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The rage shuts me down.

“If Lev hadn’t come along? You would do well to remember where your loyalties should lie. How fucking dare you talk about that man like he’s some kind of hero? He’s not. That filth would destroy all of us if he could.”

My mouth goes dry and my heart shies away.

“I will fix this mess, so you need to remember the original plan. Danillo Bellandi is the only man for you.”

I’m amazed he’s saying that with the place being bugged, but I guess it’s something Lev would expect him to do—fix the mess. As in my marriage.

“I don’t want to marry Danillo.” I don’t know where the strength comes from to speak those words, but I say them.

Mama goes pale and clutches her heart. Papa’s face burns with more fury.

“Insolent girl.” Papa shakes his head in dismay. “But what did I expect? You’ve always been a problem. A thorn in my side. If not for you, your sister would be alive.”

The sharpness of his words slices through my heart. The blame.

My fault Gabrielle is gone.

That’s the only thing he’s said in the last five minutes that’s true.

“We wouldn’t be having this discussion if she were in your shoes,” he shouts. “She’d be helping me, not making her bed with the enemy. You have turned your back on us. She would never do that.”

“Corrado, please, stop,” Mama finally speaks.

“Shut the fuck up.” He slams another fist on the table, this time on her side, then he glares at her. “This is real talk.”

“I think I should go,” I say, my voice quivering.

“What? To run to your new home? You will stay and hear what I have to say. I am still your father,” he spits, his face contorting into something twisted. “I wish it was you. I wish it was you who died. Not her. She was perfect. The best daughter a man could ask for. Then you had to spoil it. I wish she hadn’t protected you. I wish she’d saved herself and let you die. You deserved death for putting her in danger. You. Ungrateful daughter. You.”

He stands and walks out of the room.

I don’t realize I’m crying until the tears spill onto the table.

Mama rushes to my side and places an arm around me, but I’m so numb I can’t feel it. I only know she’s touching me, because I can see that she is.

“Oh sweetheart. I’m so sorry.” She pulls me to her chest and I fall apart. I wish I could be stronger and walk out of here, but I fall apart.

There’s nothing my father said that I haven’t wished for myself. That I had died that night instead of my sister.

Now I know I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Lev

Iblow out a ring of smoke from my cigar. Through the hole I watch the hazy image of my gorgeous wife asleep in my bed.

Our bed.

I’m sitting on the window seat, cleaning my guns and watching her.

The beautiful creature is lying on her side, lost in her dreams with her midnight hair cascading down her slender shoulders. The only thing her thick mane forgot to cover is the generous swells of her breasts.

She’s wearing a basic white nightie, but everything looks sexy on her, especially in the moonlight.