Page 93 of Explode
“Of course it wouldn’t, he’s hellbent on me marrying Milo,” she sniffedas a tear slid down her rosy cheek.
A pang of guilt filled me. While the whole marriage deal hadn’t beenmy idea, the reason it came about in the first place was because I made the stupid decision to make a deal with the Bianchis in the first place.
“I don’t blame you,” Sofia said quickly, sensing my turmoil.
“Do you think there is any way your dad would change his mind?” Iasked, but I knew what the answer would be before she even opened her mouth.
“No. I don’t know why, but he needs the alliance to happen,” shereplied glumly. Despite her being upset, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by her answer.
Why did Georgio need the alliance to happen?
Pushing that to one side for the time being, I took her hand. “DoesOwen know about the marriage?”
“He knows about the marriage, but I didn’t tell him anything aboutwhy the deal was made. I just told him it was an arranged marriage. He knows arranged marriages are a tradition in the Italian Mafia. I tried breaking it off with him the minute my father agreed to the deal, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He knew you guys were coming here today, and he was threatening to tell Milo we’d been fucking so Milo knew he wasn’t marrying a virgin. But….that’s a lie. We haven’t fucked, I’m….I’m still a virgin.” More tears slid down her blushing cheeks as I scooched closer to her on the bench and put my arm around her.
“Surely, your dad would believe you over that dickwad though?”
“I doubt it, he never listens to me. Owen thought my father woulddisown me if the deal fell through and we could be together, but, Riley, I know my father, he wouldn’t disown me. He’d punish me.” She broke out into sobs, her body shaking as they consumed her. I stroked her hair as she cried her heart out, my mind racing with what to do next.
When her tears slowed down, I pulled her out of my arms and lookedat the bruises now starting to show on her throat. “We need to tell Miles before that fuckface spews a bunch of lies. Miles will listen if your dad won’t, and there’s no way that dickhead should get away with hurting you.”
“Milo won’t care,” Sofia said, pulling out of my arms.
I grabbed her hand again, and her eyes flashed to mine. “Look, Iknow you and Miles aren’t a big fan of each other for whatever reason, but there’s one thing I know about Miles, he won’t stand for you being hurt,” I said, a million percent sure Miles would be apoplectic if he found out someone had hurt Sofia.
Miles might not like her, but he wouldn’t be happy with someonehurting her. And if I was wrong, and Miles didn’t give a fuck, Rafe would. He wouldn’t stand for his sister being hurt.
She stared back at me, nibbling on her bottom lip in thought. After apause, she nodded once. “Okay.”
Not wanting to give her an opportunity to change her mind, I pulledher to her feet and started walking down the path, not letting go of her hand. She walked behind me quietly, sniffing every so often.
As we reached the house, and I wondered if Miles was still in hismeeting with Mr. Bianchi, a loud bang erupted in the distance, followed by shouting. Seconds later, the air was filled with a noise that sent fear through every inch of my body.
Gunshots.
Lots of gunshots.
Someone was attacking the Bianchi mansion.
Chapter 27
Riley
“Sofia!Riley!”
Rafe screamed our names as he ran out of the house, panic writtenall over his face which eased fractionally when he saw us frozen on the spot. He had a rifle in his arms, and his head whipped from left to right as he ran towards us, looking for any threat.
Gunshots rang out around us, growing louder by the second, andSofia squeezed my hand, her whimpers had turned from sadness to something else entirely.
She was terrified.
She wasn’t the only one.
“What the hell is going on?” I screamed to Rafe as he got closer.
When he reached us, he tugged Sofia into his arms, before pulling back and checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
“I’m okay, Rafe, just tell us what’s happening,” she said, gripping ontoher brother’s arm for dear life.
