Page 61 of Dark Desires

I shrug. “Maybe. Depends on how much he hates his father, if that’s even the case. Kid could be really good at acting clueless while being a good little lackey to his pops. But first, we need to figure out what Christian’s next move is. Omar might not even be in the loop.”

Lev picks up the binoculars again. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Alexei. Christian’s not the kind of man who leaves loose ends. If he suspects we’re watching his son, he’ll shut that door before we can open it.”

“I know,” I reply. “But we don’t have a choice. Christian’s been gunning for us, and the Mancinis are in his sights, too. If Omar’s the key to understanding his strategy, we need to tread carefully.”

This adds even more gravitas to the importance of marrying Stephania into our family, if only to keep her away from Omar and the machinations of his murderous father. I can’t help but note the irony… Domenico has to protect his niece from a monster by coupling her with a half mutt.

“Fine. No kidnappings. For now. But if Christian makes a move, we hit back. Hard.” Lev shifts his focus back to the safe house.

“We will, but not until we’re ready.”

We sit in silence for a while. Outside, a pair of men step out of the building, their heads on a swivel as they scan the street. Lev watches them through the binoculars, his brow furrowing.

“Security rotation. Every two hours, just like clockwork. These guys are professionals.”

“Christian doesn’t do sloppy,” I reply. “That’s what makes him so dangerous.”

Lev shifts in his seat. “Alright. So, what’s the plan with this Omar kid?”

“We keep watching,” I reply. “Maybe set out a stakeout at his office, post up in a building across from his, see who he meets with. If he’s clean, he could be an asset.”

Lev raises his eyebrows. “You think he might be clean?”

“There’s a chance he’s trying to get away from his father’s life. Stranger things have happened. But if he’s dirty, we can catch him.”

“Then we deal with him,” Lev finishes. “You sure you’re ready for that, Alexei? He’s tied to Stephania, to Isabella. This could blow up in your face.”

“I don’t have a choice. This isn’t just about me. It’s about the family. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them.”

CHAPTER 20

ISABELLA

As soon as I step through the front door, I know something’s wrong.

I hear deep voices coming from one of the other rooms. The first is Dad’s… but the other? It sounds familiar and unfamiliar all at once.

Mario’s at my side and tenses up right away.

“What’s going on?” I ask him.

“Not sure. Didn’t know your father was having a meeting at the house today.”

I step forward, but he places his big hand on my shoulder, stopping me in place.

“Might be being paranoid,” he says, “but stay close.”

I nod. Mario listens for a second, and together we hear that the voices are coming from the den. We make our way to the tall, arched doors, the voices on the other side.

“Your father might not want to be interrupted, Isabella,” Mario says quietly.

“I need to know who’s here.”

Mario sighs, making it clear he understands there’s no talking me out of this.

I take a breath, squaring my shoulders as I push the door open.

And there he is—none other than Christian de la Rosa, sitting in one of my father’s armchairs like he owns the place.