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He digested everything I said, his eyes still hard. It took him a long time to come up with a response. He glanced at the ring and looked at me again. “Are you giving me an ultimatum?”
“I…guess so.”
He sat back against the chair, sighing.
“Walk away, Cato. Take your money and walk away.”
“And do what?” he countered. “I will have no purpose.”
“What about Martina and me? Isn’t that your purpose? The only purpose that really matters?”
“Of course. But I need more than that. I’m an ambitious man. If I’m home all day, I’ll get angry. Then I’ll get resentful.”
“Then open a business—a clean business. The Barsettis were criminals until they walked away and started making wine. That could be you.”
“How did you know that?” he countered.
“My father used to be friends with Crow.”
“Well, I’m not Crow Barsetti. I’m much richer than Crow Barsetti.”
“The amount of wealth doesn’t matter,” I argued. “You just told me you feel whole for the first time in your life. That’s because of us—not the money in your bank account. Just walk away.”
He shook his head slightly. “That’s my life’s work.”
“I know. You should be proud of everything you’ve accomplished. But you’re also a crime lord, and one day, someone is going to come after us. I can’t let that happen to our babies…” My eyes watered in pain. “I have to protect them. I have to protect myself—”
“I will protect you.” He slammed his fist down.
“How can you do that when you can’t protect yourself?” I asked quietly.
His eyes turned ice-cold.
“I was the one who saved you, Cato.”
“I never asked you to do that. I never wanted you to do that.”
“But we’re a team. I don’t regret it. But all of that happened because of your business. You need to walk away—to keep us all safe. That’s what I want.”
“Siena—”
“It’s not just what I want. It’s what I need.” I wiped my tears away. “I don’t want to say this. It kills me inside. But if you want me to marry you…you have to do this.”
His breathing picked up, and his eyes clouded with a thin film of moisture. They turned glossy in the light from the candles.
“You know I love you. You know I want to say yes. I would never ask you to give up anything…but you have to give this up. I won’t change my mind. So, please…do this for me.”
He rubbed his hand across his mouth and sighed.
“Cato.”
Now he wouldn’t look at me.
“Cato.”
“You’re asking me to walk away from…everything I’ve built.”
“I know.”
“You’re asking me to give up who I am.”
“You’re more than that. You are more than what you do.”
“You need to meet me halfway here, Siena. How can you ask this of me when my business paid for all this shit?” He extended his hands as he looked around. “Those expensive sheets you sleep on every night. The bathroom that’s as big as a house. The gourmet meals you eat every night—”
“I. Don’t. Care. About. That.” I hit my fist against the table with every word. “We could move back into my old place, and I would be just fine. I’ve never wanted you for the luxuries you provide. If I had it my way, I would want you to donate all your money, and we would just live off what we needed.”
With a clenched jaw, he looked at me like that had just made him angry.
“I’m sorry…”
His nostrils flared as he sighed.
“Are you really going to pick your business over us?” I asked incredulously. “You really want to lose me because of money?”
“It’s not about the money. I’ve told you that.”
“Whatever. Is it really more important than us?”
“It’s not more important. I just don’t see why I can’t have both—”
“Because we both could have died! It will happen again, Cato. Maybe it won’t happen for a few years, but it will happen. Are you so arrogant to assume you’re that untouchable? Those men hit your car and kidnapped you without a fuss.”
He breathed through his anger.
“I want to cave…I do. But this really bothers me, Cato. Give up the business and be with us…or keep the business and we go our separate ways.” I couldn’t believe those words flew out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe I even suggested us breaking up.
“You’re gonna take my daughter away?” he asked incredulously.
“No. Never. But…we’ll live somewhere else.”
He shook his head. “This is a fucking nightmare. I planned all of this so you could be my fucking wife, and you drop this on me?” He rose to his feet, furious. “You couldn’t have mentioned this yesterday? Or the day before?”
“I meant to, but—”
“Shut up.”
Now I rose to my feet, my ferocity matching his. “You never trusted me because you thought I wanted your money. I’ve proved to you it means nothing to me. You’re the one who’s obsessed with your money, who loves it more than me. You’re really going to walk away from the best thing that ever happened to you over money.” I gripped my skull. “Do you realize how pathetic that makes you?”
