188

188
Alaric’s POV
The second Emilia said Alonso Cruz claimed to be her father, I felt my blood turn to ice. It was the kind of cold that started deep in your chest and spread outward, freezing everything in its path. Then came the heat-a blazing inferno of rage that made my hands curl into fists.
“Say that again,” I demanded, though I’d heard her clearly the first time.
She sat across from me on the couch, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles had gone white. Her eyes flicked to mine, hesitant but stubborn still. “Alonso said he’s my father.”
“Is this what you’ve been hiding from me since you got back?” I demanded. “Is this why you made me promise to not kill that bastard like he deserves?”
“Alaric, calm down-” she started but I turned to her, my eyes narrowed.
“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down, Emilia! Just answer the question, damnit!” I yelled.
“Fine! Yes! That’s the reason! Happy now?” She snapped, crossing her arms and looking away from me.
I shot to my feet, pacing the length of the living room. My chest felt tight, like a dam about to break. “That bastard,” I muttered, more to myself than her. “That manipulative son of a-”
“Alaric.” Her voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, sharp and steady.
I stopped mid-stride, turning to face her. “Do you believe him?”
Her eyes dropped to the floor, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “It sounds insane, but… he seemed convinced. He said my birthmark was proof.”
“Proof,” I scoffed, the word bitter in my mouth. “That man wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him. He’s a liar, Emilia. A manipulative, power-hungry liar. He’d say anything to get into your head.”
She flinched, and guilt twisted in my gut, but the anger didn’t dissipate.
“I’m not defending him,” she said quietly. “But if it’s true…”
“It’s not.” The words came out like a growl.
She looked up at me then, her expression equal parts determined and vulnerable. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know men like him,” I snapped. “He doesn’t see people, Emilia. He sees pawns. If he’s calling you his daughter, it’s because he thinks it’ll benefit him somehow.”
“Or because it’s true,” she shot back, her voice rising.
The room fell silent, the weight of her words pressing down on both of us. She looked away first, her shoulders slumping as if the fight had drained out of her.
“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what to feel. But if he’s telling the truth, then everything I’ve ever known about my life is a lie.”
I sat down beside her, the anger momentarily eclipsed by the sight of her so shaken. Tentatively, I reached out and took her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles.
“I’m sorry,” I said, and I meant it. “I can’t imagine how confusing this must be for you. But you have to know, Emilia, whatever game Alonso’s playing, I won’t let him win.”
She looked at me, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I don’t want you to fight my battles for me, Alaric. I just want the truth.”
“I’ll get you the truth,” I promised, my jaw tightening. “And when I do, Alonso will pay for what he’s done to you.”
Her hand tightened around mine. “You can’t just charge in there and kill him.”
“Watch me,” I said, the words coming out before I could stop them.
“Alaric, you promised me,” she murmured, glaring at me.
“That was a promise I never intended to keep,” I shot back.
“Alaric,” she said firmly, pulling her hand away. “I’m serious. I don’t want you turning this into a blood feud. If he really is my father-”
“He’s not your father,” I interrupted, my voice sharp. “A real father doesn’t kidnap his daughter and lock her in a room. He doesn’t use her as leverage in a war he’s too much of a coward to fight himself.”
Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, but no words came. Instead, she sighed, leaning back against the couch and rubbing her temples.
“I don’t know how to deal with this,” she admitted after a moment. “I feel like my whole life’s been flipped upside down.”
I moved closer, resisting the urge to pull her into my arms. “Then let me help you,” I said, my tone softer now. “We’ll figure this out together. But you have to trust me, Emilia. You have to trust that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I could see all her fear, all the wheels turning in her head.
“I do trust you,” she said finally. “But I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Promise me you won’t kill Alonso. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
My jaw clenched, the words sticking in my throat. The idea of letting that man live after everything he’d done made my blood boil, but the look in her eyes-the quiet plea-made me pause.
“I promise,” I said reluctantly. “But if he comes after you again-”
“I can handle it,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “I’m not helpless, Alaric.”
“I know you’re not,” I said, my tone softening. “But I failed you once, I won’t do that again.”
She nodded, her expression still guarded but slightly less tense.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The only sound was the faint hum of the city outside, and I could hear Allesio barking orders at the guards outside.
Finally, Emilia broke the silence. “What if he’s telling the truth?” she asked quietly.
I didn’t have an answer for that. All I knew was that the man who claimed to be her father was my enemy, and I’d be damned if I let him take her from me.