Page 7 of Mafia Daddy

To my surprise, Cara speaks up suddenly. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," her voice is firm but shaking slightly. "Can we please change the subject?"

Her father and brother exchange looks but ultimately nod. "Fine," her father says with a sigh. "But you know that we only want what's best for you."

Bullshit, Benicio. It’s what’s best for you and your business. You’d skin her alive if you think it will give you more money and power.

Cara nods, but her chin is trembling. She’s trying to put on a brave face. My girl. My beautiful girl. She has more spirit than all of them combined.

When dinner is over, Benicio and Lucio leave the room to take a phone call, leaving Cara and Lucas alone at the table. Cara’s eyes dart to me as Lucas leans in and whispers something to her ear, but his voice is loud enough for me to hear.

"Listen, Cara," Lucas begins. "You need to start behaving yourself. Your family is thrilled about this marriage and I won't have you ruining it."

Cara looks at him with a mix of fear and anger in her eyes. "What do you mean, ‘behaving yourself’? I haven't done anything wrong."

Lucas smiles, showing off his teeth even the best dentists in the world would cringe at. "You know exactly what I mean," he hisses. "I won't tolerate any more of your nonsense. You're going to be my wife, and you'll do as I say."

Cara's eyes widen in horror as Lucas stands up and walks out of the room, leaving her alone at the table. Her brows pull together, and a pained expression crosses her beautiful features. I breathe slowly because I’m dangerously close to losing it. My wafer-thin patience is about to snap.

I'm struggling to keep my anger in check, my veins throbbing with the effort of holding back. If not for her, I would have unleashed my fury on everyone else.

My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms as I fight the urge to lash out. The sound of my breathing fills my ears, ragged and uneven, and I try to get myself under control.

The more I try to suppress my anger, the more it threatens to consume me. My eyes dart around the room, looking for a way out, an escape from the suffocating outrage.

Cara catches my eye, and something shifts in me. It’s like a bucket of cold water being poured over me, dousing the flames of my anger.

I take a deep breath, the air filling my lungs, and try to focus on something else instead. If I beat Lucas and Benicio, it will only upset Cara. They have her to thank. They’d be heading to the ER if not for her. Even if I can’t do anything to them right now, the moment they touch her. All bets are off.

4

CARA

Anger is coming off Carlo in waves as he leads me to my room. I know he’s just as furious as I am, and I can't help but feel grateful for his presence. He could have easily lost his temper and started a scene, but he didn't. He stayed calm for my sake, and it makes me feel warm all over.

He doesn’t seem like a man who can be tamed. He’s wild, does what he wants, and is essentially unstoppable if he puts his mind to something. But he did it. For me. Something no one has ever done before.

We enter my room and Carlo sits down next to me on the bed. He looks around, taking in my childhood photos and the little trinkets on my nightstand. He’s probably looking for a distraction.

He stretches out and picks up one of the pictures. In this photo, I was a little girl, smiling innocently at the camera. "Cute," he says, and for the first time since dinner, I see a genuine smile on his face. The sight makes my heart flutter, and for a moment, I forget about my problems.

Carlo puts the picture back down and takes my hand, his eyes locking onto mine. "I promise you, Cara. I won't ever let you cry ever again," he says, his voice firm and filled with steely resolve.

My heart swells at his words, and I want nothing more than to tell him how I feel about him and how much I appreciate him. For the short time I’ve known him, he’s done more for me than my entire family. Protected me, made me smile, saved me, stood up for me, and watched me like a hawk. For someone who never knew what ‘safe’ and ‘happy’ feels like since I was a child, he makes me feel that and so much more.

The words get stuck in my throat and I simply nod.

Our stolen time together is interrupted by a knock on my door, and I hear a loud voice say, “Miss, your father requests your presence. He’s waiting for you in his study.”

A thousand thoughts come to my head at once. This seems like the perfect time for me to confront my father and tell him I don't want to marry Lucas.

I turn to look at Carlo. “I’ll be back. Just wait for me here.”

He shakes his head vehemently as he refuses. I try to convince him that it won't be appropriate and that I need to face my father alone. Reluctantly, Carlo agrees to stay put.

The sound of my heels clicking against the marble floor echoes loudly around me as I make my way down the hall. My mind is racing with thoughts of what I’m about to face. I still can't believe that my father would want to go through with this sham of a marriage. I know It's up to me to be strong and stand up for myself.

It’s about time.

I finally reach the door of my father's study. I hesitate for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. It takes a moment for me to gather courage before I open the door.

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