Page 2 of Alive and Kicking
“Elope?” my dad chokes out, making me smirk.
Of course that’s the part he would really struggle with. Italians generally have big families, and a lot of that has to do with most of them being raised catholic. He has so manybrothers and sisters, I’m sure the idea of me eloping without them all and not telling him beforehand is giving him hives.
Gasp! What will the family think?
I don’t bother putting him out of his misery, because Iwouldtotally marry Zane in an Elvis chapel. “You don’t get to be upset when you were trying to marry me off to that il mostro?4.”
Dad smiles at me like it’s all sunshine and rainbows. “Luca is a non-issue now,” he says, adding a shrug like it was no big deal.
“A non-issue! Do you expect me to just let it go that easily? He was a disgusting excuse for a man, and you thought he was worthy of me? I’m honestly still furious with you.”
“Well, it’s not like I would have actually let you marry him.” He shrugs again.
My mouth falls open and I just stare at him. But thankfully, Nox doesn’t freeze at that wrench my dad just threw into the conversation. “What do you mean? Luca was under the impression that Viv would be marrying him. And she heard you two talking about it.”
Dad huffs and gives me a look like I’m a dense pre-teen taking too long to figure out how to properly break someone’s kneecaps. “If I wanted to keep something a secret from you, then it would have been a secret.”
My teeth grit before I turn a thunderous glare on him. “Are you saying that it was all some kind of fucked up test?” I demand.
“Calm down Bambolotta?5.” Nox and Cain both wince at that, taking a step back.
“I’m horrible in social situations, and I even know not to tell a girl to calm down when she’s upset,” Zane adds in, unhelpfully.
“Calm down? You want me to calm down? I ran away from home and everything I know because you wanted to test me?! Are you fucking kidding me?!” I snap, hopping down from my perch on the counter to stalk toward my dad.
I’m beyond the point of caring how much I love him and so close to stabbing him myself. But a hand grips my wrist as I go to pull a knife from my waistband. Glaring over, I find Cain holding my wrist in a tight grip. “Look princess, I want nothing more than to let you put more holes in him than swiss cheese, but if you hurt your dad you’ll feel guilty afterward.”
My chest deflates at that, and I want to curse the world because I know he’s right. I would hate that I’d hurt him. But it doesn’t change the fact that he deserves it. I settle for just glaring in his direction and cutting him with my words if Cain won’t let me use a blade. “Six of your men are dead because of you. Six men who trusted you with their lives died for your stupid test,” I tell him, rage dripping from my voice.
At that, my dad looks away. “It was for the best. If they were willing to aid in your capture and forced marriage, then they deserved it. Enzo and his men were the only ones that said no. They refused to go after you even if it meant their death. I was ashamed that Ethan and his guys were so willing to assist in your capture. They were willing to kidnap you by any means necessary after they helped raise you. You need strong allies when you take over, so I just helped you cull the herd.”
My brain stops working for a moment. “Wait, what? What do you mean when I take over?”
He grins at me. “I’m getting too old for this shit. I needed to make sure you could stand up for yourself and what you believe in. I couldn’t hand over the reins to you if you were just going to buckle under the pressure.”
Hand over the reins.
He wants me to be the next family head? He’s insane. There has never been a female Don in the existence of our family. While I know that others have done it, our family has always been more of a patriarchy. I never even considered that my dad would pick me as the next head.
I’m so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I don’t even realize he’s talking again until something catches my ear.
“…So you’ve got ‘till you graduate to marry and take over the family.”
I splutter, “Hold up,” as I hold my hand out. “You want me to marry? I’m eighteen for fuck’s sake. You expect me to marry someone in the next three years?”
Dad chuckles and gestures around at the four men in the kitchen. “Well it seems you’ve got some options. I expect you to attend the summer Sit Down where I’ll announce that you are my successor.”
Of course he wants to announce it as soon as possible. The target that will be on my back is probably not even a concern for him at all. No, that’s not true. He’s too smart to not realize I would become a target. This is another test. He wants to see how I’ll handle the stress.
“I’ll be there,” I growl out, unhappy with being backed into a corner.
He grins. “Well since I’m here anyway, why don't I take you all out to dinner? It’ll be nice to get to know the men living with my daughter,” he says, his voice going deep and dangerous at the end.
“Save the overprotective dad act for someone who believes it. You literally sent a serial killer and a maniac after your daughter. One who tried to pluck the teeth out of her head, and the other who attempted to rape her. You’re not winning any ‘Father of the Year’ awards,” Sloane snaps, surprising me.
Sloane is usually pretty laid-back, so it feels nice to have him stand up for me this way. Dad eyes him contemplatively before a slow smile spreads across his face. “Let’s get something to eat. We can talk about the logistics of everything going forward while we have a meal,” he says while straightening his jacket like ithas somehow gotten wrinkled while he’s been standing in the kitchen.
Sloane’s palm lands on the small of my back. “I’m going to go change into some jeans.”
