My chin lifts. “Tommaso is not her man. He’s mine.”
Do I sound territorial and jealous? Absolutely. But I’m not apologizing.
He chuckles with a smile. “That’s the fire you need, Gina.” Then his smile fades. “Not the wilting flower, thinking of the sins of your father.”
“He wasn’t always like this,” I say softly, wishing for the man he had been when I was younger.
He reaches over and places his hand over mine, which is clenched into a small fist on the table. Salvo shifts in warning, and he pulls his hand away, then stands and adjusts his suit.
“With your father and Leandro now locked up, I can let you out of your room. You could go outside for some walks.”
“I’d like that, thank you.”
“With one of your guard dogs accompanying, of course.” He smirks at Salvo before turning back to me.
I stand as well, not wanting him to be looking down at me. “Thank you, Vincenzo.”
“I want you to be comfortable here as much as your safety allows.”
He turns to go, but my comment stops him. “You wanted me at one point.”
He slowly turns back to me. “I still do, princess.”
I bristle at that term, knowing I referred to Rosa and others like her as princesses, but I also bristle at his confession. Salvo puts his hand on the gun resting on his hip.
Vincenzo smiles. “But you’re Tommaso’s queen. And I’d rather have him as my ally than an enemy on the warpath. You may not know it, but that man is as brutal and unhinged as they come if he decides you’re his enemy.”
He walks out after that, closing the door behind him.
Salvo checks me over, likely trying to determine if I’m going to freak out. But I’m not freaking out, because deep down, I know that Tommaso is the man Vincenzo said he is. But he’s alsomore. The bullet he keeps on him as a reminder that all life hasvalue and that there are ripple effects to taking any life. Morals guide his decisions even though he’s a crime leader.
“Tommaso wanted me to tell you, he’s close,” Salvo says after determining I’m not going to lose the plot.
“Close as in, he’s nearby…or close to finishing this?”
He shrugs, either not knowing the answer or refusing to give it to me. “I’ll do some recon to make sure it’s actually safe for you to go outside for a walk.”
“Salvo,” I call to him as he reaches the door, and he turns back to me. “Thank you for being here to protect me. I can’t imagine it’s easy being away from your infant son and wife.”
“Gabrielle and my wife, Julia, are protected in my absence. Tommaso has seen to that.” He regards me solemnly. “I’ll follow him anywhere and do whatever he needs me to do. He’s my Don.”
“Technically, Stefano is your Don.”
“Tommaso has the weight of all the men behind him if he wants to challenge his father,” he states gravely.
I ask the one question that worries the hell out of me, “He’ll do that to protect me, won’t he?”
“If he must, yes.”
After confirming my worries, Salvo leaves me alone.
My stomach flutters, and I place my hand on it. I know it’s too soon for me to feel our child move, but it helps ease my worry slightly. I’ll do anything to protect our child, just like I know that Tommaso will do whatever it takes to protect us.
Even if it means going to war with his own father.
Chapter 42
Gina
