Page 8 of Dangerous Intent

I wandered down the hall and peeked into the dining room, curious to see how people responded to Nico.

He was huddled in the corner, drinking vodka with several men I didn’t recognize. Maybe they had spoken to me earlier, but everyone started to blend.

Nico shook hands with a few, and it appeared that some were lining up to speak with him.

What were they talking about?

Milo stood by his side, occasionally whispering into his father’s ear. Nico would nod and then the next person would take their turn shaking his hand and getting a few minutes of conversation with him.

Why did these interactions intrigue me?

“Don’t you find that disrespectful?” Angelo, my father’s second, stood next to me.

“What is?” I asked.

“The way Nico is conducting business in your father’s house three days after his death.”

“I’m sure that isn’t what he’s doing.” I wasn’t sure of anything, but I had no reason to believe Nico was holding a business meeting in the middle of my father’s funeral luncheon. “He just returned from being away for a long time. He’s probably catching up.”

“You can’t be this naive.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“Your boyfriend has been conducting business all afternoon, practically right in front of you. And now, Nico has shown up and is making sure everyone knows he is in control.”

“Isn’t he though? My father’s death didn’t change the order of things. The Accettis have always been the lead family.”

“Your father died in the middle of a war. There were power struggles because you managed to get yourself kidnapped.”

“There was a war because my father thought it was a good idea to marry me off to an arms dealer.”

“He was trying to make an alliance.”

“In an effort to take territory from the Accettis.” I held up my hand. “I don’t want to discuss this with you. Not today of all days. Not ever, really.”

“You’re going to have to discuss it with me,” Angelo said. “We should go to the study. There are things you need to know, and I should be the one to tell them to you. Your father would want me to protect you.”

“There is nothing you can tell me that Marchello won’t.” Defending Marchello came so naturally to me, but I couldn’t help but think I was dishonoring my father’s memory.

“Lissia, I don’t want to argue with you.” His voice wasn’t as sharp. “I’ve known you almost your whole life.”

“Then where were you when my father wanted to marry me off? Where were you when you could have intervened and stopped him and Collins from intercepting shipments? Or how about when he ordered a hit on Marchello and Milo and I got shot in the process? Where were you then?”

I didn’t want to rehash any of this. I’d tried to put the events behind me when I found out my father was dead. I wanted to forgive him for all the things he had done to me. But how could I when they would stare me in the face every day of my life?

“I regret many things that Gian did over the last few months, especially the things that hurt you, but what’s done is done. Right now, you need to listen to me.” He nodded toward Nico. “Can’t you see the blatant disrespect for the Gallanti family that is being carried out right now?”

“The fact that Nico is here shows respect. He came to offer his condolences to me, his future daughter-in-law.”

“He came so that everyone here knows he protected his territory and he avenged his sons.”

“What are you talking about?” A knot formed in my stomach. “What are you saying?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to have this conversation in private?”

“I want you to say what you think I need to know.”

“Always so stubborn.” He shook his head. “I thought you were smarter. Your father did you a disservice by sheltering you from his business.”