He's Mine - How to 'illegally' tell people HE's MINE in 99 ways

Chapter 6

"Sometimes, recklessness outshines any plan—for recklessness demands courage."

~~~

I was just five years old when I witnessed my father kill a man in his office. At six, I begged Jared to teach me how to fight and follow in my father's footsteps. By the age of ten, Nonna was schooling me in the art of charming manipulation and leaving no openings for verbal or mental attacks. By sixteen, I had mastered combat and strategy, eclipsing many male egos in drills.

To be honest, normalcy was never part of my reality. While I have the best family anyone could ask for, we are missing something fundamental. Matteo and I were thrust into the darkness of our family's world due to our curiosity, and our mother, having given up on altering our path, ignored us instead. She resigned herself to the fact that we were reflections of our father.

Our father aimed to make us his pride but lost us in the process, turning us into his assets. It's not entirely their fault; we are who we are because of them. While I honed my physical prowess, Jared shaped Matteo into an expert in analytics and web navigation, making him read, research, and write about the most ruthless figures.

Yet, I've never felt pity for us. We are twins forged in the harshest fires—united and formidable. No one can stand against us when we are together.

"You ready?" Matteo's voice pulls me from my thoughts. We stand in front of Dad's office, and I nod, steeling myself. I knock on the door, and his voice gruffly invites us in.

As we enter, Dad's gaze is stern. "Have a seat," he commands. I sit down, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "Morning, Dad. How's life treating you? I'm doing just splendidly, thanks for asking." I say with an edge.

"Don't use that tone with me," he snaps. "First, you missed the mission, and now you're acting like a spoiled child. Don't let your freedom get to your head."

Matteo's hand tightens around mine. I sense his unease but refuse to back down. "Excuse me? I missed the mission because I was informed that Jared would be taking my place. You wanted to speak with me."

"Because you weren't even home until midnight. You arrived after 2 a.m.," he barks.

"And I would have been here at 5 a.m. for the final briefing if you hadn't kept me waiting. Don't accuse me of slacking off. I've managed missions while juggling finals and track races," I retort, my voice rising. If he's playing with fire, he should expect to get burned. He taught me to dominate a room full of men—now he's getting a taste of his own medicine.

"I think you both should calm down," Matteo interjects, his gaze shifting from Dad to me. I nod, taking a deep breath.

"As your brother must have informed you, Darius visited us," Dad says, his eyes locking onto mine. I nod in acknowledgment. "He believes it would be best if I step down and name Matteo as my successor or arrange your marriage and transfer the business to your future husband."

"Neither of which is happening," I state firmly. Dad raises an eyebrow, a mixture of surprise and curiosity crossing his face. "Despite our conflicts, Dad, you said you trusted me with your life, didn't you?" I ask, holding his gaze. He nods, his expression softening. "Trust me now. Trust me when I say that any advice from Darius is a threat to you," I urge, trying to make him understand the gravity of the situation.

"On what grounds are you making these accusations against my old friend?" Dad asks calmly, though a trace of unease lingers in his voice.

"Research and reliable sources," Matteo replies steadily.