Page 19 of Merciless King

“You’re a guest in my home,” I remind him.

“I deserve to know why you’ve rejected my daughter. Why you disrespect me.”

“Like I said, this is no reflection on you or your daughter. It’s personal. The details are not your business.”

Vicenzo slams his fist on the table, making the utensils jump. "Not my business? When you renege on a binding agreement between our families, it most certainly becomes my business!"

Lana's eyes are wide with shock, and Matteo, the bastard, has a smirk as if he’s enjoying the chaos unfolding before us. Ava, like the dutiful Mafia princess she is, sits quietly, her expression carefully neutral.

"I understand your anger," I say, doing my best to maintain a calm façade. "But there are other ways we can forge an alliance without the need for a marriage."

For a moment, I think Vincenzo will lunge across the table and make use of his steak knife. "You insolent little?—"

"Please, let's not lose our tempers here. I understand your frustration. This decision wasn’t made lightly. I do respect you and our potential partnership."

Vincenzo's eyes flash with fury. "Not lightly? You make a mockery of our agreement, and you expect me to simply accept it?" He leans forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Do you have any idea the position this puts me in, the humiliation I will face?"

I can feel the weight of his glare, the intensity of his anger palpable in the air. He’s right, and I need to do better to assure him that I’ll make things right. "I assure you that’s not my intent. But I cannot follow through on this marriage. I need you to understand that.”

"Understand?" Vincenzo scoffs, his lip curling in disdain. "You expect me to simply understand when you're throwing away a union that would have cemented our families' alliance for generations to come? A union that your father made with me. You disrespect him too."

I have no doubt he’s right. My father wouldn’t have put up with this. When I’d made the decision to promise myself to Piper, I knew he’d be against it. I didn’t give a shit then. I don’t give a shit now. He’s gone. This is my life. This is my business. I make the rules.

"I'm sorry, but my decision is final. I hope we can find another way to?—"

"Final?” He leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowing to slits. "I'm afraid that is not how this works, boy."

I feel the weight of his words, the implication behind them. This is no longer just about a broken engagement—it's about power, control, and the delicate balance that holds our world together.

"Yes. Final." I meet his hate-filled gaze, hoping he can see that I won’t be fucked with.

He shakes his head, his expression filled with contempt. "You will go through with this wedding, Elio, or there will be consequences. Consequences that you and your family will not soon forget."

The air in the room grows thick with tension. I'm treading on dangerous ground, but I can't ignore the pull of my heart. Nor am I a pussy. I’ve gone this far, and giving in now would tell Vincenzo that I’m weak. I have to stand my ground or I’ll lose all respect and power in my own organization as well as The Outfit.

“We can discuss other?—”

“Fuck you, Elio.” He shoots up from his chair, knocking it back. “Let’s go, Ava.” He storms out, Ava trailing behind him with a concerned expression on her face. The sound of the front door slamming echoes through the grand foyer, reaching the dining room.

“Well… that was fun.” Matteo cuts his meat, his eyes brimming with amusement.

"What the hell was that, Elio?" Lana hisses. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

I sigh and take a sip of my wine, wishing it were scotch. "I know exactly what I've done, Lana, and I'm not going to apologize for it."

Her eyes widen in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? You've just jeopardized everything we've worked for—everything Dad worked for!"

“Then you marry her. Or Matteo here can marry her.”

Matteo blinks. “Me?”

“Sure. You’re part of the D’Amato family. Don’t you think she’d be a suitable wife?”

A flush comes to his cheeks. He clears his throat. “Well… yes… she’s pretty and?—"

“The deal was for you to marry her,” Lana snaps.

“The deal is off.”