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I curled my fingers into fists, my nails digging into my skin. “I want to speak with Alessio alone.”
“No fucking chance,” Fausto snapped. “I am not leaving you alone with him.”
“He won’t hurt me. Go, Pàpa.”
“You may feel confident regarding your safety, but I don’t. I won’t leave you alone with this piece of shit.”
The pressure built behind my eyes, and my control slipped. I folded my hands together and banged my knuckles against my forehead. “For the love of God, Fausto. Give me the motherfucking room!”
I’d never spoken to my father like this. He would’ve punished me for any hint of disrespect before I left home. But respect was the last thing on my mind. I was about to unravel. I had to get answers from Alessio. Alone.
Fausto pushed back from his desk and stood. He pulled his suit coat off the back of his chair and slipped it on. Straightened his cuffs. “Marco and I will be right outside.”
They left and the door closed softly.
My ears started ringing as memories assaulted me. Alessio trailing me in Santorini, standing on the roof of the building across and looking down at me. Exactly the same position as my father’s assassination. Cazzo, why hadn’t I put it together before now?
Because I didn’t think he’d hide something like this from me.
I knew my father had been just a job to Alessio. A big paycheck. He hadn’t known me at the time. So I didn’t fault him for accepting the contract.
But I did fault him for not telling me about it.
My chest drew tight, like a ball of string being wound together, and each breath became more painful than the last. I almost didn’t want to have this conversation. I didn’t want it to be real.
How the fuck was this happening? Only this morning Alessio and I were laughing and kissing, stopping for caffè on the way here. Holding hands as I drove through the Siderno hills.
He knew and didn’t say anything.
He spoke first. “I should have told you.”
“So it’s true,” I snapped, hurt and anger deepening my voice.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you fucking tell me?”
“Because you would’ve left.”
“Instead you lied and let me fuck you. Sleep with you. Share my life with you. You made me—” Fall in love with you.
I bit back the words. He didn’t deserve them.
“I didn’t lie,” he said.
“You selfish piece of shit.” Standing, I strode around the desk to face him. “You know not telling me is the same as lying. We even talked about the assassination! You had plenty of opportunities to confess it to me.”
“I couldn’t.” His eyebrows slammed together, the scar on his face twisted. “I couldn’t lose you.”
“And you hoped I’d never find out.”
It was clear by the set of his jaw that I was right. He had buried this secret, intending never for it to see the light of day.
I had trusted this man. After having my heart broken by Paolo’s death, I’d given the bruised and battered organ to Alessio for safekeeping. I thought we would move to Spain and start an empire together.
All the while he’d been withholding this from me.
I pierced him with a harsh glare. “I was there that day. I watched you shoot him.” Fausto had nearly died. If not for Zio Marco’s combat medical training, Fausto would’ve bled out in the car on the way to the hospital.
