Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
Lissia
Leaving my captor wasn’t something I wanted to do. I had to do it.
The alternative would be to stay here and let this war between our families escalate to the point where someone died.
Why did making the right decision hurt so much?
As desperate as leaving Marchello felt, staying would be far worse.
My father could be reasoned with if I went about it in a way he would understand. I would make him see that Marchello was not his enemy. If he could accept that the two of us were together, he could call a truce. Our families didn’t have to be rivals.
I set the pen on the nightstand and folded the note I had just written in half. My hand trembled as I placed the goodbye-for-now letter in the center of the bed.
Marchello would be furious when he realized what I had done. I hoped this note would help ease some of that rage.
Curling up on his side of the bed, I held his pillow close to my chest. If I could stay with him forever, I would, but there would be no forever in our future without trying to appeal to my father.
I closed my eyes. I hadn’t made anything easy for Marchello the last few weeks, but somehow, he’d begun to drop his tough exterior. There were even moments when he let me in—when we seemed like a normal couple.
I stood in the doorway of the study, holding the plate of brownies he and I had made together. He was lost in paperwork. His business had been suffering because of me. He wasn’t there to do what needed to be done at the dealership and that weighed heavily on him.
I couldn’t stop gawking. His short-sleeved black shirt showed off his muscles and tattoos in the most prominent display of perfection. The red and black ink popped off his arms, bringing each elaborate piece of art to life.
“What’s got you so intrigued?” He pushed the papers away from him.
“The view.”
“You like what you see?”
“Doesn’t every woman you encounter like what she sees?” I asked. “You must know how appealing you are.”
“I’m not interested in every woman I encounter.” He motioned for me to join him. “Just the one standing in front of me.”
Heat rose from my neck and settled into my cheeks. Of all the filthy words that fell from his lips, none of them made me blush the way his sweet words did.
He nodded toward the plate. “What’s this?”
“The brownies were cool enough to cut. I thought we should try them together.”
He pushed the chair away from his desk, making room for me to sit on the edge. I skipped into the room and sat across from him, placing the plate in my lap.
“They look good.” He rested his hands on my legs. “You did a fantastic job.”
“You did most of the work.”
“We did it together.” He squeezed my thighs.“It has been a long time since I baked brownies. I had forgotten how relaxing being in the kitchen could be.”
“I like doing things with you.”
“Do you like being trapped in this house with me?”
“What’s the alternative?” I asked. “Are you going to let me go?”
“Do you want me to let you go?” His calm, steady voice unsettled me. Did he know that Ricardo had been about to give me his phone when he walked into the kitchen?
“It would make things easier for you, wouldn’t it?”
“When have you ever made my life easier?” He smiled. “This conversation is pointless because you’re staying with me.”
“You’re a brave man.” I broke off a piece of the brownie and fed it to him. “I can’t believe you didn’t release me from captivity after that first night.”
“Believe me, I thought about it.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I’m not going to give all my secrets away.” He winked.
I fed him another piece of the brownie.“What do you think?”
“They are moist.” He smirked. “Kind of like something else.”
“Is that all you think about?” I giggled and bit into my own piece. The brownie practically melted in my mouth.
Marchello lowered his gaze to my lips as I chewed. “It’s your fault because you’re so delicious.”
“Am I?” I took another bite, licking the crumbs from my bottom lip.
“Sweeter than anything I’ve ever tasted.” He moved the plate from my lap and set it on the desk before caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. “You seem to have captivated me, princess.”
“Lucky you.” I brushed my thumb along his jaw. “I’m very particular about who I give my time to.”
“I don’t think you had much of a choice in this case.” He swiped his lips along mine, stopping for a soft kiss. “I’ve taken all of your time.”
“More like you’ve stolen all of my time, but I don’t mind.” I shimmied closer to him and draped my arms over his shoulders. “You’re growing on me.”
“I’m growing on you?” He laughed harder than I’d ever seen him laugh before. The sound came from deep inside his chest and lit up his whole face. He was beautiful.
“What’s so funny?” I couldn’t help but laugh with him.
“Nothing, your highness.” He kissed me long and slow. “Nothing at all.”
The closeness of that moment spoke volumes. For the first time since meeting, it seemed we were meant for one another. We were finally on the same page.
Too bad I’m about to blow it all to hell.
But that was what I did. Every time something worked in my life, I decided it wasn’t enough. I always needed more. Things could always be better. I always wanted what someone else had. I had to have the best. I needed to be the best. And then, once I grew bored, I moved on to the next big thing.
The spoiled mafia princess who always got her way. Her father gave her everything and then some. That was what they said about me.
Stop it! Not this time.
No, this time I was trying to put Marchello and his family before me. I wanted to stop what was brewing between our families before it was too late.
I got up from the bed and smoothed out the comforter that I wouldn’t be falling asleep in, wrapped in Marchello’s arms after we made love. Would he miss me as much as I would ache for him?
Would I even be able to sleep without him?
