Dramatic yet accurate.
“Get her in the car,” Nico snaps.
I’m roughly shoved ahead. Pushed into the back seat, where I’m sandwiched between two formidable men. One is the sandwich-eating suit who abducted me off the shuttle. If I have to shoot someone in my escape, I’ll aim at him first.
Twelve hours ago, I felt sick about snuffing out a life. Circumstances can change a lot. They came after me, cut off all my choices. I didn’t feel guilty about giving Lev the drive before. Now, it’s the main motivator keeping me going. Hopefully, there is information on there that will harm Nico, too, not only Salvatore’s operations.
We drive to my father’s villa, which is a welcome surprise. Not only is it a familiar place—and one I’ve escaped before—but it means my father is still a factor in this situation. I’m his blood, and I don’t know how much that will matter, but it’s more regard than Nico will give me.
Inside, I’m steered into the office. I’ve only been in this room once before, years ago. Salvatore and I had a conversation that sounded more like a job interview, as he questioned me about my life. I was still in college at the time, but the office looks the same now as it did then.
My father is seated at the desk, my brothers standing in a loose formation behind him. Obviously, they were informed we were coming.
None of them smile as we enter, but Salvatore’s jaw clenches when one of Nico’s men gives me an unnecessary push to let me know I’m not moving fast enough for him.
“Surprise,” Nico drawls, sweeping his arms wide. “She was in Dublin, not Paris. And she wasn’t alone. He was trained. Took out an entire team a mile from the airport.”
That must have been the silver sedan.
Salvatore nods once. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
Nico scowls. “That wasn’t?—”
“Our arrangement? I didn’t ask you to hunt down my daughter, Nico. I told you we would handle it.”
“By searching the wrong city?”
Salvatore’s expression doesn’t shift a centimeter. I’ve never heard anyone speak to my father this way, and it makes me increasingly uneasy that Nico appears to have that power. Salvatore made it sound like the marriage was his choice—was it really? I can’t decide if that’s better or worse. Better because handing me over wasn’t entirely voluntary or worse because he might not be capable of changing the deal.
“You have a lot going on, Nico. Tracking down my daughter means you want this alliance as much as I do. Walk out of here before I ask about that mark on her face.”
“Don’t take your time,” Nico warns. “I want this alliance, but I have other options, Salvatore. You do not.”
He stalks out of the office, followed by his men. I glare at the one who shoved me as he passes, and he shoots me a smarmy smile while his boss’s back is turned.
Not that Nico would disapprove. He’d probably follow it with one of his own.
The door shuts behind them. Total silence lurks in the wake of its slam.
Enzo, unexpectedly, is the one to speak first. “Hand it over, Carina.”
Now that Nico is gone, I prod the inside of my throbbing cheek with my tongue. Wince before uttering a sarcastic, “What? Nowelcome home?”
“You think this is a fucking joke?” Enzo lurches a step forward, only to be stopped by Leo’s outstretched arm and a quick shake of his head.
Salvatore stands, strolling closer in a leisurely manner that is, frankly, more unnerving than being attacked.
“You made it all the way to Dublin. Clever.” My father manages to make what I would usually consider a compliment come across as an insult.Foolishis what it sounds like he’s really saying, like I’ve made everything worse for myself.
After meeting Nico, I can’t say I disagree.
“You gave me no choice.”
“Choices are earned, Carina.”
“He’s awful, Papà. Vile. Hehitme.” I point at my sore cheek. “It’s bad enough that I wasn’t given a choice. But you chose him?”
My father doesn’t react. Just as uncaring as I used to pretend he wasn’t for the sake of my sanity. Pretending I had one parent was preferable to the reality.
