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Matteo interrupts. “Then she married an even greater one. It’s funny how life works out.”
Nobody laughs and I say gently, “I fell in love. Is that such a bad thing?”
Mom shakes her head. “No, it’s not and I should be happy about that, but it wasn’t your decision to make.”
“Not my decision! Of course, it was.” I am incensed and my father says sadly, “I thought when Sam learned you were with Matteo, he would back off. Fight fire with fire, as they say, and that Matteo would do what I hoped he would.”
“Which was?” I say with a hitch to my voice, and he stares at me hard and says roughly, “Remove Mario from our lives.”
I glance at Matteo in shock at the realization my father used him, but Matteo merely shrugs, appearing more interested than anything.
“You took a chance I would remove Mario from Abigail’s life for what, exactly?”
Mom says quickly, “We wanted him gone. He was too volatile, too corrupt and threatened our whole organization.”
“The Dark Lords?” I’m confused, hating knowing my father is involved in that, but if anything, my father seems confused.
“The Dark Lords were a fraternity, Abigail. We left it behind in college.”
Matteo hisses, “Then why do you have the fucking rule book hidden in a drawer in your penthouse?”
My father is incensed as he yells, “You broke into my apartment!”
Matteo shrugs. “I did what was necessary to protect your daughter. Something you are obviously incapable of.”
I stare in bewilderment at a scene I wasn’t expecting and I’m even more surprised when my father says with a sigh, “It’s complicated.”
“So youareinvolved.” I stare at him in horror and he sighs heavily.
“Yes, I’m involved but not in the way you think.”
“Then how?”
He glances at my mother and appears almost ashamed. “I abide by the rules but don’t attend any meetings. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to distance myself from my involvement but I understand things happen I have control over. As far as I know the Dark Lords is just a club that protects its members and pushes opportunities their way to help them get on in life.”
Matteo shakes his head. “Then tell that to Mario and his real father, who is apparently the Supreme Dark Lord, or some shit like that.”
“His father?”
I stare in shock as my parents share a horrified look and my father says in a low whisper, “You heard about him?”
I brazen it out and say firmly, “We know Sam isn’t Mario’s real father. Jefferson told us, but we don’t know his name.”
My father stands and appears agitated and says roughly, “Then leave it that way. Walk away and forget you heard anything at all.”
He appears almost possessed as he stares at me with blind panic and says to Matteo. “If you feel anything for my daughter, you will walk away now. Let her marry Jefferson and live a safe and happy life. If she leaves with you, you will both end up dead. If anything, I can promise you that.”
Matteo jumps up and snarls. “I want his name.”
My father says defiantly, “I willneverspeak his name. I will do anything to protect my family and you will never get it from me. If Abigail leaves with you, she may as well be committing suicide.”
Mom turns to me and her usual composure crumbles as she says, “Please, Abigail. Stay here where we can protect you.”
I stare at Matteo in shock and the only sound other than my own frantic breathing is a text coming through on his phone and I watch his expression change to one of pure rage when he reads it.
He glances up, and if anything, the look he directs at my parents is one of controlled rage as he hisses, “Request denied. Say goodbye to your parents, Abigail, because the safest place for you is by my side.”
I stare at my parents in shock, as Matteo says in a voice laced with pain, anger and retribution.
