That’s when it clicked who I was speaking to.
“Nico, I understand you have a loyalty to your father, but surely you can see that Luca is innocent in all this. It’s Gio you want.” Mind racing, grasping at straws, I blurted, “We can disappear, me and the baby. You’ll never see or hear from us again.”
It was a lie, albeit a believable one, since I had a history of running. But if I kept talking, kept negotiating with Dario’s demon spawn, maybe I could buy enough time for Gio to realize we were missing and come searching for us.
“That’s a very attractive offer,” Nico replied. “But unfortunately, I will have to decline.”
My chest caved in, making it hard to breathe as I asked, “You’d hurt a baby?”
A heavy sigh sounded. “Letting Luca live means leaving loose ends. He might not be a threat today, but what about in twenty or thirty years from now? When he learns of his birthright and returns to challenge me? For my father to become Don, for me to succeed him when the time comes, Dominic’s entire bloodline must be eliminated. There can be no survivors.”
Terror squeezed my heart in a vise grip, learning that Matteo and Summer’s girls were scheduled for the executioner’s block, regardless of their ability to inherit. And I wondered if there was someone at their house doing the exact same thing, and my sister-in-law was working as feverishly as I was to get them to spare her children’s lives.
Even though fear made my pulse pound in my ears, if I strained them enough, I could just make out footfalls coming up the stairs in the distance. Help was coming; I just had to hold on a little while longer.
“What about your brother?”
There was a hum from Nico. “Enzo was deemed unfit at an early age. Honestly, I should be thanking him. If it weren’t for his failings, I wouldn’t exist, wouldn’t have been named my father’s heir in his stead. But to answer your question: while he may not be Dominic’s son, he doesn’t support our claim. Any and all opposition will find themselves six feet under. No exceptions.”
The footsteps grew nearer, and relief surged in my veins when I realized they were almost right outside the nursery door. I began to breathe easier with our rescue was imminent.
Except it wasn’t Gio who joined us.
“What the fuck is taking so long?” a feminine voice barked.
“Rory’s stalling.” I could hear the smile in Nico’s voice.
“And you’re entertaining that instead of meeting me at the rendezvous point with the kid because . . .”
“It amuses me watching her desperation rise. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s only minutes away from touting her experience as a don’s wife and offering those services to me if I agree to let her son live.”
My stomach lurched, bile rising up my throat at his words. But what was even worse was realizing he was right. I wouldn’t hesitate to whore myself out if it meant saving Luca.
The woman scoffed. “Bitch is used goods. You can do better.”
“On that we can agree, Ari.”
Ari. The nickname for Arianna clued me in that the female voice belonged to Nico’s twin.
And I saw fucking red.
“How dare you come back here after what you tried to do?” I spat.
“Please.” Her eye roll was audible. “I was only trying to do you a favor.”
A sound of pure disbelief spilled from my lips. “Afavor? You’re more psychotic than I thought if you truly believe that.”
“The brat has been marked for death since his conception. So sue me if I was offering you an early exit on the pregnancy. Would have saved your vagina from being ripped open for nothing.”
I lunged in the dark, but with my sight taken away, I caught nothing but air, crashing to the ground with a pained grunt.
“I’m bored with this, Nico. Can we go?”
“Aw, come on,” he cajoled. “We can’t leave before she realizes her attempts to keep us talking have been in vain.”
Pushing to my feet, I huffed, “What are you talking about?”
Nico spoke to his sister. “Why don’t you do the honors, Ari, since it was your handiwork?”
