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“And you still aren’t,” he said like his words made so much sense. “Only way to gain power is not through marriage Luce. I want war. I want my glorious old days, but my soldiers became lazy. If I start a war against Salvatore Vasile now, many of them will not support me. I need them at my side. I need a good reason to attack Chicago.”
His words only confused me further. “So, you don’t want me to marry?”
“I do.”
“Dad, I don’t understand.”
He gave me a look that turned my stomach upside down. Even before he explained, I knew something terrible was coming. “You are not pure,” he said in disgust. “No man will want a wife like that. If we manage to trick Valerio Vasile long enough, he will marry you. When he sees the sheets remain white on your wedding night, he will surely give me a reason to start a war. He is called the Monster, after all.”
Something stuck to my throat. I couldn’t breathe. I knew my father didn’t care about me anymore, but I didn’t think he hated me this much. What he implied turned my blood into ice, but with one last hope, I asked, “Would he give me back? Is that a reason for a war?”
This time he smiled like I was stupid. “We don’t divorce Luce. Giving you back solves nothing for him.”
“So, he will attack.”
“He will attack my family.” Sinister thoughts formed a smile on his old face. “Surely a dead daughter is a good reason for a war.”
I couldn’t hold it any longer. I vomited on the floor right there.
My own father was ready to sacrifice me for glory. I was truly worth nothing.
Chapter 3
Valerio
“Can I stop coming to these when your spawn is born?” I asked, putting my feet on the table. Sal, Antonio, and I were having our weekly meetings. Sal made me start coming to these when I was sixteen because I was his heir.
He wanted me to be ready in case Mia never got pregnant. Thank God she did.
I never refused to be Sal’s heir. I did what was expected of me, but honestly, I was not very excited about it. I liked what I was right now. I was in charge, but I didn’t want to be in charge as much as Sal was.
Sal pushed my legs out off the table. “You can’t until Dante is old enough to take your place.”
I mockingly rolled my eyes. Mia already chose the boy’s name. I didn’t say it was cliché because I loved Mia too much.
Sal chose the girl’s name, but he refused to tell us. I was not too worried since he named their first daughter, too, but I was sure he had some mischievous intentions. He chose the name Gia for their oldest because it sounded like Mia.
He was one of the most scared men in the country, and he was totally whipped for his wife.
“So, what is today’s topic?” I asked. “You look not tense at all.” Obviously, that was a lie. Sal always looked tense; when he didn’t, he looked murderous.
“I received an invitation.”
Antonio’s brows drew together. “You didn’t mention.” He usually knew everything we were going to discuss in these meetings.
Sal rubbed the back of his neck. “I got it this morning. It is from Gino Borelli.”
“L.A.,” Antonio explained for my sake. I knew it already but didn’t get offended. There were too many occasions when I didn’t know things.
“He is celebrating his 20thwedding anniversary with his wife. He wants us to attend.”
Antonio’s eyes turned into slits. “Olive branch or trap?”
“He cannot invite us to his home and attack us. He is not powerful enough for that.”
I shrugged. “So, it is an olive branch then. I don’t see what the problem is.”
“There is always a problem when it is about Gino Borelli,” Antonio murmured.
