Page 18 of Blood Ties

His arms wrapped around me when I slammed into him. He barely rocked from the collision. I lost track of time as he held me and I shuddered.

Finally, I separated from the man who had raised me. He glanced from me to Alessio. I knew he was taking in our damp hair and the clothing I was wearing. Then he scanned every visible area of Alessio’s home. There likely wasn’t a single detail in the condo he missed.

“Whiskey?” Alessio asked as he held his own glass up and gestured to the others.

“The floor is secure?” my dad asked first.

“I assure you it is,” Alessio immediately replied.

My father’s callused hand wrapped around mine as he drew me along with him. He took one glass and handed it to me. He lifted the other to sniff it before he took a sip, then he nodded to me.

Alessio let loose a dark chuckle. “Afraid I poisoned it? I assure that’s not my M.O.”

“Oh, I know what your M.O. is,” my dad replied in a deceptively soft tone. “If I was worried, I wouldn’t have given one to my daughter first. I just wondered at your taste.”

Confused, I glanced from one to the other. Their calculating gazes locked on each other had me warily sipping from the glass and nearly choking on the instant heavy burn of the potent alcohol.

After a few quiet moments, Dad glanced at me, then returned his attention to Alessio. “Now, I want to know what the hell is going on.”

For the briefest blink of an eye, Alessio’s poise faltered. Then he appeared to carefully weigh his words before he spoke.

“Nivea’s stepmother, Jade, has a hit on her. I have no idea how many she’s hired or who they are,” he finally said.

Though Alessio had already told me this, hearing it again sent my heart into a thunderous rhythm. The deep gold liquid in my glass shook with the tremble in my hand.

“Why?” I whispered.

“She claims that Nivea killed Justin,” Alessio explained, answering my question, but only watching my father.

And that was another blow to my psyche. That anyone in their right mind would think I had killedanyone, let alone Justin. It fucked with my head and hurt my heart.

“That’s utter bullshit. Who the fuck would believe that shit?” my dad ground out.

Alessio winced but quickly covered it. It didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.

My dad rolled his eyes and shook his head with a huff.

“I realize that it’s ridiculous.” Alessio boldly held my father’s gaze.

My dad’s penetrating gaze narrowed, then he seemed to relax. He gave Alessio a curt nod.

“I’ll take care of her.”

I frowned at my dad’s words. “I can take care of myself,” I muttered. Though in this case, I knew damn well that if it hadn’t been for Alessio today, I wouldn’t be here having this conversation.

And that was a sobering thought.

The two men gave each other an understanding stare, then my dad turned to me. “That’s not what I was referring to, Niv. But there are some things that I don’t want touching you.”

His reply seemed to have a double meaning as Alessio’s expression turned to stone, yet he added, “Agreed.”

“Fine. Speak in your little secret man-code. But I need to go home. I have a project I’m in the middle of that I need to have finished,” I insisted before I placed my glass forcefully on the bar.

“You already told your mom that you were ahead on that. All I need is a week. She’ll be safe here?” My dad arched a brow at Alessio with his last question.

“Of course. I share the condo with my younger brother, Leo, but he’s out of the country for a few weeks. His room is at the end of the hall to the right, mine is on the left. The two rooms in the middle each have their own bathrooms. You can choose whichever you prefer. There should be toiletries in both.” Alessio explained.

My father’s dark-blond eyebrows lifted higher, and I realized that Alessio had pretty much given away that either I’d showered in his brother’s bathroom, or his. With everything else he’d noticed earlier, I’d put money on the fact he knew we’d showered together.

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