Page 55 of Sinful Daughter (Dark Mafia Sins 2)

“Let me handle your father.” With reluctance, I pull myself off her, unsure of my fate once I deliver her safely to her father, who’s waiting at home for us.

CHAPTER 35

Theo is alive.I prayed for this each night and thought it went unanswered. I keep glancing at him, not trusting my eyes. My father saw how devastated I was when Theo died. He watched my pain when he could have made it better.

My hand reaches out and touches his arm.Not a ghost. “How long has my father known?” I can’t stop staring at him. He looks different but very much the same. His smile is the one I remember, his eyes crinkle like they used to, and his presence still makes my heart speed up. I keep thinking if I take my eyes off him, he’ll disappear.

“The whole time. He was about to kill me, but I told him how much I loved you. He gave me one more chance to join him.”

My fingers fly to my wide-open mouth. He doesn’t have to tell me what a sacrifice that was. I already know. His job was his life. “Do you hate me for what he’s made you do?” My heart is pounding faster than a telegraph.

Theo glances at me, then back at the road. “I would never regret anything that has to do with you.” His hand moves from the steering wheel and squeezes my thigh. My body relaxes at his touch.

“I’m sorry for what my father has done. I’ll make it better. I’ll get you your old life back.”

Theo stops the van in my driveway, leaning over me. His masculine scent swirls around, and all I want to do is kiss him. I want us to disappear forever and be together.

He twirls a piece of my long hair around his finger. His hand stays by my head as his entire body leans into my space.

“Aria, stop. I made my choice, and I’m happy with it. What makes me unhappy is you not smiling.” He pauses, his lips hovering just above mine. My heart is beating for him. “Let me deal with your father.” Torturing me further, he kisses the side of my lips before he sits back in his seat. My chest is rising and falling, unable to catch my breath because of him.

The van stares out at my family’s home. We step out and face the complex that looks darker than normal. But I know when we walk in, everyone will be in there waiting for us. I grab Theo’s hand, never wanting to let go of him again.

We walk through the doors together, and my father is waiting for us. He has his angry face on. His eyes are large, his lips pressed firmly together in a flat line. He stands with a gun in his hands, his legs wide.

“You’ve disobeyed orders,” my father says pointedly to Theo.

Theo is calm, looking my father in the eyes. I hold his hand tighter, scared for him. “Aria was at risk. I did my job.”

My father scoffs. “The fire was put out before AJ left with Gia and Katrina. The risk was minimal.”

“There’s no such thing as a minimal risk when it comes to Aria.” Theo holds my father’s eyes as he talks back to him. I gulp down the saliva collecting in my mouth. No one talks back to my father. Not even us girls can get away with that consequence-free.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t shoot you right now.” My father points his gun at him, not even bothering to tell me to move. The man in front of me is the head boss of the family, not my dad. He will not think twice about killing Theo while I hold his hand.

“I love your daughter and will protect her at all costs.” Theo stands taller, his head held high.

He takes the safety off with a click. “Not good enough.”

All I can think about is Theo giving me his bulletproof vest, risking his life for me. Without hesitation, I step in front of him.

“I love him, Daddy.” Tears well in my eyes.

“Move out of the way, Aria,” my father says slowly, gritting his teeth. The gun is pointed at my chest, the same place it was on Theo moments ago.

“Sir, I want to marry your daughter,” Theo announces, his voice determined while stepping around me. He places me beside him, out of the way for when or if my father follows through. “I want to be part of your family, in her life.”

I hold my breath, waiting to see what my father does. His finger hovers over the trigger. Theo turns from my father and looks down at me. He gets down on one knee, taking my hand. “Aria Rossi, will you marry me?”

I have never seen anyone disobey my father before and live to talk about it. I fall to my knees, hugging him. “Yes!” I cry.

“Aria, move away from Theo.” My father’s hard voice cuts into my happy moment.

Theo unlatches my arms from his neck and has to pry my fingers from him. I refuse to let him go to have my father murder him.

“Daddy, no, I’m begging you.”

Theo moves me from him to my mother’s arms. He gives me one more kiss on the cheek. I can’t go on with that as my last kiss. Escaping my mother’s hold, I go to Theo, kissing him properly. I don’t care who’s watching. If this is to be our last kiss, I’m going to make it a good one.

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