Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
Lissia
The drive from the penthouse to my childhood home took longer than expected because of an accident on the turnpike. The longer I sat in the back of Marchello’s SUV, the more anxious I became.
What am I hoping to accomplish?
Falling in love with Marchello had been the best experience of my life. But why did the trade-off for finding my soulmate have to be walking away from my father?
Because you fell for a man just as ruthless as your father.
Dom, who hadn’t said anything to me the entire ride, drove up the driveway leading to the house. He slowed the car and peered out the window. Three luxury cars lined the edge of the driveway.
“Do you recognize any of those cars?” he asked.
“Should I?” I glanced out the window. “Maybe my father has company.”
Two men got out of one of the cars and approached Dom’s window. I didn’t recognize them as either my dad’s men or Marchello’s team. Actually, I didn’t see any of my dad’s people surrounding the property.
“You have to turn around,” one of them said. “It’s not a good time to be here.”
“I have Lissia Gallanti with me.” Dom nodded toward the backseat. “She wants to see her father.”
“That’s not going to work,” the other guy said.
I lowered my window. “Why not?”
Neither man looked at me. How dare they dismiss me!
“Obviously, you’re new here, but I can assure you that my dad will see me, and if you don’t let me through, he’s going to be pissed,” I said. “Dom, just get me to the front door.”
“Turn around and take her home.” The taller of the two pointed down the driveway.
As Dom tried to get an answer from them, I peered out the front window of the SUV. Several men stood by the front door, keeping watchful eyes on the property.
Milo?
If Milo was here, then so was Marchello. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
I wanted to come here, inform my dad I didn’t want his help, and then start my life with Marchello.
As long as you and I are together, there will be no peace. Marchello’s words echoed in my head like a twisted mantra. The more I tried to deny his grim outlook on our future, the louder his words became.
I scooted along the seat and let myself out of the opposite door. I hustled up the driveway, ignoring the scary glances from the men in front of the house. I dealt with Marchello every day; no one could intimidate me more than he could.
“Lissia.” Dom swung open the driver’s side door. “You need to get back in the car.”
Dom’s shout must have caught Milo’s attention because he hurried down the steps and met me in the driveway.
“Not today, princess.” He held up his hand. “You have to go home.”
“This is my home.” I continued to the path that led to the house. “Or at least it used to be. I have every right to be here.”
“Lissia, now is not the time to act entitled.” Milo grabbed my arm and spun me to face him. “Don’t make me force you back into that car.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“Trust me. Go home. That is what Marchello would want.”
“Why are you here?” I studied his dark expression, seeing Marchello’s familiar features in his. “Where is your brother? Is he inside?”
My stomach churned up shards of dread. Nothing positive could come from Marchello and my dad being in the same room without me. Were they alone? Why were the guards out here?
“For once, you need to stay out of his way.” Milo shook my arm. “If you love him, you’ll get the hell out of here and let him do his job.”
“ If I love him?” I struggled out of his hold. “Everything I do is for him. If I don’t protect him from himself, who will?”
Milo chased after me as I ran up the porch steps.
“He doesn’t need your protection.”
“Get out of my way.” I shoved the guard standing in front of the door, but he didn’t budge. “This is my house.”
“Lissia.” Milo joined me, waving off the guard. “Chello has given you everything. Has he not?”
“Do you think I care about clothes and shoes right now?”
“I’m not talking about material items.” He reached for my hand. “My brother has given you his life.”
“I’ve reciprocated.”
“He has sacrificed and gone against his instincts for you.” Milo gazed at the sky. “There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you.”
“I feel the same way about him.”
“You have to understand the lengths he would go now that you’re one of us. He would die to protect you.”
“I don’t want him to die.”
“Neither do I, which is why you have to let him do his job.” He nodded toward the SUV I came in. “I need you to get back in the car and go to the penthouse. Marchello will call you when he can.”
I stood for what seemed like too long. Marchello would want me to make the right choice, but I didn’t know what that should be.
