“If this were a dream we’d already be on our honeymoon and I’d be making you mine over and over again.”
Greta released a breath. “What if—”
“No matter what happens, we’ll be together. I’m going to face the consequences. Whatever happens will be worth it a thousand times over.”
“I talked to my mother. And I’ll tell my family as well.”
Greta had her own confrontations ahead of her.
“I should have told you before, but it never felt right, and maybe now isn’t the right time either because we’re on the phone but I simply need to tell you.” I took a deep breath because I’d never uttered those three words before. “I love you.”
“Oh Amo,” Greta whispered.
“Don’t cry.” I couldn’t stand the thought of Greta’s tears when I wasn’t there to hug her.
She let out a small laugh. “I won’t. I’m just happy. And I love you too.”
I grinned but the smile disappeared when I pulled up in front of my parents’ house. “I’m at my parents’. Tell me how your chat with your family goes. Soon we’ll be together and then I won’t ever leave your side.”
We hung up, and after a moment to compose myself, I got out of my car and headed for the front door. I didn’t get the chance to ring the bell. The door opened and Valerio stood before me. He gave me a wide-eyed stare and grimaced. “You have balls to come here now. Mom’s trying to talk Dad off the ledge.”
He grinned. “I’ve been practicing my Capo look in front of the mirror these last fifteen minutes. What do you think?” He gave me a stern look.
“You look constipated.”
He shrugged. “Dad won’t retire tomorrow so I’ll have a few years to practice.”
“Good luck.”
Valerio patted my shoulder. “You need luck more than me.”
“Maybe you misunderstood him, Luca. He never mentioned Greta. Please don’t overreact.”
Luca kept pacing back and forth in the living room while Valerio and I were having lunch. Luca was too upset to eat.
“You didn’t see his expression. I’m sure he’s been seeing that Falcone girl behind my back all the time!”
“Takes guts to do that,” Valerio said with a cheeky smile. I sent him a warning look. This wasn’t the time to annoy his father, even if I loved his trickster mentality. He reminded me so much of my brother Fabiano. When Valerio had been a young boy, he’d looked so much like him and now that he was seventeen, he was how I imagined Fabiano would have been if our father hadn’t tried to kill him and turned him cold and jaded.
Since the war, I hadn’t seen Fabiano. If Amo had really seen Greta despite the war…
Cheating had always been a touchy subject for me given Luca’s and my past, but I couldn’t be mad at Amo or Greta. I’d seen how much Amo hated his life with Cressida, how it drained him in addition to an already draining work day.
Luca’s phone rang and when he checked the caller ID, his expression darkened. “Antonaci. I have a fucking bad feeling about this.”
I rose from the chair and smoothed my wool dress, needing something to busy my fingers with.
Luca’s dark brows slanted down, and dread settled in my belly. “Slow down.” Luca’s eyes flared with fury. “You better watch your tone. Family or not, I won’t have you raise your voice at me. If you want to keep your tongue, you better choose your words more carefully.”
I moved closer, hoping to catch figments of the conversation but Antonaci had obviously heeded Luca’s warning. “You won’t do anything. If I find out you stir up shit then I’m going to come after you. I’ll talk to Amo. I’m sure Cressida misconstrued his words.”
Luca hung up and his expression was frightful. “Amo told Cressida that he wants a divorce.”
Valerio let out a low whistle.
Relief filled me, followed by shock at my own reaction. I’d never liked Cressida. She’d used Amo for her purposes. I’d always wanted love for Amo but with her it wasn’t possible.
Luca shook his head. “Don’t look so pleased. This is a goddamn debacle. Do you know what the Traditionalists will do if our son divorces his wife?”