Page 66 of Vicious Vows

“You’ll see his true colors,” my dad said to me. “Then who will protect you?”

“Get him out of here.” Marchello nodded to his guards. “Now.”

Milo followed the guards who forced my father out of the room, shoving his gun back in his waistband.

When had he taken it out?

As he shut the door, I caught a glimpse of Ricardo in the hall.

I should have listened to him when he told me to stay out of this.

Marchello took a breath and moved his neck from side to side before facing me.

“Are you okay?” He looked me over. “I’m sorry.”

“What was that?” I wiped the tears from my face, trying to make sense of a senseless situation.

“Unnecessary.” He reached for my hand. “You’re shaking.”

“Don’t.” I swatted him away. “I don’t want you to touch me.”

“I know that was difficult for you.” When he stepped toward me, I moved across the room. “What the hell, Lissia? Stop moving away from me.”

“You knew and you didn’t tell me.” I swiped the hair from my eyes. “How can I ever forgive you for that?”

FIFTEEN

Marchello

If Lissia couldn’t forgiveme for not telling her that her father put a hit on me and was responsible for her getting shot, how would she ever forgive me for killing him?

Judging from the look in her eyes, she wouldn’t.

“When did you find out that my father ordered that hit?” She glared at me. “How long have you known?”

“Shortly after you were shot, Lorenzo’s men caught two of the shooters.” I tapped my fingers against the desk. “Milo and I questioned them. They had a phone number to use in an emergency. I called it, and your father answered.”

“So, you knew before I even opened my eyes after being shot?”

“Yes.”

“You knew when I asked you who the shooter was, and you said you didn’t know?”

“Yes.”

“You knew it was my father when you told me you loved me.”

“Fucking yes!” I kicked the desk. “What do you want from me?”

“The truth.” She grasped the chair, standing behind it as if it would keep me away from her. “You owe me that.”

“I owe you?” I shouted. “You fucked up my whole life, and I owe you?”

“Tell me how you really feel.”

I took a deep breath, keeping my distance and trying not to take out my frustration on her over her father showing up here. Her smart mouth was dangerously close to making me fail that mission.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me it was my father? Didn’t you think I should know?”

---