“Not exactly, but…this is either a coincidence, and they have more balls than we thought, or they never thought I’d get past their layers of encryption and backtracing.” Bringing up the screen I need, I gesture to the monitor, inviting him to look at the ID photo I found. “Meet Special Agent in Charge Cecily Dowing…Head of the local FBI field office.”
“Idon’t like this. At all.” I cross my arms as I glare at my best friend. From the way Antonio is nodding, I’m not alone. Fucking hell. This is not a good idea.
We’re in Lio’s new O’Connel office, which has finally been put together enough to satisfy Antonio. There’s a sleek black desk and a high back chair for Lio to sit in. Like Allesandro’s office, there are two chairs in front of the desk, which both Antonio and I are sitting in. There is also a loveseat and a long couch with a coffee table in one corner.
My contribution was the coffee maker on the side, which meant Antonio had to bring in a small refrigerator as well—heaven forbid he doesn’t have fresh creamer. I stashed some bottled water in there too, in the hopes that Lio will occasionally dilute the coffee that runs through his system with actual hydration. I don’t have high hopes.
Lio merely waves our concerns away, making me want to strangle him. “It’s already been decided. The Council agreed. This is the right move. I won’t be alone; Carter is also going. In addition, we’re each allowed a guard. I’ll be taking Tennant, and Marcus is shadowing Carter.”
Antonio stiffens, shaking his head. “No. I’ll go. No disrespect to Tennant, but you need an O’Connel with you. Tennant is still an Amato.”
I wince, telling Tennant no is…not something I want to do, and given Lio’s expression, he feels the same. Yet, I can’t deny that Antonio has a point. If my friend is going through with this ridiculous, stupid idea, then we need to prove to Il Padrone that he’s an actual Boss. Not to mention, it’ll start fireworks that we do not need. At least, in this new meeting.
Lio snorts as he stares at Antonio. “And you think Jude will let you go?”
“He may be my Dom, but he is not my Owner. If I say I’m going, I’ll go. You are my Boss.” Antonio’s eyes snap with fire as he curls his hands into fists. Fuck. This is not good.
“Alright, let’s just…calm down,” I cut in before Lio can offer a sharp retort. Rubbing my temples, I sigh at the headache threatening to overtake me. “Look, there’s valid points to both. We know Il Padrone will react poorly to having Tennant escort you. So will Cristian, I’m sure. He’d consider that a major betrayal, which…not fun. Now, I’d normally be alright with this because fuck those two, but it is your first meeting and we don’t need things to be clouded.”
“Fuck. I know you’re right,” Lio says as taps his fingers along the desk. “Tennant’s not going to let me go with only Antonio—which, yes, is wrong of him. I trust Antonio to guard me completely. But Tennant is a bit…”
“Protective?” I ask wryly. “You know he has a reason to be. One, he doesn’t want to see you get hurt. Two, I’m sure he’sworried you’ll go back to Il Padrone. And if Antonio joins you, I have no doubt Jude would be concerned about Antonio also attaching himself back to Il Padrone.”
Lio purses his lips as he exchanges a loaded glance with Antonio. It’s so quick that I’m not able to make out the subtext, but I make a mental note of it for further investigation later.
Biting his lip, Lio slumps in the chair. Taking a large breath, he blows it out slowly before meeting my eyes, his desperation shining through. “I… Yes, I’d go back. I still love him. It doesn’t matter what happened. If he proves that he understands what he did was wrong, if he can show me he’ll change, then yes, I want my Master back.”
“Enough to give up Tennant and Hollis?” I challenge, unable to believe he’d even consider it.
“No.” I relax at the swiftness of his answer.Fuck. That scared me.
Antonio shakes his head. “Then there’s no way. He’d never accept you with Hollis and Tennant, not as equals.”
Lio shrugs his shoulders. “Then this conversation is pointless. I’m merely saying that if he did, then yes, I’d go back. But neither of you have to.”
I grunt, not willing to say what I’d do. Knowing me, I’d follow Lio. If anything, he needs someone to keep him safe.
Antonio hesitates before he says, “I’d do what my Boss says.”
“No matter what, he will not be the Boss of our Family ever again.”
I sit back in my seat, my jaw dropping at Lio’s vehement response. Twin spots of red cover his cheeks, and he’s damn near growling. I tilt my head, studying him carefully. Slowly, I ask him, “Then what’s the difference?”
“He will never deserve to be the Boss of our Family again. But…I want him back as my Master.”
Antonio makes a sound that I can’t identify, but I don’t have time to ask what he means as there’s a knock at the door. Scowling, I stand up to answer it. I open the door and see it’s one of the maids. Quickly, I rearrange my face in a more pleasant fashion—no sense scaring the help. I’ll leave that to the others.
“Sirs? You have…guests.” I can barely hear her high-pitched, slightly panicked voice over the sound of three people speaking in rapid Russian.
My eyes widen and I swivel to face Lio, who shrugs his shoulders. It appears he has no clue what is going on either. Antonio, however, is smiling like it’s his birthday. I bite back all the curses that want to spill out, because Antonio only gets this level of excited when there’s fucking drama.
The maid draws my attention again, and with a pained look, she asks, “Shall we prepare rooms?”
“Why don’t I come see what’s going on? Then we can figure it out, Marsella,” Lio smoothly interrupts, as he stands and comes around the desk. I’m impressed he remembers her name, because I certainly didn’t.
Antonio hurries after Lio before cutting in front of him. “I go first. You’re the Boss. We’re to protect you.”
Scowling, Lio glares at him. “And I will lead the same way Il Padrone used to—from the front. I will not allow my men to make a sacrifice for me.”
