“Destroyed by me?”
“You are Capo. You would have stopped Romero from pursuing Lily. You have to put the Famiglia first, but I don’t.”
He straightened so our faces were on the same level. His eyes were fierce. “You should put our marriage first. And when have I ever put the Famiglia before you? I should, damn it, I shouldn’t even consider you when I make decisions that concern the Famiglia, but I always do and you know that.”
“I know,” I whispered. “Am I not allowed some secrets? I didn’t want to burden you on top of everything else that’s been going on, and I didn’t think she’d have to marry so soon.”
“When it comes to your siblings, you never think things through to the end. You are too emotional.”
“You would keep a secret for Matteo, wouldn’t you?”
“Don’t turn this on me,” he said quietly.
I ran my hand up his neck and into his dark hair. He didn’t relax under my touch, but he didn’t pull away either, which I took as a good sign. “Everyone’s got secrets. I’d never keep something from you that concerned our relationship.”
“Are you sure you can draw a line?” Luca asked.
I sighed. “I’m sorry, Luca. That’s all I can say. We’ll figure a way out of this mess.”
“Your sister will marry Brasci and pretend to be a virgin. That’s all there is to do. We won’t figure out anything.”
Luca’s voice didn’t brook an argument, but the idea of letting Lily take the fall didn’t sit well with me.
“We can’t let her marry that man.”
“You married a man you feared because it was for the good of the Outfit, Gianna married a man she didn’t want, and now your sister Lily will have to do the same.”
“That’s not the same thing. We are close in age and so are Gianna and Matteo, and you and Matteo aren’t sadistic to women.”
“But you didn’t know that before you married me, Aria. You feared me like the devil, flinched from my touch, expected me to rape and beat you, and yet you said yes. You did what was expected because you know the rules of our world, and even your sister Gianna accepted her fate after that one mishap. You can’t protect Lily from this world.”
I pressed my forehead against his. “I feared you, but you proved me wrong. You gifted me with something I’d thought impossible in our world,” I whispered. Luca’s eyes were keen and softer than before, but the hint of anger remained. “You gifted me with love and tenderness, and there are no words to express how very grateful I feel. I know both are rare in our world, and I don’t want you to think I take your love or your trust for granted, because I don’t. I know it’s an honor that you are like that with me.”
I fell silent and Luca didn’t say anything either, but his hands came up to my waist, the touch light. I took one of his hands and pressed a kiss to the scar in his palm. “I’m grateful that these hands always treat me with care when they have had to perform so many violent deeds.”
Luca pulled me closer, his lips finding mine, before he retreated again and murmured, “I’m still angry at you, but I appreciate what you said.”
I nodded. I knew he’d forgive me because deep down he understood I hadn’t gone against him. I’d only acted out of concern for my sister.chapter 12LUCAIn late October, Aria and I had been invited to dinner at Dante’s home two days before Liliana was supposed to marry Brasci. So far nobody suspected anything, and I could only hope that it would remain that way in their wedding night.
It became obvious the moment we set foot into his home that Dante wasn’t all that happy about having me in his house, and I got it. His wife was pregnant and vulnerable, and somewhere in the house slept his defenseless child. Even if there was peace between us, that didn’t mean we trusted each other. Things hadn’t exactly improved since the beginning of the truce. Except for not attacking each other, we’d hardly worked together in the last few years, and if Liliana didn’t manage to convince Brasci she was a virgin, war would be the result.
Aria and I stepped into the lobby of the Cavallaro villa, and my eyes did a quick scan of our surroundings. Valentina was heavily pregnant. She hugged Aria then turned to me with a more restrained smile. She was a very controlled woman, not as controlled as Dante, of course, but no one was. Despite her restraint, she couldn’t hide her unease around me. I kissed her hand, sparing her the decision if she should hug me. The way that small kiss already made Dante tense, it was for the best that I hadn’t embraced her.