Chapter 3: Getting killed.

What are the odds that the moment you step onto the big stage you've worked your ass off for in the last five years, that a big bad wolf would appear to huff, and puff, and blow your dreams away?

Mine was a complete hundred percent.

Whoever was after my life was the big bad wolf.

Last night didn't just leave me traumatised about stranger danger.

It inevitably shoved me into the hands of ‘the devil I knew’—Dad.

Speak of the devil.

He strode out towards our car, hands tucked into his pockets, as Dante parked in front of the family mansion.

Dad still managed to look like he hadn't aged a day after 30.

Well, he definitely acted like it.

The other SUV's dismissed themselves since we were in our territory.

I wasn't out of the vehicle when I saw her, Dad's wife AKA Cora's mom, on Dad's heels as she struggled to keep up in hers.

“Gabriel!” She yelled but Dad ignored her.

His eyes were fixed on me.

And I must admit, it was a sight. 

When was the last time Dad ignored Sophia Delamonte for anyone?

Never.

Dad wrapped me up in his embrace in two long strides.

He inhaled my hair scent like his next breath depended on it.

He used to say I smell like my Mom. I don't know how accurate that is since I never met her.

“Don't you scare me like that again, Principessa,” he mumbled into my hair.

The endearment rang a bell.

I tuned it out.

“Dad,” was all I managed before Sophia broke our embrace.

She directly pulled Dad off me.

“Don't you dare ignore me like that, Gabriel. You promised.” She glared at him. “You promised I won't have to see her ever again.”

“I was counting on that,” I shrugged.

“Sophia go back inside.”

“No.” Sophia gritted. “You disrespect me—”

“Don't fucking talk about respect when you're boldly going against my orders!” Dad raised his voice at her.

Clearly, they'd already had an argument inside, this was just the finish off.

Sophia looked like she was at boiling point. Her face burned red in anger. 

“We had an agreement!”

“No agreement is more important than my child's life!”

Sophia was stunned into silence.

When she opened her mouth to retort, Dad ordered Dante to get her inside.

Dante was a mountainous man. It only took a glare or two for Sophia to willingly allow him to lead her inside.

I bet she'd rather concede than be disgracefully dragged away in front of me.

Though Sophia was off the scene, the silence only thickened the tension in the air.

“She's right, you know,” I spoke first. “Returning home wasn't part of the plan.”

“Neither was getting killed,” Dad said.

I rolled my eyes exasperatedly. “Nothing happened in the end, right? I'm still alive.”

“It was only the first attempt, Principessa. I'm not going to risk something worse happening to you.”

“You don't have to,” I shoved my fingers in my jacket to hide its tremble. “You can still protect me, increase my security, dispatch more bodyguards or something. I don't mind being tailed around Boston as long as I don't have to return to this house.”

Dad shook his head, trying hard to hide the hurt from his face. “It's not safe, Cora mentioned that they knew who you were.”

Damn!

I regret telling Cora every single detail of the failed abduction.

Technically, not every single detail.

“I bet only the fat guy knew that, and he's dead!”

“Don't be stupid Principessa, think! Someone knew you were a Leone and tried to take you. He had people he answered to and as long as he didn't succeed, they're going to try again.”

Everything Dad said made perfect sense.

But I was more terrified of going back to that house than any other possibility.

I sighed. “You're not sure of that, Dad.”

“Like hell I'm not,” he said. “An Uber driver turned out to be a hired kidnapper. There's no way he didn't already know your house. You don't even remember how you got home!”

“Fine!” I threw my hands up. “I'll move into another apartment, one of your secured penthouses. I—”

“GABRIELLA!” 

The way he yelled my name, cutting me off.

I knew what it meant.

There was no changing his mind. 

He'd already decided.

I blinked and a rebellious tear escaped my burning eyes. “I don't want to move back in.”

“You will. And there's no discussion.”

After speaking, Dad turned around to face the mansion.

He still couldn't stand my tears.

Straight back and tensed shoulders, he answered his ringing phone.

And that's all it took for me to race back to the SUV, get into the driver's seat and drive the hell out of there.

“Gabriella! Stop!”

I heard Dad yell behind me.

But I was too far gone to stop.

He doesn't get to decide my fate.

I survived five years without him or the mafia.

I wasn't about to let myself be trapped in the hellhole that killed my mother again.

I drove off like a maniac, slipping through the large gate in the bleak of time.

It was only a matter of time before Dad would chase me down with his men.

Fortunately, I had a good headstart.

The forest route appeared to be the best option.

Although there were a thousand surveillance cameras there, it was still easier to lose the chase with the many roads that ran between the thick trees.

Unless Dante was driving, I knew these routes more than anyone.

It's where I spent most of my childhood.

In no time, I was off our private property and out onto the public road.

“Gabriella,” Dad's voice echoed from the car speaker. He only used my name when he wanted to assert control. “Stop the car Gabriella!”

I didn't respond.

Not because I was too stubborn.

Because something else stole my ability to speak.

In my fit, I'd failed to see the two identical cars flanking me.

Those weren't Dad's cars.

Gabriel Leone doesn't drive shady cars.

Before my mind could calculate an escape plan, the two cars slammed into my SUV.

My hands lost control of the wheel and my car was reeling off the road.

“Ahhhhhhh!”