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“But I’m having so much fun,” she says, pouting at me.
“Don’t worry, I’ve arranged with my guard that you get to stay, and I insist that you do,” he says. “I’ll go, have my meeting, and then I’ll be back here again the day after tomorrow and we’ll spend some more time here.”
I can see she is disappointed, but it’s the only plan that I have. I need her to be here where it is safe.
“I’ve left some cash upstairs in the bedside table for you to spend on whatever you like. Just promise me you’ll have fun and tell me all about it when I get back?” I say, trying my best to sound cheerful.
“Okay,” she sighs. “But I’m going to spend every last cent.”
“That’s my girl,” I tease.
When I leave the villa, it still seems like something is bothering her. I want to ask what it is, but I know that what I’m going to do might very well cost me my life. But it’s my only chance and my only option.
“You’re a hard man to miss, we spotted you coming,” the guard says as I enter the Morino property.
“Of course,” I say with a forced smile.
I am led through the large house where Aria has spent most of her life as a glorified prisoner and it only makes me angrier. But I can’t afford to get angry. I need to remain calm if this has any chance of working.
The guards stop me and search me before pushing open a heavy wooden door. Inside I see a couple of large leather sofas, the walls are lined with fine art, the fireplace is going, and at the end of the room Gabriele sits behind a large mahogany desk.
“I never thought I’d see this day, Lorenzo,” he says, motioning toward the cabinet of whiskey.
I happily pour myself a glass, eager for the liquid courage.
“I’ve come to straighten things out with you,” I say. “Let you know what’s really been happening.”
“Have you come to confess to seducing and kidnapping my daughter?” he laughs.
“You know that’s not true.”
“Then you’ve come to tell me that you will be leaving her alone.”
“You kicked her out. You made it extremely clear that you no longer want her. I’m just taking care of her and our child,” I argue before taking a large sip of my whiskey. “You kept her here like a prisoner, and then even when you kick her out with nowhere to go and no access to money, you won’t let her be free? You’re sick!”
“Nonsense,” Gabriele barks. “You’re trying to get your revenge on me and I won’t let you do it. You’ve never gotten over Auriet. And don’t pretend like I don’t know that Aria looks exactly like her! You’ve gone too far this time, Edoardo!”
“I honestly had no idea who she was when I met her at the club, even though I know you know that I wouldneverhave done anything like that on purpose. She isn’t Auriet. This isn’t some hang up I have,” I say. “I’ve been out for years and not once have I tried to get back at you. So why would I do it now?”
“The deal remains the same,” he says with a cold, hard look on his face. “You leave her alone, or rot in jail for the rest of your life. So, which is it going to be?”
My only option now is to call his bluff, and hopefully do it in a way that convinces him that I am not here to harm him. But this conversation is already not going as well as I’d hoped. I had hoped that if he saw how vulnerable I was prepared to make myself, that he’d know that I’m telling the truth. But it doesn’t seem to be working. Still, I cannot give up.
“Come on, Gabriele. I came here unarmed and without any guards. You know I’m not crazy enough to do that unless I was telling the absolute truth. All of this has been a misunderstanding and a mistake. Your daughter gave me a false name.”
“How dare you blame this on my daughter?!” he screams as he slams his open hand down on the table.
“That’s not at all what I’m doing. And the only reason she gives men a false name is because they run when they learn that you’re her father,” I continue.
“Well, that’s excellent news for me,” he scoffs proudly, folding his arms in front of him.
“I didn’t run,” I say. “I have the most to lose here and I didn’t run. Doesn’t that show you that I care for her? Can we not put our differences aside for the sake of your daughter and future grandchild?”
Gabriele lights up a cigar and stares at me for a while. He has aged, but nothing about him has changed. He still demands to be in control of every situation in his life, no matter what it costs him.
“So you won’t be leaving her, then?” he asks.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” I answer, certain that at any minute a bullet might hit me in the side of the head.
