Before I could answer the voice, Dario spoke.
“I swear to you,amore mio,I will take the family legitimate. I promise upon my father’s soul. And our children will be safe. Onthat,I swear on my mother’s soul. Please… I just need a little more time than I originally thought.”
I broke down crying in his arms. “Please don’t get back into drugs.”
“I need you to trust me,” he murmured. “Please… can you do that? Can you trust me?”
I knew I shouldn’t.
I knew I should leave him.
I should flee –
But I couldn’t.
My body thirsted for him.
My heart hungered for him.
His touch… his voice… his love…
I craved him.
Like a drug,said the evil little voice in my head.And your baby will end up paying the price.
I ignored the voice. Shoved it down. Forced it into the shadows.
“Will you trust me?” Dario repeated gently.
“…yes,” I whispered.
But as I spoke, the candle of hope I had nurtured all those months…
My one ray of light in the darkness…
Went out.
I had made my choice.
I just prayed my child wouldn’t pay the price for it.
PART III
The Night of October 23
This Year
Naples, Italy
17
Cesare Caproni
Four years.
Fourlongfucking years…
Andfinallywe were ready to take our revenge.
