Page 52 of Did My Heart Love Till Now?

My father chuckled. “I’m so glad you’re finally seeing things my way.” He reached over, slapping Nick on the shoulder blade then turned to me and shook his toast. “You see, you could learn a few things from Nicky.” He ambled to the table and sat at the head. He then pointed to my usual chair.

Instead, I perched on a bar stool at the kitchen island and swallowed hard.

“I think you know when I fucking point to a chair,” he growled, “you sit in that goddamn chair.”

Sheepishly, I slid off the stool and gave Nick a worried expression. He averted his gaze to the floor. As I passed him, he grabbed a handful of my hair and jerked my head back against his chest. It did not hurt much, but it was hard enough to be convincing.

My father laughed as he took a piece of bacon from the middle of the table and tossed it onto his plate.

“Maybe she should be taught a lesson like you taught me.” Nick snarled, shoving me back toward the island to safety. “Because clearly what you did to her isn’t going to work.”

My father waved him off with the back of his hand. “Fine, fine, Nicky.” He pushed his plate away and folded his arms in front of him, resting them on the table. “Take her away and torture her until she gives you information on Gavino.”

“Wait!” I gasped, shocked at my dad’s words. “Nooo! Are you freaking serious?!” While I knew I was supposed to go along with what Nick was doing, it both pained and shocked me that my father would say such a thing. However, I put on the performance of a lifetime. “This is insane! How can you do this?!” I tried my best to force tears. A single tear trickled down my cheek. Anger bubbled inside my heart.

My father ignored me, taking a bite of eggs.

Nick's eyes darted toward me and enlarged. He bit the inside of his cheek and pursed his lips, possibly trying not to smile. He spun to our father. “Dad, can I take her now?"

My father nodded, lifting a napkin to his lips and wiping it. He rested his arms on either side of the placemat. “Yes, but I cannot send you alone.”

Nick cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, what?”

My father ran his tongue across teeth. His face turned a crimson red. Uh oh. This was not good. He pointed a butter knife at Nick. “If you fuck this up, you better make sure you hide and hide well, because you will pray for death.”

Without further hesitation, Nick grabbed my elbow roughly, and dragged me into the hallway out of sight as my father watched on, laughing under his breath. I pleaded with all my might. Once far enough away that my father would not know, Nick immediately stood me straight and kept walking. I followed closely behind.

“Keep up, Sofia.” He muttered.

He threw open the door leading into the garage and pressed the button to lift the large, metal exit. He remote-started his dark grey Z4 BMW. “Get in.”

Silently, we both slid into the car and slammed our doors. He shifted the car in reverse and sped backward then drove toward the gate. “Duck down.” The minute the front entrance opened enough for him to fit the car through, he zipped out, speeding past all the people camping outside our property. Once we were a few streets beyond our house he huffed. “You're good now.”

Taking an unsteady breath, I leaned my head on the window. “Nick what the fuck?”

He gulped. “Before you came into the kitchen, he told me he wanted me to kill you.”

Mouth agape, I gasped audibly. “WHAT?!”

He nodded. “He told me to kill you after you give me any information you've gotten from Gavino. He had a little plan of his own before you entered. While we were acting, he was as well.”

“Are y—”

He cracked a frown at me. “Do not even finish that sentence. I think I’ve more than proved my loyalty to protecting you and your dumb choices.”

My body became limp, and I crumbled against the back of the seat. I picked my nails, fidgeting. My eyes welled with tears as the realization hit me fully. This was still all my fault. It was because I spoke to Gavino that night at the club. I wanted to run away and never look back. If my father was capable of beating his own flesh and blood and ordering his own son to kill his daughter, what would that mean for the future. After thirty minutes of weeping, I was finally able to gain control over my emotions. My brother allowed me to cry it out. He knew me well enough to know that was what I needed at that moment.

“So, where does dad think I'm going?”

He glanced out his window and in the mirrors before he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Not anywhere like where you're about to be, that's for sure.” He glimpsed my way with a smirk before turning his attention back to the road.

“He hates us.” I exhaled.

“I’m beginning to think that everything will come to a head soon and I’ll have to make the toughest decision on the planet.”

I squinted nervously running my fingertips up and down my arm. “Dare I ask?”

He shook his head while gnawing the inside of his cheek.

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