I tap the book. “Come on then. Get reading.”
26
Hunter
* * *
“Hope you’ve got something decent to wear.”
Toby’s smiling on the other side of the desk. “I never thought I’d see you getting hitched.”
“Don’t get the tissues out. It’s just a formality.”
He shrugs. “Still, I never thought it would happen. No offense, but you never seemed the marrying type.”
“I’m not.”
“Yet you and Sofia got hitched, and now this?”
“Sofia wasn’t my choice. She was my father’s.”
“What about Bex? I don’t remember hearing your father ordering this.”
I sign to myself before explaining. “If I don’t get married, Ernesto gets to inherit.”
“Oh.”
“Exactly. My father came round last night to give me the details. Whoever is married and has a kid first will inherit.”
“You’ve got a kid, so all you need is to get married. I get it.”
I shake my head. “He wants me to get my wife pregnant.”
“Wow? So Alicia counts for nothing?”
“Not since Sofia died. I’ve got to get Bex pregnant as fast as possible.”
“Before Ernesto does it to Julia?”
“Got it in one.” I lean across the desk, both hands pressed flat to the smooth surface. “I will not let him win.”
“I hear you, boss. You told Bex about it yet?”
“I’ve told her.”
“And she’s all right with it?”
“I told her I might be able to get the commission to accept the wedding and Alicia’s birth certificate.”
“Tall order.”
“I’ll talk them around. What time’s the wedding?”
“Nine in the morning. It was the earliest I could get the famiglia priest.”
“Couldn’t book him for today?”
“He’s in Rome until tonight. Don’t worry. He’ll be back in time for tomorrow.”