Page 28 of The Eternal Choice

“What’s going on?” my father instantly asks as soon as the door falls shut behind us.

Shit. I know I’m the one who asked for his help, and I’m very thankful for the way he came here with Lucian’s motorcycle club as extra backup, but these details are not mine to share.

“You know I can’t, Dad,” I regretfully tell him.

Surprise hits me when he shoots me a grin instead of the frown and push for information I expect from him.

I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Why do you have a weird grin on your face?”

He balls his fingers into a fist and brushes his knuckles against my cheek. “I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

A frown slides across my face when Ernestino and Leandro step into the room.

My father leans in and whispers, “I knew you were worthy of greatness when you finally found the one. Having you in my corner from the day you were born has been a privilege and I knew there would come a day when I’d found said corner empty. Though, it makes me proud as fuck to experience it today. Especially when you reached out for help, and still respect your mate’s clan.”

“Our clan,” Ernestino rumbles from beside me and brushes his lips against the top of my head.

I lean back against him and let my gaze meet his. The tension I felt earlier slips away and my body fills with tingles of awareness. One look allows me to feel as if we’re ready to conquer anything life throws at us. My mother’s swoony sigh makes me break the connection.

My mother waves her hand. “Don’t mind me, I’m just standing here loving the sight of my daughter looking perfectand content. I’m not crying. Seriously, your father poked me in the eye when you were lovingly staring at one another.”

“Did not,” my dad grunts.

She smacks his chest. “Shut up or I won’t make you any Pizelle for the upcoming weeks.”

My father releases a frustrated sigh. “I poked her.” His voice goes low and it’s only meant for my mother, but I pick it up anyway. “I will definitely poke you once we’re home, and it won’t be in your eye, it’ll be your ass and my cock instead of my damn finger.”

“Ew, Dad. Not cool,” I snap.

He’s about to say something but my mother smacks his chest again and gives him a glare.

“What?” he grumbles. “She’s pregnant and knows you don’t get that way from a mere hug.”

Ernestino chuckles and he gives an affectionate squeeze with his hand, located on my hip.

“Okay,” I grumble. “Can we focus? There’s a prisoner who needs questioning, and there’s still a threat hanging over our heads.”

A dragon shifter rushes over to Ernestino with a phone in hand. A few hushed words are thrown back and forth before he disappears.

“I need to take this,” Ernestino grunts and the hand on my hip disappears.

To my surprise I feel his fingers wrap around my wrist as he starts to tug me along with him. Through a narrow passage we reach his office, giving us the privacy Ernesto clearly needs, and trusting me to be with him.

His eyes are on me when he hits the screen of the phone. “Talk.”

“A bit agitated are we, Ernestino?” a voice states with glee dripping from its tone.

The muscles in my mate’s jaw jump and his words come out dead cold when he asks, “What do you want, Tony?”

“We already talked about this and your brother agreed to our terms. Maybe you forgot due to a little glitch in our plan, so we need to adjust. Tonight was a little taste of what can happen on a daily basis. Get your mate out of the picture and my daughter on your arm so we can unite clans and the war between us will be over once and for all.”

I don’t have to be near a person to detect lies in their voice. Tony spoke the truth with the exception of the last sentence. He doesn’t want his daughter on Ernestino’s arm, and he sure as hell doesn’t want to unite clans. He does, however, want to end the war once and for all. Knowing someone is lying doesn’t give you the truth or the meaning behind the lie.

My mind is a whirlwind of options and there’s so many things not lining up.

“What’s your answer, Ernestino? Are you willing to risk more valuable lives of your clan? Can you make the decision which is your only option to end this? Or should I talk to your brother who seems more decisive and knows what’s best for all of us?” Tony is clearly taunting Ernestino, but the reminder of him mentioning Nario twice shifts things in a weird position for me.

I tap the screen to mute the call, making sure it’s just Ernestino who can hear me when I ask, “Who was Sienna Mattia’s mate?”

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