I had to be right… Didn’t I?
“We need to find out exactly what he’s been doing for them,” Caspian decided. “And for how long. How many of our guys has he thrown in prison, huh? Even when they did nothing wrong? Well, now we know, the Pavlovs must have been behind it.”
“They’ve got the god damn Federal prosecutor in their pockets, can you imagine?” Luca hissed. “How convenient.”
My chest started to flutter in panic as I saw what was happening. The Lebedevs were furious at my father, blaming him even for weakening their organization. I had to find a way to stop this before it escalated.
“I can have my guys dig deeper into Marc’s history with the Pavlovs,” Federico offered.
“I’ve got contacts in the courthouse,” Achille added. “They might know something.”
“And I think we should pay Marc Montes a visit,” Luca suggested with a dangerous edge to his voice. “Remind him what happens to people who work with the Pavlovs in our territory.”
My head snapped up at that. “Wait… what?” I gasped in shock.
The brothers exchanged glances, and Dante stepped closer to me, standing beside me like a fort.
“We need to send a message, Alisa,” Caspian said carefully, watching Dante’s defensive stand. “The Pavlovs are trying to establish a foothold here through your father. We can’t allow that.”
“You can’t hurt him,” I blurted out. After everything my father had done, I should have wanted him to pay. But he was still my father. “Please. I know what he did was unforgivable, but—”
“Alisa,” Dante tried to remind me gently. “He tried to sell you. He’s working with people who would hurt you in ways you can’t imagine.”
“I know that,” I said, blinking back sudden tears. “But there has to be more to the story. Why would he do this? He’s always been so… “
The word “loving” died on my lips because it wasn’t true anymore, was it? If it ever had been.
“Look,” Dante spoke at last, “we need information first. Let’s not make any decisions until we know exactly what we’re dealing with. How does that sound?”
The brothers murmured their agreement, but I could see the fury in their eyes. They might have shelved their plans to hurt him for now, but just how long before they sprang into action?
As they continued discussing the next steps, my mind didn’t know how to shut off. I knew now, without a doubt, that Dante’s brothers were pissed with my father. I knew that it was a matter of time before they went after him directly, for doing what he did to me, as well as for allying with the Pavlovs.
I couldn’t let them hurt my father, not until I knew the whole truth. There had to be a reason, an explanation for how he’d gotten so deep with people like the Pavlovs. Maybe he didn’t have a choice.
But the Lebedevs weren’t gracious enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. If someone had to prove it, there was only one person who could: Me.
I had to know the truth, and I needed to find it before the Lebedevs did something that couldn’t be undone.
***
The meeting finally ended, and the brothers left, but Dante and I stayed back in his office.
I just sat there, silent, still overwhelmed from all the anger I heard tonight, all of which had been directed at my father.
“Alisa?”
“Alisa…?”
“Hmm?” I looked up at Dante. He looked worried, like he sensed I hadn’t been present.
“I was asking if you’d like a bite to eat. You hungry?”
“Oh.” I shook my head and frowned, my mind still on something else entirely. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Are you feeling okay?” He walked over and gently brushed a strand of hair from my cheek.
I looked up and forced a smile. “I just need some time to process everything.”