I took a deep breath. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner we could be together.
I shuffled down the hallway, trying my best not to cause the stairs to squeak as I placed my foot on each one. I didn’t want to have to face Ricardo. I had already made him enough of an accomplice. He didn’t deserve Marchello’s wrath.
When I turned the handle on the door, I paused for a moment. A strange sensation of guilt came over me because Marchello must have trusted me to have not locked me in while he was away.
He would soon learn to regret that mistake. I could envision the furious look in his eyes when he realized I had left him. He wouldn’t understand my choice. Not right away. But in time, he would accept what I had done. He would see that I was forging a path for the two of us to be together. Wouldn’t he?
I couldn’t think about that now. I had to leave while I could. As soon as I got to my father, I would plead my case.
What a long way I had come since the night Marchello kidnapped me. That night, he was the enemy I could use to help me get out of that vile arranged marriage. But now…
I walked away from the safe house, rage simmering within me. How had my father even asked that of me? What kind of parent married off their daughter against her will, especially to a man like Danny?
I mean, if it had been to Marchello, that would have been a different story. I would have still put up a fight, but mostly for show. Marchello was my soulmate. There had never been anyone who understood me the way he did.
He saw who I was and wanted me anyway.
But what if Marchello couldn’t forgive me? What if he couldn’t see the long-term goal in what I tried to achieve? Was I doing the right thing?
I’ll make him see. I’ll do whatever it takes. As long as he’s alive, my efforts will be worth it.
The wind kicked up as I reached the edge of the property, shaking the leaves that were more sparse than when I had first arrived at this house. The chrysanthemums were in full bloom and the grass wasn’t as green.
I waited a few minutes, but there was no sign of my father’s car. Would he send a guard? Maybe Michael would come for me.
Despite what Marchello and my father had done to one another over the last few weeks, I didn’t regret my choices. They were impulsive and hasty, but when had I ever thought anything through? That attitude seemed to work for me. Why stop now?
I hustled down the road. Was I doing something wrong? Why did I feel like a fugitive?
A black car pulled up a few feet from me and stopped. It wasn’t my father’s usual mode of transportation, but maybe he had sent someone else in his place.
I put one shaky foot in front of the other and made my way to the car. My heart raced when I thought about confronting my father. He wasn’t going to be pleased with me.
You can do this… You can do this…
The driver’s side door opened, but no one got out. Alarm bells went off in my head. The longer I waited, the more an urge to flee took over, but it was too late. I had already given up the location of the safe house.
If my father had double-crossed me, I could have made Marchello a target. Why didn’t I think this through? Damn impulses!
After a second or two, the car door widened, and the driver exited the vehicle. My throat went dry, and my cheeks burned with frightened tears. The confirmation that my father had double-crossed me stared me dead in the face.
“Hello, Lissia.” Danny came to the back of the car and leaned against it. “Surprised to see me?”
His blond hair was a little longer than a few weeks ago, but his blue eyes were just as icy. They still made my stomach churn. Through blurry eyes, I straightened my posture and sucked in an infuriated breath.
“Where is my father?” I asked, assessing my extremely slim options. My stubbornness refused to allow me to believe I had lost this battle.
“Daddy isn’t coming.” He tapped his fingers on the car. “He sent me to retrieve you.”
“Why?” I whispered. “How could my father do this to me?”
“Because he honors his deals.” Danny pointed at me. “You were promised to me. I intend to collect one way or another.”
“No.” I stepped back. “I told my dad I didn’t want to marry you. He said I could come home. He wouldn’t… I wouldn’t have to marry you.”
“Maybe you should have gotten that in writing.” He glanced at the path behind me. He had me cornered, and he knew it. “You never should have gone to Marchello that night. I don’t have time to deal with him now, but he’s going to get what’s coming to him.”
“No.”
“We might have been able to settle this like gentlemen, but because you interfered, I’m going to kill him slowly. I’ll torture him in ways you can’t imagine. Maybe I’ll make you watch so you’ll know not to fuck with me again.”
“You’re sick and twisted!”
“When I slit his throat, he can look into your traitorous eyes and know you’re the reason he drew his last breath.”
“That will never happen. If you take me, if you hurt me, Marchello will kill you.”
“Why? Because you mean so much to him?” He swept the hair that had fallen into his eyes away from his face. “He left you here unprotected and gave you the opportunity to escape. What kind of man is he? He can’t even keep his hostage in line.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“It doesn’t matter. The point is, he doesn’t care what happens to you. You mean nothing to him. His family will always come first. You’re coming with me as your father promised. You’re mine to deal with.”
“I’ll never go with you.”
“Are you sure about that?” He reached behind his back and pulled out his gun as he prowled toward me. “I think I have the upper hand in this ridiculous situation you’ve gotten yourself into.”
I stumbled back, trying to get away from him, but the odds were not in my favor.
“Don’t run.” He pointed his weapon at me. “The chase will only make it worse for you.”