Page 62 of Dangerous Intent

“I need some files from Gian’s study,” he said.

He had the nerve to come here and raid my father’s study?

“It’s good to see you, Rosalie.” Angelo glared at me with prominent disgust. “I didn’t expect to see you here,Mrs. Accetti, but I guess it is your house now.”

“Actually, it’s my mother’s house. I just gave it to her.”

“And I already have so many plans for it.” My mom smirked. “Do you need me to stay? Or I could walk you out, Angelo.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “I’ll see if I can accommodate Angelo.”

“I can stay with you.” Dom glanced at Angelo. “I’d prefer it.”

“That won’t be necessary.” I widened the door and motioned for Angelo to come into the study as I spoke to Dom. “Please see that my mother gets to her car.”

Dom didn’t budge.

My mother winked at me, then took his arm. “Please, I could use a strong man like yourself to walk me to my car. You can come right back and stand outside the door when I’m gone.”

Dom sighed as he reluctantly escorted my mother down the hallway.

I shut the door and then turned to find Angelo staring out the window. I didn’t want to have to deal with him, but I also didn’t appreciate the way he behaved at the funeral.

“Are you planning on taking your father’s place?” he asked.

“That’s an absurd question.”

“Is it?” He faced me. “You’re in his study. You gave his house away.”

“It was mine to give.”

“You got married,” he said. “Do you know how disappointed he would be to know you’re an Accetti? You’re part of the family that destroyed him.”

“He tried to destroy them, and he was dragging me into the war.” I leaned against the desk. “He didn’t have to provoke them. You could have stopped him.”

“How do you know what he had to do?” He stood in front of me. “You ran to the prince of their family without even hearing your father’s side of the story.”

“Would he have told me he was trafficking women through Nico’s territory?” My legs trembled when I thought about how many women suffered at my father’s hands. “How complicit were you in that?”

“I don’t have to answer your questions.”

“Does it make you nervous?” I glared into his eyes. “You should be worried, because when it comes out what you and my father did in Nico’s territory, you’re going to pay just like my dad did.”

“In a strange way, your father would be so proud of you right now.” A cold, calculated chuckle escaped his lips. “Too bad he didn’t see your potential before you ran off with the enemy.”

“I’m nothing like my father.”

“You keep telling yourself that. His blood runs in your veins. Don’t forget that.”

The thought of taking after my father nauseated me, especially now that I knew what he was capable of.

“Let me have what I came for, then you and I won’t ever have to cross paths again.”

“My father’s files?” I asked. “I can’t give them to you.”

“His laptop.” He motioned toward the desk. “Where is it?”

“Why do you need anything from this office?” I gazed at the wall that featured my communion portrait and my graduation photos from both high school and college.