Page 70 of Vicious Vows

“I know.”

I hadn’t heard from him since before the shooting. Lucas had tried to get word to him, and he must have succeeded.

“What the fuck happened in Florida?” he asked.

“Gian ambushed us.”

“Is it true his daughter was hit?”

“She was grazed.” I squeezed the phone, holding back my anger. “She’s fine.”

She was fine until her father showed up and caused all sorts of havoc.

“Physically maybe, but not emotionally,” my dad said. “Being stuck between two families who are at war is going to take a toll on her. It could have been much worse.”

“I realize that.”

“Gian is a threat none of us need,” he said. “I had hoped you could keep him at bay until I came back, but that clearly isn’t a possibility. I can’t risk him taking another shot at you or your brother.”

“He came to the dealership today.” I stood and gazed out the window. “Demanding to see Lissia.”

“He’s impulsive and doesn’t think anything through. He never has.”

Now I know where his daughter gets it.

“He acts in the moment and does what he thinks will be the most beneficial for him,” my father said. “That’s why he wanted that alliance with Collins. He was willing to sacrifice his daughter to a madman to gain control of the city.”

“He’s getting aggressive. The other families are going to see our lack of retaliation as a weakness, especially with you gone.”

“We’re not weak.” He raised his voice. “You’re not weak. If any of the other families see us that way, then they don’t deserve our loyalty.”

“The hit was so messed up. It wasn’t even professional.”

He sighed. “Gian attempted to kill both of my sons in one reckless move. I don’t care how botched it was, he has to pay for that.”

“The arms dealer is still on the run.” No one had seen Danny. He disappeared after the shooting. “He still poses a threat.”

“We’ll deal with him later,” my father said. “One thing at a time. We must have order and concentration. I’m sorry you have to do this in my absence, but this war has to end before my children are killed.”

I had been waiting for this call. What came next was inevitable.

“Tell me what you want me to do.” As if him saying the words would somehow make all of this any easier.

“Take Gian out,” he said. “Are we clear?”

SIXTEEN

Lissia

I added moredesigner dresses into the shopping cart on the laptop Ricardo let me borrow and tapped my fingers against the sofa cushion in a display of nervous energy.

My world had been trampled in a matter of seconds. Not even Versace could make me feel better.

One moment, I was twirling through the halls of the dealership, floating on air because Marchello admitted he loved me. The next, my father stomped on my heart, asking me to choose between him and the man I wanted to spend forever with.

Neither of them were innocent. They had both done horrible things through the years. Their dark, troubled paths had finally crossed, and I was stuck in the middle.

It was as if the universe had it out for me. I’d found the man of my dreams, but how long could we sustain this brutal life before someone was destroyed in the process?

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