My dad angled his body and pointed at Alex. “As you can see, Alexandrea has just married my son. She’s not going anywhere. Even you know the bonds of marriage are unbreakable in our world.”
Claudio clicked his tongue. “I no longer adhere to rules.”
“What is it you want? Revenge for me taking Eva from you?”
“We’re long past that,” Claudio shot back, inching closer to my dad. “You killed Eva.”
I raised my gun in unison with Luca, uncomfortable with Claudio closing the distance on my father. The old man could take care of himself. But Claudio was out of his mind and unpredictable. I couldn’t trust him not to take the first shot.
“I did no such thing,” Dad snapped.
“She was mine.” Claudio’s expression darkened, sickened by my father’s past actions. “And you ruined her, turned her into your Queen. Forced her to become part of the Knights.”
“She wanted this life, brother. Eva chose me.”
“Talk about history repeating itself,” Alex muttered.
I nodded in agreement.
“I came for Eva’s replacement,” Claudio fired back, his tone firm. “Arlo, hand the girl over, and no harm will come to anyone.” He raised the guns in his hands. “Fight me, and you will all die.”
My heart sank to my stomach as my father squared off with his brother. Separated by about ten feet, they looked like cowboys in an old Western movie preparing for a duel.
I wanted to stop him. But I knew my father would never tolerate my interference. He was a man of honor, and he would consider it disgraceful if any of the Knights were to get in the way. This beef was between brothers. His issue wasn’t with the Knights, not until he’d taken Alex to gain my dad’s attention.
“Dad,” Luca shouted. “No.”
What is he doing?
Because of Luca’s warning, that second of hesitation cost us everything. My father fired the first shot and missed Claudio’s arm by a few inches. But Claudio was faster, quicker to react, and hit my dad in the chest. It felt as if someone wrapped their hand around my heart and squeezed the life from me.
The Knights gasped as my father staggered backward, clutching his chest. Blood seeped from the wound, spilling down the front of his white shirt. He raised his gun to aim at his brother, but Claudio was on top of him, swatting the weapon from his hand as he fell to the ground.
It all happened so quickly.
Even I was too slow to move.
My dad was a bastard, but he was my family, the man who raised me to become a leader. I hadn’t always agreed with his life lessons, but I was a better man because of him.
And now he was dead.
I exchanged a look with Luca. It was the closest thing to tears I’d ever seen in his eyes. My brother never flinched, never cried, not even when he took lashings from my father’s belt. But I could see the devastation on his face, felt it deep within my soul.
Claudio shot my dad twice more. His head rolled to the side, then his eyes closed. There were so many things I had wanted to say to him. I tried to tell him about Rhi and how much I loved her. That I might have gotten her pregnant since I didn’t care about using protection anymore. And that we would have to hide her from the Irish. Also, that I didn’t care what he thought about her.
Now I would never get the chance.
The death of my father incited a riot among the guests. Men from the Italian crime families shot at Claudio and his men. There were so many people in the sea of gunfire. Claudio strolled down the aisle, firing at everyone in his way with a proud smirk on his face.
“Watch her,” Luca said to me before he rushed toward Claudio.
“Luca, no,” Alex yelled. “Get back here!”
Alex was my responsibility and had been for years. I’d spent an insane amount of time monitoring her and fending off attacks. Someone would always want her because of her status. Her last name alone made her American royalty. But now that she was our Queen, she was even more valuable.
Luca moved down the aisle with purpose as he shot at Claudio. When he was close enough, he hit Claudio in the shoulder, and our uncle spun around to face him. Luca got in a few more shots until he ran out of bullets. I ordered the Knights to assist him, then stood in front of Alex to shield her with my body.
“Marcello, do something.” She tugged on my arm, using all of her strength to move me down the aisle, but I didn’t budge.
I couldn’t risk losing Alex.
My father had given his life to save her, and so I had to do the right thing and make sure his legacy remained intact. Despite her protests, I lifted her in my arms and headed toward the side entrance. I had to duck a few bullets that nearly grazed the side of my head.