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“Well, she always was good at dismissing anyone she had no use for,” Dominic bit out.
“Fuck you. Dad’s looking for you. Go home.”
“You go home. And take your pretty little plaything with you before I decide to have a taste myself. Her sister was pretty good.”
Salvatore reared up to punch him, but I grabbed his arm. “He’s not worth it, Salvatore.”
“Get out.” Salvatore didn’t look at me, but stood nose to nose with his brother.
“I wasn’t planning on staying.”
It was a moment before he walked out the front door.
Salvatore turned to me and took me into his arms.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine. He didn’t do anything to me.”
“He was right. I should have checked the house.”
Salvatore stepped back and looked me over as if he wanted to see with his own eyes that Dominic hadn’t hurt me.
“Stop. Nothing happened. And everything is out in the open now.”
His eyes searched mine, and I touched his face with my hand.
“Take me home, Salvatore.”21SalvatoreLucia sat silently beside me.
“What is it?” I asked after a few minutes.
“Effie is Dominic’s daughter. Isabella confirmed it.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“They fell in love, Salvatore. They were young and just fell in love. You were right in what you thought. That’s why Papa sent her away, disowning her. He gave her an ultimatum: abort or leave. She left.”
I remained silent, understanding a little more of Isabella. I’d pegged her to be a hateful, power-hungry bitch. She might well be, but she was also stronger than I gave her credit for.
“Dominic was supposed to tell your father, but he never did.”
I glanced at Lucia. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”
“He let her go all alone.” Lucia looked off into the distance. “He sent her money, though.” She rolled her eyes.
“Lucia.” I don’t know why I felt the need to defend Dominic. I wasn’t, really; I just needed to explain how things were at our house. How my father was. “My father is a very domineering man. When we were kids, Sergio was the only one brave enough to stand up to him.” She opened her mouth to speak, her expression unbelieving. “Wait. I’m not defending Dominic or what he did. I’m just telling you there is more to his story, another layer, like there is with your sister.”
I’m not sure if she accepted that or not.
“Luke and Isabella, they’re in love,” she said, changing the subject.
“I heard he’s out of surgery, and that he’s going to make it.”
“I’m so relieved.”
“There are still too many questions, Lucia. This isn’t over.”
“Who shot Luke?”
I shook my head. “Unclear. Luke was working with the younger Pagani, Paul Jr. His father forbade any interaction once he found out what his son was up to.”
“I think Dominic is more involved than you know, Salvatore.”
“What do you mean?”
“He and Isabella, I think they have been working together. She said they had an agreement.”
Fuck.
“I think she’s wondering if Dominic ordered Luke’s shooting.”
“So my little brother is working with Isabella DeMarco and Paul Pagani to bring down his own family?”
Our gazes locked, but neither of us said more.
As we pulled up to the tall gates of the house, I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed Roman.
“What are you doing?” Lucia asked.
Roman answered.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“At your father’s. The last of the family is just leaving.”
“Are Natalie and Jacob there?”
“Just got here. She’s pissed.”
“Well, don’t unpack her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m calling a family meeting. It’s an emergency. I want you to bring Natalie and Jacob to my house. And I want my father and Dominic here.”
“What?” Lucia asked.
“What meeting?” Roman asked. “What’s going on?”
“Tomorrow morning, I want a second meeting with you, my father, Dominic, both Paul Pagani Sr. and Jr., and Isabella DeMarco. I want you to arrange it.”
“Izzy?” Lucia asked, her eyes wide as I pulled the car to a stop at the front door.
“I’ll give you an hour to get the family over here. Call the others for tomorrow morning. Seven o’clock. That should give them enough time to get here. This is going to end.”
“Let’s meet with the family first and discuss this, Salvatore. I think it would be wise for us to—”
“This is fucking ending, Uncle. Period.”
I disconnected the call and turned to Lucia.
“Salvatore, you can’t involve my sister.”
“She’s already involved, Lucia. She involved herself.”
“No, I won’t allow it!”
“You won’t allow it?” I asked, getting out of the car and going around to her side. She’d already swung the door open and had her crutches on the ground, trying to climb out. I took the crutches in one hand and lifted her out with the other.
“Put me down. I can do this.”
“I don’t have time for this, Lucia.”
“I said put me down!”
“Christ. You are the most pigheaded…” I set her down, and she leaned on me until she could get the crutches under her. “Let’s go inside.”
