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“Could you wait here, please?” I ask, rising from my chair.
“I would, but I want you to know that if he jumps out of that car screaming threats, my guys are going to get in his face.”Shit. He's right.He takes off in front of me, trotting down the hall, while I follow behind. The man is lucky he's Bianca's father, or I would have shut him up permanently a long time ago.
“Torrio!” I hear from out in the courtyard. Sebastian left the door open when he walked out, so there was nothing to block the sound of squealing brakes and a slamming car door.
“Charlie, come on, be smart, don't do this.” It's Ken, and for once it doesn't seem like Charlie is listening to the voice of reason. By the time I step outside, I find Bianca with her hands raised. She's trying to keep her father from storming into the house while Tatum and Romero stand off to the side. Sebastian's men have their guns drawn, but Sebastian quickly waves them off as he approaches them.
“There you are.” Charlie bares his teeth at me from over Bianca's shoulder, spit flying. “You bastard. After everything you put her through, I discover this?”
“What are you—” The question dies in my throat when I identify what he throws at my feet. A small device, easy to overlook—and forget.Damn it, I forgot all about it.
“Care to explain that?” he screams.
His face is deep red, verging on purple, and sweat beads at his temples as it rolls down his face. He'll have a stroke if this keeps up much longer. “Want to tell me how that ended up where I found it?”
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Bianca casts a terrified look my way before gazing down at the camera. “What is that?” I glimpse at Romero, who clearly understands we fucked up and forgot to plant the camera in her room.How could we forget?I mean, it's understandable after everything that's happened, but it's just another mistake, another thing to push him over the edge.
“Since Torrio appears to have lost his voice, let me explain to you what that is. It's a hidden camera,” Charlie informs her. “A camera that was hidden in your damn room.” Shaking his head in disbelief, he continues, “How do you not see this? This is what he does. He tells you he loves you, but it's not love. It's control. He wants to own you, Bianca.” His eyes glitter with hatred over his daughter's shoulder. “Tell me I'm wrong. Lie your way out of this one, Torrio.”
Bianca bends and picks it up, holding it in her hand. “Callum? Is this true? Did you put this camera in my bedroom at my dad's house?”
Fuck me. This is what happens when the lies mount, and the secrets you do your best to keep buried become exposed.
“I was clearing some things out,” Charlie tells her. “I found it on the bookshelves. It was pointed directly at your bed. I don't know how you did it,” he snarls, his eyes back on me, “but I know it was you.”
“Charlie, you need to calm down,” Ken tells him, taking him by the arm.
An arm he yanks away, snarling. “No. I need to break every fucking bone in this bastard's body for what he did. He's never going to change,” he insists to Bianca. “This is what love is to him. It's lies and control. Manipulation. Come home with me.”
I want to tell him he's wrong, but he's not. In the past, all I wanted was to be able to control Bianca, to make sure she couldn't leave me, and parts of me still have a deep-rooted desire for that, because the thought of losing her kills me, but I'm trying to do better, be better, and I refuse to let Charlie think he can tell her what to do.
“She's a grown woman, capable of making her own choices,” I remind him.
“I wasn't speaking to you.”
“I don't care. Bianca is old enough to make her own choices. I know it's difficult, but you must learn to respect that.”
“The only thing that matters to me is her safety, and if that means getting rid of you, then I will. I'll fucking kill you,” Charlie growls—before lunging at me, pushing Bianca out of the way in his frenzy. She catches herself before falling, letting out a cry of dismay. I reach for her, but a fist connects with my jaw before I get to her.
Pain pulses across my chin. I don't want to hurt this man, not in front of her. Even if my instincts scream for me to defend myself, the most I do is shove him back. “Enough of this.”
“What? Don't tell me you won't fight me like a man?”
“Don't do this!” Bianca begs, and her voice is the only thing keeping me centered while Charlie takes another swing.
“Dad!” Tatum cries out, rushing for me before Romero wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her back.
“Charlie, that's enough,” Ken yells and tries to place himself between us, but all that does is piss Charlie off more, and he shoves him out of the way like he's nothing.
“This is all you'll ever have with him!” Charlie insists. “Don't you see? Armed fucking men standing out in front of the house. This isn't freedom. This isn't a life! You have so much potential, you have a bright future ahead of you. Why are you wasting it on him?”
“Boss, let me take care of this,” Romero growls, and I find Tatum shaking her head at him when I glance their way.
“No.” No, I don't want him to take care of this. Because, goddamn it, the man is right. This isn't a life for her. She deserves better. I've done so many things to keep her with me, to keep her close, all because I can't live without her. And what can I offer? More of this? Sitting in my office, negotiating a deal that will lead to a man's murder—out of revenge for what that man did to her. What I allowed to happen, all because she's associated with me.
The memory of the cell in which they held her keeps me from fighting back when Charlie lands another hit. His fits come quickly, landing repeatedly, driving me to my knees. Bianca lets out a terrifying scream before she starts to plead with her father, only he doesn't listen. It could be that he doesn't hear her, too intent on finally ending me the way he's always wanted to do, or he just doesn't give a fuck.
“Stop, Dad, please stop!” She tries to put herself between us, to shield me, but I shake my head, spitting out blood from the corner of my mouth, well climbing to my feet.
