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I mean, I can’t blame two people who shouldn’t fall in love for falling in love.
I’m over here falling for a Lombardi, for Christ’s sake.
As weird as I think it is—because come on, no one will believe me if I said it isn’t—I’m okay with it. I haven’t seen my callous father show tenderness since my mother. And even with her, he wasn’t a great husband. He expressed his regret to me for that after her funeral.
But as I sit with them at the dining room table, I can see Natalia thaw the coldness in his heart, softening some of his wickedness.
I’m also relieved my father isn’t marrying that traitorous bitch Carmela. Pre-betrayal, Rocky attempted to persuade my father to marry Carmela for years. I’m sure his engagement to Natalia played a large part in them double-crossing us, but neither my father nor Benny has given me many details on what happened.
I wait until after dinner, when the mansion has descended into stillness, before visiting my father in his office.
“Hiya, Dad,” I greet, walking into his office after hardly knocking.
My father shifts his paperwork out of the way and settles back in his massive executive chair while I take the one across from him. Being a man of few words, he waits for me to speak first.
“So …” I pause, my mouth dry. “You and Natalia?”
This might be the most awkward conversation we’ve ever shared.
“Are getting married, yes.” He runs a hand over his jaw. “Don’t give her a hard time on that.”
I hold up a finger. “(A) She’s my best friend. I’d never.” I raise another finger. “(B) It’s better than having a stepmother I can’t stand … or one who tells me to eat more vegetables.”
He tilts his head to the side. “No one has ever told you that.”
“Nor do I want it to start.” I smirk.
“Get out of here.” He shakes his head and waves toward the door.
“That was me saying, I approve.” I cross my legs and blow out a breath. “I also appreciate that it gives me a free pass.”
“Excuse me?” There’s a rise in his voice.
“A free pass to date whoever I want because all I’ll need to say is,Well, you married my best friend.” My comment is risky, but I got a somewhat-chill version of my father earlier.
“Sometimes, I hate that you’re such a Marchetti.” He grabs a pen and plays with it between his fingers. “Anything else I need to hear you talk shit about?”
“Don’t go to war with the Lombardis.”
“If they try to fuck with me, I will.” He stares at me skeptically. “Is there a reason you don’t want me to?”
I pretend to examine my manicure. “Of course not.”
“Gigi, secrets don’t stay secrets for long.” His brows wrinkle.
I’m a big dummy.
I just made it obvious there’s a reason I don’t want him touching them.
This was a mistake.
“Good night, Daddy.” I stand. “I’ll give you your fiancée back when I’m done hanging out with her.”
It was pointless to ask my father not to go to war with them. If he killed Vinny, they’ll want revenge, and my father is more of akill before being killedman.
I know I can’t save Antonio from my father’s wrath.
And I’m not sure if he can save me from his family.