Milo held my gaze, staring impatiently. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to be here when Marchello came out. Maybe he would tell me that the war was over. If he could do that, I would walk away from this house and never come back.
I could make that choice. I wouldn’t get in the middle of his business.
“I choose Marchello.” I sucked in a breath. “I always will.”
“I know.” Milo squeezed my hand. “I’ll walk you back to the car. I can have Dom take you to the main house. Ricardo is there. You two can do whatever it is you do.”
“But what about my father?”
“I don’t want you to worry.”
“You’ll make sure Marchello is okay?” I asked. “You won’t let anything happen to him?”
“Nothing is going to happen to him on my watch.” He grinned. “I’m too arrogant to let that happen.”
“Huh.” I smiled. “That trait runs in your family.”
“Just trust us, okay?” He ushered me toward the steps, but my body coiled in a tight, protective response when a loud bang, followed by another blast, came from inside the house.
Milo drew his gun and tugged me to him as Dom ran up the steps. Flashbacks of the night on the terrace in Miami rushed through my mind. Who would get shot this time?
“Get her out of here!” Milo nudged me toward Dom who also had his gun drawn.
The guards who had been by their cars when I arrived were now sprinting to the porch.
“Let go of me.” I thrashed, catching Dom by surprise and causing him to release me. I blew past Milo, pushing open the front door and taking off down the hallway toward my father’s study. The hallway had never seemed longer than it did right now.
“Lissia!” Milo shouted.
“She’ll know I destroyed the monster that hurt her.”
“Marchello,” I whispered, relieved as I followed the sound of his voice. He was alive, and I needed to keep him that way.
Milo and his team of angry, gun-wielding guards followed close behind, giving me pause.
Where are my father’s guards? Why is Marchello here? Why was Milo guarding the front door?
Milo dashed after me, and the realization hit me like an obvious ton of bricks. I was marching into the middle of a battle. A battle that no one could win.
I stormed into the room and inserted myself between two loaded guns, not caring about the consequences. At this point, what did I have to lose?
“Stop it!” I shouted. “What is wrong with you?”
“Lissia.” My father sighed. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Are you here to kill him?” I asked Marchello as I searched for the truth in his irritated expression.
“I agree with your father for once.” Marchello inched closer to my dad. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Are you sure?” I whispered.
Marchello glared at me and then at my father as he shielded me with his larger-than-life frame.
“Am I supposed to be impressed that you would remove her from the line of fire you created?” My father waved his gun at Marchello. “We’re in this mess because you couldn’t stay away from her.”
“We’re in this mess because you tried to kill me.”
“And me,” I said. “Do you remember that?”
“That was an accident.” My father shook his head. “But I could also blame you because if you weren’t sleeping with the enemy, none of this would be happening.”
“You’re right.” I glanced between both of their loaded guns, knowing this wasn’t going to end well if I didn’t come up with a compromise. “I’d be sleeping with an abusive, lunatic arms dealer if you had your way.”
“Gian,” Marchello said. “Drop your gun. There’s no way out of this. You’re surrounded.”
“Do you see the lengths your captor will go to?” my dad asked. “You keep complaining about Danny, but Marchello is far worse. He’s willing to kill me in front of you. Will you go back to his bed after he does?”
“Shut up!” Marchello raised his arm, aiming the gun at my father’s head.
Why did neither of them look as stressed as I felt?
“Stop it!” I got in between both of them again.
“Lissia!” Marchello reached for me.
I stumbled back against my father, who took the opportunity to use me as a shield.
“Call them off, Marchello, or they will take her with me,” he said.
“Daddy!” I glanced over my shoulder at him. “Are you crazy?”
“No crazier than him.” He nodded toward Marchello. “Call them off.”
With each passing second, I could sense my father’s composure spiraling out of control.
Marchello didn’t take his stare away from my father. Was he assessing his options? Was he going to shoot and worry about the consequences later?
