“I’m not sure if Salvatore knew any of this about his father.” Maddie’s brows furrowed. “I’ve not heard anything about the Pisanos or Romanos, other than that they lived in New York.”
“We need to find the information on Valentino. Do you think Giovanni would tell you?”
Maddie shook her head. “Illyria is the only one I’ve spoken to. And the last time didn’t go well.”
“What happened? I always thought Illyria was a sweet girl.”
“She was until she realized who I was. The day we moved to Boston, I went to watch Henry on the playground. Mr. Fedorov came over and spoke to me.”
“What did he say? Did he threaten you?”
Sal wouldn’t let me go after Henry, saying Maddie made her choice and he wouldn’t go to war with the Bratva.
But I would.
I would do anything to protect my daughter and grandson.
“No, he was very sweet, actually. He offered to let me meet Henry.”
“Did you?” She shook her head, and I frowned. “Maddie, why?”
“It would be too hard to walk away a second time. It would break me.” She took a deep breath. “I hadn’t realized they knew who I was. But Illyria came over after Maxim, and it didn’t go well.”
Maddie told me about the things Illyria had said to her, and my mother’s heart wanted to storm back to New York and put the little bitch in her place. She had no right to say those awful things to my daughter. I might not have agreed with Maddie’s choices, but she was the strongest woman I knew.
“Anyway, there is someone else we can ask.”
“Who?”
Maddie bit her lip as she watched me. “Mr. Sinclair.”
“Maddie, no. Sinclair is not someone I want you involved with.”
“Mom, that ship has sailed.”
“Anymore,” I shouted. “I don’t want you involved with him anymore.”
“Mom,” she pressed.
I slumped back in my chair with a heavy sigh. “Information from Sinclair comes with a price. One you can never repay.”
“It’s the only option, Mom. And besides, while I’m in New York, maybe I can see Henry.”
The hope in her eyes broke my heart. I couldn’t take that away from her. “You know you can’t tell your father.”
Maddie smiled and sipped her tea. “I know.” With a look at my furrowed brow, she said, “I promise, Mom, I’ll be okay.”
The elevator bell rang just before the doors opened wide, revealing Cian. Maddie and I both smiled.
“We may have found something,” Maddie said excitedly.
I studied the man I was in love with, the man I’d had a child with, and his angry steps belied the emotion he was trying to hide. I knew it was for Maddie’s sake. My smile fell. Something had happened, and I knew by the way his eyes went cold when he looked from our daughter to me that whatever it was had to do with me.
And he was angry.
Angrier than I had ever seen him.
It was the anger I had expected when he learned the truth about the night we spent together. After finding out Maddie was his daughter, I expected him to be mad. To yell and shout at me. A small part of me expected him to hit me, though my heart knew he never would.
