12. Ultimatum

CHAPTER 12

ULTIMATUM

Antonio stood at the window of his childhood bedroom, gazing out at the manicured lawns of the Lombardi estate. The familiar surroundings felt suffocating now, a gilded cage he'd once been so desperate to escape. But the alternative—a life without Damien—seemed equally unbearable.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his brooding thoughts. "Come in," he called, already knowing who it would be.

Vivian Lombardi entered, her face a mask of concern and determination. "Antonio, darling," she began, her voice gentle but firm. "We need to talk about your... situation with Damien Benedetti."

Antonio's jaw clenched. "There's nothing to talk about, Mom. I'm a grown man. I can make my own decisions."

Vivian's eyes flashed with a mixture of fear and frustration. "Can you? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're throwing your life away for a man who's only going to bring you pain and danger."

"You don't know him," Antonio protested, but the words sounded weak even to his own ears.

"I know his kind," Vivian countered, moving closer to grip Antonio's arms. "Men like Damien Benedetti, like his father... they don't change, Antonio. They consume everything in their path, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake."

Antonio flinched at the mention of Marco Benedetti, remembering the sordid history between him and his mother. "Damien's not like that," he insisted. "He's different."

Vivian's laugh was bitter. "Oh, my sweet boy. That's what I thought about Marco, once upon a time. Before..." She trailed off, pain etching lines around her eyes.

Guilt and anger warred in Antonio's chest. He hated seeing his mother hurt, hated the reminder of what she'd been through. But the thought of giving up Damien, of never again feeling those strong arms around him or hearing that gravelly voice whisper filthy promises in his ear... it made his heart ache in ways he couldn't explain.

"I love him, Mom," he admitted softly, the words feeling like both a victory and a surrender.

Vivian's face crumpled. "Oh, Antonio. That's what I'm afraid of." She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but I can't stand by and watch you make the same mistakes I did. It's time for you to choose—your family or Damien Benedetti."

Antonio's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can't be serious. You're asking me to choose between you and the man I love?"

"I'm asking you to choose life over certain death," Vivian countered. "Because that's what a future with Damien will bring you, Antonio. Nothing but pain and bloodshed."

As his mother's ultimatum hung heavy in the air between them, Antonio felt his world tilting on its axis. How could he possibly choose?

***-

Across town, in the opulent study of the Benedetti mansion, a similar scene was unfolding. Damien stood before his father's desk, hands clenched at his sides as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"This ends now," Marco Benedetti growled, his steely gaze boring into his son. "Your little dalliance with the Lombardi boy has gone on long enough. It's time to cut ties and focus on what's important—the family business."

Damien's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath the skin. "Antonio isn't some 'dalliance,' Father. He's?—"

"He's a liability," Marco cut him off. "A weakness our enemies are all too eager to exploit. Or have you forgotten what business we're in?"

"Maybe it's time for a change," Damien shot back, surprising himself with the vehemence in his voice. "Maybe there's more to life than just power and control."

Marco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Listen closely, boy. You have two choices. End things with Antonio Lombardi and take your rightful place as my heir, or walk away from everything. Your inheritance, your position in the family, all of it. Choose wisely."

Damien felt like he'd been punched in the gut. The thought of losing everything he'd worked for, everything he'd built... it was almost unthinkable. But the image of Antonio's face, those stormy eyes and that bratty smirk that never failed to get under his skin, flashed through his mind.

For the first time in his life, Damien found himself genuinely torn. The path before him had always been so clear—power, control, the relentless pursuit of more. But Antonio had awakened something in him, a yearning for connection, for a different kind of life.

As he turned to leave his father's study, mind reeling with the weight of the decision before him, Damien's phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from an unknown number made his blood run cold:

"Choose the Lombardi brat, and he dies. You have 24 hours."

***-

Antonio paced the length of his room, alternating between rage and despair. How dare his mother try to control his life like this? But even as the anger burned hot in his veins, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered doubts.

Was she right? Was he just repeating history, falling for a man who would only bring him pain? But Damien wasn't Marco. He was strong, yes, and sometimes brutal in his methods. But he was also fiercely protective, passionate in ways that made Antonio's toes curl just thinking about it.

The memory of Damien's hands on his body, those piercing blue eyes dark with desire, sent a shiver down Antonio's spine. God, he missed him. Missed the way Damien could take him apart with just a look, the way he always seemed to know exactly what Antonio needed, even when Antonio himself didn't.

But was it enough? Could love—and lust—really conquer all the obstacles standing in their way?

As if summoned by his turbulent thoughts, Antonio's phone chimed with an incoming message. His heart leapt, hoping it might be Damien. But the number was unfamiliar, and the words made his blood run cold:

"Stay away from Benedetti, or we'll make sure he never touches you again. Clock's ticking, pretty boy."

Panic clawed at Antonio's throat. This was exactly what his mother had warned him about—the danger that came with loving a man like Damien Benedetti. But all he could think about was Damien, alone and potentially in danger.

Without a second thought, Antonio was moving. He grabbed his keys and slipped out of the house, determination overriding fear. He had to warn Damien, had to make sure he was safe.

As he sped through the streets of Chicago, heart pounding in his chest, Antonio knew one thing for certain: whatever came next, whatever choice he had to make... he couldn't lose Damien. Not now, not ever.

The game had changed, the stakes higher than ever before. And as Antonio raced towards an uncertain future, he prayed he wasn't already too late.