He glares at me as I smoke in his office.
I know he hates it when I do this, but I don't give a damn. And I need a smoke. I'm missing Marzia's tight little ass dancing on my dick. "I just made her connect the dots. It's not like she's going to tell her father."
"What makes you so sure?" Father narrows his eyes at me.
"They're hiding something."
"What makes you say that?"
"She knows now and yet, she hasn't told him, or attempted to cancel the wedding. Any woman with a shred of self-respect wouldn't go through with it after seeing me fuck her maid of honor. But Nicoletta doesn't care. She needs me to marry her."
"They have enough money." He shrugs.
"Then it has to be something else. Have you done much research on her?"
"Not much out there." He shakes his head. "Gustavo and Nicoletta used to live on the continent, but moved to Palermo last year. They're very private, not in the public eye much."
"Keep digging," I mutter. "You're going to find something on those two, I just know it."
"Are you trying to change my mind yet again?" Father demands. "I'm not going to change my mind, Adrian. Marzia still needs to die. If it's not Nicoletta, it's going to be someone else you end up marrying."
I glare at him, refusing to acknowledge his words. As if I'm going to let him kill Marzia. I'm more determined than ever to make her my wife. Fuck Nicoletta, and fuck Gustavo.
"You need to sort this out with your fiancée," Father goes on. "We don't want her spilling the beans to Daddy dearest. So make sure she's happy. Or else."
"Or else what? More threats, Father? Thought you were above that."
"Don't make me hit you," he warns. "It's been a long time since you were disciplined, but I can still dole it out."
My gut feels cold as I remember him hitting me when I turned eighteen. He told me I needed to learn how to take a punch like a man, and how to hit back like a killer. He taught me well.
"Fine, I'll fix things with Nicoletta," I reply. "But don't expect me to stop what's going on with Marzia. I told you…we are meant to be together. You can stand in our way as much as you want, but you aren't going to stop us from ending up together."
Father keeps his gaze trained on me.
I casually reach behind my back. I bring out my gun, thoughtfully placing it on the desk between us. "See this?" I point to the gun.
Father keeps staring me down.
"I could kill you right now. I won't, because I believe you will change your mind and do, as you should. Let me have her. If you don't, I'm not above taking your life over hers."
"Is that so?" Father chuckles. "You'd kill me to have Marzia?"
I don't answer, but my silence speaks for itself.
"You never saw me as your family," Father says. "You cling on to the fact that you're adopted. No wonder you'd kill me to have her."
"That's a fucking lie!" I exclaim angrily. "You are my family. All of my brothers and you, Father. Always have been. But she's my destiny. And I'm not letting any-fucking-one stand in the way of what's meant to happen." I put the gun in the holster behind my back again, leaning forward to say, "Oh, by the fucking way? I've been doing my very fucking best to give you a reason not to kill her, and I fully intend on doing it every night from now on."
"Is that so?" Father smirks. "And how exactly are you trying to achieve that?"
"Let's just see… three months is a long fucking time," I smirk. "More than long enough for me to fuck a baby inside her. You won't hurt her when she's pregnant."
He pales.
I laugh at his crestfallen expression. "What? You didn't think I'd go there? I'll go anywhere as long as it means I get to keep her," I go on. "I told you, we're meant to be together. As for the kid... she'll give me heirs eventually, plenty of them. Might as well get started now."
"You're not who I thought you were," Father mutters.
"No? Am I your worst nightmare, Father?"
He stares at me wordlessly.
I just smile, walking to the door. Over my shoulder, I shoot him one last look. He looks old and vulnerable in here now, whereas I always found him so intimidating as a kid.
It seems everyone outgrows their father someday. I guess mine is today.
That night, when I call for Marzia, I don't even pretend to hide it from anyone.
I'm still convinced there's something Nicoletta and Gustavo aren't telling us. Something tells me she won't tell her father about my relationship with Marzia. She needs this to work as badly as my father does.