Three months later
Stress has always been part of my life. Worry, fear, and anxiety have been my constant companions since childhood. But these past few months have been different. A crushing weight of fear, depression, and anxiety, all made worse by pregnancy hormones.
And now, jealousy.
This one cuts the deepest of all. The man I love, the man I gave my body to, forced this child on me. And now, he’s back, hand in hand with a nineteen-year-old American girl, cheerful as ever, ready to celebrate my twenty-first birthday like nothing’s wrong.
My eyes wander to a picture on the wall, a family portrait of the Brunis. Even in this photo, their faces look cruel. Even Brando, who can’t be older than twelve or thirteen, has that unmistakable air.
I’ve been sitting in the library for hours, waiting for him. I know he’ll show up eventually. Thank God Carlo is out of the house for a few days. Dealing with both of them under one roof would be unbearable.
The sound of a door catches my attention, but instead of the library’s main entrance opening, Tony emerges from between the towering shelves. I’m not surprised. He’s probably had a secret passage built here too.
He stops the moment he sees me, his gaze sharp and piercing. He’s wearing a light blue shirt that clings to his sculpted chest, the lines of muscle clear beneath the fabric. Surrounded by towering shelves of books, he looks dangerous, like a man who would burn the whole world if it stood in his way.
Finally, he breaks the silence.
“Hello, Princess,” he says, dipping his head in an exaggerated, mocking bow.
I take a deep breath and stride toward him. Stopping right in front of him, I cross my arms over my chest and keep myself from slapping his arrogant face. He raises one eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, and just stares at me.
I fight to keep my voice steady. “Do you know who you are, Tony? You’re a man who disappears in winter and comes back smiling in spring.”
“I asked you more than once to come with me. You were the one too scared of cold.”
I sigh heavily and turn away from him. He steps closer and places his hand on my stomach. The warmth of his touch seeps through the sheer fabric of my blouse and settles on my skin. I try to pull back, but his other arm coils around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. I press my palms against him, trying to push him away, but he grabs my wrists, trapping me in the prison of his body.
I glare at him, furious, but he remains infuriatingly calm. “I’ve set up everything. We leave the night of your birthday party.”
I blink in disbelief, my mouth parting at the sheer nerve of him. “You show up after three months, holding hands with your girlfriend, and now you’re telling me you still plan to use me?”
“We don’t have time to get emotional, princess. This is your last chance. I’m not asking anymore. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not. Understood?”
“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not doing this? I can’t. Too many people will get hurt.”
“Who are you really worried about in this world?” He’s more serious now. “Your grandmother is dead. Carlo is a grown man who can take care of himself. That leaves Fabiano. He’s eighteen now; he can be independent. Give him the money to get his own place and move out. I’ll have a few men watch over him around the clock. That should solve the problem, shouldn’t it?”
That was exactly what I’d been thinking. In fact, a few weeks ago, when Fabiano turned eighteen, I handed him the flash drive. He immediately rented an apartment, which gave me some peace of mind. As I suspected, my father never asked where he got the money. It didn’t matter to him where it came from because he couldn’t care less about Fabiano’s life or death.
When my silence stretches on too long, Tony places his hand on the crown of my head and gently runs it down to the ends of my hair, pulling my attention back to him.
“You said I’d have a choice about the baby,” I say.
“Because I knew you’d make the right choice. Be honest with yourself, you’re not that kind of person. When you’re willing to risk your life for your brother, how could you ever be willing to kill your own child? A child who has no one else in the world to protect them but you.”
My throat tightens, and my breathing grows heavy. He’s right. I could never do such a thing. A thin veil of tears clouds my eyes.
He leans in and brushes a kiss over my earlobe. His voice is a whisper. “Stop fighting yourself. Maybe my goal is to destroy Carlo, but this is absolutely the best thing for you too.”
How blind he is, not to realize the only thing I want from him is for him to say he’s doing this for me, to say he loves me. Filled with loathing, I pull away. This time, he lets me go, taking a step back.
“Fine,” I say, wiping my tears. “I’ll do it. But only on one condition: you leave me alone afterward. Let me go and enjoy your life with your girlfriend. We’re done, Tony.”
His whole body tenses instantly. The veins in his neck bulge like ropes, a visible testament to the pressure he exerts by clenching his teeth. He doesn’t take a step closer, the threat between us is enough to make my heart quiver.
His voice is as deadly as the look in his eyes. “I don’t know why you think you have a say in my decisions. Lucia, don’t forget your place. You’ll never tell me what to do, not even when it comes to plans I have for you. You’re mine. For as long as I want. In any way I want.”
My heart shrinks in my chest. I don’t know why I can’t get used to his cruelty. “But I’m a human,” I say, despair evident in my voice.
