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I blink away tears. “Yes, because I love him.”
He flinches like he smells something rotten. “Gigi, you’re young.”
“Oh, that’s rich.” I scoff as anger pours through me. “I’m the same age as your wife, so please, don’t go there.”
The cords stand out on his neck, and he scrubs a hand over his face in frustration. “This shit with Antonio endsnow. A sane woman doesn’t love a man who took her hostage to get back at her father.”
“He also wanted to protect me from Sonny.”
“Antonio is a master manipulator. He told you that to fuck with your head.”
“He might be a master manipulator,like you, but that doesn’t make it wrong to love him.” Closing my mouth, I inhale a breath of courage. “Nor does it mean he doesn’t love me. You got your happily ever after. Benny got his. Now, it’s my turn.” I wince at my voice breaking at the end.
“A happily ever after doesn’t exist with him.” Somehow, he manages to darken his eyes more. “He’ll break your heart, or you’ll end up dead.”
I furiously shake my head. “You don’t know that’s true.”
“Yes, I do.”
“My heart’s already breaking?—”
“Sure, but you’re still safe, alive, and breathing. That’s all I care about. Your heart will get over this.”
“Why don’t you give me a chance to find that out myself?”
“Absolutely fucking not.”
“Antonio would die for me.”
“His manipulation wants you to believe that.”
“No, he’s shown me repeatedly. I’m in better hands with him than I would’ve been with Elijah. And unlike Elijah, or anyone else for that matter, Antonio loves me back. He doesn’t see me as property, or a contract, or just some annoying wife to appease.” I sniffle. “He appreciates me. Sees me. Cares about me.Lovesme.”
He turns quiet, which might be worse than him talking angrily.
“Antonio and I have history.”
That sure ends his silence, and he bares his teeth. “Excuse me?”
“We weren’t exactly strangers when I left with him at the hospital.”
“You didn’tleave with him,” he snarls. “He held you at fucking gunpoint.”
“We had somewhat of a secret relationship.”
He stares at me, hard and malice, and I’m waiting for him to charge out of the room and hunt down Antonio just for that. But he stands there, focused solely on me, waiting for me to continue ratting my ass out.
But I’m done sneaking around.
Being seen but not heard.
“Please don’t make me choose between you and the man I love.” My lips tremble, and the tears finally break free. “Antonio is my husband, and I want you to accept that. If you make me choose, it’ll be him.” Tears fall down my cheeks so hard that I’m waiting for them to puddle at my feet.
“No.” He unbuttons his blazer and breaks our eye contact when he strolls toward the bar cart to pour himself a drink. “Having an alliance with the Lombardis would make us look weak.”
My dad is somewhat calm.
I’ve never seen him like this.
