Family pressure

Family pressure
Alex POV

"What do you mean, you killed someone?" I demanded.
Iris looked at her hands like they belonged to a stranger. "I remember now. I was five years old. There was a man in our house. He was hurting Mom—Victoria. I picked up a knife and—"
"Stop." I grabbed her shoulders. "You were five. That's not murder. That's self-defense."
"But the memory is so clear. The blood. His face. The way he looked at me before he died."
"Who was he?"
"I don't know. But in the memory, he has a symbol on his neck. The same symbol Natasha's prisoners had on their collars."
My blood went cold. "The Volkov family mark."
"You know it?"
"Every crime family in Chicago knows it. The Volkovs are old Russian bloodline. Very powerful. Very dangerous."
"And I killed one of them when I was five."
"Which explains why they want you dead. Blood vengeance. It's their way."
Iris started shaking. "I can't do this. I can't fight five hundred people. I can't—"
I pulled her close. "Yes, you can. We'll figure this out together."
"How? You saw what I did during training. I'm dangerous, Alex. What if I hurt someone I care about?"
"You won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know you. The real you. Not the warrior skills you inherited. Not the memories someone planted in your head. You. And you're good, Iris. Maybe the best person I've ever known."
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "You really believe that?"
"I do."
We stood there holding each other while the mansion buzzed with preparations around us.
But our moment was interrupted by harsh voices from down the hall.
My father's voice.
Wait. That was impossible. My father was dead.
We ran toward the sound and found something that made no sense.
Enzo Torrino was standing in the main hall, very much alive, shouting orders at his men.
"Father?" I whispered.
He turned and smiled. "Alessandro. Good. We need to talk."
"You're dead. I watched you die."
"You watched me almost die. There's a difference."
"But the doctors said—"
"The doctors were wrong. Or I'm tougher than they thought. Does it matter?"
He looked older, weaker, but definitely alive.
Relief and confusion warred inside me. "How is this possible?"
"Elena used her gift. Apparently, she can do more than spy. She can heal."
I looked at Elena, who stood nearby looking exhausted.
"You can heal people?"
"Minor wounds, yes. Major trauma like Enzo had? That took everything I had. He'll need weeks to fully recover."
But Enzo was already moving like nothing had happened. Walking toward me with purpose in his eyes.
"We need to discuss the girl," he said quietly.
"Her name is Iris."
"I don't care what her name is. She's become a problem."
"She saved your life. She freed those prisoners from Natasha."
"And in doing so, she made us targets. Five hundred fighters are coming here because of her."
"They're coming because of old bloodline politics. Not because of Iris."
"She killed a Volkov when she was five. That makes it her fault."
I stepped between my father and Iris. "She was a child defending her mother."
"She was a weapon even then. And now she's an even bigger weapon. One we need to control or eliminate."
The words hit me like ice water. "You want me to kill her?"
"I want you to use her. Against her father. Against the FBI. Against everyone who's been trying to destroy our family."
"I won't do that."
"Then someone else will. Alessandro, be smart about this. The girl has power. Power we can exploit."
"She's not a tool!"
"Everything is a tool if you know how to use it!"
His voice echoed through the hall. Several of his men turned to watch our argument.
"I refuse," I said quietly.
"You refuse? You're refusing a direct order from your Don?"
"I'm refusing to hurt an innocent person."
My father's face went red. "Innocent? She's the reason we're in this mess! She's the reason my house is destroyed! She's the reason eight of our men are dead!"
"That's not her fault!"
"Then whose fault is it? Mine? Yours?"
"The bloodlines hunting us! The people trying to kill her!"
"And the easiest way to end this war is to give them what they want. Hand over the girl, and they'll leave us alone."
Rage filled my chest. "You want me to sacrifice her to save ourselves?"
"I want you to make the hard choice. The choice a leader makes."
"Then I'm not the leader you want."
Silence fell over the hall. Everyone stared at us.
"What did you say?" Father's voice was deadly quiet.
"I said I'm not doing this. Not to Iris. Not to anyone."
"She's made you weak."
"She's made me see things clearly for the first time in twenty years."
"And what do you see?"
"That power without honor is worthless. That protecting the innocent matters more than protecting our empire. That some things are worth fighting for even if we lose."
