Page 31 of Mafia Love

A buzzing sound interrupted his next words. It was my phone.

I pulled it out to turn it off, but I stopped when I saw the unknown number notification come up.

Luc looked too and tensed.

“What if?”What if it was them?

“Let me answer it.”

“No, maybe it’s Gigi.” My heart told me it wasn’t.

I answered the phone, and everyone looked to me.

“Hello.” I couldn’t control the tremor in my voice.

“Amelia, long time no see.”

Chills ran down my spine. It was Victor. It was foolish to wonder how he’d gotten my number.

“What do you want?” I tried to sound firm, like this man didn’t faze me, but again I couldn’t help it. Just thinking of all the evil he’d done turned my stomach.

“You have a visitor. Make him feel welcomed. I advise you all to hold fire.” He hung up, and the line went dead.

“That was Victor. Someone’s here,” I spoke, looking at everyone.

The guys all stood up and reached for their guns.

The doorbell rang, and we all looked at each other.

My heart was pounding in my chest. I reached for Luc’s hand on instinct, and he took it, gripping me tight.

“He said to hold fire,” I spoke out to no one in particular.

Dad boldly started moving toward the door. I went to stop him, but Luc held me back.

It was Dante who stepped in front of Dad and held his hand up.

“No, boss, no. I’ll go.”

He left us, and thank God Dad listened. A few seconds later, Millicent emerged with tears streaming down her cheeks. There was a collar around her neck with a red flashing light in the center.

“Millicent.” Again, I tried to move, but Luc held me back.

“Good, good, keep a leash on that one, Lucian,” boomed a voice from the corridor. A man walked in. He looked to be the same age as Dad and Marcus, but unlike Dad, he stepped strong. Strong and proud. His dark Italian features were striking, as were his silver eyes. They matched the silver streaks in his hair.

Behind him was Dante with his gun trained on him. The trigger was pulled back, nigh on release.

As I studied the man’s face, I realized I’d seen him before. I knew his face; it was the eyes I recognized.

Dad had kept me and Mom out of business, and the only person I remembered seeing outright was Marcus. I guess because he was Dad’s most trusted friend, but this man…

As I looked at him, I instantly took a dislike to him outside of the situation, and the feeling felt familiar.

Images of him and Mom flickered in my mind. I must have been about seven or eight. I couldn’t quite recall, but I remembered seeing them together.

They were in the kitchen, and I came back from… ballet early. Millicent must have gotten me from practice. I ran into the kitchen, and he had his hands on Mom.

He’d looked at me as I dashed in.