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Breathing heavily, I slow to a stop, settling onto Leo’s lap as I let my arms fall around his neck. Leaning forward, I press my forehead to his, soaking up the deep intimacy of the moment. And in a flash, I realize that this connection between us is going to obliterate my plans.
How can I betray Leo now, when I’m falling for him so hopelessly?
37
TIA
With each passing morning, the war waging within me intensifies as my ankle gradually heals. Sitting in one of the library’s bay windows, I soak up the sun’s rays as I stare out at the vast grounds of the Moretti estate.
It’s a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. And the grass is a brilliant emerald green that contrasts the dark woods beyond. In the distance, I can see each peak of the Allegheny Mountains. It reminds me of the stunning view Leo showed me of our tiny town nestled in the valley below.
And as my thoughts circle around to my husband once more—like they have countless times this morning—I feel desperately torn.
The key to Leo’s downfall is within my reach. I know it. I have dirt on him that could shatter the mayor’s trust. I could expose Leo’s violent tendencies and dismantle the façade he’s carefully built—though I still don’t understand the bigger picture that makes Mayor Romney so crucial to my husband’s success.
But the more time I spend with Leo, the harder it becomes to see the monster I know lurks within. Despite the violence he’s unleashed upon our town and the personal torment he’s subjected me to, something is changing.
Leo is changing—I think.
And it confounds me.
Piovosa, once a rich tapestry woven by the old Italian families who founded the town, now bears the scars of Leo’s conquest. His bloodlust and eagerness to upend tradition have torn through the fabric of our community. Or so my father has said.
And after witnessing Leo’s violence firsthand, I understand the destruction he is capable of. Yet, a strange metamorphosis is occurring. Leo, the tyrant, has been showing me a softer side, making it increasingly difficult for me to view him solely as the ruthless conqueror I once believed him to be.
Not to mention, our drive around the streets of Piovosa makes me question who, besides the powerful families that so recently reigned, Leo’s ambitions are hurting. Because the streets looked far more peaceful than I’d envisioned, the buildings were entirely intact. Even the server who brought our dinner out to us seemed perfectly at ease with my husband.
It feels as though everything I thought I knew has been cast in a strange and disturbing new light.
Are my pregnancy hormones playing tricks on my mind and weakening my resolve? Or is Leo genuinely changing? These questions echo in my thoughts as I navigate this precarious dance between vengeance and an unforeseen empathy.
“There you are!” Maria’s voice echoes from the vaulted ceiling of the library, drawing me from my reverie.
I turn from the window to find her striding toward me, a smile on her face.
“How did it come as no surprise when your butler told me this is where I’d find you?”
I laugh, turning and dropping my feet to the floor as I stand. “You’re early,” I say affectionately.
“I skipped out on my last class of the day,” she jokes. “No, I guess Mr. Whitley had to take his son to the doctor for an ear infection.”
“Oh, poor Sammie,” I say, my shoulders dropping.
“Yeah, sounds like he’s on the mend, though. It’s just a check-up to ensure the antibiotics are working properly.”
“Well, that’s good,” I say, pulling my sister in for a hug.
“Speaking of doctors, where are your crutches?” Maria demands, her voice sounding impressively parental. I wonder if my absence from the house has required her to take up the role of oldest sister.
“I’ve been a grudgingly obedient patient. He said I don’t have to use them as long as I listen to my body and don’t push it too far.”
“Yay! That’s awesome.”
“My arms are grateful,” I acknowledge with a smile.
“Does this mean we should stay inside?” she offers.
“Of course not. I’ll be fine going as far as the garden. There are plenty of benches where we can rest if I need to.”
