“It’s for her own safety, and yours. Women make you weak, Damiano. They’re either a target for your enemies or a ball and chain that drags you down. Never forget that.”
Lucy is my fiery angel, raining death upon my enemies. She saved my life at the warehouse. She saves my life every night when she comes to my bed and chases away my nightmares.
I can’t live without her.
I can’t breathe without her.
“I don’t agree. Lucy knows how to handle herself. She doesn’t make me weak, she makes me stronger.”
“She made you look like a fool in front of the men I have to do business with.”
The men who were in that penthouse last night were all important for Barone family business, but none more so than Cristiano Montoni and Vincenzo Vici. Now’s as good a time as any to tell Dad my plan for the future. “Lucy did no such thing, and I want to talk to you about the new Montoni and Vici dons. You knew their fathers, but I know the sons. I can strengthen our ties with them, and the Lucanias as well, through Rafiel. Just give me the chance to prove myself, with Lucy by my side.”
Dad shakes his head impatiently. “You don’t know what you’re doing. I’ll handle those weak little boys.”
I clench my teeth in frustration. Weak little boys. Is that what he thinks of me as well? “Don’t underestimate them, and don’t patronize them either. I’ve known them all for years. Why not me? I’m going to be the head of this family one day. It’s time I was allowed to start doing things my way.”
It’s completely the wrong thing to say.
Dad’s expression changes from annoyed to dangerously angry, and his eyes turn blacker than black. It’s the same look I’ve seen right before he has one of his men killed.
He presses his hands to his desk and slowly gets to his feet. “I’ll do you the mercy of pretending you didn’t just say that, Damiano. I’m head of this family, and you will follow my rules. My wishes. My instructions. To. The. Letter.” He jabs his finger into the wood to emphasize his words. “Why are you suddenly defying me?”
Frustration coils through my muscles, and I say through clenched teeth, “It’s only right that the don’s son has some power of his own.”
Dad comes around his desk toward me. “I know what’s gotten to you. A woman. It’s always a woman. Lucy is a terrible influence on you, and she’s been pouring poison into your ear. It’s time you stopped spending so much time with your sister.”
“My ambition is all my own,” I retort. “And family is important. You said that to me the day you adopted us.”
“Loyalty to the whole family, not just your sister.” Dad stares hard at me, trying to intimidate me like I’m just another of his capos.
I refuse to look away. “My loyalty to the Barones has never been in question.”
He watches me closely for a moment longer and then strides away. “See that it stays that way, or both of you will suffer the consequences.”
I watch Dad go, my fists clenched in fury. How dare he question my loyalty after all I’ve done for this family?
Lucy hasn’t come downstairs yet, so I go up to her bedroom. As I raise my fist to knock on her door, Ariana emerges from her room in her horse-riding gear. She gives me a dirty look when she sees that I’m about to enter Lucy’s room.
“Sister-fucker,” she whispers under her breath as she passes.
As far as I know—and I would know by now, because Dad would have flown into a rage and hurt Lucy—Ariana hasn’t breathed a word about catching me and Lucy in bed together. It had better stay that way. I haven’t figured out who Ariana loves, but there must be someone, and I won’t hesitate to use them against her if she goes back on her word.
Teeth grit, I knock on Lucy’s door.
“Who is it?” she calls.
“Me.”
“Is that my dear, darling brother who loves me?” she calls in a singsong voice.
I can’t help but smile. “Who else?”
“Then come in.”
I go inside and close the door behind me, and I’m several strides into her room before I realize that Lucy is naked. She’s laying on her stomach on her bed, feet in the air and crossed at the ankles as she reads a book. She’s wearing nothing but the canary diamonds I bought for her last night. Her breasts are cuddled into a fluffy white cushion. My eyes latch on to the lush swell of her bare ass.
Jesus Christ.
