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He came closer, shaking his fist at me. When he reared back, backhanding me, it took everything I had not to toss him across the room. I closed my eyes, concentrating on his heavy breathing.
Several tense seconds rushed by.
“You are not my son,” he said with rage in his tone.
“I don’t want to be.” I stared him in the eyes, daring him to continue this round of bullshit. “It’s come to my attention that the Morettis never intended on keeping the deal of peace between the families, marriage or not. They have someone inside our operation, Pops. Did you know that? Were you even aware that they had plans of picking us off one by one?” I was curious to see his reaction. The smug look indicated he had yet he’d ignored it. Why?
“Is that why you believed that woman you’re so enamored with had something to do with your brother’s death?” He laughed after asking the question.
“That woman has a name, Pops. Her name is Sarah. Yes, initially I believed that her father might have had the same kind of toxic influence on her that you’ve had over our entire family for years. However, I quickly found that she’s a woman who refuses to buy into bullshit, which is what I attempted to do. You called me weak because you couldn’t control me. Unfortunately, she has no idea what her father has done or the reason he’s intent on taking down our family.”
“Which is?”
Interesting. This he had no idea about.
“I’ll leave that to your imagination.” What Dillon had already been able to find out was enough to confirm my suspicions. The man was dirty as fuck. What concerned me was that he was taking payoffs from someone. The question remained from whom. My father shook his head, puffing his chest, but I could tell by the question in his eyes that he knew I’d bested him at a game I’d wanted no part of.
“Is that the crap you fed your brother? Is that why he was so angry? If so, you were responsible for his death.”
I remained frozen, trying to accept once again that I’d never meant anything to my father. For some reason, it hurt more this time. The only reason he’d demanded I take the helm was to ensure he could spend his retirement years just as wealthy and powerful as before. “Don’t worry, Pops. I’ll already carry the burden of his death like a noose around my neck for the rest of my life.”
Another few seconds of awkward silence settled in.
“That woman has already gotten to you. I can tell. And yes, you were always a weak man, more so now than ever. You’re also a damn fool. Use her. Fuck her. Lock her away. Marry her. But for God’s sake, don’t love her during this transition phase. You’ll be labeled a fool, all respect stripped away. Is that what you want, to be labeled a pathetic excuse for a leader? Your brother was never that way. He knew what was important.”
At that moment I wanted to kill him and that troubled me. Wasn’t family supposed to be about love, respect, and support? At least my mother had taught me that. No child of mine would be raised without knowing how much they were loved.
“I’m not my brother,” I growled. “It’s time you realize that. I will love whoever I want and I refuse to allow anything to happen to her or to any other member of my family. Including you. But get this through your head, old man. My sisters will never be forced into marrying someone they don’t love under any circumstances. As far as Moretti? He can go fuck himself. If he comes at me, I will destroy him piece by piece.”
He remained shocked that I’d talk to him in such a disrespectful manner, but it felt good. It was long past time I took full control of my life, including loving who I wanted to.
As the revelation that I’d already fallen in love with her slammed into my mind, I was momentarily breathless. Everything Sarah had said was exactly the way I’d felt.
Like a fucking caged animal.
No more.
“Get out, Pops. I have business to attend to.”
His smirk was one I’d seen for years, the expression he made when disappointed in whatever choice I’d made. I’d never managed to please him, no matter how hard I’d tried or what I’d done. I’d been considered the bad seed.
Now he was going to find out just howbadI could really be.
Whether he liked it or not.
He took a deep breath as I folded my arms, watching every move he made. He’d threatened to kill me and I still wouldn’t put it past him. So much for the same blood running through our veins.
He took long strides toward the door, still acting as if this was his choice. When he stopped short, twisting in order to stare me in the eyes, amusement almost crowded out the ugly rage. “When is the wedding?”
“Yet to be determined.”
“Since you’re so busy starting a war that you won’t win, I’ve taken the liberty to task your sisters to help your… bride to be with the wedding. They should be here in a few minutes. Do let me know what day it is so I can make certain and clear my calendar.”
My father, a man of warmth of love. I didn’t bother answering. The man could go to hell as far as I was concerned. I dropped my head, half laughing from the confrontation. When I lifted it again, I saw Sarah standing in the doorway. She’d heard every word, her eyes reflecting compassion, something I’d never wanted or received in my life.
She walked closer, the pensive look on her face remaining, moving to within a foot of me. “Did you mean what you said, when you told me you cared about me?”
I reached out, intertwining our fingers together and pulling her between my legs. “You should know by now I say what I mean. Does that change who and what I am? No, it doesn’t. This life isn’t easy nor am I a patient man.”
