“Bullshit.” He shifts his gun from Snark, to Viking, to Bear and then finally settles it on Hawk. “Baby, I know you, and you like to believe the best in people. You're naive. Gullible. You don't even understand that they've filled your head with lies. You'll never be safe here. If you're so damn free, then come home with me.”
Bear glares between us and he shakes his head. “Alessa.”
I nod back to reassure him. There is no freaking way I'm going anywhere with Dario. Especially not without Izzy. “Dario, I'm visiting a friend here, like I told Papa. If you don't believe me, at least listen to him.”
I hold my breath as Nicholas whispers to Dario. He was always the more serious one, dedicated absolutely to the Family, but today he looks nearly as frustrated as I am. With the phone still at his ear, he says, “Dario. Listen to her. Papa orders you to stand down.”
“He's not here. He's not seeing what I'm seeing. This is a fucking kidnapping, a direct attack on the Family. And this is the scum that he wants to form a truce with? Fuck no.” His dark eyes lock on me, his gun unwavering. Then he announces loudly, “I'm taking her with me. Anyone who tries to stop me is getting what they fucking deserve.”
“Don't be a fucking idiot,” growls Viking. “Even if all of you fuckers opened fire at once, we've got you outnumbered. Maybe we'll lose some men, sure, but I guarantee you that every single one of you will be on the ground and bleeding out, and you still won't have Alessa with you.
“You take her name out of your dirty fucking mouth,” explodes Dario. “I should put you down just for saying it.”
“Calm down, both of you!” yells Eagle-eye. “This isn't helping anyone. Dario—that's your name, right?—put your gun down. Viking, Bear, you too. If we turn this into a shootout, everyone loses.”
“I'll lower if he lowers, not before,” rumbles Bear through gritted teeth. Viking nods.
Dario doesn’t even listen. “All four of these fuckers were at your place when I got there. Are you fucking them? How long have they been there? Alessa, what the fuck have they got on you?”
“Nothing. Just… listen to Papa! I'm staying here with a friend. I'm not coming with you. I'm never coming with you.”
“Alessa,” warns Snark. “Get back inside where you're safe. We don't want you getting hurt. Think about—” He stops and looks at Dario. “Well, just think about it.”
That was close. If Dario learns about Izzy, what’s left of his control will snap. I take a couple of steps back, keeping my eyes on Dario like he's a cobra about to strike.
“Alessa.” Dario's voice rises slightly with the warning. “Do not fucking go in there.”
“I'm not coming. Go home, Dario. Never mind these guys—you're making me feel unsafe.”
He blinks at me like I'm crazy. “Me? I worship the ground you walk on. I'll fucking kill for you.”
Viking bristles, his thumb pulling back the hammer on his pistol. “Last warning, Dario. Alessa, get to safety.”
“Viking,” snaps Eagle-eye.
Shit.
“Alessa, stop!” And then suddenly Dario is aiming at me instead. “You know who you belong to. I'm not going to let you make this mistake.”
“What the hell are you doing?” I shriek at him, torn between throwing myself aside and standing perfectly still. This can’t be it.
“I'm not letting them take you.”
I love you, Izzy. “Fuck, you Dario. The only one here that’s a danger to me is you.” I make eye contact with Nicholas, and every other one of Dario’s guys that I know. Some I’ve danced with at holiday parties, and played cards with while our parents talked the night away. I want them to think about who the crazy one is here.
If he kills me, I want them to tell everyone exactly whose fault it was. Maybe some will lie to protect the Fabbri name, but not everyone.
“See? These guys are a bad influence. The Alessa I know doesn't swear.”
I stand up tall. “I’m a Giordano, Dario. I’m capable of more than you think.”
“You drive me crazy, baby.”
Hawk shifts to the right, getting closer to Dario's line of sight. “Aim at me. Not her. You don't want to hurt her.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Gun at me. Come on. Aim right at my fucking face, if you dare.”
Jesus, now who's acting stupid? “Hawk, no.”
Bear's shifting, too, slowly moving to protect me. Are they crazy? “Alessa, get inside. Now.”
“Dario,” tries Nicholas, one last time, even as the guys behind them are pulling weapons. The bikers too.
Shitshitshit!
Everything seems to happen at once. A single gun goes off, and then so many follow it sounds like machine gun fire. With a panicked yell, I throw myself on the ground and wiggle as quickly as I can until I’m behind the barrels.