Emilia

Thomas drops his weapon, the metal clanks against the hard concrete. He holds his empty hands up, "I'm not the bad guy. I need you to trust me." He looks to Aiden's raised gun. "Both of you."

I scoff, "No!"

He speaks more lies, his pleading voice making me nauseous. "Your father wasn't who you think he was."

My voice shakes. "Don't speak to me about my dad."

Aiden holds me behind him as I lurch forward. "Don't go near him." Aiden orders me.

I look to Leo, searching his face trying to figure out why he came into my life.

"Your father was my friend." Thomas deadpans.

I laugh, terrified and hysterical. "Are you drunk?" It's possible, that's what he is. A drunk.

"He brought you a single yellow rose every week." I cover my ears, he speaks louder. "Your mother and him went dancing every Thursday evening. You-" I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

"You're stalking us." I decide, shakes raking through my body.

He begins to reach into his back pocket and Aiden yells at him to stop, aiming his gun between Thomas's eyes. He doesn't flinch. He retrieves a photo from his pocket with a note attached. Aiden snatches it from his hands and brings it to me, his eyes never leaving the two men in front of us.

In the photo is my dad, his arm slung around Thomas's shoulders. Next to them, a little boy sits clutching onto a stuffed animal. I recognize the grey eyes. Leo.

My hands shake as I bring the photo to Aiden's eyesight.

"How did you know my dad?"

"Your father wasn't a street cop, Emma. He was a detective." He breaths deeply, "and my partner."

The words rush through me, but they don't make sense. He worked on the street, I saw his pins and medals. I tell this to Thomas. "It was all a charade. He was the best undercover detective in the city, the police chief hid things from the public to keep him safe."

I unfold the aged letter. 'I look to Thomas, Dean must be his real name. I continue reading my father's sloppy but perfect handwriting.

My heart sinks at the realization, but I'm so confused. "I don't understand, why didn't he tell us? Why did you go to jail?"

"We worked undercover on a lot of different cases. From sex trafficking to drug operations and finally to the one that became his downfall, the mafia. Helping the city was your father's life's work. That night, we were both deep in operation, the mafia in our city..." He's hesitant. "They were doing unspeakable things. Someone found out about your dad being undercover, and they killed him. There were three of us, I'm the only one who made it out." He looks at me pointedly, "He would never have wanted my cover to be blown, so I took the fall for his murder even though the only 'crime' I committed was ending the life of the low life who killed him. The operation trusted in me fully after they thought I was the one who killed the 'nark.' I was able to work from inside prison and sweep the city of the plague that was the operation because of your father's sacrifices."

Aiden doesn't look convinced. "That's a huge secret to bear, and five years you'll never get back."

"He was my best friend, not only for being my partner but also for saving my life on numerous occasions." His eyes travel to a distant memory. He clutches Leo's shoulder. "He was like family to us."

Aiden finally lowers his gun, his arm slinking around my waist for comfort. "How did Leo get to meet my dad, but I didn't get to meet you?" I ask.

Thomas, I mean Dean says, "Leo lived in Greece with his mother, he was safe from the city. He wanted me to meet you so bad, Emma. So bad. I feel like I've known you your whole life." He smiles, "I know how weird that sounds, but it's the truth."

Leo nods, stepping forward slowly. "I didn't lie to you about anything, I just never told you about my dad and I'm sorry. It's true that I'm from Greece, I moved here five years ago after Patrick was killed. My only job has ever been to protect you, I knew what your father did for me, saving my dad's life on multiple occasions. He was a good man, and a good man didn't deserve what happened to him."

He turns his attention to Aiden. "And Aiden, I'm sorry I kissed her, the lines between protector got blurred. I'm so sorry I crossed the line."

I note a smile tilting on Dean's face as he shakes his head. "Is that why your face is all." Dean waves his hand in front of Leo's face. "Disheveled?"

Aiden and Leo shake their heads, not wanting to explain my lies. I look to Dean, "If the mafia killed my dad." I choke. "Then why didn't they come for me and mom?" I ask, my hand clutching the photograph, still not understanding.

"You and Pamela were always safe." His face contorts. "He was gone, they wouldn't seek vengeance on a ghost." He exhales, bringing a hand through his hair. "I waited, called in Leo to help, but no one came for either of you. When they locked me away, Leo continued to watch over you." For five years, he's been watching over us for all that time. Aiden nods at him, bowing his head.

"Emmy. I'm sorry."

Realization dawns on me, "It was you." I stare into his blue eyes. "At the party, but your eyes..."

"Contacts." He winks, and then he gestures to his son. "Leo got his gray eyes from his mother." They exchange a long glance, then go back to their straight faces.

