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My heart swelled, and warmth flooded me when he grinned.
He cupped my cheek, brushed his thumb over my skin, and I could almost hear the “good girl” he would’ve said if the situation was different.
“Then that’s exactly where you’ll stay. I won’t let anyone take you from me again.”
It was a show of strength, but somehow, it made my heart flutter. “Promise?”
He grinned, then winked. “Promise.”
“Well, that’s all fine and well, but that leaves us in a rather uncomfortable position, doesn’t it?” Zotov said.
Suddenly, my father looked panicked—a look I’d never seen before.
“What did you do, Connor?” Uncle Craig said.
“And let’s not forget the small matter of your men almost killing my little brother,” Vincenzo Salvini said, his tone of voice dangerously low and threatening.
My father’s face reddened. “Salvini never was supposed to be in that car with her.”
Vince gave a single-shoulder shrug. “And yet.”
The air cracked with tension. Every single man in this room had his own agenda. Everyone was willing to kill the others and had the means to do so.
My mind raced. If this ended badly, everyone would be dead. Including Alex and me.
I needed a diversion.
At that moment, the door opened, and Jemma, with her fake hair back in place, slipped inside and moved next to me. “Why didn’t anyone tell me there’s a party going on?” she said in a completely fake, cheery style.
“Because there’s a dick-comparing contest, and they didn’t want to ruin your innocence.” I hesitated a second because it might not be smart to mention dick with my father and Uncle Craig present.
But then I plowed ahead. “Sadly, there’s not much to measure, though. So we’re moving on to long jump soon.”
Jemma raised a single eyebrow at me but played along. “That’s good; maybe we should do a 100-meter dash, as well—see who can run the fastest.”
Alex squeezed my hand, and I could hear Zotov’s chuckle.
“Let’s cool down and discuss this rationally. I’m sure we can find a satisfactory solution,” Uncle Craig said while glaring at Jemma and me.
He was in a really shitty position. Both Alex—through Sophie’s marriage with Gabe—and my father were family. Uncle Craig had to go back to the US, so he probably dealt with the Salvinis on a more frequent basis.
There was really no winning for him.
Zotov’s lips quirked, but he put a hand on my father’s arm, who looked like he was ready to draw his weapon and start shooting.
Father shook him off, taking a step forward, hands curled into fists.
Alex pulled me tighter against him, ready to shield me if need be.
Salvini took a step until his body blocked Jemma from coming farther into the room.
I glared at my father and Zotov.
“Get out,” Vince said to my father, his voice like steel.
My father froze, his eyes flicking between all of us. For a moment, I thought he might actually attack.
Then he snorted. “You don’t give me orders, boy.”
