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I walk out of the kitchen with Emma by my side, clinging to my arm for safety.
“He won’t be bothering you anymore,” Alessandro says, kicking the bloody corpse at his feet.
“I warned you,” he continues. “You’re in danger if you’re not near me. I got word he was tailing you when you left the hospital. I got here fast, lucky for you I keep tabs on you.”
“You killed him?” Emma asks. “In the dark? You made the lights go out and you just killed him, just like that?”
Alessandro nods. “I’ll kill anyone who threatens Jess.”
Emma, turns to me, giving me a weak smile. “This guy’s clearly a keeper.”
Alessandro steps over the dead body. “We’re getting married. It’s the only way to keep you safe until Garibaldi’s dead. He wouldn’t dare hurt my wife, it would break the honor code of the families.”
“We’ll go to one of my places until the wedding,” he adds, as if discussing something as mundane as the weather, not a life-altering decision. There doesn’t seem to be any hint of love in his decision making.
It’s like the kind man I thought I knew has vanished, replaced by this cold controlling mafia boss. He reminds me of my father, another man who must be obeyed without fail.
I shake my head. “There must be another way.”
His gaze hardens, the softness I thought I’d seen earlier gone. “It isn’t a request,” he states, a finality in his voice that brooks no argument. “You’re going down that aisle. Your only choice is between walking or being dragged kicking and screaming.”
EIGHT
Alessandro
“Welcome to your new home,” I announce, my voice echoing in the expansive entryway.
The foyer is a vast expanse of polished marble floors, the high ceiling adorned with a crystal chandelier that cost me four million dollars and took a year to make. Most of my guests are wowed by the sight but not Jess.
She’s got her arms crossed over her chest. “You forced us into your car, dragged us here. Now you’re telling us we can’t leave. In what way is this a home?”
Emma’s eyes light up with a mix of amusement and awe as she takes in the surroundings. “I could get used to it. How many bedrooms?”
“No idea,” I reply. “I never bothered to count.”
Jess’s defiance doesn’t wane. “The first chance I get, I’m out of here.”
My gaze hardens as I meet her challenge. “If you do, I’ll make you regret it.” The words taste bitter on my tongue, a necessary poison. “Where are you going to go? Your home, it’s gone.”
“I can stay with Emma.”
I shake my head. “If Garibaldi found your place, I guarantee he’s got her place watched.”
“What about me?” Emma pipes up, half-joking but with a glint of hope in her eyes. “Can I get my stuff brought here too? I love it here!”
I can’t help but chuckle at her straightforwardness, the mood lightening just a fraction. “Of course. This mansion is vast, certainly big enough for both of you to stay as long as you wish. Forever, even, if that’s what you decide.”
Emma’s grin widens, turning to Jess with a look that says, “See? Not so bad.”
Jess, however, remains unswayed, her gaze flitting around the grand entrance and the corridors leading to unknown luxuries. “I don’t care how many rooms or how grand it is. It’s still a cage if I’m not free to leave.”
I understand her trepidation, the fear of losing control. “You’re under my protection now, whether you like it or not. Look around, get used to the place. I have work to do.”
The moment I step into my office, Tony is on his feet. The walls are lined with screens, a high-tech nerve center that offers a panoramic view of my sprawling estate. “No sign of Garibaldi’s men,” he says. “Alarms are all set. We’ll know if anyone gets close.”
“Guards?”
“Doubled. Every corner. No one’s getting in without them noticing.”
