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She woke up bright and early, her side of the bed already cold when I reached for her. I found her in the kitchen wearing astriped top clinging to her curves, tucked into white shorts riding high on her waist. She knew damn well what they do to me.
Now here we are, just after breakfast, witnessing TJ working over her father. Alessa stands beside me, back straight, breathing calm.
“What’s in the case files, Marco? What do they have on us?” TJ demands.
Marco looks unrecognizable. Shirt torn. Face swollen. Bruised to hell. Left eye swollen shut. Blood trickling from his split lip. He’s slumped in the chair, his hands tied behind him so tight the rope bites into his wrists.
“Enough to ruin every single one of you.” He spits blood on the floor, defiance flashing in his face.
“We can do this all day, Marco—”
“TJ,” I call.
My head of security turns, nods once and steps back.I take a slow step forward, watching Marco wince. The stench of blood, sweat, and fear fills my nostrils. My eyes sweep the room, taking in the security men stationed around us, their hands near their holstered guns.
“You don’t look so good, buddy,” I taunt, squatting to level with him.
“Fuck you!” He spits.
I chuckle coldly. “I brought you a surprise, so I’d appreciate it if you don’t snap at me.”
I hear Alessa’s shoes against the floor. I rise as she walks toward me.
“Are you sure about this?” I murmur.
“Yes.”
“The gun?”
“Locked and loaded.”
“Say the word and we’re out, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And, Alessa?”
“Yeah?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” I force out. “So don’t make me tear this city apart for you.”
I hear her breath catch. I walk away, settling back.
“You have some balls… don’t you, kid?”
“Hello, Marco.” Her voice is ice.
“‘Marco’?” he echoes with a disdainful chuckle. “I’m your father. Have a little respect.”
“You haven’t spoken to me in months, Marco.”
“If you had followed through with your training, Alessa, you wouldn’t be in this shit.”
“And if you wouldn’t have backed that RICO case, you wouldn’t be tied in that chair.”
“You sound just like your mother, and surrounded by all these men, you’re a goddamn carbon copy of Isabella Russo.”
“What happened to wanting to leave the mob, kiddo? You wasted your life running away from them and now look at you. Fucking Hypocrit.”