Page 59 of Skating Towards Danger

Houlis sniffs and reminds my father, “I killed him and his wife. His daughter is very much alive.”

I speak up this time and boom, “You also killed a four-month-old baby boy!” and he looks at me in shock. “My wife tried to cover her baby brother with her body while watching her mother try to jump in the back to protect them,” I sneer at him, “Youdisrespected my father by trying to force an arranged marriage and then killed a family that had no part of our world. You then tried to kill my wife out of some sick game to punish a dead man after my father and our alliances let you off to keep peace, and for that, I condemn you, Houlis!”

“Ah fuck,” Roman mutters as both Rafael and Jose step away from Houlis, who chuckles and states, “You can’t condemn me, you’re not even full-time second yet, putting your precious skating first.”

I give him a cold grin and remind him, “Ah, but I’m still second, and you still went after my wife,” before I lift my arm and pull the trigger, not once, not twice, but three times.

Houlis’ bodyguards all drop, a bullet to their heads as Houlis quickly presses his hand to his throat, his eyes wide.

“Dante, are you losing your touch with all the skating?” Rocco asks, and I look at him to see his head tilted as he eyes a choking Houlis who have dropped to his knees.

I look back at the fucker, and I state, “He deserves to suffer, just like my wife does every single day since losing her family.”

Houlis coughs up blood, and choking sounds echo in the room before he falls to the floor, his face smacking the concrete. It’s only then that I shoot him five times just to make sure he’s dead. Then I look at Rafael and state, “Congratulations, the Cartel is yours but know this, fuck with my family, and you’ll regret it, and not by me either, my sister has a mean streak.”

“Yeah, she fucking does,” Gio mutters as he rubs his side where she cut him a few years back when he took her credit card as a job and Rafael smirks.

“I can handle your sister,” he says, then adds, “I think,” and I grin wide as I shake my head at the poor fool.

Saluting a relieved-looking Jose, I turn and walk towards the exit, my mind solely on getting back to my parent’s house tomy girl when I hear the Roman threat, “Hurt my sister, and I’ll fucking kill you after starting a war.”

“I’ll treat your sister like the queen she is,” Rafael promises, and just before I exit through the door, I shout, “She has a shoe addiction, so good luck.”

I hear his groaning as I walk out of the warehouse, and Roman and I chuckle.

“He wanted her,” Roman says as Dad joins us, and I state, “Now he can deal with her.” We all laugh and walk over to the SUV.

As much as we love Bianca, the woman is a shopaholic, and if Dad had a normal job with a salary, we would have been fucking bankrupt within days.

The little shit stole my credit card last year and maxed the fucker out, so good luck to Raf.

“He better not hurt her, Dad,” Gio snaps as he walks over. I grin at my little brother, wrap my arm around his neck, and rub his head with my fist, making him chuckle and shove me away.

“He’s not stupid, Gio, besides, have you seen the look he gets when she’s mentioned?” Roman answers him, and Gio grins and says, “Yeah, it’s the same dopey look you get when Morgan is mentioned and what Dante gets when Paige is in sight, although, normally, with Dante, his demon appears to avenge her. Case in point, in there, though I expected it to be a little bit messier.”

I shake my head and mutter, “Just wait until you fall.”

He shrugs, “When I do, I’ll cherish it, but until then, I’ll enjoy all the ass I can get.”

“You mean pussy, son,” Dad says, and Gio grins and admits, “No, Dad, ass,” and Dad’s face pales, and I laugh as I walk to the SUV.

I guess Gio never came out to Dad.

“Come on fuckers, I have a girl to get home to, preferably before she has nightmares,” I say loudly and climb into the SUV.

“Dante,” Rocco begins as he climbs in next to me and I say, “Just give her a little time. She’s had information overload, Rocco, and right now, the only thing she wants to focus on is me, my life, and that I actually do love her and we have to allow that for her. Just give her time.”

He sighs but nods, then looks out the window, and I sigh.

Paige will forgive him, as much as it feels like she won’t, she loves him like a father she just has a lot to overcome.

My wife is strong, and with my help, she’ll finally be happy with her family around her, I’ll make sure of it.

Chapter 25

Paige – Two Weeks Later

I take steady breaths as I stake backward, trying to concentrate on the music and the feeling of the cold soaking into me – trying but failing.

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