War of Hearts

I listened, registering heavy footfalls racing toward us, closing the distance between us. I craned my head back to look over Marco’s shoulder.

“Joseph,” I practically sobbed his name as relief ripped through me.

“I’ll drive,” Joseph told Marco as he caught up to us. “You cover her.”

Marco nodded, shifting me slightly so he could open the back door of the BMW. He slid inside with me, placing me on my back along the seat. I heard Joseph slam the driver’s side door, and the car lurched forward. Marco leaned over me, his weight pressing me down into the padded seat as his body covered mine.

“That’s it,” he said, his voice low and soothing. “Hold on to me. You’re safe.”

I didn’t realize my fingers had curled into the front of his shirt, and I was holding on to him for dear life.

Marco’s huge hands started roving over my body with shocking gentleness. “Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?” Despite his gentle hands, his words were a rough growl.

“N-no,” I stammered, my teeth clicking together. It was so cold in the car. “He just said…” I trailed off, shivering at the memory of the man’s hand on my face.

“What did he say?” Marco prompted.

“He knew my name. He said his friends had pictures of Joseph and me together. He said Joseph would be upset if anything happened to me.”

Joseph’s harsh curse floated back to me, and the engine roared as the car picked up speed.

“We’re through the gates,” he announced a few minutes later. He must have smashed the speed limit to get us back to the estate so quickly.

Marco finally sat up, pulling me with him so I sat in his lap. He held me close and placed his hand on the side of my head, tucking my face against his chest. My fingers were still fisted in his shirt, but he didn’t seem to mind. He rubbed my chilled arms with his free hand, and he stroked my hair with the other.

“It’s okay, princess. I know that was scary, but you’re safe now.”

I nodded against him, soothed by the deep timbre of his voice. I was so rattled by what had happened, I didn’t even register the strange fact that I was feeling comforted by Marco. Just a few hours ago, I’d found him frightening.

But there was nothing scary about the way he held me, warming my chilled skin with his body heat. Tears spilled from my eyes, wetting his shirt.

“You can cry,” he assured me. “Hold on to me and cry. You’ll feel better after.”

I nodded, letting the tears flow freely as I purged all the residual fear from my system. Marco was right. I did feel better.

I was safe in his strong arms, and I didn’t have to be afraid of him anymore.

Chapter Twelve

Joseph

“I need to go into the city to see my father. I need to talk to him about the threat to Ashlyn. They must have been watching the estate this whole time,” I told Marco as I quickly ate the eggs and bacon he’d prepared for me. Ashlyn was still sleeping upstairs, likely exhausted from the trauma she’d faced last night.

Rage rushed through me at the thought of that fucker threatening her, touching her. Ricky Bianchi was easily recognizable by the scar on his cheek. Now, he’d have a broken nose to make him look even uglier.

The fact that I’d bloodied him could cause problems for my father—fighting within the family was forbidden. But Ricky had threatened Ashlyn, so I hoped that balanced out my actions. I didn’t want to be the one who instigated war. The threat to Ashlyn had been an intimidation tactic, a power play.

I knew that wouldn’t be nearly enough to make my father concede his rightful place as the presumptive boss. He’d been named successor, and he wouldn’t back down because of a few slights and insults. Gabriel Costa would literally take power over my father’s dead body.

Ricky might not have hurt Ashlyn, but I’d seen how close he’d gotten to her when I’d broken down the bathroom door. I’d gone to check on her since she was taking a while, and when she gasped my name, I’d known in my gut that something was wrong.

“I agree. You need to tell your father about this,” Marco said, his face twisting with fury that matched my own. He’d grown attached to Ashlyn, too, despite the fact that she didn’t like him.

Attached wasn’t a strong enough word. I’d seen the way he’d held her last night. I’d heard him call her princess. I knew what that meant.

He was just as obsessed as I was.

I speared him with a significant stare. “You won’t do anything while I’m gone, will you?”