I shook my head. “He wanted a reason to attack us. His target today was you, Chiara. He thought he could have you quietly taken care of and blame us. He gave his sister into my care, and she died. Then he could start whatever he wanted. Even if our men hadn’t died. Even if he wanted away now and never started anything again, it wouldn’t save him. He tried to kill you, and for that… he will answer with his life.”
She stared at me without argument. I couldn’t tell what was going on in her mind, but whatever it was, she didn’t pull away from my touch.
“Whatever he has over you, whatever he used to threaten you with, you need to tell me and tell me now. It’s time to change team, tesora. There’s a place waiting for you by my side,” I said roughly.
If I was a more romantic man, or better somehow, I could have said sweet things, confessed my feelings, said something other than stating plain facts, but I wasn’t that guy. I didn’t want to pretend anything about this woman. We were past that.
“A place for me?”
“The only place for you. I’ll keep you safe. I’d kill for you. I’ve bled for you. Without question or condition. So, now, tell me the truth.”
She let out a long breath, color in her cheeks heightening at my words. Finally, her shoulders slumped, and the last bit of her reticence seemed to fade.“Giacomo didn’t kill our father. My mother did. She has medical problems and gets confused. No one has ever hated another person like she hated my father. He used her up, discarded her when she got too old but kept her close so she could watch him living it up with other women. He never married her, even after his first wife died. If the men knew that the great capo of the De Luca family was killed by his bitter, mentally ill, jilted lover, they would have killed her. Giacomo took the credit and made me do what he wanted in return for keeping our secret. He still has her. She’s there, in the compound in Chicago, and I need you to promise me that you’ll protect her too. Protect her, and I’ll do anything you want me to… for as long as we both shall live.”
Those words sank deep inside to the place where my heart was born torn and rusted. If any words could heal a damaged heart, it was those words from this woman.
A knock sounded at the door before I could answer.
“Jesus Christ, look at you!”
I recognized the sharp tone of my sister-in-law. She came in holding the smallest Luciano in a baby carrier against her chest. Her dark eyes immediately moved to Chiara, facing away from the door and wiping under her eyes.
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” Suna asked.
“No. I was just going,” Chiara hurried to say and made a break for it before my family could fill up the room.
Suna turned a questioning look on me. “Something I said? Or was it you? You always did have a talent for making women cry,” she teased as she eased into a chair by the bedside. “You look like shit,” she remarked, checking me over.
“Thanks. Give me the kid,” I bit out. I waited as Suna took her baby boy, Gio, out of his carrier and put him in my arms. I lowered my face to the top of his bald, clean head and inhaled deeply, even though it hurt my side.“That’s the good stuff,” I muttered, looking down at the baby boy I’d resented and then fallen in love with.
“Don’t let Chiara De Luca in here to see this, or she’ll never want to leave,” Suna teased.
“In that case, call her back,” I replied.
Suna raised an eyebrow at me and nodded with a knowing look.
“What?” I asked, annoyed at her self-satisfied smile.
“Nothing. Your brother owes me a hundred bucks, that’s all.”
CHAPTER13
Chiara
The doctor left the next day, and it was just Antonio, me, and a battalion of security outside the safe house. I’d slept like the dead and rose to a quiet house. Tiptoeing down the cool tiles of the hall, I peered into Antonio’s room. He was asleep, a tanned arm thrown over his head, his face in repose, and looking much younger.
I approached his side and stared down at him. He had no security in the house. Nothing to protect him against me. Most dons would be concerned I’d betray them. A knife in his injured side and then sneak away. Given how we’d started, I wouldn’t have blamed him for ensuring I was supervised. Yet, there was no one.
“If you keep looking at me like that, tesora, you’d better get in beside me. You’re giving me all sorts of ideas.” Antonio’s deep voice was rough with sleep.
I loved the vulnerable sound of it. I had the sudden insight it was an uncommon, privileged thing to hear. A powerful man with his guard lowered.
“You’re injured. No moving around for you today,” I told him, stepping back when he shot out a hand and reached for me with his strong fingers. I only just escaped his grip, dancing away from him.
He leaned up on one elbow and narrowed his eyes at me.“You know you’re only making me want to chase you more?”
I raised an eyebrow and tapped the phone on the console table by his door. “The doctor said to call if you get unruly,” I reminded him.
He cursed softly in Italian and sank back against the pillows. “I don’t need babying.”