My father walked closer. "You sound like your mother."
"Good. She was a better person than either of us."
He slapped me. Hard. The sound echoed like a gunshot.
Several men reached for their weapons, unsure who to support.
"You dare speak to me this way?" Father snarled.
"I dare speak the truth."
"The truth is you've let emotion cloud your judgment. You care for this girl, and it's making you stupid."
"Maybe. But I'd rather be stupid with a conscience than smart without one."
Father looked at his men. "What do you all think? Should Alessandro continue leading you? Or should someone stronger take over?"
The men looked at each other nervously. None of them wanted to answer.
"Answer me!" Father roared.
Finally, Marco, my father's oldest lieutenant, spoke up. "With respect, Don Enzo, Alessandro has led us well. He's made smart choices that kept us alive."
"Until now. Now he's choosing a girl over his family."
"He's choosing honor over convenience," Marco corrected. "That's what a real leader does."
Father's face twisted with rage. "You too? She's poisoned all of you!"
"Nobody's poisoned," I said. "We're just tired of treating people like chess pieces."
"This is the mafia, boy! People are chess pieces! That's how the game works!"
"Then maybe it's time for a new game."
The words hung in the air like a declaration of war.
Father stared at me for a long moment. Then he smiled. Not a happy smile. A dangerous one.
"I see. You've made your choice."
"Yes."
"Then I'm making mine." He turned to his men. "Anyone who follows Alessandro is out. Anyone who stays loyal to me will be rewarded when this is over."
Half the men moved to stand behind my father.
Half stayed with me.
The Torrino family had just split in two.
"You're tearing the family apart," I said.
"No. You're tearing it apart by choosing her over us. But don't worry. When the bloodlines attack tomorrow, you'll see I was right. You'll watch her die because you weren't strong enough to make the hard choice."
"Or we'll survive because we fight together instead of alone."
"We'll see."
Father walked toward the door, his men following. Before he left, he turned back.
"One last chance, Alessandro. Give up the girl. Rejoin the family. All is forgiven."
I looked at Iris, who stood behind me, pale and scared.
Then I looked at my father.
"No."
"Then you're no son of mine."
He left, taking half our forces with him.
The remaining men looked at me nervously.
"Boss?" Marco asked. "What do we do now?"
"We prepare to fight. And we protect everyone in this house, no matter what."
"Even if it costs us everything?"
"Especially then."
Marco nodded. "We're with you."
But I could see doubt in some of their eyes. My father was right about one thing—I was risking everything for Iris. And if we lost tomorrow, my choices would have killed everyone.
Iris touched my arm. "Alex, I can leave. I can surrender to the bloodlines. End this before more people die."
"No."
"But your family—"
"My family is the people who stayed. My family is the ones willing to fight for what's right instead of what's easy."
"Your father will never forgive you."
"I know."
"You'll lose everything."
"Not everything. Not you."
She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because some things matter more than power. And you're one of them."
We stood there while the remaining men moved around us, preparing defenses, checking weapons, getting ready for tomorrow's battle.
"We should rest," I said finally. "Tomorrow will be brutal."
"I don't think I can sleep."
"Try anyway. You'll need your strength."
I walked her to a safe room deep in the mansion. Before she went inside, she turned to me.
"Alex? Thank you. For choosing me."
"I'd choose you a thousand times."
She kissed me quickly, then disappeared into the room.
I stood there for a moment, knowing I'd just destroyed my relationship with my father. Knowing half the family thought I was a fool. Knowing tomorrow might be the last day any of us lived.
But I didn't regret it.
Some things were worth dying for.
I was walking back to check the defenses when Marco stopped me.
"Boss, we have a problem."
"Another one?"
"Your father didn't just take half the men. He took all the heavy weapons. The rocket launchers. The grenades. Everything we'd need to fight five hundred attackers."
My stomach dropped. "He left us defenseless?"
"Not defenseless. But seriously outgunned."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he wants you to fail. He wants you to lose tomorrow so you'll realize you were wrong. So you'll come crawling back to him."
"Or he wants me dead."
"That too."
I leaned against the wall, suddenly exhausted. "What are our chances without those weapons?"
"Honestly? Maybe ten percent."
