AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My father picked up on it too because he went rigid.
“Now.”
My father continued to stare at him before his eyes shifted to me.
“Perhaps I was wrong about your daughter, Dante,” Theo said. “She’s much more observant than you are. Now sit your ass down before I snap your neck and you crumble into dust.”
Oh shit.
My father stilled, his hard eyes on Theo, and then slowly, he returned to his seat.
My heart raced like it never had before. I was chilly moments ago, and now sweat coated my palms. I was unarmed, and so was my father. His men were outside, probably in the car and unaware of the takeover happening right inside.
There was a staredown between the two of them. Theo was relaxed in his chair, eyeing my father across the table.
If my father was afraid, he didn’t show it. “Whatever is about to happen,” my father spoke with a calm and strong voice, eyeing Theo with a confident gaze. “It doesn’t concern my daughter, so please let her leave.”
My heart clenched at my father’s plea, caring about me and not himself.
A cocky smile moved across Theo’s mouth. “Actually, it does concern her, so she stays put.”
My father swallowed. “Theo?—”
“No one will hurt her, Dante,” Theo said quietly. “The only person you should be concerned about right now is yourself.”
My father stared him down, powerless in that restaurant, his arm twisted behind his back by Theo’s betrayal.
Theo turned slightly over his shoulder. “Where’s the man of the hour?”
That was when the man stood up, finished the rest of his wine, and then turned around. Exactly as I remembered, with thick stubble around his jawline, Axel walked toward us in dark jeans and boots, his eyes reserved for my father and not for me, rage in his eyes and mirth on his lips. “It’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it, Dante?” He dropped into the chair directly across from my father, which was between Theo and me.
The second he was close to me, I inhaled a quick breath, provoked by his proximity but also scared of it. I tried to focus on Theo, but my eyes wanted to stare at the man I hadn’t seen in six months. My eyes flicked back to him, his hard jawline, his gorgeous eyes, his lips…his lips that I’d kissed more times than I could count.
Axel relaxed in the chair and stared down my father across the table, a subtle smile on his lips, victory in his eyes.
My father stared back, the vein starting to pop at his temple.
Axel crossed his arms over his chest. “Looks like you met my brother Theo. Small world, huh?”
Brother?
My father remained still as a statue, his face tinted red with anger and the veins along his neck pulsing. But he didn’t react. His breaths didn’t quicken like mine did.
Axel turned to Theo. “Should you tell him, or should I?”
“That’s a tough one.” Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. “Let’s flip for it.”
“Good idea.”
Theo flipped the coin into the air. “Heads.” He caught the coin and presented it to Axel. “Looks like I’ll be doing the honors.”
“Lucky bastard.”
Theo looked at my father. “I’ve doubled the salary of all your men, so they’ve chosen to work for me. I’ve officially acquired your business, which Axel and I will run without you. Your product also belongs to me, and we were nice enough to purchase the factory from you instead of just seizing it.”
Jesus.
My father said nothing.
“It was my suggestion to shoot you in the head,” Theo said. “Because that’s what you deserve after all the shit you pulled?—”
“Please…” It was the first time I spoke, so scared my hands started to shake in my lap. I kept a straight face and bottled my tears, because my father would want me to be strong, not weak and afraid.
Both Theo and Axel looked at me.
It was the first time Axel actually looked at me, and his stare was soft and gentle…the way it used to be.
Theo looked at my father and continued. “But Axel has mercifully chosen to spare your life. I think a sign of gratitude is in order.”
My father didn’t say a word.
Axel stared him down and waited for him to comply.
But my father would rather die.
A long silence ensued, a very heavy one.
Theo looked at Axel. “Shoot this motherfucker?—”
“You’re officially retired, Dante. Enjoy your billions on your yacht. Find a good woman. Spend time with your daughter.” Axel stared with his arms still crossed. “Enjoy your life. If you choose to retaliate, I’ll choose to kill you.” He spoke with a calm voice, but it had a hard edge to it. “You’re dismissed.”
My father didn’t rise from the chair. “You planned this from the beginning.”
“No, you planned this from the beginning,” Axel said. “I knew the moment I saw Scarlett steal that skull ring.”
