Stefano nodded and forced a smile at our dinner guests. As I walked away, I could just barely hear him in his patronizing tone that made my jaw clench. “Those hormones can be very troublesome.”

  I wanted to cram his whole authentic Sicilian dinner down his throat but instead, I stormed up the stairs to my room.

  Feeling angry wasn’t good for the baby. I read that somewhere, but I was fuming. I paced my room, trying to put my anger into something else so I didn’t go back downstairs and yell at Stefano and his dad in front of everyone. Ever since I’d told him that I was pregnant and agreed to marry him, it seemed like he was a completely different person.

  He was bolder but not in a good way. He was always answering for me, questioning every choice I tried to make, not just with the wedding plans, even down to things like what I was eating for breakfast or the fact that I was drinking coffee even though it was decaf.

  Could the hormones be affecting my temperament? Sure. But there was no way that I was imagining everything, but every time I got upset, he would blame it on those damn hormones. It was infuriating, but getting angrier over it didn’t help.

  I flopped onto my bed, buried my face in my pillow and screamed but it was cut short by my door shutting loudly.

  I looked up to see Stefano scowling down at me.

  “Is this any way to act when we have dinner guests? You’re behaving like a child.” His calm tone somehow made me angrier. “And you know that losing your temper like this isn’t good for the baby.”

  “It’s better than stabbing the baby’s father with a dinner fork,” I hissed angrily. “What has gotten into you lately? You don’t even act like the same man I agreed to marry.”

  “But I am, and you did.”

  “Well keep trying to control everything and I may change my mind on that,” I snapped and while I knew that I was taking things too far, my anger didn’t let me hold back.

  Before I knew what was happening, Stefano had his hand around my throat, pinning me to the headboard, hovering over me with his face mere inches from mine. I gasped, pressing myself against the headboard to put as much distance between us as possible.

  The hand on my throat flexed slightly but didn’t apply enough pressure to hinder my breathing as I looked up at him with wide eyes, my heart threatening to pound out of my chest as I looked into the face of a man I didn’t even recognize.

  “That is my baby in your belly. My heir. Do you understand?”

  I nodded in terror.

  “You will marry me. We have an agreement. You will honor your word to marry me. Do we have an understanding?”

  I nodded again, unsure of what he might do if I disagreed.

  “Good. Now, I will chalk all this up to your crazy mood swings, but you will get yourself under control or I will do it for you.”

  He released my throat and pulled back to stand straight again. I waited until he was a few steps away before I calmly climbed off the bed and walked over to my desk. I reached my hand into the top drawer without taking my eyes off of Stefano. My fingers met with the cool steel of my gun, and I pulled it out.

  “You are fucking insane if you think I’m going to marry you after that little stunt. You are nothing like I thought you were, and you will never see this baby because he or she doesn’t need to know a violent and dangerous father like you. I’ll be sure of that.”

  He chuckled. He fucking chuckled. It was eerie to hear his humorless laugh in the silence of the room even though I was the one holding the gun.

  “You’re going to marry me, and I will raise my child. He will learn to be a man just like me so that he can run all of Sicily when he’s grown.”

  “You’re delusional if you think that’s going to happen.”

  “Am I?” He said calmly as he slowly stepped toward me.

  “Don’t come any closer.” I cocked the hammer back on the gun, praying he wouldn’t push me to actually shoot, because I would.

  “You’re going to marry me and be the dutiful little wife and here is why. Do you remember that tragedy that happened a couple of years ago when the Monticelli lawyer was brutally killed in your donna’s home?”

  “Brambilla, yes, I remember,” I said hesitantly, unsure where he was going with that.

  “His killer was never found.”

  I gasped. “Did you kill him?”

  He laughed dryly. “No. But I know who did, and it would be a shame if the information ever came to light, not only from a legal standpoint but the information would tear your entire family apart.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He took another step, but I didn't shoot. I wanted to hear his explanation.

  "Hmm...which name should I give you?"

  "The real one. If you know who killed Mia's family's lawyer, you have to speak up about who the guilty party is."

  "Guilt is a funny thing, though. Isn't it? I mean, on one hand, it was your father who gave the orders, but Luca was the one who actually did the deed. I don't know...who do you think is truly guilty?"

  "Luca? My father?" I shook my head, unable to find words.

  "I suppose we could always let the authorities decide who is guilty between them."

  "No. They wouldn't..."

  "But they did. And my family has the evidence to prove it."

  "Wha—what are you going to do with that information?"

  "That, my dear fiancée, is entirely up to you."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Well, I can forward it to the police and turn all the evidence over to them if I see them as a threat, or..."

