hours. My father has locked himself away in meetings, and when he leaves, his bodyguards follow him. Only a few select men can talk to my father, and then those men give his orders out.

There’s chatter of my brother kidnapping someone important to the Mancinis in retaliation. I overheard they want to take their revenge by using her. I keep trying to get sneak peeks of this mystery girl, but my brother is keeping her stowed away in his wing of the house. It’s impossible to get close without looking like I’m searching her out.

My father is back to smiling at me when we pass in the house. I’ll let him keep being busy dealing with the family business, and whatever Luca has going on will keep him content. Hopefully, my pending marriage will be forgotten. I haven’t seen Marco, and my father has said nothing to me.

CHAPTER 10

Iknow whata hostile takeover looks like. My family is the master of doing it and making people believe they needed to say please and thank you afterward. My brother Luca’s wedding is no different. He’s forcing the girl he kidnapped to marry him. Mancinis don’t marry Rossis. Yet here we are, at their surprise wedding reception. This is how my family plans on getting revenge on the Mancinis for all the things they have done to us recently.

This is not a wedding to keep the peace or to balance out the power. This wedding is entirely for my father to have one up on the Mancinis. We have guards spaced out all over the room. They stand out compared to the Mancini guards, who pretend to be guests rather than the blunt force they’re trained to be. My brother’s kidnapping of Aly Mancini was the act that led to the not-so-silent war being fought right now.

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