Sempre (Forever Series #1)(90)

Dr. DeMarco stared at his plate. “Fine. Family meeting.”

The word family struck Haven. She jumped to her feet. “May I be excused, sir?”

Dr. DeMarco waved her away, while Carmine slammed his hands down on the table. “Sit down, Haven. This involves you, too.”

She froze, having no idea what to do until Dr. DeMarco pointed at her chair. “Take your seat.”

She sat down, folding her hands in her lap, but wished she had left anyway when Dominic started the conversation. “First of all, Dad, what’s your problem with Haven?”

“Why do you think I have a problem with her?” Dr. DeMarco asked.

Carmine scoffed. “Maybe because you f**king threaten her?”

“Calm the hell down,” Dominic said, pointing at his brother. “There’s no yelling in my sit-downs. Let me handle this.”

Carmine grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest.

“That’s better.” Dominic turned to their father. “Maybe because you f**king threaten her?”

Dr. DeMarco shook his head. “I have nothing against the child.”

“But you said . . .” she started before she realized what she was doing. She shut her mouth, nervous she had spoken out.

“I said what?” Dr. DeMarco raised his eyebrows. “Be out with it.”

“You told those men I wasn’t worth it.”

“You’re right, and I won’t take it back. Doesn’t mean I have a problem with you, though.”

Carmine fidgeted, fighting to remain silent, while Dominic continued with his questions. “So if you don’t hate her, what’s the big deal about her and Carmine being together?”

“Because there are complications they don’t understand,” he said. “I’ve told them they can be together for the time being.”

Carmine couldn’t restrain himself any longer. “Can’t you see how unfair that is? We can be together ‘for the time being’? What the hell does that mean?”

“It means until I figure things out, I can’t give you any guarantees on the future.”

“What things?” Carmine asked. Dr. DeMarco didn’t answer. “Fine, I’ll figure it out myself. Just tell me who she’s related to.”

“I can’t. If they find out you know, you’re going to get hurt. I need you to understand that.”

“What’s the big deal?” Dominic asked. “She has family . . . isn’t that good?”

“No, it’s not. He’ll expect her to be handed over, and she wouldn’t be safe with him.”

Haven’s mind furiously tried to work through what he’d said.

“No one’s taking her,” Carmine said. “I won’t let it happen.”

“You think I don’t know that? You’ll follow right behind, and I can’t have you both being taken down. I’m trying to find a way out where you walk away from this, but you’re making it difficult.”

“Do I know him?” Carmine asked.

“I can’t answer that.”

He laughed dryly. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Mind your own business!” Dr. DeMarco said. “You have to forget all about the DNA test!”

“Why can’t you?” Dominic asked. “Forget about it. Let the information die.”

“Because three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. That’s why. People know. You have no idea the dilemma this has put me in, how hard it has made helping her. Carmine has no regard for his own life. He made that clear again last night. Threatening him won’t affect him, but threatening her will. And it’s not an idle threat. If it comes down to it, I’ll choose my blood.”

Haven’s heart thumped hard in her chest as Carmine snapped. “You’re stupid if you think I’d just move on with my life if something happened to her.”

“I know you think that—”

Carmine growled. “Don’t pretend to know my feelings! Stop treating me like a child!”

Dr. DeMarco slammed his hands down on the table. “Then grow up! I know how you’re feeling, because I felt the same way when I was your age! I know what you’d risk for her, but I can’t let you. I have to at least try for your mother!”

Carmine’s eyes narrowed. “Mom has nothing to do with this.”

“Your mother has everything to do with it! She loved her!”

Carmine blanched at that, his eyes darting to Haven before going right back to his father. His mouth flew open, like words were trying to force themselves out, but there was nothing but silence.

“Your mother was too na?ve,” Dr. DeMarco continued, his voice somber. “She’d insist there was a way out of this where no one got hurt, but she’d be wrong. Someone’s going to get hurt. I just hope it’s neither of you.”

The tension returned after the turn in conversation. Carmine’s voice shook when he spoke. “Who did it?”

“Who did what?” Dr. DeMarco asked, not bothering to look up from his plate.

“You know what. Who killed her? We’re clearing the air here. I wanna know who shot me.”

“Their names don’t matter.”

“Then why did they do it?” he asked. “The least you can do is tell me what caused it all.”