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"Bell..." Emilio said, voice apologetic as he looked at his sister.
To that, she shrugged.
"No," Emilio said again.
"War it is then," Primo said, moving to stand. "Shall we start now?" he asked, reaching for his gun as men appeared out of nowhere, surrounding us.
"No!" Isabella shrieked, gaze going to her brother, then the rest of us, understanding the damage. "No," she repeated, looking at her brother, then turning her attention to Primo. "I'll do it," she said, even if her lower lip trembled as she did it.
"This is fucking ridiculous," Alessa said, getting to her feet.
"It has always been a way to secure alliances between feuding clans," Primo said, shrugging.
"Yeah, but we're not fucking warring clans in the middle ages. We're a progressive fucking modern society."
"Of criminals," Primo said. "We all believe we can't trust one another. If one of yours was in my organization, that would force the trust."
"Then take me," Emilio said. "Take me on. I will work for you."
"No."
"You're not taking my sister," Emilio insisted, his body going stiffer at the sounds of guns cocking all around us.
"It's okay. It's okay, Milo," Isabella insisted, trying to be brave, willing to be a sacrifice to keep the peace.
"It's not okay. You're not marrying this fucking monster."
"To save your life, and the lives of everyone here," Isabella said, holding up a hand as if to say there was no real choice in the matter.
"Do you even understand what you're saying?" Emilio said. "You'd have to live with him. For-fucking-ever. And other things," he added, face twisting up in disgust.
Isabella's cautious gaze slid to Primo.
"I do want an heir," he confirmed. "It is non-negotiable."
"No," Emilio said again.
"It's... it's fine," Isabella said. "If you promise that you will not be the reason any harm comes to my Family," she added.
"I will," Primo agreed.
"I will slit your throat in your sleep if you go back on your word," she said, getting her arm yanked by the guard holding onto her.
"Don't touch her," Primo snapped, making the man shrink back, and Isabella's brows draw together. "Any wife of mine will be protected and will want for nothing," Primo said, looking over at Emilio. "She won't come to harm by my hand, or by anyone in this Family. It's the right decision," he added, looking over at Lorenzo.
"You can't be considering this," Alessa insisted, shooting daggers at my brother.
"It doesn't sound like the decision is mine," Lorenzo said, giving Emilio an apologetic look.
But what could he do?
If Isabella would do it more or less willingly, he didn't technically have a way to stop her.
"You can stop it," Emilio insisted, tone desperate.
"Milo," Isabella said, drawing his attention. Once she had it, she waved her arms at the dozens of armed guards around. "This is the only way you walk out of here alive today."
"So you have to lose your life?" Milo asked, voice getting rough.
"I'll live, Milo. And I will see you. Right?" she asked, looking at Primo.
To that, he shrugged. "After a few months to make sure they are abiding by the truce, yes."
"Then it's settled."
"You—"
"You heard her," Primo said. "It is settled. Now go."
"We can't go. I can't just leave her here with you."
"That is exactly what you are going to do," Primo insisted as his men moved closer toward us.
He waved at Isabella, reaching to undo her handcuffs.
She avoided his gaze, but stayed by his side as the rest of us were shuffled out of the conference area, then down the stairs, then outside where more guards were stationed to get us back into our cars.
And once we were in those cars, they followed us out of their neighborhood, then their borough in general.
Emilio was freakishly silent the whole way home.
And because none of us knew what to say, we all stayed silent, a little bit in shock at the turn of events.
Well, Alessa wasn't in shock.
She was furious.
But she bit her tongue for Emilio's sake.
Brio drove Alessa and I back to my apartment, letting us out.
"I'll call you," Lorenzo said, nodding toward Emilio, making it clear he was going to have to try to talk with our cousin first.
Alessa's brothers stopped outside to talk to her for a moment, listening to her rant before heading out as well, leaving me to bring Alessa inside, since the threats seemed to be gone.
Brio and I would still need to handle Brit's killers eventually. But with a truce in place with Primo, it seemed like there was no actual threat to Alessa or Avi's safety.
"You okay?" I asked as we moved into the elevator. I reached out, my hand touching the cut on the side of her head.
"My head hurts. Though, at this point, I don't know if it is from being pistol-whipped, or because I am furious about Isabella."
"Do you think he will hurt her?" I asked.
