Who was going to stop me from bringing her along?
I almost laughed at that.
“It is pleasant to see you with a smile on your face, Rosaria,” my father-in-law said, almost startling me. I did not expect him, but there he was.
If he only knew what I was thinking, he would not be so pleased.
Perhaps he did.
The genial comment was the opposite of the set of his face—firm. Except when he looked at the two women who seemed to be headedoutside for a walk, his face adjusted to accommodate the pleasure he took in them. He embraced them both before he turned back to me and nodded to the stairs. This meeting was going to take place in his office, a place most women were not summoned to.
On purpose, he climbed the stairs before me.
In that subtle language, he was saying to me,You have disgraced my family.You wanted to be treated as a man would. You will be. A man from the outside of this family.
I had to be careful with my husband’s father. He was not numb as my husband was to life, but almost too sensitive to it after his wife had the health scare. Luca Fausti was still the most feared and respected man in the world, but what the outside world knew and what his inner circle knew were different. He had a weak spot for the woman.
Whereas my husband only grew harder with me at his side. Exactly what the family needed. A woman with a backbone.
In his office, he fixed his suit, then sat. I fixed my dress before I took the offered seat. He had to sit first. If I was going to be treated as a man, I must behave according to their rules. If he thought this was going to sting me, he was sorely mistaken. Perhaps I would be taken more seriously if I was a man. Perhaps if I whispered in his ear in that deep voice the Fausti men were known for, he would open his mind and listen to me.
This family has gone soft.
Do something about it, King of Beasts.
We stared at each other.
“I have ruled that Massimo will not rule this family. Matteo will after my son. This is my word, and I will not be challenged on it.”
I took a deep breath. “Of course,” I said as respectfully as I could. “However, family law states that any of my sons could challenge Matteo for the birthright, if they so choose to.”
“I am king,” he said. “I can overrule the rule and make it law by my last decree.”
He was pulling out the big guns on this one. A king’s last decreewas final. No one could challenge it. I did not like it. It meant that my husband’s sons had no chance in ruling if he did so. I caught the use of the word “can” and knew he had not done it yet. There was still hope.
“Whatever you wish, father,” I said, playing into his power trip.
“I once called you daughter of the heart,” he said.
“An honor,” I said, sitting up taller.
A beat of a connection between our eyes held, then he nodded. “You are not allowed to step foot on any property, anywhere, unless it is the family home in Maranello. Beyond that, you will request permission from me. Donato will handle all the requests. Your time withmyfamily will be limited. If you do not abide bymyrules, you will personally challenge me.” He stared at me until I almost squirmed in my seat. His eyes were stones being leveled at putty. But the one thing putty had over stone was that putty could be manipulated. It could absorb the blow.
Stone cracked.
Whenever his family erected a stone statue in his honor, as they were known to do for their kings, I would be sure to make as many cracks in it as possible as retribution. Not only had this man looked over me for Scarlett Fausti, giving her special gifts and treatment, but he had also done the same to my husband. He never truly saw Rocco for his worth. Brando Fausti was the prodigal son who never truly felt sorry for forsaking the family name but was treated as a king despite it all.
Finally, Luca stood, releasing me with a curt nod toward the door. I got to my heels right after, fixing my dress, and when I went for the door, he said, “You shame my son, you shame me. Remember this, Rosaria Caffi, ah?”
The son that was created out of obligation. The son who was a sacrifice to the family.
Thatson.
My husband.
Rocco had issues because of the love I could not give him. He alsohad issues because of the man who did not want his family offering, his son, to be shamed by me.
I would have told Luca all of this, but I am a smart woman. I recognize that a silent woman is worse than a screaming one. Therefore, I decided I valued my tongue and wanted to keep it in my mouth.
