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“We had no cell phone connection, and need I remind you we have six bodyguards with us?” She blows out a breath on the phone and mumbles something to the side I don’t catch.
“What was that, you little brat?” I play with a knife on my desk, scratching a geometric design on the leather portion of the calendar.
“Oh, nothing,” she says sweetly. “Just said we’ll be home by bedtime, don’t wait up.”
She laughs at my growl, then her voice lowers to a whisper. “Okay, Rome, listen. We did our best, but she’s definitely catching onto something.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Should’ve ordered online.” God. I didn’t like the thought of her being here when we did our work on the guy that attacked us today. No easier way to scare her off than to somehow figure out we’re torturing, beating, and eventually killing someone. She saw me kill once, and that was enough.
I hang up with Marialena, then I get a call from Tuscany I need to answer, and quickly get distracted. We’ve got business trades coming in from overseas, and my capo that’s in charge of loansharking makes a killing this time of year. Meet with him, then Papa, but Papa only wants to bitch about the goddamn will again.
I want to see Vittoria. I want to do what Rosa said… somehow.
But it’s two more days before I finally get to see her again. I wake up at the crack of dawn with a raging hard-on. Jerked myself off with her panties wrapped around my cock the first night, the second night with nothing but my fist. But every time I do, it only makes me want her more.
Fuck.
Fuck.
I meet with Tavi in the dungeon to plan some shit I don’t want anyone to hear, payback for some bullshit in the North End near the restaurants over the weekend.
“How’s she doing?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Settling in, I guess, but I think she’s starting to figure out who we are.”
“Yeah?”
It was only a matter of time. I hoped that between her needs being met and the promise of an inheritance, she might take it with a grain of salt.
I hear Marialena’s rapid, frantic footfalls before she knocks. Tavi and I are already on our feet when she reaches the door.
The heavy door to the dungeon creaks open, and her clear voice yells down the stairs. “Rome! You down there?”
“Yeah?”
“Get up here! She’s trying to leave and Papa knows. Hurry, Rome! He’ll hurt her!”
I don’t need any more details. My father’s a ruthless monster who can’t be trusted. Maybe I’m no better, but I have reasons for keeping my future wife safe and unharmed.
I take the steep steps two at a time, and follow Marialena to the main entrance. I’m aware of Mama and Rosa sitting in the reception room, and Santo standing in the doorway watching me. His lip curls.
“She tried to escape, Rome,” he calls after me. “Go, Romeo! Go catch your fuckin’ Juliet.”
Douchebag.
When Marialena sees I’m behind her, she runs as the sound of a high-pitched scream pierces the quiet.
Shit.
I throw open the heavy entryway door to see my Vittoria behind the wheel of an older Volvo. My father stands in front of the car, his Glock in hand. His bodyguards stand on either side of him like a fortress.
Papa’s hand shakes. Goddamned idiot. If he kills her, we’re all fucked.
She ain’t going anywhere, but if he hurts her, I’ll take this throne by force.
Son of a bitch.
“Papa.” I try to keep my furious voice in check. “Stand off.”
His finger shakes on the trigger. “She isn’t fucking leaving.”
I run down the front steps that lead to the house. Vittoria looks at me, then quickly back to my father.
I nod my head at him. “She isn’t, Papa. I’ll see to it. But if you shoot her, Nonno wins and you know it.”
He growls. “I wouldn’t shoot to kill.”
Bile roils in my stomach at the vision of Vittoria, crying in pain because Papa shot to incapacitate. My father’s theory is, why use ropes or restraints when you can subdue someone with bullets and pain?
I can’t keep my fury out of my tone. “Papa, put the fucking gun down.”
He moves his enraged gaze to me. “The Underboss doesn’t give the Boss commands.” He spits on the ground, but spittle stays on his lips, dripping like melted candle wax. He’s lost his fucking mind. Maybe lost it years ago and hid it well.
I’ve had it.
That’s fucking it.
I’ll marry her before the sun sets tonight for this. I have to. It’s my only choice.
I look over my shoulder at Tavi and speak under my breath. “Call Father Richard. I want him in the library at eight o’clock tonight.”
My feet hit the pavement.
“Vittoria!” I shout. “Get out of the car. Now!”
She shakes her head. Tears are streaming down her face. She’s terrified. I don’t fucking blame her.