“Here’s how this is going to go,” my dad said. “You’re going to call them off, and you’re going to leave here.”
“You seem to think you’re in control.” Marchello shook his head. “You’re not. I have the upper hand.”
I glanced at the men in the hallway. There were too many options in this scenario.
My father could take a shot at Marchello, causing Marchello’s men to shoot back with me in the crossfire. Marchello could be killed.
I don’t like that option.
Marchello could fire at my dad, killing him in front of me. Or he could miss and hit me in the process.
I don’t like that option either.
“Oh, but I hold all the cards.” My dad straightened his posture. “You’re not going to kill me in front of Lissia.”
“Try me.” Marchello’s jaw tightened.
“You’d have to get a clean shot, and we both know my feisty brat would get in your way.” My father held my arm tighter, swaying me in front of him. “I’ll let you walk out of here.”
“Again,” Marchello said, “you seem to think you hold all the cards. Your house is surrounded, and your guards are preoccupied with several representatives from a cartel who aren’t pleased with you.”
“Whose fault is that?” my dad asked.
“From where I’m standing, you’re out of options.” Marchello shrugged. “If you shoot me, Milo will blow your head off.”
“With my daughter in front of me?” My dad quietly laughed, but his body was tense. “I don’t see that happening, but you want to know what I do see happening?”
I had never seen this side of him before. He was willing to sacrifice me to save himself.
“I’m on the edge of my seat.” Marchello reinforced the grip he had on his gun.
“You’re leaving,” my dad said. “Lissia is staying with me. She’s going to marry Collins as I promised. We’re all going back to the way things were before you took her hostage.”
“I’m not doing that!” I wriggled out of my father’s hold and stood in between both men, spreading my arms out and holding them both back.
No one in the room or the hallway looked pleased with this standoff, but it had to end, and I was the only one who could do it.
“Do you see what you’ve done to my daughter?” my dad asked. “You’ve put her in the middle of this war. She’s going to get herself killed. She’s far too impulsive and self-centered to believe she can’t fix this.”
Wow!
“I’ve always given her what she wants. Why would she think this situation is any different? Do the right thing and walk away before her blood is all over your hands. Ask your father.” My dad smirked. “That’s a stain you’ll never be able to wash from your skin.”
“She doesn’t have to be in the middle.” Marchello stepped closer to me. “I’ll keep you safe at all costs, even if you don’t like what I have to do.”
I waved my hand, keeping him from grabbing me.
“Don’t you see?” My dad inched toward me, making the space between Marchello and him smaller. “He’s practically telling you he’ll kill me. Can you spend the rest of your life with a man who cares so little for you that he’s willing to destroy the man who created you?”
I didn’t want to believe that Marchello would do that, but what choice had my father left him?
“Will you continue to go after Marchello?” I asked.
“If he tells you no, he’s lying,” Marchello said. “He has to kill me to make up for the botched attempt on my life in Miami.”
“Your father must be so disappointed with you,” my dad said.
Don’t go there.
“Nico is proud of him,” I blurted out. “You don’t know anything about his relationship with his dad, but I can tell you it’s a fuck of a lot better than mine is with you.”
“Is that so?” My dad grabbed my arm and pushed me into Marchello, smacking me into his solid chest with a harsh thud.
I looked up at Marchello with wide eyes. Did he just growl? His face contorted into a snarling beast as his eyes darkened with fury.
Milo hurried into the room, and the rest of the guards blocked the doorway, aiming their guns at my father like a trigger-happy firing squad.
“You shouldn’t have touched her,” Marchello said.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance.” My dad stared at me as he cocked his gun.
“No!” I shouted. “This stops now.”
I faced Marchello with my back to my dad. If Marchello fired, he would hit me in my heart. If my father pulled the trigger first, he would shoot me in the back. Talk about irony.
Betrayed by the man who gave me life or have my heart shattered by the man I drew breath for.
“Which one of you is going to end this?” I asked. “Because you’ll have to do it with me standing between you.”