8. Anson
EIGHT
ANSON
“ F ather.” I greeted him with a hug. I’d left Rosalie at school to take her tests, knowing she’d be in the testing hall for a few hours. She’d promised not to leave the library once she’d left the hall, and I held her to that. Leaving her alone killed me, but I had to solidify a future with her.
My father clapped me on the back before moving to his seat behind the desk. I sat in the chair opposite him while Alessio and Klaus flanked his sides, and guards waited outside the door.
“What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Alessandro?” Matteo’s eyes raked over me.
I exhaled. “It’s Dominic.”
His smile faltered, and he drew himself up. “What about him?”
“You don’t know?” I frowned at that. I assumed the hospital would have called him regarding the matter.
“I know he’s lost his wife.”
“Father, Dominic tried to kill himself. He’s in the hospital.” I watched his face, hoping for some sign of emotion. Nothing greeted me, though.
He settled back in his seat before he gestured Alessio forward. Quickly, he spoke into Alessio’s ear. Alessio nodded and left the room.
“Father—”
“What do you want, Alessandro?” He sat forward and stared me down.
“I want to talk. To get help. Can we do that? Alone?” I glanced at the German muscle behind him.
Matteo surveyed me for a moment before nodding. Klaus said nothing and left the room, leaving just us.
“If you’re asking me to go to Dominic, my answer is no?—”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” I cut in. “You have your reasons. You don’t need to explain them to me, Father.”
Matteo’s shoulders relaxed, and he offered me a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Fine. What is it you need?”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts before I spoke. “I’m searching for Bianca.”
Matteo raised his dark brows at me. “Alessandro, I would assume Dominic has buried his wife. Perhaps his men would know where?—”
I shook my head. “No, Father. I believe she may still be alive. That this is all just a ruse of some sort.”
He sat back in his seat and steepled his fingers, his eyes locked on me. “Tell me why you believe this.”
I sighed. “I don’t really know. It’s a gut feeling.” I didn’t want to tell him about Enzo asking me. I looked to my hands, all my thoughts on Rosalie. I needed to join them. I needed it more than my next breath.
“Alessandro, look at me,” he commanded softly.
I dragged my gaze upwards and stared at him.
“Tell me the truth,” he said.
Fuck, get your emotions in check.
“There’s this girl?—”
“Rosalie.” He smiled at me.
“Right,” I muttered. “I-I want her. These feelings are driving me insane. I can barely eat. Hell, I can barely breathe without her.”
Matteo nodded. “You are in love, my son.”
I nodded miserably. “I am.”
“So why not tell the girl? Tell her and take her.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “It would hurt her. The last thing I want to do is hurt her. If I can find Bianca, then I can…”
Matteo watched me as I struggled to find the words that wouldn’t fuck everything up.
“Impress upon Lorenzo De Luca,” he finally finished for me. “He would grant you access.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“What else?” he pressed.
Fuck. The man was intuitive. For some reason, I was more open around him even when I tried not to be.
I remained silent, rolling everything over in my head and hoping I didn’t fuck it all to hell by coming here.
I knew what sort of man my father was, but there was this little part of me that was desperate for my dad, the man whose lap I’d sit on and who would tell me the most amazing stories, to be here for me without his brand of violence.
“I…” I couldn’t get the words out.
“Alessandro.” He stared me down, his voice soft.
Damnit to hell.
“If I make good on this, I get to join them,” I said, the words sounding ridiculous as they poured from my mouth.
He was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke.
“I see,” he said. “Is that what you want? To join them? To share a woman you love?”
“I want her. However I can have her. If it means I have to share, I’m open to it.”
“Love does crazy things to our minds, doesn’t it?” he mused softly. “Even willing to share what we love.”
“It’s crazy, isn’t it?” I looked at him, hoping for some sort of guidance.
He grew quiet for a long beat.
“Well, I suppose to an outside eye, it would be. I will not judge you, my boy. We know our hearts, yes?”
I nodded tightly.
“Much too bad it’s with the enemies’ woman.”
I said nothing, knowing he hated the De Lucas.
“Have you considered that? How it will work? You are my heir. My eldest. My son.”
“Father—”
“I do not require an answer now. Simply consider it carefully before you tell me.”
I breathed out, silently agreeing.
“So. You require help.” He sat back in his seat. “I’m interested to see which thread needs to be pulled so we can unravel what’s going on. Bianca, if she’s out there, needs to come home.” A dark smile curled his lips upward.
I remained quiet, hoping he’d give me something to go on or any sort of help.
“I annulled their marriage,” he continued. “I, too, considered she was alive, and it was a ruse. The ending of their marriage didn’t seem to have any impact. In fact, it seems to have driven him mad. Mad enough to try to take his own life.” His words came out clipped and angry.
“Father, do you not love Dominic?”
He let out a soft laugh. “My feelings for Dominic are… different. They do not matter. He does not matter. I have you now. My son. My true heir.” His darkness receded, and he stared at me in a way that told me all I needed to know.
My father loved me.
There was no way in hell I could break his heart right now and tell him I wanted nothing to do with this life.
That would come at another time. Right now, I needed to focus on what mattered most.
Rosalie.
And to get to Rosalie, I had to get to Bianca.
