Ruthless Prince (The Mancini Mafia #2)

Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

VINCENT

I have no choice but to leave Ellie behind as I return to Nico’s house. The assassin doesn’t show itself again, but it makes me wonder—who wants me dead? It’s not Mr. Moore. He wants me to kill Nico. I doubt it’s Nico himself. Now that he knows I’m his son, why send an assassin after me?

Someone else is still out there playing a game.

Aurora greets me when I enter the house, and I can’t help but feel a stab of guilt knowing I have to try and kill her husband.

“Vincent, are you all right?” She nods at my arm.

“I’m … fine.” For some reason, I don’t want to tell her about the assassin. Aurora lost me all those years ago. She doesn’t need more pain to go through. “Is Nico around?”

“Yes, he’s in his office.”

“Thank you.”

“When are you going to bring your wife around?”

I hesitate. The only way I can bring Ellie here is if I kill Nico. “I’m not sure. Everything is still so new.”

Aurora smiles kindly at me. “I get it. Go talk to your father.”

I leave her be and head to Nico’s office. He invites me in after I knock.

“Vincent, what can I do for you?”

“Do you think we could … talk?” I have a gun in my jacket pocket that’s ready to be used. But fuck, I don’t want to murder Nico.

But I have to save Ellie.

“Of course.” Nico gets up and leans against his desk.

“If your wife was in danger, would you do anything to save her?”

“I would. And I have. I wouldn’t stop fighting for her. Aurora told me you have a wife.”

“Yes. And I would fight for her, too. Which is why I need to do this.” I pull my gun out and point it at Nico.

He tenses, slowly standing up. “Son, what are you doing?”

It’s the first time he’s called me that, and the meaning behind it hits me in the core. “I have to do this. I have to save my wife.”

“What’s wrong? I can help. I’m Nico Mancini after all.”

“You can’t help. Her father has her under his thumb. He’ll kill her if I don’t kill you. I’m sorry. I wanted to get to know you. I did. I do. I hated Igor. You’re my second chance. But … I have to do this.”

“If you pull that trigger, you might not regret it to save your wife. You love her?”

I’m still getting to know Ellie. Her father has made it impossible for us to truly be together. But I know I love her. I think I’ve loved her since the moment I first saw her.

“Yes.”

“Then do what you have to do.”

I stand up straighter. Nico’s giving me permission to kill him?

Slowly, I lower my arm. “I?—”

Nico rushes at me, grabs the gun from my hand, and points it at me. “I wasn’t sure if I could trust you. Now, I know I can’t.”

My stomach drops to the floor. “Nico …”

“I understand why you’re doing this, son. But I won’t have you killing me. Walk.”

“What?”

“Walk.”

After a beat, I walk out of the office. Nico leads me toward a set of stairs at the back of the house.

“Nico, what’s going on?” Aurora asks, rushing toward us. “Why do you have a gun pointed at our son?”

“Because he tried to kill me. And he needs to be locked up until I can get to the bottom of this.”

“No! You can’t do this.”

“Aurora, I have to.”

I can hear the pain in my father’s voice. It makes me feel even more like shit.

Nico walks me down to a basement that has a single cell in it. “Get in.”

I do as he says, and Nico shuts the door behind me and locks it.

I grab the bars of the cell. “Please. At least save Ellie for me. Ellie Moore.”

Nico stands up straighter. “Ellie Moore? She’s your wife?”

“Yes. And her father wants you dead, but she’s innocent. Save her for me. Save her for herself. She’s innocent in all of this. Please.”

“We have to,” Aurora says, glaring at her husband. “Nico, we have to.”

He sighs deeply. “Fine. I’ll save your wife. But I’m not letting you out of this cell until I know I can trust you.” He grabs Aurora’s arm and guides her out of the basement.

And I’m left alone.

I can’t do anything to save Ellie.

ELLIE

I pace around the living room, waiting for Vincent to return. All I can hope is the assassin doesn’t kill him.

“Can you find out who sent the assassin?” I ask my father.

“I can try.”

“Good.” My father and I have always spoken in pleasantries with each other for most of my life.

But right now, it’s driving me crazy.

I need to get to Vincent. I need to know he’s all right.

“Father, I want to go to Nico Mancini’s home. Vincent is there. I have the right to officially meet his parents.”

“You’re going to remain right here,” he responds, sitting down on the couch. He has a book in his hands, and he begins to flip through it, not even looking at me.

“Please. I just want to be treated like an adult.”

“You will remain right here.”

“Or what?”

He snaps his book close. “Or I will lock you in your room.”

I know he means it, too.

All I can do is sit here and hope Vincent somehow saves me.

A knock on the door makes me jump.

With a frown, Father gets up and answers it, and to my shock, Nico Mancini stands on the other side.

“I’m here for your daughter,” is all he says.

Father scoffs. “My daughter is staying right here.”

“I’ll kindly ask you to move once more, Mr. Moore, before I shoot your brains out. My son told me you wanted me dead. It’s a courtesy I haven’t killed you yet.”

Father doesn’t move. He doesn’t run. He doesn’t give me up so I can have a chance to live my own life.

No.

His response is to pull out his own gun and aim it at Nico’s head.