Mark walked toward Christian, a gleam in his eye and a smirk on his face.

“What are you doing here?” Christian asked.

He heard the car door close but didn’t glance over. He didn’t want to remind Mark in any way that Delilah was there.

“You have heard about your dear ole dad, haven’t you? Took one to the head, I hear.” He sucked in a breath. “Tough break. Guess he should have been a little more careful.”

“Right, so this isn’t exactly the time to be starting your shit.”

“Oh, but this is exactly the time. In fact, at this exact time, Giorgio has given me all of your father’s business and territories. I guess he felt you weren’t quite up to running things.” He shrugged.

Christian narrowed his eyes and set his jaw. If it were true, he and his mother were in trouble. They’d have whatever money was there now, whatever his father might have had set up in the case of his death, but after that, they’d have nothing. They’d be broke before long. And it was all his fault.

Mark had reached him and stood just a few feet from him. His friends flanked him on both sides. Five of them in total. There was no need for this if Mark had already gotten what he wanted. The rage boiled inside Christian. Giorgio, his father, this asshole—all of them had found some way to screw him over, and now his mother would pay, too.

“Why are you here, then?” Christian asked. “You got what you wanted.”

“Well…” Mark smiled and looked over at the car, where Delilah sat, watching them. “Not everything. I was coming to check on your poor mother. She has nothing now, so I thought I’d come on over and give her what she needs.” He thrust his hips forward. “And who knows, maybe if she’s good enough in bed, I’ll throw her a little bone.”

The rage in him boiled over, spilling hot anger through his veins. Christian pulled back his fist and punched Mark in the jaw.

Mark stumbled back, shocked by the sudden movement. He spit and glared at Christian. “So, it’s going to be like that?”

Christian raised his fists, ready. Mark took a stop and threw a punch. He missed.

His friends stepped in to help him, but Mark held up a hand. “I can take this loser myself. In fact, I look forward to making him bleed.”

Mark was too busy talking and not busy enough paying attention. Christian got in another punch.

Mark swung immediately and managed to get a punch in to Christian’s stomach. Fists flew back and forth. Christian landed another, then Mark landed a hit that made Christian’s nose crack and bleed. He swiped the blood away and hit Mark in the side of the head.

Christian lifted his leg and did a fast front kick, connecting with Mark’s knee. He stumbled and it was enough time for Christian to get in two more hits.

Mark’s eye and lip were swelling now, and he looked angrier than ever. In his anger, he swung wildly, his emotions taking place over any skill he might have had.

Christian easily ducked and blocked. He kicked again, this time a roundhouse to Mark’s side. He might have broken a rib. Mark grunted and breathed hard.

When it was clear that Mark was losing the fight—and badly—his friends disregarded his earlier dismissal and stepped in. As good of a fighter as Christian was, being five on one made it impossible to win.

Fists pounded him and feet kicked him. Christian couldn’t see straight. Blood ran into his eyes, and his head spun from being hit too many times.

He looked through the car’s window and saw Delilah’s terrified face. She screamed. She had her phone in her hand. Maybe she was calling the police. There was nothing he could do to stop her.

He felt his face hit the pavement. They punched him and kicked him, and the pain was so much that he started to go into shock. Who knew what all was broken and damaged in his body.

As he closed his eyes and the world started to fade, his thoughts were of Delilah.

He couldn’t let Mark win and get away with this. He couldn’t let his mother fall into poverty or be forced to hook up with some other mobster just to stay afloat. It was his fault they were in this mess. He’d thought his father would be around forever and that he’d never have to worry about this.

He’d never been so wrong in his life. There was just one way to beat Mark. Christian would have to enter his father’s world. Join the family business. He’d have to take over his father’s accounts and territories. He’d have to become a mobster. He’d have to prove himself to Giorgio and get made.

And, if he was going to do all this, he’d have to say goodbye to Delilah.

He wasn’t going to bring her into this world. It would put her in danger, especially with Mark and his friends and all that was sure to follow this encounter. He doubted she’d be able to accept his lifestyle, and he didn’t want her to. He didn’t even accept it or like it himself. If she was okay with all of this then she wasn’t who he thought she was anyway.

He had no choice. He would lose her to save her.