Cristiano says to Lucy, “Adora told me just now that you’d sooner cut out your tongue than lie about what you say Andreas did to you.” There’s a short, heavy silence. “But she also told me that you lied about being blood-related brother and sister. For years. So how am I supposed to believe you?”
Adora knowing that we’re not blood related is news to me. Lucy must have told Adora about us and sworn her to secrecy. While it explains why we’re so in love, it does make us seem deceitful, and my mind races, wondering how to play this. “It’s none of your concern what Lucy and I are to each other. The question is, do you believe Lucy when she tells you your cousin is an attempted rapist and a traitor? If you don’t, then you and I can get down to killing each other, because I won’t let you live if you accuse her of lying about such a terrible thing.”
The tension between us crackles with barely controlled violence.
Lucy puts a soothing hand on my chest and turns to Cristiano. “Let me explain why I lied about me and Damiano, Don Cristiano. It was for Mom and Dad. The Barones never wanted me when they adopted us from a group foster home. They only wanted a son. If they’d found out that I’m not Damiano’s sister, they would have put a bullet in my head and buried me in a shallow grave.” She reaches for my hand and grips it tightly. “I’ve loved Damiano from the first moment I laid eyes on him. It’s been killing me all these years to pretend I’m just his sister.”
“You were going to marry my cousin while you’re in love with another man?” Cristiano asks Lucy.
She gives him a challenging look. “What, like it’s never happened before in Malus that a husband and wife don’t love each other? Are you going to claim you’re desperately in love with my sister?”
Cristiano glances away, his jaw flexing.
But Lucy isn’t done talking. “I was going to do my duty to your cousin. I would have been a caring wife, right up until the moment he pushed me forcefully onto my bed, called me disgusting names, and tried to do the worst thing a man can do to a woman. While I was planning my wedding to him, he was meeting with Sokolis. Selling my family’s secrets to our enemies. Are you proud to call that kind of man your cousin? A rapist and a traitor? Is it worth shedding more blood over a pathetic man like him?”
The heat is slowly fading from Cristiano’s eyes. “You know, I’ve been wondering how the Sokolis knew to ambush us in that restaurant. I believed it was your fault, but now I’m wondering if it was mine. I told Andreas I was meeting with you, Vincenzo, and Rafiel.”
I had no doubt that Andreas ran straight to the Sokolis with that juicy detail.
“I’ll make you an offer, Cristiano.” I draw my weapon and offer it to him. “If you love your cousin as much as I love Lucy, if you still want revenge for his death, you can put a bullet in me right now. You can even use my gun.”
Cristiano gazes at the weapon for a long time. Finally, he does a strange thing. He laughs. A humorless laugh, as if this is all preposterous. “Me? Love Andreas? That weak, pathetic excuse for a Montoni? He brought shame on our family twice over—once as a rapist, and again as a traitor to the Sokolis. You did me a favor, Barone.” His coldness sends a shiver down my spine.
Cristiano turns to Lucy, and says courteously, “Miss Barone, I apologize for my cousin’s behavior. I hope that your brother…your boyfriend…”
“Her future husband,” I tell him.
“I hope that Damiano has given you the vengeance you desire.”
“I’m satisfied. You’re not going to attack us for killing a member of your family?” she asks warily.
“I have no desire to continue my father’s bloodshed,” he tells her.
“Then thank you.”
He shrugs carelessly. “Don’t bother thanking me. You’ll probably be killed by your own father. Good luck.” He gets back into his car without another word and drives away.
I pull Lucy into my arms and hold her tight. That could have been so much worse.
It still could be.
We haven’t faced Dad yet.
Lucy burrows into my arms, and there’s a scared note in her voice as she asks, “What are we going to do now? How are we going to deal with Dad?”
I hold Lucy tighter against me. “You and I are going to lay low for a few days, until tempers cool. Then I’m going to do what I should have done weeks ago when this whole ridiculous plan was proposed. I’m going to tell Dad the truth about us and how we met, and why we had to lie to him all these years.”
“And if he refuses to understand?”
I press a kiss to the top of her head. “Then I’ll deal with it, whatever it takes. I’m not going to let him hurt you, and I’m going to try my damnedest not to let him kill me, either. Now, how about we go and enjoy your wedding night?”
I wish I could take Lucy to a luxury hotel, but Dad’s men will no doubt start checking those at nightfall. It’s too risky to take her to Giovanni’s or Antonio’s houses either. I end up driving to the outskirts of the city and into one of the less prosperous neighborhoods.
Lucy presses her hand to the window as she gazes out at the passing streets. “I never thought I’d be back here.”
“Where?”
She hesitates before saying, “This is not far from the neighborhood where I grew up. You see that convenience store? Mom—my birth mom—abandoned me there one time.”
