“I just want to thank you. I’m happy that you see reason. This alliance will protect our family.” Relief is evident in his tone. God, right now, I hate him for that.
"Yes," I reply flatly. "The family comes first." For a moment, I consider telling him what a coward I think he is. How our father wouldn’t have ever allowed this marriage after Maksim’s power moves during the engagement. How Luca could come and with his help, we could eliminate the Bratva threat. But it wouldn’t do any good. Alessandro is the Don. What he says goes.
That night, I lay sleepless in bed wishing for a miracle. I’m not surprised when Cristian climbs onto my balcony, but it rips me apart because I know I have to send him away.
“What did that fucker want today?” he asks, standing with his hands on his hips.
“The wedding will be Saturday.”
"A week? That's not enough time to figure something out."
We’ve been over this.
A million times.
There’s nothing we can figure out short of killing an army of Bratva and Dante men, which is what this marriage is designed to avoid.
"It will make it easier for Maksim to believe the baby is his."
Cristian stops abruptly, turning to me with devastation in his eyes. "I can't stand the thought of him touching you. Of him claiming our child."
I cross the room to him, taking his face in my hands. "I know. But our baby will be safe. You'll be safe. That's what matters."
"And what about you? What about your safety? Your happiness?"
I have no answer for that.
There's no future where I get both my child and my freedom. One must be sacrificed for the other, and I've made my choice.
“My safety and happiness have always been a lost cause. It’s my sacrifice. Alessandro says I’m protecting the family, and I am. What he doesn’t know is that the family is you and this baby.”
“Fuck!” Cristian growls. “I’ll kill them all.”
“To what end? You know they’ll kill you and I’ll still be forced tomarry Maksim.” I pull him to me. "Just hold me tonight. Let's pretend, just for tonight, that we have more than this."
He pulls away, his sorrow turning to anger. “Why did you do this to me? I told you we couldn’t and yet you pushed and pushed… and now I’m forced to forfeit you and our child? What the fuck, Valentina?”
I’d already hated myself, but in this moment, I wish a hole would open up and swallow me whole. I can’t handle his pain. I can’t handle that I’m the cause of it.
“I’m sorry.” God, the words are so inadequate.
He shakes his head, and with a withering glare, he exits onto the balcony, and I suppose out of my life.
Two days later, I'm sitting in the formal dining room with Alessandro, Adriano, and Maksim, staring at a new wedding folder spread across the table.
“I thought you were going to take care of everything,” I say, unable to hide my irritation that I’m once again making wedding plans. As far as I’m concerned, they should bring a priest in now and get this whole thing over with.
Maksim’s eyes darken, and I know that if my brothers weren’t there, he’d probably slap me for my tone. “I have. I’m just letting you and your brothers know. We've moved the ceremony.” He outlines the changes and why.
I nod mechanically. "Perfect."
Maksim reaches across the table, his cold fingers brushing mine as he points to the reception details.
I fight the urge to pull away, forcing myself to smile instead.
My child depends on this performance.
"And you'll have your final dress fitting tomorrow," he continues, his eyes lingering on my body in a way that makes my skin crawl. "I want you looking perfect when you become mine."
