Surely, Luca could negotiate with Alessandro to bring her here. Maybe not for me, but for her.
"Instead of calling off the wedding, he's going forward."
I feel the blood drain from my face. “He'll kill her. He won't let this go.You know what Maksim's like." Rage is building, radiating off me, and I have no doubt Luca can sense it.
"Calm down," Luca commands, though his own tension betrays him. "Alessandro told him you took advantage of her. Forced yourself on her."
My head snaps up. "What?" I hate that anyone would think that, and yet, it could work. I suggested it myself.
Luca watches my reaction carefully. "Maksim said as long as no one outside their inner circle ever knows, he'll still marry her."
I consider all that, but something still isn’t right. “I don’t believe it. It makes no sense."
“Why?”
“This is Maksim we’re talking about. He spent a great deal of time telling Valentina what he planned to do to her, to teach her in pleasuring him?—”
“Fucking hell.” Luca’s control slips for a moment. “Did Alessandro know?”
“Yes, sir. I told him.” My mind races to find reasons Maksim would continue the arrangement. It can’t just be the money in the partnership. "He must be planning something worse. He’ll have Alessandro by the shorthairs when he marries Valentina. He’ll use her, humiliate her, and he believes Alessandro won’t do anything or he’ll use her to get more from Alessandro.”
“Alessandro isn’t that weak.”
I don’t say anything.
Luca’s eyes narrow. “What?”
“Alessandro has made concessions… and Maksim has taken advantage of all of them. This wedding can’t happen.” I start for the door. “I have to go back to New York."
"You work for me now, Bonetti. I don't recall giving you permission to leave."
"Then you'll need to kill me now." My hand is on the doorknob as I look over my shoulder at him and meet his gaze. “Because I'm going. Most likely, Alessandro will kill me when I get there. I just hope I can put a bullet in Maksim's head before then."
I've essentially signed my death warrant either here with Luca or back in New York with Alessandro. But I don't care anymore.
"You're willing to start a war?" Luca asks. "Over my sister?"
"What would you do if it were Katerina?" I challenge him. "If someone were forcing her to marry a man who'd eventually kill her? What would you do for her and Enzo?"
Fury flashes in his eyes. "I'd start a war.”
I don’t drive.
I fly.
But this time, I’m on Luca’s plane.
He’s not with me, but he’s at least understood that my love for Valentina knows no bounds.
That there’s nothing I won’t do.
I arrive at the Dante compound late. The guards recognize me immediately, weapons raising before I can even step out of my rental car.
"I need to see Alessandro," I announce, hands raised.
"You're not welcome here, Bonetti," one of them snarls. "Don's orders."
"Tell him it's about Valentina. Tell him I know what Maksim's planning."
