Pull the Trigger | ✓

t w e n t y - e i g h t

As I placed myself at the right side of my father and my brother sitting beside me as if to protect me if anything bad went down, my father quietly ate his food and enjoyed the buffet that was placed on the table. Juliette was no longer crying but instead, she seemed distant.

"Father, I want an explanation, now," I demanded, barely eating my food on the plate as I, instead, picked on it.

My father cleared his throat as he sipped on his white wine before glancing at me with a chuckle. "Remember when I arranged a marriage between you and Noah?"

I nodded silently.

"Oh, that was my greatest regret," my father said with a frown as he placed his utensils down before folding his arms across his chest. "You see, Cain Bellucci had other plans for you when we arranged your marriage. You see, he was planning on killing you when the companies were merged and you obtained the crown." The distaste when my father brought up Noah's father's name had me shivering.

I raised a brow at him, almost laughing at his theory as I shook my head in amusement. But my amusement ceased when I knew this was serious with Juliette on the floor at the end of the table, forcing me to gulp.

"Are you serious?" I asked, concern settling in the pits of my stomach as I eyed my father, trying to decipher if he was insane or if it was actually true.

My father simply raised a brow at me. "Mia figlia, I would never lie to you and of course, I would do anything to protect you."

"Juliette is innocent, she has played no part in this," I responded, clenching my fists as Fran tapped on my kneecap softly three times in a rhythm. It was a sign Fran and I had made up when we were children that my father was coming when we had played hide and seek. But this time, I knew Fran was talking about Noah, the father of my child. A little sense of relief flooded over me.

"She played a part the moment she had Bellucci tagged in her name," my father countered me, shaking his head.

"How did you kidnap her?"

My father chuckled humourlessly. "Cain doesn't care for this child. He left her wondering the park when he had taken a phone call then I had one of my men snatch her in her place three hours ago."

"So, you've been on their tail for a long time now?" Fran asked, frowning at the monster in front of us.

My father smiled. "Yes. One of my inside men finally landed some information and it happened to be the fact that Noah is going to kill you."

I blinked at him, almost shocked. "Noah wouldn't dare hurt me. He genuinely loves me, father."

My father raised a brow at me. "If he genuinely loves you as you say, why is Cain still talking about it as if Noah is going to commit the deed?"

I blinked at him. I didn't doubt Noah before, I wasn't going to start today, at this very moment.

"Let the little girl go," Fran whispered, his tone almost desperate as he eyed my father, trying to find some sort of sanity. "She's innocent."

My father ignored Fran before eyeing me with narrowed eyebrows. "I heard Fran is involved now, what did I say about keeping this a secret from him?"

"He had to know," I answered him confidently. "I am the leader now, not you."

Just before Fran and I could say anything to my father, the double doors busted open and an army of men began to flood the dining room, Noah and Cain in search for Juliette while Javier held one of my father's bloody men in front of him.