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“Hmm.”
I take a deep breath, hardly able to believe the words that are about to come out of my mouth. “Because we’re getting married.”
“Oh, he’s finally told you about that,” she says.
“What do you mean? Don’t you mean he asked me?”
“Told. Asked. Same thing.”
“Except that they’re not,” I insist. “How long have you known?”
“Um. A few weeks maybe. Since he told our father you were pregnant. Once he found out…” She trails off.
“Once he found out, what?” Why do I always seem to be the last person to be clued up on anything.
“He told Dante he had to marry you or kill you,” she says it so casually as if it’s a completely ordinary thing to say and do.
“He what?”
She sighs softly before turning and looking at me. “Our dad is kind of a giant asshole. Don’t worry about it. Dante chose wisely, right?”
“So all this time, he’s been weighing up those two options?” I snap, shaking my head in disbelief.
She scoffs. “He was always going to marry you because he would never do the other thing.”
I fold my arms over my chest and frown at her. “Oh well, aren’t I the lucky one?”
“Kat, my family is not normal. This kind of shit is just how they roll. Women like us are second-class citizens. We don’t get a say in our own lives.”
My frown deepens. I don’t want that for me, or for Joey. I certainly don’t want it for my child.
“The sooner you get used to that, the easier everything will be for you.”
She goes back to her toenails, and I scowl, feeling like the rug has been pulled from under me again. This morning, I wanted to marry Dante. Even though he admitted that I had no choice, I could see a way to build some kind of life with him. But not anymore.
* * *
I stalkdown the hallway to Dante’s office, barging past the armed guard and opening the door before he can react. I guess he was waiting for our usual polite exchange before he tells me the great Mr. Moretti can’t be disturbed. Not today, Satan!
Dante’s head snaps up when I storm into his office.
“I’m sorry, Boss, she just…” the guard fumbles.
Dante glares at me, his eyes never leaving mine as he tells his guard to get out and close the door. “I just told Joey about ourengagement,” I snarl at him, ready to crawl over his desk and slap his arrogant, self-entitled face.
“And?”
I take a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart because I feel like I’m about to implode with unsuppressed rage. “And she told me all about your father’s ultimatum.”
He sighs and closes his eyes.
“So it’s true then? You had to marry me or kill me, is that it?” I shout as I take another step toward his desk, unable to keep a lid on my emotions any longer.
“It’s not that simple,” he says, his voice strained and low.
“I suppose you think I should be grateful you chose the former, right?”
He stands, pushing his chair back, but I continue.
