Chapter 6
Robert's pistol made everyone freeze.
Not Massimo.
He simply looked at it.
Then at Robert.
“You brought a gun to Christmas dinner.”
Robert tightened his grip.
“I brought insurance.”
My father almost smiled.
“You've always confused insurance with fear.”
Grant stepped toward me.
“Isabella.”
I held Josephine tighter.
“No.”
“We're leaving.”
“No.”
He stared at me.
For years, that look had been enough.
Tonight it wasn't.
“You don't have a choice.”
Massimo's eyes moved to my face.
He heard the sentence.
So did I.
I had heard it dozens of times.
In bedrooms.
Cars.
Bathrooms.
No choice.
No choice.
No choice.
I looked at Grant.
“Yes.”
His brow tightened.
“I do.”
He moved faster than I expected.
Reached for my wrist.
Josephine woke and screamed.
Massimo moved too.
Robert raised the gun.
One bodyguard slammed his forearm sideways.
The shot tore into the ceiling.
Grant grabbed me.
I drove my knee into his thigh.
Not elegant.
Not strong.
Enough.
His grip loosened.
Massimo crossed the room.
Grant swung.
My father caught his wrist and drove him face-first against the desk.
Robert tried to recover the gun.
Two guards hit him from opposite sides.
The weapon slid beneath a chair.
It ended in seconds.
Grant pinned.
Robert on his knees.
Josephine crying against my neck.
Massimo leaned close to Grant.
“You touched her again.”
Grant was breathing hard.
“You won't kill me in front of her.”
My father looked toward Josephine.
“No.”
Then back at Grant.
“That would be for me.”
He straightened.
“Living afterward is for you.”
Grant laughed bitterly.
“What exactly happens afterward?”
Before Massimo answered, the captured man from the tunnel was brought into the study.
Blood on his collar.
Hands bound.
He looked at Grant.
Then Robert.
Then Vincent.
And laughed.
“You idiots still think Voss is coming?”
Nobody moved.
Massimo narrowed his eyes.
“What?”
The man leaned against the doorframe.
“Voss never agreed to your deal.”
Grant stared.
“You're lying.”
“He planned to kill all of you.”
Robert's face tightened.
“Who?”
“You.”
He pointed at Vincent.
“Him.”
Then Grant.
“And especially him.”
Grant looked genuinely confused.
“Why me?”
“Because men who betray family once do it twice.”
Massimo almost smiled.
I didn't.
I looked at the man.
“And me?”
His expression changed.
“You survive.”
My skin went cold.
“Why?”
He looked at Josephine.
“So does she.”
Grant stopped struggling.
Robert stared at him.
The tunnel man laughed again.
“You didn't know?”
Nobody answered.
He looked toward Massimo.
“Voss doesn't want your daughter dead.”
Pause.
“He wants you to think she's in danger.”
My father went still.
I felt Josephine's arms tighten around my neck.
May you like
The man continued.
“Because terrified fathers make better deals than angry ones.”
