Chapter 31 – Althea #2
Tipping my chin with his fingers, Hex forces our eyes to meet. “He genuinely cares about you. You know that, don’t you?”
“Caring for someone isn’t the same as loving them.”
“But isn’t it?” he replies. “With Enzo, it is. Look at how he jumped between you and Nazario. How he didn’t hurt you for the blade you threw at him?
And when the order came to handle you as a traitor, he chose to marry you instead of killing you.
That tells you all you need to know. The question is, do you love him? ”
I think back to the way I felt wrapped in Enzo’s arms earlier. Naked, bound, safe.
Shit. Do I?
Fuck. I know the answer, but I don’t say it out loud. Not to Hex. If I’m going to admit it to anyone, it will be to Enzo. When the time is right.
Hex and I are making our way back to the house when a familiar voice shouting, “What have you done with my daughter?” has me running for the doors.
“Oh, shit. Papa!” I’m shouting as we rush through the back door of the patio.
“Papa, no!” Everything is happening so fast. I don’t have time to think.
I just act on instinct and jump in front of Enzo.
There’s a loud bang followed by a thud, but I don’t see what’s happened because I’ve been slammed to the ground with a hulking familiar body on top of me, pinning me out of harm’s way.
“Let me go!” I hear Papa shouting, raging mad.
“Enzo? Enzo. Get up. I need to help Papa.” Enzo is slow to move, only leaning up on his forearms, his eyes scanning over my face, my chest. The look of relief that comes over him when he realizes I’m not hurt tugs at my heart.
Reaching up with my hand, I cup his face and kiss his lips softly. “I’m okay. I’m not hurt. Are you?”
He shakes his head but still hasn’t spoken.
“Then get up, please. I need to help Papa before everything goes to shit. And we have a wedding to get ready for.” The smile that comes over his face is breath-taking.
If we weren’t in a world of shit right now, I’d ask him to take me back to the cottage and show me what that smile means, because I’m pretty sure I know.
And I would love it. I shove at his chest.
“Stavros is hurt,” someone calls from behind us. That gets Enzo moving.
“Papa! What the hell were you thinking? Is Stavros okay?” I ignore the fact that my father is being held by two of Nazario’s men while Papa’s guards and Nazario’s security team all have guns drawn on each other in a fucking standoff.
Instead, I choose to help Enzo get control of the bleeding in Stavros’s bicep.
Grabbing Enzo’s shirt as he pulls it off over his head, I put it over the bleeding wound and apply pressure while Enzo turns to face off with Papa.
“I’m all right, Miss Drakos. It’s just a flesh wound. What matters is that you and the boss are good.”
What?
Everything clicks into place in slow motion. Papa shouting. My coming in the back door. The shot fired. My jumping in front of Enzo. Enzo tackling me to the ground.
I spin on my heels, jumping to my feet, facing my father and scream, “You tried to kill my husband? Are you insane?”
The entire room has gone eerily quiet. I stalk to my father, jabbing a finger into his broad chest. All eyes are on me as I throw my hands up in the air and start again.
“What the hell were you thinking? You can’t just come into someone’s home and start shooting fucking people for no reason.
Especially not the man I’m about to marry! ”
“I didn’t know you were … You’re what ?” Papa shouts back. “Sebastian said this man kidnapped you. I came to take you home.” Papa fights against the guards hold unsuccessfully.
I pull my hair, frustrated, feeling overwhelmed and relieved all at the same time.
On the one hand, Papa thought I was in trouble and came to my rescue, but on the other he came storming in here intending to kill Enzo.
I’m seconds from losing my shit, and I don’t even know where I would begin, because everything is so fucking messed up.
Strong arms band around my waist from behind. Enzo’s scent surrounds me like a blanket, giving me a reason to breathe deeply.
He’s okay. I’m okay. We’re good. We’re good. I chant over and over in my head trying to force myself to calm down.
I turn into Enzo’s arms, giving in to the comfort his embrace gives and breathe in his strength. He’s anything but calm. Feeling his body vibrating beneath my touch, I kiss his bare chest once, twice, three times. He takes a deep breath, and his arms squeeze me tighter for a second.
When Enzo pulls back, he’s cradling my face in his hands.
“You good?” I nod. Then, Enzo pushes me back behind his bulging back and turns his anger on Papa.
“You could’ve fucking killed her !” He raises his arm with a knife I didn’t see him pull from his back, and I scramble to grab his wrist, halting his progress.
“ No ! No, Enzo.” I beg. “He didn’t mean it. It was a misunderstanding. Papa would never hurt me.”
“He damn near did.” He growls. “Unacceptable, baby. No one hurts you.”
“Yes, but that’s my fault. I jumped in front of him.” Swallowing hard, I whisper, “because he was aiming for you. I would’ve been hurt because I was protecting you.”
The air between us shifts. I don’t know what’s happening, but something has changed.
Enzo leans in close and speaks softly so only I can hear him.
“You’ll pay for that later. You don’t ever put your life in front of mine to protect me.
That’s not how this works. Understand?” My thighs clench, and Enzo kisses my forehead.
“All right. That’s enough.” Nazario growls, scrubbing his hand down his face. “Everyone lower your goddamn weapons. Caspien, no one kidnapped your daughter. As you can see, she’s just as fucking psycho as this asshole, and apparently, they’re getting married. Which I’m starting to see makes sense.”
“Papa, Sebastian lied to you. We think to get you to come here and start a war.”
Nazario cocks his brow at Papa, who looks confused and angry.
“Come on,” Nazario suggests. “Let’s get a drink and we can discuss what the fuck is going on.
” Papa looks to me. His men are standing beside him, their weapons still drawn.
Nazario’s men lower theirs as instructed.
We all wait with bated breath for Papa to give the order.
When he nods, his guards drop their guns.
“I want to talk to my supposed son-in-law first. In private.”
“No weapons!” I stand between the two men now. My gaze flicking between them both. “No weapons, or it’s not happening.” Both stubborn men stare at me like I’ve lost my mind, and maybe I have. But I’m not about to let these two get locked in a room without me and armed to the teeth.
When I don’t back down, they both agree in unison.
“Agreed.”
“Fine.”
I step into Papa, and he opens his arms to embrace me.
I squeeze him, letting him see for himself that I’m all right, then lean up and kiss his cheek before whispering in his ear, “Papa, please go easy on him. Not everything you’ve heard is true, but the way I feel about him is.
I love him, Papa.” I pull back and meet his eyes with mine and nod.
Papa’s eyes crinkle around the edges, studying me.
Searching for the lie. But he won’t find it.
I didn’t want to tell anyone before I told Enzo, but it might be the only way to guarantee my father won’t try to kill my groom.
Papa gives a curt nod of his own, and I finally release the breath I’ve been holding.