CHAPTER 68 - Borgias

“Why—what—like—how—“ I am too damn angry to form a coherent sentence.

Luca understands my question despite my incoherence. “He had a deal gone wrong with my father, and he killed him for betraying him.”

The motherfucker murdered my father and still has the right to threaten me with my life. All this time, I have always believed that Ethan Sawyer killed my father because Harrison Green said so. So it was all a lie. The conversation I had with Mr. Charles the other day courses through my mind, and I remember him telling me something about not all the information being received is true. Could it be that he knows about this as well?

“What deal did he have?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask for details, and—”

“Call him now and ask!” I cut him off with a shout.

He sighs, reaching for my hand but i jerk it away.

“Call him!” I demand again.

He shakes his head slightly. “I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“Why? Because you’re a daddy’s boy scared of his father?” My nose flares. “Call him. Now!”

I am not going to back down. I need to know the extent of my father's greed that made him get involved with the Mafia. What kind of deal was it that cost him his life? I need to know.

“Ivory. The Mafia is a very dangerous crime organization, and—“

“I know it’s dangerous. Now, call him.” I cut him off, unwilling to listen to any excuses.

He continues anyway. “It's too dangerous for you, and it's better you don’t know its dealings. Believe me, you wouldn’t want to know.”

“I wouldn’t want to know why my father died.” The intensity of rage consuming me is something I have never experienced before. It turns my thoughts dark and evil, and all I can think of is ending that Mafia idiot. I will decide what is dangerous for me, not Luca.

“Ivory, please…” His voice strains.

“If you are not going to call him, fine. I’ll go find him and ask.” I turn around and stride to the door but halt when I realize I was blindfolded the day I was kidnapped, so I have no memory of the house's direction. When Luca took me back, I was too lost in my own thoughts to even think of studying the way. Frustrated, I swing around and march back to Luca, who is still standing in the same spot.

“I don’t know the way.” I breathe, raking my fingers through my hair in frustration.

“If all you want to know is why your father was murdered, fine. I will take you there,” he says, surprising me. I don’t expect him to give in that easily. “But you have to promise me to be on your best behavior. You won’t try to fight him because you won't win.”

I nod. “I won’t.”

That is a lie. I am going to kill that man, and nothing is going to stop me. Nothing, no one, not even Luca.

He drives us—me, him, and my bodyguards—to his father’s mansion. He didn’t want to take Baron and Victor along for fear of triggering his father’s men to shoot when they see strange faces, but I insist. I need them to protect me when necessary. When we reach the mansion, the motherfucker is about to enter his car, seemingly going out. The sight of him ignites the burning rage inside me, and I don’t even wait for Luca to finish parking before scrambling out of the car.

Luca’s father notices me and pushes his car door closed. A hard, dark frown slates his face. “You dare bring her into my house.”

“You brought me here first when you kidnapped me,” I retort as I take long strides toward him, Baron, Victor, and Luca following closely behind. “After killing my father, that is.”

A hint of perplexity crosses his face. He grunts. “He told you.” He turns his attention to his son. “For you to have the nerve to bring her here, it seems you want her dead. And who are the dogs behind you?”

“You’ll have to go through me to get to her.” Luca steps forward, growling lowly. “She just wants to talk.”

His father’s jaw twitches as he darts his gaze at me. “I am listening. Make it snappy. I have somewhere to go.”

“Why did you kill him? What did he fucking do to you? I need to know,” I half-yell.

“Because he was such a greedy dick! He showed interest in buying products from me long-term. I made necessary arrangements with him, and the biggest mistake I made was trusting him with the shipment details of the products. He went behind my back to plan with the Borgias and sold the famiglia to the feds. All for what? Because they promised to sell to him at a cheaper rate.”

Products? As in, cocaine? My father was really something else. If all he says is true, I have to admit that my father was greedy, dishonest, and a backstabber. But that is no grounds for killing him. He could have punished him in some way or another, but not with death! That is too extreme.

“You will pay,” I promise, my chest heaving.

“I should be the last person on your mind because you can’t do anything to me.” He groans. “After his death, I found out about the extent of his deal with the Borgias. And believe me…” He shakes his head. “You can’t escape it. And that is why I want Luca as far away from you as possible.”

I am about to ask him what he is talking about, but—

“What deal?” Luca beats me to it.

“Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon. Now, girl, get away from my surroundings.” He groans, his eyes dark.

He doesn’t feel one bit remorseful for taking my father away from me, and that intensifies my rage. Even though Joseph Hastings wasn’t the best father to me, he didn’t deserve it. I am going to avenge his death.

Swiftly, I pull a gun out of my bag and point it directly at him. “I am not going anywhere!”