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I huffed before lifting my head out of Luca's neck and looking across the room to the detective. "What do you want to know?"
"The first thing I want to ask is if you are here of your own free will."
"No," I answered honestly, feeling Luca stiffen beneath me. "I don't want to be here. I never wanted to be here. I want to go back home to Italy."
Luca relaxed.
"Can you tell me about the night you disappeared?"
"Eloped," I said. I remember what everyone else had said. "My parents were forcing me to marry someone I didn't want to marry. I've always wanted to marry Luca, ever since we met when we were kids, but my parents hate Luca. They even accused him of raping me when I was sixteen, but we were just kissing. They sent him to prison for four years."
Detective Waterston's eyes went to Luca. "You have a record?"
"I do," Luca admitted. "Like Nico said, his parents accused me of raping him when we were just kissing. No one would listen to Nico when he said it wasn't true and I went to prison for four years. After I got out, I moved to Italy to live with my grandparents. I only came back for Nico."
"I assume you are in the same business as Mr. Borelli?"
Luca and I both glanced at Vinnie, who gave us a small nod.
"I am," Luca admitted.
"And you two are married now?"
"We are," Luca said. "After I rescued Nico, we flew to Canada and got married and then we flew home to Italy. I believe Vinnie supplied you with a copy of the marriage license."
"He did, and the Canadian Vital Statics Office confirmed its authenticity."
"Then why is any of this even a question?" Luca asked. "We could have solved all of this with a phone call."
"As law required, I had to set eyes on your husband to confirm that he is not being coerced."
"I'm not," I said. "Since the moment my parents sent Luca to prison, I've been waiting for him to come back for me. And I don't care what my parents say. I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions and I want to stay with Luca and live in our beautiful villa in Italy and make cookies and bread with his grandmother."
I turned and buried my face back in Luca's neck. This was all getting to be too much for me. It seemed like so many people were trying to keep us apart. I wanted them all to just go away.
Luca wrapped his arms around me, one at my waist, the other stroking my back.
"It's okay, cuore mio," Luca said in a soft, gentle tone. "No one is going to separate us. Just as soon as we get done dealing with all of this, I'll take you home and you can make cookies with Nonna."
He obviously knew what was upsetting me.
This is why I loved this man.
"Let's talk about your arrest record, Mr. Sabatino."
Oh, hell no!
My head snapped up and I glared at the Detective. "I'd like to speak to Detective Waterston alone." I was terrified, but for Luca, I could be brave, even if it was only for a few minutes. "Can everyone give us a few minutes?"
When everyone started out of the room, I stood up so Luca could go with the others.
"Are you sure, baby?" Luca asked.
"I'm sure." I wasn't, not really, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "Stefano, you go with them."
"Mr. Nico—" Stefano started.
"You can wait for me right outside the door." I fisted my hands so no one could see them trembling. I didn't want to be alone with the detective, but I wanted him gone and the only way to do that was to talk to him.
