Relieved that those two hours of hell are finally over, I’m almost to the exit when Mrs. Rizzo catches up with me. With a gentle hand on my arm, she draws me to a halt.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, my dear, but you obviously don’t belong among us, even though you were born into thislife.” She pulls me into a nook near the exit. “I’ve seen that look before. You want out, don’t you?”
Am I really that easy to read? That transparent? I guess it doesn’t matter as long as it gets me what I want.
“What do you mean?” I hedge. If I tell her the truth, she’ll no doubt go straight to Maximo. Not that it’s a secret from him.
She lowers her voice. “I can make you disappear, to get you out… for a price.”
Ah, so she’s not looking to gain favor with Maximo. Interesting. Curious as to what she does want, I play into her game.
“What’s the price? How do you think I can pay it?”
“Because you’re the closest person to Maximo Pontrelli. You’re living in his apartment, engaged to him, you could even be sharing his bed. Men like to talk in bed.”
I flush. “I wouldn’t know.” Not really, at least. We’ve certainly never been inbedtogether. Seducing him is a terrible idea. Though, would I pay that price in order to be forever free of him?
“Not yet. But he will eventually take you to his bed. The question is whether you plan to use it to your advantage or not.”
Now I’m intrigued. “How so?”
“My price is reasonable. All I want is information on Maximo. He’s new and I don’t trust him. I want to trust him, but I need proof that he’s trustworthy. You can get me the information I need to quiet my doubts.”
I stare at her, slightly shocked. Does she realize what she’s asking me to do? To spy on a don.
“You want me to spy on him and report to you?” I clarify, just to say the words aloud.
She grins, all cool aloofness and grace. “Those are your words, not mine. But take this phone, it’s a burner and my number’s in it. If you find what I want, then I can give you a newlife far away from here. I know people. They will hide you so well that even Maximo won’t be able to find you.” She offers me the burner. “He’s not the kind of man to ever let you go. You know that, right?”
Slowly, I nod. After a moment’s hesitation, I take the phone from her and slip it into my bag as misplaced guilt consumes me. This is betrayal on a level that I’m not sure I’m capable of acting on.
Do I hate Maximo? Of course. Can I spy on him, betray his trust like this, and deliver his secrets to a woman who may be friend or foe? I’m… not sure. This is completely different from destruction of property, this could be potentially dangerous. Lives could be at stake.
She takes my hesitation in stride. “Think about it. Use that phone to call me once you’ve decided.”
I stare after her as she leaves the restaurant. This is not a moral dilemma I saw coming. Yet, unlike ruining clothing and cars, this is a real deal-breaker. If I betray Maximo, and he finds out about it, he’ll drop me in an instant. No don can have a wife who spies on him, who sells his secrets, who he can’t trust.
Mrs. Rizzo may have just handed me the ultimate out. Either that, or she’s signed my death warrant.
CHAPTER 19
Maximo
“Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.” Roman De Luca shakes my hand. Beside him, his wife Sophia, gives me a pleasant enough smile though her gaze holds curiosity with a touch of hostility. Or is my guilty conscience coloring my interpretation of her look. Probably.
The engagement party came together within the week. Everyone here is important, from Roman De Luca who smuggles goods through the ships he owns, to Dimitri Kozlov, head of the Kozlov Bratva. Cian O’Rourke, leader of the Gaelic Devils. And Blake Baron, the anti-social billionaire even made an appearance. Of course, they’re all also extended family through marriage.
My second cousins, the Pontrelli women, married these powerful men. Soon, I’ll take a Pontrelli as my bride and our ties will be even closer than they are now.
Dimitri thumps me on the shoulder. “Congratulations. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With a wicked grin at his wife, Arianna, who huffs at him, they drift into the crowd.
My gaze trails after him. I’ve heard stories, rumors. My guilt eases a fraction. I may have pressured, perhaps even forced, Elena into being my fiancée, but at least I didn’t kidnap and drugher before dragging her into a church to be wed. I do have some sense of morals—I think.
If push comes to shove, and I have few other options, I may very well do as Dimitri did. Maybe. Only if Elena could ever forgive me the way Arianna seems to have forgiven her husband. Actually they seem quite happy together, and very pregnant. From what I’ve gathered, she and Ravenna are due the week after our wedding.
My gaze searches the crowded venue for my wife-to-be. I spot her with her twin sister, Ravenna, head to head in conversation.
Though many can’t tell the identical twins apart, I can, in an instant. Elena has this soft aura about her that Ravenna entirely lacks. It’s part of what drew me to her in the first place. That soft, sweet, almost shy presence she carries. Then one day I discovered the fire she keeps buried deep down and I’ve been addicted ever since. I wantmore,so much more of her.
