Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 648 -

*Caterina*

The rumbling of the engine as the car led me and Alessandro toward the prisoner exchange gave me something to focus on. I closed my eyes and felt the way the vehicle moved us closer to where my mother was. I had to stay focused on her. If I didn't, I knew that the fear that was coursing through me would become too much.

I was doing my best to hide my nerves, even though I knew that Allesandro could see right through me. I wanted to do this. I wanted to protect my mom and face the bastards that took my dad away. I wouldn't show any weakness. Despite my determination, my chest was rising rapidly and my heart was hammering.

I could feel Alessandro glancing at me, but he didn't say anything. I was grateful for that. I wanted him to focus on the exchange, not me.

I took a deep breath as the car slowed to a stop.

This was it.

Alessandro stepped out first and offered me his hand. I took it and he squeezed my fingers reassuringly. I squeezed back, thankful for the gesture.

There was another car a few yards ahead of where ours had stopped, a sleek-looking luxury SUV with darkly tinted windows. I couldn't see inside, but I knew it must be where my mom was. I stared at the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

Alessandro stood just ahead of me, shielding me from whatever was coming next.

I could see around him as two figures emerged and started to approach us. I recognized Paul right away. The expression on his face was difficult to read.

I felt sick looking at him. Everything between us had been a cruel lie. To think that I'd let him treat me the way he did when all the while he was the son of the man who killed my father-I glared at him, and he stared back at me with that strange expression on his face.

There was an old man standing beside him. His age was given away by the lines on his face and the white of his hair, but that aside, I would have never guessed that he was any older than forty. He was obviously muscular, and he looked sturdy. He was standing straight and tall as he looked at Allesandro defiantly.

"Antonio," Allesandro said coldly.

"It's a shame we have to meet this way, Valentino," the older man replied.

I wanted to demand to see my mother. I wanted to curse him for what he did to my father. I knew that I couldn't do either. I clenched my fists at my sides and gritted my teeth. I was face to face with the man who had taken so much from me, and I couldn't do anything about it.

He wasn't even looking at me. It was like he thought I didn't matter.

Paul-no, Antonio Junior-was looking in my direction. His eyes were fixed on me in a way that made my skin crawl. He hadn't looked away from me since he got out of the car.

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked over his shoulder. The windows of his car were too dark for me to see inside. My heart ached.

What if mom wasn't in there?

"This is a mistake. You realize that?" Alessandro asked coolly.

Antonio gritted his teeth. "The only mistake I made was trusting the Valentinos!" he shouted. "If your damned brother hadn't betrayed the family, none of this would have happened."

I had no idea what he was talking about. How was he blaming Tallon for all of this?

He smirked suddenly and shrugged. "But it's better this way," he continued smugly. "I've got my own organization, and we do things the old way. That's why I have to bring you all down. There's no room in this game for flip-flopping weaklings like you and your brother."

Alessandro looked completely unfazed by the insults. I couldn't understand how that was even possible. Antonio wasn't even talking to me and I wanted to punch him for what he was saying.

"Where's my mother?" I demanded.

I wasn't going to sit there and listen to him rant and rave all night. We were here to get my mom, and that was all I wanted to do.

All eyes turned to me. Antonio smiled slightly. "I see why my boy liked you," he said.

I sneered in disgust at the comment and refused to look at Junior. "I want to see my mother," I said firmly. "Prove to me that she isn't hurt."

His eyebrows rose and he turned his head toward the car he had emerged from. He waved his hand and a second the door opened.

My mom stepped out and a large, stern-looking man followed her. They walked toward us, and my mom glanced at Alessandro hesitantly. Her eyes were red and puffy, and there were tears on her cheeks. Other than her obvious distress, I couldn't see any sign that she was hurt.

"I hope you don't think we would hurt your mother," Antonio said with amusement. "I'm a gentleman, and like I said, we do things the old way. Women and kids are off limits."

"You shouldn't have come here, Cat," Mom said meekly.

"Now, now," Antonio said. "She's a good girl taking care of her mother. Don't go giving her a hard time about it."

His words made me feel gross. I did my best to ignore him.

