CHAPTER 20
C HAPTER 20
MADDOX
I listened to my father argue with Angelo on the phone, tapping my foot impatiently as I sat on the couch across from his office desk.
Angelo had one job. One damn job. And, as usual, he found a way to screw it up.
“Fuck,” my father cursed, slamming the phone down on the desk. His voice echoed through the room, making even his men jump back a little. I stared at him blankly, not even flinching.
“What?” I asked, feeling the last bit of my patience slip away.
“Your brother fucked up, like always,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I have to go deal with this in person.”
He stood up, but I stopped him. I was done with his evasive bullshit. I was taller than him, looking down at his face with my grip tightening on his arm.
“What happened?” I asked, my voice sharp and unwavering.
I hated repeating myself. And my father knew that.
His bodyguards, clearly thinking they were in control, reached for their guns. I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.
My father must’ve known it wasn’t worth it. He waved them off, a rare moment of wisdom.
Once they left the room, I released his arm, but my stare didn’t waver. He took a step back, putting distance between us.
“They want us out of Italy,” he said, his voice lowering. “They don’t want our business in this territory anymore.”
I shot him a look.
“So what?” I responded coldly. “Everyone wants Italy. But it’s ours. It’s always been ours.”
But something was off. I could see it in his eyes. The hesitation. He was hiding something.
“I need to think about our next move.”
My father ignored my words as he paced the room. His hands ran through his hair in agitation, his mind clearly elsewhere.
“They’ll regret messing with our family. But for now, we’ll back off from Italy.”
“What?” I couldn’t hold back a cold, bitter laugh.
Without another glance in my direction, he turned and left, the door slamming behind him. I stood there, alone in the dark again, the weight of his words sinking in.
Something was happening behind my back—something serious enough to turn my father, the man who never backed down, into a coward. H e was willing to step away from Italy, something he would never do willingly. Italy was the heart of our empire, our biggest income. A significant part of our business flows through there.
If my father’s backing down, then something or someone is scaring him.
And I’m going to find out what.
*****
ALLYN
I ordered food, and it arrived just as Angelo finished his call and joined me on the couch. Everything on the menu looked tempting, so I ordered almost everything. I wasn’t sure what he’d want to eat, but I figured that was the safest bet.
If he seemed off before, now he was completely wrecked.
He drank a whole glass of whiskey before sitting down next to me. That was the first sign something was wrong.
“Can you tell me what’s going on?” I asked, my voice more vulnerable than I intended.
“Nothing to worry your mind with,” he muttered, pouring himself another drink. I cleared my throat, taking a bite of the steak.
“So, you’re just going to keep me in the dark?”
“Drop it, Allyn,” he snapped, giving me a cold look before taking a sip of his whiskey.
Now, he was acting just like Maddox. That same detached, distant attitude. It grated on my nerves. I could feel my frustration building.
“This isn’t going to work if you’re not honest with me.”
He laughed, shaking his head as if I were being ridiculous. “What are you talking about?”
I jabbed my finger between us.
“This. Us. This whole arrangement. It won’t work out if you keep secrets from me all the time.”
He picked up a plate of pasta, not bothering to look at me as he spoke.
“One day, maybe,” he muttered, his voice low and distant. “But not now.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“That’s not fair,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
“Life’s not fair.”
And that was it. My last nerve snapped. I put the plate down with a thud, turning to face him.
“You know what? Screw you,” I spat, frustration spilling from me as I stood to leave. But before I could take a step, I felt his hand tighten around mine.
One swift tug, and I was pulled back onto the couch, dangerously close to him.
We were close enough to feel each other’s breath. His gaze lingered on my face, his eyes searching, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle he was trying to solve. I could feel the warmth of his breath brushing over my skin, and my mind went blank. My body didn’t move, frozen as if it were locked in place.
Then, before I could even react, Angelo leaned in, his lips meeting mine in a kiss.
It hit me like a shock wave, leaving my body numb and my brain too slow to process what was happening.
His hand slid to my cheek, his fingers caressing me gently, as though savoring the moment. His eyes closed, surrendering to the kiss, but I stayed wide-eyed, trapped in disbelief.
His lips were soft, but they were cold, foreign, and somehow wrong. And yet, he was eager, his kiss deepening, pressing for more, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
I pulled away, creating space between us, my breath shallow as I struggled to regain my composure. I didn’t want to meet his eyes again, not when I could see no trace of guilt, no hesitation. Instead, there was only something darker—desire, raw and undeniable, burning in his gaze.
As if he wanted more than I could give.
“I think I’m going to bed,” I whispered, barely finding the strength to get the words out. “It was a long day.”
“Sure, damn right it was,” he breathed out, his voice low, pulling away from me. “Go get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
He shot me a weak smile, and that was my cue to leave. The coward in me didn’t even hesitate.
I stood and walked away, my feet moving mechanically.
As soon as I was in my room, the kiss replayed in my mind— over and over.
I couldn’t stop it, no matter how hard I tried.
Just a day after kissing his brother.
I was officially royally screwed.