“That I have to do what you tell me.”
He smiles broadly. “That’s right.”
The van slows to a stop and he glances back again. “Don’t any of you move.”
Vito’s driving, Pete is in the passenger seat, and Baron and Marisol are in the back seats. Once the three men get out, I look at Marisol and she’s doing something on her phone like this is just another day.
“How can you be so cruel?” I ask her.
She laughs. “Money.”
“There are more important things.”
“Says the woman who has plenty.”
“The woman whose boyfriend has a sister that’s a princess. A real princess. Married to European royalty. I promise you there’s more money to be had than anything these bozos will give you.”
She stares at me. “Royalty?”
“Yup. Married to one of the princes of Limaj. Look it up. Princess Courtney.”
She scowls but then starts typing on her phone. I have no idea if this will make a difference, if it’s already too late, but I have to try.
Out of nowhere I hear shouts.
Then the unmistakable sound of gunshots.
He’s here.
My father. Rage. Daniil.
Someoneis here for me.
I close my eyes and send up a prayer to my mom. “You said you’d always protect me,” I whisper. “I need you, Mom.”
The redhead scoots closer to me. “Tell your mom weallneed her,” she whispers.
“Si,” the Latina woman adds.
“She knows,” I tell them. “Believe me, wherever she is, she knows.”
“What’s happening?” Marisol throws open the door.
And it’s absolute chaos on the tarmac. I have no idea who’s who but people are shooting, I see multiple vans—and my father. He’s standing there in front of one of the club’s vans, a gun in each hand, and he’s not shooting to miss.
“Motherfucker!” Pete crawls in on the other side and grabs me by the collar. “Tell your father to stop shooting or the next bullet is for you.”
“Yeah?” I arch my brows. “How am I gonna give you those sons you want if I’m dead?”
“Shut the fuck up!” He yanks me out of the van, calling to Silver. “She’s right here, old man! You want her? Go ahead—I dare you. But your slut of a daughter dies first.”
I’m butt naked and he’s dragging me by the neck as I stumble to keep up.
My father puts his guns down slowly. “What do you want, Tex?”
Pete laughs. “I have what I want. I just need you to get the fuck out of the way.”
“My daughter isn’t negotiable.”
