I held up my hand. “Before you even suggest it, I’m not laundering any Caruso money through this gallery.”
Money laundering and the underworld went hand in hand. One of the easiest ways to do it was through stores, laundromats, or for the higher-end clients, in art galleries.
“I’m deeply offended that you automatically jumped to such a conclusion.”
“Would you just say what you came here to say and get out?”
His eyes darkened. But then he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out an envelope. “This came to the house this morning.”
I took the envelope from him. Peering inside, I only saw a photograph. When I pulled it out to gaze at the image, icy cold fear shot down my spine.
It was a picture of me dancing with Luca’s father.
“Oh God,” I murmured.
“Read the back.”
With trembling fingers, I turned the photo over. A note was scribbled on the back.
Convince your daughter to get her husband to give up his bid, or I’ll make contact with the real father of her baby.
I jerked my gaze up to stare at Father. “How is this even possible?”
“The only thing I can imagine is someone hacked into my photo cloud.”
“What the fuck would you be doing with this picture?”
“Do you honestly think I gave you complete freedom at college? Of course not. I always had someone undercover trailing you.”
Revulsion echoed through me. Not a moment had I ever truly been alone. I’d been watched and photographed the whole time.
“This is all your fault,” I snapped.
“No, this is your fault for being a whore who slept with a man she didn’t know.”
“If you hadn’t sold me off like a broodmare, I wouldn't have been trying to escape an arranged marriage.”
“Enough!” Father blared. “Save the fucking finger-pointing. We’ve got to find a way out of this.”
I held out the photo. “This casino is Leo’s dream. There is nothing I can say to make him walk away.”
“You’re going to have to give him an ultimatum.”
“What?”
“Tell him it’s the casino or you and the baby.”
“You want me to threaten to leave Leo?”
“Do you have a better idea? If Leo walks away, this issue goes away.”
“For now. What happens when someone else hacks you and blackmails us again? When does it end?”
“It ends when I have a chance to find out the identity of the person behind the bidding war. When I deal with them, I’ll make sure that there is no trail leading you to that young man.”
“If in that trail you find out who Luca’s father is, you won’t kill him, will you?”
“Only if he doesn’t make trouble for us.”