“I will tell you this because you are my son. I am aware Dominic had a lord in his bed with his wife. Fallon Vasiliev. The new leader. I know a great many things and have eyes everywhere, even within the lords. It is because of this I will guide you to Alessio.”
“Alessio?”
He nodded. “Alessio has connections to the other side .” He chuckled softly.
“To the lords. And perhaps, to the key to your kingdom. You see, Alessandro, while I very much dislike my son to be in bed with my enemies, I also encourage such actions. Your loyalty I will not question. It would break my heart to know it is not with family, but I understand love tends to twist us into things that can be unrecognizable sometimes. Because of this, I will allow you this one thing. I only ask that, in return, you remain loyal to me, no matter the costs. We are family. Capisci?”
I swallowed thickly. “Yes, Father. I am loyal.”
He was quiet momentarily before hitting a button on his desk. Seconds later, Alessio came into the room.
“What do you have for me?” Matteo asked.
“Alessandro is correct. Dominic has tried to take his life. He is at Westmont Memorial. He will survive, but he is on a suicide watch and will not be released anytime soon. The horsemen are at his beck and call and stand watch currently. Vincent and Levin are also there.”
Matteo nodded slowly. “Leave it. Let’s watch and wait. The horsemen won’t be there forever. When they take leave, we’ll visit my… son.”
Alessio inclined his head.
“Now, Alessandro requires some help from one of your favorites,” Matteo continued.
Alessio raised his brows and looked at me.
“Would you be so kind as to reach out to Natalia?”
Alessio hesitated before he pulled his phone out.
“You see, Alessandro, they think we let her go and that I’m none the wiser. Foolish. They’re all so foolish. Always so very trusting.”
I watched silently, absorbing my father’s words, as Alessio made a call. A soft, sweet voice picked up on the fifth ring.
“Alessio,” she whispered.
“Talia, my sweet girl,” Alessio purred into the phone, his voice deep and rich. I imagined that tone got him anything he wanted with a woman. “I need you.”
“Alessio. I-I can’t. You know I can’t?—”
“Shh, my darling. I have a question that needs to be answered.”
She was quiet for a long time before her soft, shaky voice came out. “What is the question?”
“Do you have Bianca Walker with you?”
I held my breath and looked to Matteo, who leaned forward waiting for the answer.
“Alessio—”
“Consider your answer, pretty girl. Do not displease me and lie. There are consequences when you lie to me.”
“I-I?—”
“Talia. You know I can easily come there and find out for myself.”
She let out a shaky breath before she sniffled softly. “This will kill my brother.”
“ I will kill your brother,” Alessio said in a deadly, calm voice. “Tell me the truth.”
She was quiet for a moment, clearly crying softly before her shaky voice called out.
“Yes. She’s here with me.”
My heart jumped into my throat, and I shot a look to Matteo, who smirked and winked at me as he settled back in his seat without a word.
“Who else is with you?” Alessio asked, his voice still holding that threat of violence in it.
“I-it’s just me, Fallon, Drake, and Bianca.”
“No one else?”
“No one,” she choked out. “Please, don’t hurt my brother. Alessio, I’m begging you?—”
“You were a good girl today, Talia. Your brother is safe. Thank you. We’ll talk soon.”
“Alessio, wait!” Natalia cried out.
Alessio paused, his finger over the disconnect on his cell.
“Don’t hurt Bianca. Please.”
“Of course not.” Alessio glanced at Matteo, who gave a slight nod of his head. “Remember the rules. You tell no one we spoke.”
“OK.”
“Goodbye, Talia.”
“Goodbye, Alessio.”
Alessio disconnected the call and looked to Matteo for direction.
“Let Alessandro handle this. He has his own plans.” Matteo looked at me. “Are you satisfied with this?”
“I am.” I got to my feet. “Thank you.”
“Make good choices, Alessandro.”
“Always, Father.” I walked to the door, my heart fit to bursting.
“Oh, and son?”
I paused and looked at him over my shoulder.
“Don’t be a stranger. I miss you. Bring your brother to me next time. Yes?”
“Yes, Father.” I took in the flash of happiness in his eyes before I opened the door and stepped out. The door closed behind me as I walked away. When I rounded the corner, it was to find Klaus waiting for me at the door.
“Klaus.” I inclined my head as I stepped past him to go outside.
He said nothing and followed me to my car, the guards at our backs. When I reached my car, his hand shot out and prevented me from opening the door.
I ground my teeth before I turned to face him.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Do not fuck your father over,” he said. “He has suffered enough in this life.”
I locked eyes with him.
“I have no intention of fucking him over.”
“Do not come back into his life and offer him what he’s been searching for only to rip it away from him. I will tear your fucking head off your shoulders with my bare hands if I find out you’re only here to cause damage. Archangel. ”
I stepped forward into his space. “Don’t fucking threaten me, Klaus. You’re welcome to try to tear my head off, but I can guarantee I’ll get to yours before you get to mine. My intentions are pure. Now get your hand off my fucking car before I break it off and shove it up your ass.”
He narrowed his eyes at me before backing away.
It was a good damn thing.
I shot a look at him as I slid onto the leather seat. Where I expected to see fury, I only saw concern.
I closed the door, knowing my father had a lot of secrets. He and his men. I’d work on that later, though. Right now, I had a destiny to fulfill.