“You do,” I croaked. “And I won’t take that from you. Never.”
I pulled back and stared at Amo. Darkness and anger still simmered in his gray eyes and I worried they’d never go away.
He nodded, obviously fighting with himself.
I turned to Dad, who looked honestly confused. “I don’t know what place I want in the Famiglia yet. For now, I want to lead a group of enforcers who’ll hunt down every single member of the Tartarus MC in our territory who sympathizes with Earl White, and if Remo Falcone allows it, even beyond our borders. They can die or they can fall to their knees and swear loyalty to us. Once that’s taken care of, I could handle logistics or negotiate new co-operations.”
Admiration flickered in Dad’s eyes, but at the same time, his hesitancy remained. What I had to say next wouldn’t make it easier for him.
“I want Maddox at my side.”
Dad’s expression hardened, and Amo scoffed. “He’s not one of us.”
“Sparing his life is one thing, which I still consider a mistake, but allowing him to work for us and be near you? That’s out of the question, Marci. I won’t ever allow it.”
I straightened my shoulders, prepared for the battle. “He could be one of us. He saved me.”
“After he kidnapped you,” Amo growled. “Those pieces of MC shit aren’t loyal.”
“He’s loyal to me.”
Dad glowered. “Marci, don’t mistake him leaving the sinking ship for anything but what it is: fear of losing his life.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not a child and I’m not a fool. Maddox isn’t scared of death. Were you even close to finding their clubhouse when he called you?”
Dad and Amo exchanged a look. “We would have found it eventually,” Dad said carefully.
“That would have been too late. Earl enjoyed torturing me. He wanted to pass me around like a trophy.”
I could see the battle in Dad’s eyes. “Your mom told me you weren’t…” He swallowed hard, torn between fury and despair.
“I wasn’t raped, no, Dad. Maddox kept me safe. He risked his life to save me. He killed his uncle to avenge me.”
“Then why did he do it?” Amo asked.
“Because he loves me.”
Amo laughed as if I’d lost my mind, but Dad only regarded me with worry. “How do you know?”
“He told me, and I can see it in his eyes. I just know it deep down.”
Dad looked away.
“Let him prove himself, to you, to me, to our family.”
“I won’t allow him near you or your mother or Valerio without supervision.”
I touched Dad’s arm. “Trust me on this, Dad.”
“I trust you, Marci, but after what he did, I can’t see myself trusting that man. And I doubt your mom would want your kidnapper near you or our family.”
“I talked to Mom about Maddox. She knows how love can change everything. It changed you.”
Amo grimaced as if the whole love discussion made him sick. “If love turns you into an idiot, I’d rather not fall in love. It’s a waste of time and energy. We are enemies, Marci. That won’t change.”
Dad ignored him. He had only eyes for me, and he looked almost scared as he asked, “If you talk about love, you mean his possible feelings for you.”
“His feelings for me, yes, and my feelings for him.”
Dad released a harsh breath. “What are you saying, Marci? That you love him?”
I swallowed hard. “I think so, yes.”
Amo cursed in Italian, and Dad shook his head, looking full of despair. “Thinking isn’t enough in this case. He’s the reason why you got that horrible tattoo. He’s the reason why you lost your ear, and you tell me you like that bastard?”
“Maddox isn’t the reason. He wanted to stop his uncle.”
“But he didn’t.”
“He couldn’t.”
Dad shook his head. “He’s the enemy.”
“He doesn’t have to be.”
“He can’t be part of our world. Our men would never accept him.”
“I know it’ll be a hard battle, but it’s one I’m willing to fight.”
“And Maddox, do you really think he wants to work for me, follow my orders?” Dad motioned at the cut on the side of his head then at his leg. “He stabbed me. He wanted to kill me. He probably still wants to kill me and your brother.”
“But he didn’t?”
Dad chuckled darkly. “Did you ask him if he wants to be part of our world?”
I swallowed, trying to come to terms with the fact that Maddox had attacked Dad. Maybe his desire for revenge was still too strong. But what would become of us then? I wouldn’t leave my family. “I have to talk to him.”
“We can give him a quick death if that’s what you want after the talk,” Amo said.
I gave him a hard look. “That’s not funny.”
“No, it’s not,” Amo agreed. “It’s fucking bullshit that you think you love our enemy.”
Dad wrapped an arm around me. “Wait a day or two before you talk to him. Give yourself time to bring distance between yourself and the kidnapping. Talk to your mom again.”