Aiden shakes his head, "Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?" The anger in his voice doesn't match the gentle touch of his hands on me.

I look to him, the conversation we just had was only around five minutes of rushed explanation and it's about to get much more frantic. "They have my mom." My voice cracks, his eyes widen.

Aiden steps closer to the men. "Is this about Emilia? Did they discover the truth about that night?"

"No, Aiden. This is about you. Different mafia's, different operations. The men we were trying to take down were puppies compared to the wolves you got into business with."

He nods, running his fingers along my back. "Figured as much. Who is it? Who took me and why didn't they kill me?"

Dean shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't know the answers, but I know who's behind all of this. The Matterazos."

Aiden scoffs, his gun lazily sitting in his palm. "Impossible, I killed them."

"Yes, you killed Lucio and Vinny, but you forgot an important part of their equation. Their father, Stefano, and he's seeking revenge."

Aiden shakes his head, "Their fathers been dead for years."

Dean gives him a pointed expression. "No, he hasn't. That's who took you."

Aiden looks to Leo, "You knew all of this?"

Leo clinches his fist. "Yes, but before you get pissed. The information would have done nothing but get you killed."

Aiden shakes his head. Dean speaks up. "He's right, it would have. When I got released, I could dig into everything more. We don't have much time; I need you all to trust me. Is everyone ready to go?" he looks at me pointedly.

"Where?" Aiden asks.

Leo and Dean check their weapons. "To save Pamela."

"We're ready." He gestures to them and himself. "But she's not going anywhere." Aiden sneers.

Thomas shakes his head, "Emmy" He apologizes, but I don't mind hearing that name again. I still can't believe after all this time; my father was a detective and the man I loathed was his best friend. "Emma needs to be there."

Aiden disagrees. "I will not risk her life."

Both men snap to attention, "You won't."

"Let me call in her double." He pleads.

"No time, they're waiting for her. I was going to go in on my own until she stumbled down the street. Alone." He narrows his eyes at me.

My voice is small, confusion fogging my brain but also a sense of understanding. "I didn't know what else to do."

Dean waves his hand in the air. "We will use it to our advantage."

Aiden's not having it. "No, we won't! The entire Italian mafia could be in that building!"

I check the time on Aiden's watch. "Guys, they gave me three hours. I have less than an hour left before they kill her."

All of the men nod their heads, a silent symbol of uniting. "I'll lock you in this room, Emilia. You're not coming."

I pull the gun from my waistband. "Aiden, I don't know what's waiting for us in there. But my mom is, I know that. She's waiting to be saved." I cock the gun, "I saved you. I'm saving her. I know how to use this and I'm going. That's final. You'll have the element of surprise with me going in first. Alone."

"Where is my Pamela?" The familiar frantic voice sweeps through the room before I see the figure. Howard, looking disheveled.

Howard looks to Leo, that must have been who told him to come here. "Did you know, about this?" I ask, gesturing to Thomas. Howard's eyes widen at the sight of him. Leo walks over to Howard and explains the unbelievable story in a few moments. His face goes from shock, to anger, to understanding. "I was wondering why you jumped on the opportunity to be her guard." He looks to Aiden as if too apologize for not vetting him further. "His qualifications were too high but I only saw it as a positive and I'd known him for a while."

"Doesn't matter now." Aiden says, walking over and filling him in as we prepare for battle.

I give Howard a broken look as Leo walks over to him, "Where are Ricky and Ash?" I ask Aiden.

Aiden whirls me around to face him, his body flush against mine. "Home, they don't know anything." His broken eyes trail over my face, I run a soft thumb over his busted lip.

I feel as if at any moment he's going to stuff me away somewhere, but he pulls me in close. "If anything happens to you, I'm going to let them kill me. You understand that, right?"

I breathe him in. "I'm sorry for earlier, Aiden. I'm so sorry. If we make it ou-" He stops me with a deep, passionate kiss.

" we make it out, I'll make you my wife." He promises, placing a lingering kiss on my forehead. "Just please, please don't do this."

Dean looks at Aiden one last time, "Aiden, Emilia is family to me I will keep her safe. I wouldn't fathom asking her to come with us if I didn't know she would make it out unscathed." He looks to me, "I know you don't know me. But I know everything about you. Your dad loved you and your mother unconditionally. And I will protect you the way he protected me. You're my family. Whatever we have to do, no matter the outcome. It will be done."

I run past Aiden and rush into Dean's arms. "Thank you." Tears fall onto my cheek; I tug Leo's arm and pull him in as well. My eyes land on Aiden, who gives me a hesitant nod, he knows I won't back down.

They run us through the plan one more time. "Ready?" They ask me, I nod. Straightening up and following them outside.

♥️

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