  "Or?" I asked impatiently.

  "Or we can keep this a little secret between husband and wife."

  "Are you seriously trying to blackmail me into marrying you?"

  "One thing you will learn about me is that when I want something, I will stop at nothing to get it and keep it."

  "Why me? Why do you want me so bad that you'd stoop to this?"

  He laughed without showing any true expression. "It's not you that I really want. It's my child growing inside you. My heir. You're nothing but a convenient incubator for my child."

  "I don't even know who you are anymore."

  "Oh no, you are just starting to get to know me. So, what will it be? Marry me, save your family, and give our baby a wonderful home with two parents who love him or destroy your family and ours, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that I get custody of our child and you will never see him again."

  I couldn't believe that he was the same man that I'd spent the last several months falling for. How could I agree to his terms? But could I risk calling his bluff?

  "I want to see the evidence before I agree to anything."

  "Of course, my smart girl. I will show you the copies in my briefcase but first..."

  In my shock, I'd let my guard down and in a mere moment, he grabbed the gun and wrenched it from my grasp.

  He turned the gun on me. "Now sit and I will show you all the proof I have."

  Chapter 22

  Mira

  I stared at my reflection in the cathedral’s restroom mirror, trying to pull myself together after our rehearsal. Usually, I thought that wedding rehearsals were pointless. Who really needs practice walking down the aisle? But for once, I was grateful for it. Standing there at the altar with Stefano, I realized just how hard it was going to be at the actual ceremony. My mind raced with thoughts of the last weeks.

  The two months we'd had to plan the wedding had flown by far too fast. After pouring over every piece of evidence Stefano had managed to find, I had no choice but to go ahead with the wedding to protect my family and Luca.

  Stefano assured me that, as long as I went along with the wedding, he wouldn't tell anyone about the evidence that he had. He also ordered me to stay away from Luca. He'd seen the way Luca had looked at me and seen the connection we had. He told me that if Luca didn't keep his distance, he would have his men kill him. And I trusted that he meant every word.

  I didn't dare tell my family about what was going on with Stefano for fear of what he might do if he found out. And as far as Luca was concerned, I didn't have to work too hard to keep him away. After the news of our wedding and baby, Luca had no trouble staying far away from me. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. I found a sense of abandonment and betrayal that he would stay away but I knew in my mind that it was for the best.

  I'd given up on making any of the wedding plans on my own. Stefano and his father had their ideas and their traditions of how things should go and how they should look. They planned everything from the music to the location, the food, color for the wedding and even the flowers. Stefano was traditional so he wouldn't be seeing the wedding dress before I walked down the aisle. He did, however, have two of his female cousins escort me to the bridal boutique so that they could approve the wedding dress based on his specifications. I had no control over the wedding, and deep down I knew that once we were married, Stefano would do whatever he could to take away what little control of my life I had left.

  I needed to protect my family, but I also needed to protect myself and my child. It had come to my attention over the past couple of months that Stefano's main concern was for his heir. It wasn't fatherly love or concern for his child. He wasn't being an overprotective parent, controlling more than he should out of fear of a mistake being made. He treated our child like a piece of property that he owned and that I had no rights over. The child would be an heir but not his baby, not a son or daughter. I would have to figure out some way to protect our child from whatever way Stefano would try to use and manipulate him or her.

  It was my hope that once we were married, Stefano would relax a bit, feeling as though he had won then. At some point, I might even be able to find a way out, but I had no idea how or when that would be.

  A single tear escaped the corner of my eye and rolled down my cheek as I applied a little more lipstick and touched up my makeup. I took a deep breath, refocusing my thoughts as I mentally prepared myself for our rehearsal dinner. Stefano and the rest of the wedding party were waiting in the foyer for me so that we could all leave together for Mia’s family estate where we would have our dinner overlooking their vineyard.

  I gripped my clutch tight, giving myself one last glance in the mirror, before pushing open the bathroom door.

  “There you are, amor mio. I was just about to send someone in after you.” Stefano cast me a warning look, reminding me of our agreement as if I could have forgotten.

  “No need. I’m not going anywhere without you.” I tried to sound as normal as possible as our family and friends joined us.

  “Are we ready to go to the villa?” Mia asked with an uncomfortable smile as if she could sense the tension between us.

  “Absolutely,” Stefano grinned at her. “Shall I escort you to your limo?”

  “That’s very kind of you, but I’m sure your bride would miss you terribly if you did.”

  “Of course.” Stefano’s smile toward me was shadowed in some sinister look I couldn’t put a name to. Stefano took my hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow and while it looked suitable from onlookers, his grip was a bit too tight. “Come along, darling.”