"That's not good odds."
"No. But we've beaten worse."
"When?"
"Never. But there's always a first time."
Despite everything, I smiled. "You're an optimist, Marco."
"Someone has to be."
We walked together through the mansion, checking on everyone. People were scared but determined. Ready to fight even though we were badly outnumbered and outgunned.
I found Dad in the command center, studying maps.
"Your father took the weapons," he said without looking up.
"I know."
"We're going to lose tomorrow."
"Probably."
"Was she worth it?"
I thought about Iris. About her bravery, her kindness, her strength.
"Yes."
Dad finally looked at me. "You really love her."
"I do."
"Even though loving her might get you killed?"
"Especially then."
He nodded slowly. "I understand that. I felt the same way about Victoria once. Before everything went wrong."
"What happened?"
"I chose duty over love. Chose the FBI over her. And I've regretted it every day since."
"So you think I made the right choice?"
"I think you made your choice. Whether it's right or wrong, we'll find out tomorrow."
"And if we lose?"
"Then at least you'll die knowing you fought for something that mattered."
It wasn't exactly encouraging, but it was honest.
I was about to leave when my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered. "Hello?"
"Alessandro." It was my father's voice. "I'm calling with one final offer."
"I'm not interested."
"You will be. I'm offering you a way out of this mess."
"How?"
"Simple. You, me, and the girl meet at neutral ground. Right now. We discuss terms. We find a solution that keeps everyone alive."
"What kind of solution?"
"One where you get to keep your conscience, I get to keep my empire, and the bloodlines get what they want."
"Which is?"
"Not the girl's death. Something better. Something that benefits everyone."
"I don't trust you."
"You don't have to trust me. You just have to be smart enough to see this is your only chance."
"Where's this meeting?"
"The old church. The one where you first kissed her. Meet me there in one hour. Come alone."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then tomorrow, five hundred fighters destroy this mansion. Everyone dies. Including her."
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone, my mind racing.
It was obviously a trap.
But what if it wasn't?
What if my father really did have a solution?
I looked around the command center. At the frightened faces. The people who'd chosen to follow me.
Could I risk their lives on my pride?
"Alex?" It was Iris's voice.
I turned to find her standing in the doorway.
"I couldn't sleep," she said. "And I felt you thinking really hard about something. What's wrong?"
I showed her the phone. "My father wants to meet. Says he has a solution."
"It's a trap."
"Probably."
"But you're considering going anyway."
"I have to. If there's any chance to end this without more death—"
"Then I'm coming with you."
"Absolutely not."
"He wants to meet about me. I should be there."
"It's too dangerous."
"Everything is too dangerous. At least this way, I get to control my own fate."
She was right. But that didn't make it easier.
"Okay," I said finally. "We go together."
"When?"
"Now. We have forty-five minutes to get there."
We gathered a small team—Marco, Ian, and two others—and drove to the old church where this had all started.
The place was dark and empty when we arrived.
"I don't like this," Marco said.
"Neither do I."
We walked inside cautiously, weapons ready.
The church was lit by a single candle near the altar.
And standing beside it was my father.
Alone.
"You came," he said.
"You knew I would."
"Because you're predictable. Just like your mother."
He stepped forward, and I saw something in his hand.
A detonator.
"What is that?" I demanded.
"Insurance. The mansion is wired with explosives. If I press this button, everyone there dies instantly."
"You're bluffing."
"Am I? Test me and find out."
Iris grabbed my hand. "Enzo, what do you want?"
"I want what I've always wanted. Family. Power. Legacy." He looked at me. "But most of all, I want my son back."
"Then stop threatening the people I care about."
"I will. On one condition."
"What condition?"
He smiled.
"Marry her."
The words hit me like lightning.
"What?"
"Marry Iris. Right here. Right now. Make her a Torrino. Bind the Kane bloodline to ours forever. Create an alliance so strong that no other bloodline would dare attack us."
"You want a political marriage."
"I want peace. This is how we get it."
I looked at Iris. She looked as shocked as I felt.
"And if we refuse?" I asked.
Father's thumb hovered over the detonator button.
"Then everyone at the mansion dies in the next sixty seconds. Choose quickly, Alessandro. Your family or your pride. You can't have both."