“Sorry,” Nico says, then he changes direction and carries out the only order that trumps mine.
Dad might be retired, but he’s still respected and obeyed by all the men.
Twenty minutes later, Nico parks the SUV in my parents’ driveway, and I let out a heavy sigh as I exit the vehicle.
Before I make it halfway up the path, the door opens, and Dad tips his head, indicating for me to follow him.
We head straight to his office. He shuts the door behind us, then without saying a word, he points at one of the leather chairs.
I take a seat and watch as he pours two tumblers of whiskey. After handing one to me, he sits down and orders, “Drink.”
“I have work to do,” I say, my tone too tense.
Dad levels me with a glare that would make most men piss themselves, and knowing he’s serious, I down the amber liquid.
As it burns my throat, he orders, “Talk to me.”
“I’m…” The usual response of saying ‘I’m busy’ stalls on my lips, and after taking a deep breath, I admit, “The thing with Sienna is getting to me.” Indicating a very fucking small space between my pointer finger and thumb, I say, “I’m this close to forcing her to marry me.”
Dad sips on his drink, then shakes his head. “Franco and Augusto won’t allow it.”
When I stare at Dad, his eyebrows lower and he mutters, “Fuck, you’re serious. Why, Christiano?”
“Could you live without Mom?”
A resigned expression settles on his face. “If Sienna doesn’t agree, it will rip the Cosa Nostra in two.”
Standing up, I begin to pace while my mind races a mile a minute. “Only if they know she’s being forced.”
“What does that mean?”
“Sienna is a people pleaser. She’ll do anything to keep the peace.”
“Jesus, son.” Worry ghosts over his face. “Would you really do that to Sienna? Force her to marry you against her will?”
My tone doesn’t waver as I say, “Yes. I will do whatever it takes. Once we’re married, she’ll realize I did the right thing.”
He stares at me for a long moment. “The other men trust you to lead them. Don’t destroy everything we’ve worked so hard for.”
Dad gets up again and pours us each another whiskey. As we enjoy our drinks, we sit in silence, and my temper settles a little, enough for me to think more clearly.
After a minute or so, I ask, “Why do you think Sienna broke things off with me?”
“Son, there’s a lot I know, but when it comes to women, I’m stupid as fuck.”
A chuckle escapes me, then suddenly the office door swings open and Mom comes in, gasping, “I thought I heard your voice!”
I get up and brace as Mom makes a beeline for me. She plows into my chest and hugs the shit out of me.
Feeling guilty because I don’t come around more often, I press a kiss to her hair. “Hey, Mom.”
Just as quickly as she hugged me, she pulls away and rushes to the doorway. “I’ll make your favorite for dinner. You’re staying, and I don’t want to hear anything about work!”
When she disappears into the hallway, Dad says, “She misses you a lot. Spend the evening with us. It will do you some good, and I won’t have to worry about you for a few hours.”
Not wanting to hurt Mom, I nod. I walk out of the office and go to the kitchen where I find her rushing around, taking ingredients from the fridge and pantry.
I sit down by the island, and when she passes me, her fingers brush over my neck, near the wound. “What happened?”
