“What will I get out of this?”Why am I even entertaining this conversation?“Tying myself to the Tucci family isn’t ideal. There needs to be more.”
She sank her teeth into her full bottom lip before releasing it, worry swimming in her expressive eyes. “I’ll help you take my family down.”
I raised my brows. “You have no loyalty to your father?” I wasn’t even a little surprised. It wasn’t unheard of, but I had to check her motives. Plenty of my closest friends had simply endured under their fathers’ rules until the time was right to end it.
“My loyalty to him died when my mother went into the ground.” Her voice vibrated with emotion. “All I am to him is a bargaining chip for power. And Ricco”—disgust curled her lip—“he isn’t even my blood.”
“I won’t ally with the Tucci family.” Marrying Mia would connect my family to one of our enemies. But there was that saying, the devil on my shoulder argued, to keep your enemies close. And Mia Tucci would be no hardship to have by my side.
I could simply shield her without marriage, which was what I preferred. It was the smarter bet, as I had no intention of taking that plunge unless it was for love or, on the other hand, a substantial gain. But I doubted I would ever find the same love that my parents and siblings had. That wasn’t in the cards for me. It never had been.
I wanted to push her and see what else she would reveal. “We don’t need your help to take down the Tucci family. Nor is it a priority.”
“I get it. You don’t think they’re a threat. But combined with the Amatos, which is what I’m sure my not-brother has planned, they could be.”
“Doubtful.” The only New York family that concerned me was the Verrettis—Dante in particular. And the rest of the Five Families, including Marco, were considering an alliance. I wasn’t convinced that was a smart move, though, until we did more digging.
“Are you aware of the sex workers my father has in his club? Of the women he traffics?” Palm tree fonds whipped against moody gray skies. In the distance, waves crashed angrily.
A jolt of fury tore through my body, and I fought the urge to jump to my feet.Emiliana. I’d once had a crush on the Mafia princess, Enzo Vitale’s sister, but my feelings had been no match for Stefano’s. She was never mine.
She’d endured—overcome—a lot. We had some intel on the Tucci family sex ring, but the mere mention shook my resolve. I hadn’t been on the team who’d rescued Emiliana and slayed those who had wronged her and all the others. No one in the families forgave themselves for what had happened to her. It never should have occurred. The rat who’d betrayed her had paid. But it wasn’t enough.
“What about it?” The words were deep and garbled—anger lashed them from my throat without restraint.
“I’m the key to take it down for good. To make my family pay for what they’re doing.”
I studied Mia—the way she leaned forward, the disgust that curled her lip, and the darkness that filtered through her eyes, turning them almost purplish-blue. Some emotion that I couldn’t quite grasp swam in the tanzanite depth.The desire for revenge?
The bargaining chip she’d presented to convince me to give her the protection she needed was enough for me to sacrifice my freedom, to put an end to something our families abhorred. “How are you the key?” I fought myself from saying yes, needing to interrogate her further. She wasn’t an ally—not yet, anyway. I could not trust her.
“I know how to get in undetected. Where they keep the women and when they ship them out.”
“Why not work with Dante?” The Verretti boss would have been the most logical option for her. He was powerful enough to give her the protection she needed… and he was in the same state.
“He knows some of what I do, but he didn’t offer me the safety that you could. My father already approached him with an arranged marriage. He turned it down.” Hurt swam in her eyes. “I can’t go to him. The only way to keep my family at bay is if you marry me. Then I promise”—her words hissed through clenched teeth—“we’ll take them down together.”
“Tell me now, and I’ll make that happen without marriage.” The rain had increased its fury, and my clothes clung to my body, despite the protective overhang. We needed to go inside soon. But before I took Mia, an enemy and virtual stranger, into my domain, this thing needed to be settled.
“No.” Her body tensed, and she straightened as if she would bolt. But there was nowhere to go, not in that weather. “My deal is marriage. Your full protection. I won’t disclose anything until after the vows are said and the ink is dry.”
I shook my head, a short huff leaving my parted lips. That wasn’t the only way to get the information.
She narrowed her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking, and I can withstand torture. You won’t get anything out of me until I’m ready to give it. And that’ll be when we’re officially married—andallthe families are informed.”
Is it worth my freedom?Visually, I swept her again, noting the electricity—not from the storm but that sizzled between us. There was an undeniable attraction there. But none of that mattered if she double-crossed me. And if it came down to that, I would make her life hell before I ended it.
If I was going to sacrifice myself to both a loveless marriage and an enemy, I had some demands. “This marriage will not be in name only.”
She gasped then immediately schooled her features until they were devoid of emotion. “Of course. But”—she fidgeted—“can we wait to consummate it until we’ve gotten to know each other better?”
I nodded. It wasn’t an unreasonable request. “We have a temporary deal.” I felt the weight of my words settle heavily around my shoulders. I was doing it for Emiliana. It was a small way to help, even though nothing would erase what had happened to her. And even though she wasn’t mine, she was a good friend.
“When?”
I grinned, amused by her assertiveness. “In two days. We’ll fly to Chicago. If you want the families to know, it’ll have to be there, with all the bosses present—if I fully agree to this.”
The color, what there was, leached from her face. “All? I hardly think it’s wise to invite my father. And I’ll need an agreement to help you with my family.”