AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes.”
Teo looked almost impressed. “So, you really did love her.”
“Sir?”
“I had to learn the hard way with Mia, that I couldn’t control her and lock her away when I wanted to keep her safe. I had to let her be free before she was truly mine and that’s when we found true happiness together.”
I nodded thoughtfully but wasn’t sure what to say in response.
“You do realize that your actions have put my wife and unborn child in danger?”
“No, sir. I don’t believe that Sienna will say anything about her time here.”
“And if she does?”
“If she does, then I’ll handle it.”
“Just like you handled this situation?”
I sighed and got up from the parlor chair to pace for a moment before stopping in front of Teo with a new sense of determination. I was more than his underboss and he was more than my don. We were best friends. Maybe that was why my betrayal hurt him so much and why he was so angry. Or maybe it was the reason why I was still breathing instead of being buried six feet under.
I sat back down in my chair to face him. “In all the years you’ve known me, have I ever done anything to hurt you or your family?”
“No.”
“Have I ever gone against orders or even questioned orders before?”
“No. But this girl...”
“This isn’t about her. This is about you.”
“Me?”
“Your family has always been on the side of sparing innocents, of doing what’s right whenever possible, and only breaking laws that need to be broken.” Teo nodded and I continued. “You love Mia and your baby. You want to protect them at all costs, as you should. But if you start crossing these lines, acting out of fear, taking out an innocent doctor just because she knows about us, then it’s a slippery slope between protecting your family and turning into the monsters who you are trying to protect them from.”
“Those are bold words you dare to speak to your don,” Teo said with a hard expression, but I didn’t back down.
“It may not be what you want to hear but it's what you need to hear.”
There was a long pause.This is the moment. Either our friendship will be salvaged, along with my position in the family, or he is going to pull out his gun and shoot me square between the eyes right here and now.
I took a deep breath and braced for whatever was coming. Teo stood. His stern expression evaporated into a smile as he grasped both of my shoulders. “And that is why you are my underboss. You don’t just tell me what I want to hear. You tell me what I need to hear. Mia said nearly the same thing to me the other day, but I wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t hear it over the fear that flooded my mind. Alex, I’ve never been so happy in all my life as I am to have that woman as mine, and a baby on the way to top it all off, but I’ve also never been so afraid.”
I relaxed, letting out a heavy sigh as I stood. “And that is exactly why you need to lean on your friends right now.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s have a drink.”
Chapter 28
Sienna
Warm rays of sunlight danced on my face, pulling me from a peaceful sleep and for a moment, I forgot everything bad that I'd gone through. I forgot about being kidnapped, about falling for Alessandro just to lose him and for what? A life that consisted of nothing but work and home except for the weekly visits with my father...Papa.
I shot up in bed, realizing that the house was far too quiet. We'd been on vacation for nearly a week and my father had only had one small episode but during that time I'd gotten too comfortable.
I rushed through the house, calling out for him, but there was no answer. I ran for the door, swung it open, and was startled by Gabe standing on the porch with his hand raised ready to knock. My father stood behind him looking confused.
"Papa! Oh, thank God you found him."
