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Salvatore slams his palm against the wall, right by my head, and roars in my face, “The next thing I hit will be you if you don’tshut the fuck up.”
I flinch and stop struggling.
“You’re threatening the man who can end your life and wash his hands of guilt likethat. Did you learn nothing the night of your seventeenth birthday?”
“I hate him,” I sob. “I hate him so much. He got away with murder. You don’t know what it’s like, seeing him walking around this town after what he did to Mom.”
“Sure, I don’t know what that’s like,” he growls.
Oh, yes. His murdered sister and the crime still unsolved. He doesn’t know who killed her but it must still hurt. His heart must ache for her, day and night.
“If you’re going to be my husband, shouldn’t you be protecting me from him?”
“I don’t have to do anything, you little idiot. Do you think I owe you any favors? Do you think I’ve got nothing better to do than fret about one unpunished murder? Your mother should have known better.”
“Why? Why should she have known better? She was the mayor’s wife, not a mafia wife.”
“Don’t kid yourself. Your father may not have been a criminal when she married him, but I doubt she was so stupid that she didn’t guess that all the pretty things in her life cost more than his salary.”
“Then should I have seen it? I never realized there was anything dangerous about my father until that night.”
“I don’t know. Should you?” Salvatore gives me a challenging look, and then steps back and rakes a hand through his hair. “It’s pointless beating yourself up about what you did and didn’t realize. Your mom did her best to protect you from what she knew. That was a fucking stupid thing to do.”
His words are a punch in the gut. My mother was stupid for loving me like she did? “You know what? I hate you almost as much as Dad.”
“No kidding.” For a moment his eyes are bleak. Despite his cruel words, some part of him feels sorry for me. It must be a very small part, though, as a moment later, his expression hardens. “This is your life, Chiara. You want something changed, you fix it yourself.” He grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. “Grow the fuck up. Harden up. Do what needs to be done and don’t fucking cry about it.”
My head pounds as he shakes me and I try and fight him off. “You’re an asshole.”
“Yeah, I am, but your destiny is to be surrounded by men like me, so learn from this moment. You’ll thank me later if I’m not there to protect you.”
I suck in a startled breath. What does that mean? Salvatore’s going to abandon me? Or he could be killed. He’s got enough enemies.
I get a sudden, vivid picture of someone slitting his throat in front of me like Dad slit Mom’s. It could happen. It could even belikely. I wrap my arms around my stomach and moan. I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough.
Salvatore grasps my chin and makes me look at him, but not in an unkind way. “Listen to me, Chiara. You’re tougher than you think you are.” With his other arm, he gathers me closer to him. He even smiles a little. “Did you know, I expected you to scream or faint the moment I kissed you on your birthday.”
Not kiss him back. Not stare him down when he pulled away to show him I couldn’t be intimidated even though my stomach was churning.
His mouth slants over mine, and I taste salt on his lips. Salt from my tears. His rich, masculine scent washes over me, and I find myself breathing harder as his tongue moves against mine. His hand slides up into my hair and cradles my head as he kisses me.
“You like my kisses, Chiara?” he murmurs, his lips brushing over mine. “Maybe I’m an asshole, but I want you to live. So fucking kiss me so I know you’re still breathing.”
I do as he demands, opening my lips and pressing them over his.
I’m so crazy for wanting him.
Or I’m just crazy with wanting him.
We’re both breathing hard when he breaks away. “Now go out there and apologize to your father, and make it good or I really will punish you.”
I take a step toward the door and then turn back. “After we’re married, will you kill him for me?”
Salvatore puts his hand in his pockets and leans against the wall, smiling broadly. The devil’s own smile, bright and dazzling. “I can promise you this, Chiara. Anyone hurts my woman, I’ll make them bleed.”
Which doesn’t mean yes.
I shouldn’t feel disappointed when I know Salvatore is only marrying me because I’m the mayor’s daughter. The mayor’svirgindaughter. “And if I’m not a virgin anymore by the time our wedding comes around? Will you still marry me then?”
