Ignited Devotion

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mario

My father is fucking furious.

I've never seen him like this. Well, not since he found out Vitali betrayed us.

He knocks things off his desk in anger, swearing, cursing Parker Fallon's name in Italian. I sit back on the sofa, waiting till he's finished with his tantrum to say anything. I quickly text Poppy and let her know it's about to be a late night.

"Call Nino," he barks at me.

"Pa, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" he shakes his finger at me, his face reddened with fury. "Call Nino. Call Savio. I want that prick gone."

"Pa," I warn.

He's not listening to me, swearing under his breath in Italian again.

"I will cut off all ties with Ronan over this. I will fuck up his entire life and those god damn Russians. Fucking Parker Fallon. Who the fuck does he think he is?"

"You like Fallon," I remind him.

"I was misguided. He's been fucking my daughter behind my back!"

"He's in love with her."

"Get a grip, Mario."

I roll my eyes. "He wouldn't have come here, tail between his legs, to ask your permission...unless he cared for Martina."

"What do you know?"

I fight the urge to slam my fist into my father's face. I love him, but sometimes he really is delusional.

"You cannot start a war with the Donnellys over this. Be reasonable."

"I won't be trapped!" he rages. "That nobody thinks he can date – marry – my daughter? My princess?"

My father's temper often makes him into a huge dickhead. It's clear my father is disgusted by all of this. There's hardly any way of reasoning with him when he gets this way. Despite the fact that Parker Fallon is a good man and that he even likes the guy – hell, I think my dad likes Parker more than he likes Ronan even – he's clouded once again by pride.

What else is new?

I told Parker I was on his side, but more importantly I told my little sister that I would always be there for her. I won't let my father raise hell over this and ruin everything we've built the last few years with the Donnellys.

"She's not your property, Pa. She's her own person."

His eyes widen at me in anger. "She promised me. We made a deal. That she would marry who I need her to when the time comes."

I get up and step into his sphere, hoping I won't regret this.

"Listen to yourself, Pa. Your daughter clearly cares for Parker, and he cares for her. Isn't her happiness all that matters?"

He's quiet for a long time, but I can tell he's getting angrier and angrier.

"I'm going to call Ronan and give him a piece of my mind."

I hold up a hand, "Don't start something over this. We've come too far and built too much with the alliance for you to ruin it now."

"I'm not ruining anything! He is."