Page 111 of Born into Mayhem
I reach out for Dario, and he’s at my side and squeezing my hand in the next second. “Because I couldn’t just stand there and let Dario get stabbed.”
My dad is silent, and it’s eerier than if he were screaming. He scrubs a hand over his face and then rubs at his neck, trying and failing to get himself under control.
“Jesus Christ,” he finally says, still shaking his head in disbelief. “Someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here, because it looks like someone forgot to tell Dario that this was supposed to bepretend. Dario,” he says, spitting the word out like it has a bad taste, “who has been teaching my daughter since she was barely seventeen!”
“I never touched her like that, Lev. Never,” Dario says.
My dad’s eyes go to where our hands are still joined. “But you are now.”
It’s not a question, so neither one of us says anything. The answer is already screaming itself into the too-cramped room.
“Okay, let’s just take a breath,” my mom says, trying her best to keep my dad calm. Usually it would work, but this is the second daughter he’s lost to the Alessi family, and the man can only take so much.
When Dario tries to help by saying, “I love her, Lev,” it ends up being the last piece my dad needs to completely lose it.
“You fucker,” he yells, coming around my hospital bed. My mom’s hands immediately go to my shoulders, holding me in place because she knows me well enough to know I’m about to lunge out of the bed. In all the chaos, it’s my brother who steps in front of Dario. He’s an inch or two taller than both of them, and strong enough to be a deterrent. My dad looks at him, shock written all over his face.
“What are you doing?”
“He’s family. You said we can’t hurt family,” Sasha tells him.
“He’s a part of Dominic’s family, not ours.”
Our dad still looks furious, but Sasha’s as calm as ever when he says, “He’s a part of our family now, and Mia loves him. You can’t hurt him, Dad.”
“I can’t believe you’re throwing the rules in my face,” our dad says.
Sasha shrugs. “If I have to follow them, it’s only fair you do, too. Plus, Dario and I already had a talk about this. I would’ve killed him if I’d needed to.”
“I thought he was family,” our dad says, and I can’t help but huff out a soft laugh at the sarcastic tone he’s using.
“That doesn’t matter if it involves one of my sisters,” he says, and my dad nods, because all he can do is give his approval on that one.
Nat shoots me a quick, relieved smile when our dad’s shoulders relax enough to make it clear he’s not going in for the kill anytime soon.
“I want to talk to my daughter,” he says, looking around at everyone. “Alone.”
Dominic and Sandro both pat my feet as they leave, Nat gives me another hug, and Sasha gives me a grin. I remember what he’d whispered to me before I’d passed out earlier. He’d welcomed me into the family and told me he’d take me to Benny’s when I was ready to get my Grim Reaper tattoo. I know it’s not the official welcome, but if he thinks I’ve earned my way in, then I have.
“Are you okay?” Dario asks, leaning in close and kissing my cheek.
“I’ll be fine,” I tell him.
“I’ll be right outside,amore.” He kisses me softly and then stands up. Ignoring the glare my dad is giving him, he says, “You have my word that I never touched her before she turned eighteen, Lev, not once. I would never do something like that, but I do love her, and I want to marry her.”
My dad groans while my mom pulls Dario in for a hug. Her heart is as big as Nat’s, so I’m not at all surprised by her reaction. My dad watches, but doesn’t say anything. When Dario walks out, she goes to follow, but my dad grabs onto her waist and pulls her down into his lap.
“I didn’t mean without you,malinkaya.”
She smiles at him and kisses his cheek. “I didn’t know. You were putting out some seriousfuck-offvibes.”
His face softens when he looks at her. “Never to you, baby. I was just pissed at the Italian bastard who’s stolen our youngest away from us.” He looks over at me. “And put her in danger.”
“This was my fault, Dad. The plan was working, and everything would’ve been fine, but Leonardo told me he’d gotten to one of the Alessi men and that he was going to kill Dario. I couldn’t just stand back and let it happen.”
He looks at the giant rock on my hand. “You’re not going to be able to throw a good punch with that thing. You’re going to end up with abroken finger. What was he thinking buying you that? Are you sure you want to marry a man who’s that dense?”
I smile and hold up my hand, wiggling my fingers. “Don’t worry. I already gave him the lecture. This was just for show. He’s going to buy me something I can actually wear when we get married.”
