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It’s Antonio with Killian and a few of other men.
“Antonio?” Lorenzo asks. “What are you doing here? We made a deal. I get Theo.”
“I know.” Antonio stalks forward. “And I changed my mind. I’ve spent the past few months striving to be a good leader, and I fucked up, I’ll admit that. I didn’t see what was most important. My family. And I can safely say my sister doesn’t want Theo dead. And I don’t want to do that to her again.” He nods at his men, who all raise their guns at Lorenzo and his men.
“Let Mrs. Williams go,” Antonio says. “We don’t need any innocents killed today.”
“Innocent?” Lorenzo asks. “Theo isn’t innocent. He killed Salvatore!”
“And trust me,” Antonio says. “Salvatore was no innocent man. But that woman you have tied up is. She doesn’t deserve to die for something her son did. What’s it going to be, Lorenzo? Let Theo and his mom go or get blasted with bullets? Your choice.”
Lorenzo looks back and forth between Antonio and me. It’s a tense moment before he drops his gun. “Fine,” he spits out.
“Untie her,” Antonio orders Killian, nodding at my mom. Killian rushes over and frees my mother, who runs over to me. Lorenzo’s men let me go.
“Oh my god,” my mom says as I hug her. “Oh my god.”
“You’re safe,” I comfort her. “You’re safe.”
Lorenzo tries lunging at Antonio, but Antonio punches him in the jaw. “Don’t threaten me,” Antonio says.
“I’ll come after you, Antonio,” Lorenzo says. “You really just want to throw away a good deal over some bodyguard?”
“I’m not throwing away a deal,” Antonio explains. “I’m showing what kind of leader I can be. I refuse to let anyone else be collateral in my efforts to gain power. I’ve been making over people do that for me, and it’s done. It’s my turn to step up and offer something.” He removes his father’s pendant from around his neck. “This belonged to my father. It’s the most important item I own. It’s gotten me through the worst of times in my life.” He sighs deeply. “And now, it’s yours.”
Lorenzo’s eyes widen. “What?”
“This,” he says, nodding at the pendant, “is my symbol of trust with you, Lorenzo. We can make a deal. You take over where your cousin left off. You get the power he had. We become allies. But not through a marriage deal with one of my sisters. Not through the death of a good family friend.” He nods at me before turning back to Lorenzo. “A good leader is willing to make sacrifices himself. By giving you my father’s pendant, it speaks volumes. We put the past behind us, and we move forward. If you don’t take this, Lorenzo, and become my ally, I will rain hell down on you. But I’d rather make an alliance than start a war. What do you say?” He holds the pendant out to Lorenzo.
Lorenzo looks at the pendant for a moment before nodding. “Deal.” He takes it and puts it into his pocket. I can see Antonio’s jaw tense, but he doesn’t say anything. “An alliance between us. I’m holding you to it, Antonio.”
“You have my word. And my pendant. This is not to be taken lightly.”
“It’s not,” Lorenzo agrees.
“Theo,” Antonio calls over to me. “We’re going home.”
Antonioand I enter the Moretti household an hour later. My mom is okay at safehouse for now. She wasn’t happy about it, but she agreed to it. Hopefully, she’ll only have to remain there for a couple of weeks until all the shit with the Fontana’s is settled. I know she’s antsy to be back home with the memory of my father in the air.
The house is quiet when we step inside.
“Hello?” Antonio calls out.
Cecilia appears at the top of the stairs, stopping short when she sees me. “Theo?” She cries as she runs down the stairs and jumps into my arms. “You’re okay. You’re alive.”
“I’m alive.” I hug her so tightly even I can barely breathe.
Giulia walks into the foyer, looking between Antonio and me. “So, is everything dealt with?”
“Everything is,” Antonio says. “Where is everybody?”
“Mia and the twins are out with their sisters. Cecilia and I needed some alone time.”
“I thought you were dead,” Cecilia says.
“I’m not.” I kiss her like my life depends on it. And it sort of did.
Giulia walks over to Antonio. “I was worried for you, too, young man.”