"Well, Valentino?" Antonio said impatiently. "Are you going to be a man and let this nice lady go home to her daughter or ain't you?"

Alessandro reached out and squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, then took a few steps forward. The burly man who was standing behind Mom gave her a light shove to get her moving. She hurried toward me, only pausing long enough to whisper something to Alessandro that I couldn't hear.

I hugged Mom tightly when she reached me.

"Are you hurt?" I asked softly.

"No," she answered. "You shouldn't have come. You can't trust them."

"It wasn't my call," I said. "Alessandro wanted to do this."

At my words, she turned and looked at Alessandro. He was standing in front of Antonio and staring at him defiantly. He was a little bit taller, and he was glaring down at Antonio in a way that made it clear he found the older man despicable. No one said a word.

I realized that I was holding my breath as I waited. I wasn't sure what we were supposed to do now. I wanted to get in the car and get Mom as far from here as possible, but I couldn't stand the thought of leaving Alessandro alone with these psychos... not that I could do anything to help him.

Without warning, Antonio shot forward and punched Alessandro in the face.

The sound of the impact was almost deafening in the silence.

Alessandro looked off to the side for a long moment. He spit and a small puddle of blood appeared on the ground.

Alessandro straightened up and stared at Antonio again.

The older man turned toward us, and a cold feeling of dread shot through me.

"You ladies best be on your way," he said coldly. "You don't want to see how this is going to play out."

I started to argue, but Alessandro turned to look at me and nodded toward the car. I swallowed my words and nodded back. I took Mom's hand, and we turned our backs to the men and hurried into the car.

As soon as the door was closed, I turned to look out the window. I didn't want to leave Alessandro like that, but I knew that I had to get out of the way.

He had a plan, right?

My breath caught in my throat as I watched Antonio pull a gun from his waistband and aim it directly between Alessandro's eyes. Mom gasped, and I felt her hand grip my knee tightly.

I couldn't look away.

Our driver started the motor and started to back up. The sound of screeching tires cut through the air. From behind us, several cars sped toward the men.

Antonio turned to face the approaching cars. Alessandro took advantage of the distraction and tackled him, knocking the gun from his hand. Antonio Junior and the burly bodyguard rushed toward him. The car we were in whipped around as explosive noise erupted around us. Everything was in chaos, and I couldn't follow what was happening. Alessandro's men were here, but that didn't explain the sound. Then I realized.

It was gunfire.

I ducked my head and put my arms up to shield myself. We were moving rapidly, but there was gunfire all around us. My heart was thudding against my ribs, and I felt like I couldn't breathe as fear rushed through me.

I reached for my mom. My hands gripped her shirt, and the world went still as I slowly realized that the fabric that I was gripping was warm and wet.

I shook my head. This couldn't be happening. We were supposed to be alright. Alessandro's plan should have worked, and then we were supposed to be safe.

I felt tears burning in my eyes as I remembered the day dad was shot. My entire world had been changed for the worse. My heart felt like it was going to stop and at that moment, I wished that it would. I couldn't go through this again. I wouldn't survive it.

"Mom?" I asked hopelessly.

I lifted my head and looked up at her. She was slumped forward with her head pressed into the window. Broken glass was scattered across her lap, and her shirt was soaked in blood.

The car turned without warning and threw us forward. The motion seemed to jar me out of my shock. The sounds of gunshots and screaming came back and I realized that we were still close to the chaos. Only a few seconds had passed. We were speeding away from the fighting.

"Help!" I screamed. I slid from the seat to the floor and grabbed her shoulders. I laid her back on the seat and lifted her shirt, looking for the injury that had caused her to lose so much blood. "Mom, say something!" I cried.

She didn't react. Her eyes were closed. Her chest was heaving as she struggled to breathe. She was still alive, but the pool of blood was only growing.

I turned toward the driver. "We need help!" I screamed.

He didn't respond. He just kept driving.

I looked at the rapidly bleeding hole in the middle of her abdomen and a sob stuck in my throat. That bastard Antonio had taken my dad from me, and now he had shot my mom too. This couldn't be happening.

"Mom?" I asked.

I shook her shoulders, desperately hoping that she would open her eyes.

She didn't.

I started to scream.