  The ride to the Monticelli villa was filled with uncomfortable silence for most of the ride until Stefano finally rolled up the privacy window between us and the driver and grabbed my hand. “Could you at least try to act happy when we are in public?” he hissed.

  I looked at him in surprise. “I was.”

  “You looked miserable while we were practicing for our ceremony.”

  “I’m doing the best I can, considering that you are blackmailing me into marrying you,” I snapped.

  He raised his hand as if meaning to backhand me and I braced for the blow, but he froze just before striking. “No,” he said more to himself than to me. “Can’t do anything to mar this beautiful face before tomorrow.” He used the back of his fingers to gently stroke my cheek and I trembled, trying not to recoil even though every nerve in my body was screaming to push him away. “You must try harder if you are going to be a believable bride tomorrow, amor mio.”

  I hated having to restrain myself with him when all I truly wanted was to attack him, punch, kick, scratch, claw, and shove him out of the moving car. But I couldn’t do any of that. I had to sit there and take his abuse because if I didn’t, it would put my entire family at risk.

  Tears sprung to my eyes, but they were not from sadness as much as from anger.

  “Don’t cry, my dear. There was a time when you actually wanted to marry me if you can remember back to that.”

  “Before I realized what a manipulative, evil bastard you are,” I spat.

  He was on me in a second, his hand wrapping firmly around my throat, not cutting off my air but making it a bit more work for me to inhale.

  “You are lucky that you carry my heir inside your belly. I can’t hurt you without hurting him or without leaving visible marks but in a few months, you won’t have that protection any longer. I suggest that you learn how to control your tongue before then.”

  The hopelessness of my situation pressed on my chest, and I fought back a sob as he released my throat.

  “Don’t cry. You’ll look all red and splotchy for our guests,” he said coldly.

  I barely made it through our dinner without breaking and was relieved when I finally made it back to the compound. As was tradition, Stefano would not be staying under the same roof as me the night before our wedding, so I was given a small reprieve until the next afternoon when I would somehow have to find the strength to walk down the aisle toward him.

  I went straight up to my room and locked the door to undress. I was barely able to slip a nightgown over my head before the dam broke and sobs wrecked my whole body. I slid down onto the cool hardwood floor, pulled my knees to my chest and cried.

  A little while later, I was still crying on the floor when there was a knock on my door.

  “I’m changing.” I tried to sound as normal as possible.

  “Mira? It’s Mia. Can we talk?” Her voice was gentle with a hint of concern, and I couldn’t turn her away.

  I pulled myself up from the floor, wiped the tears away as quickly as I could before unlocking the door, and letting her inside.

  Mia stood in the dimly lit hallway, her eyes widening as she looked into my tear-stained face. “Mira,” she gasped and pulled me into a tight hug. “I knew something was wrong. You weren’t acting right all evening.”

  She stepped farther inside the room, quickly shutting the door behind her, and guiding me to sit on the edge of the bed. She held my hands in hers and searched my face for some explanation.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  “It’s nothing, Mia. I’m sure it’s just hormones.”

  “Don’t give me that bullshit, Mira. I know you better than that and I’ve had those hormones too. This isn’t just the pregnancy to blame. What is going on?”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t tell her about her family’s lawyer being killed or who was responsible. It would ruin everything that she and Teo had fought so hard to build.

  “Mira,” her voice turned firm, drawing my attention. “You need to tell me what the hell is going on, right now.”

  “I don’t want to marry Stefano,” I blurted out, unable to hold in the truth any longer.

  Mia looked at me in complete shock. “You don’t?”

  “No.”

  “Then why—because of the baby? He’s the father of your baby so you feel like you have to marry him?”

  It wasn’t all a lie, so I just nodded. “That’s a big part of it.”

  “I understand, but you can’t marry him just for the baby. Your child will be able to tell as he or she grows up and it will make for a miserable life for you.”

  “I cared about him...when he proposed, I said yes because I truly did want to marry him.”

  “Now that it’s almost time it’s normal to have cold feet, but you need to make sure that that is all this is. If you really don’t feel like Stefano is the one...if there is someone else who you’d rather marry,” she cast a suspicious look, but I did my best not to react even as Luca’s image flashed in my mind.

  In truth, I wanted Mia to find out everything and talk me out of marrying Stefano, to help me find another way. But if she found out the truth it would destroy her while saving me. What kind of friend would that make me?

  I needed to backtrack the conversation and minimize the damage because I couldn’t do that to Teo or Mia and if I didn’t marry Stefano, it would be our whole family suffering. I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears.

 

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