When She Loves (The Fallen, #4)(49)

“My retirement plans have changed,” my father says. “I’ve decided five years isn’t enough for me to do what I’d like to do as don of our family.”

“And what is that exactly?” As far as I can tell, he’s spent decades lining his pockets, hosting parties at La Trattoria, and acting all-important.

There’s a reason he went to jail—one of his capos turned on him and spilled the beans to the feds. Why? Because my father got greedy. He kept asking for bigger and bigger cuts and squeezed his own men too tightly.

“I want to finish getting rid of the rats, rebuild my ranks, and bring the Garzolo family into a new era. New businesses, new partnerships, new points of leverage.” He steeples his hands in front of him. “It’ll take some time, but the future is looking bright for Garzolos.”

Quickly, I start to put it together. What he’s saying is that he has no intention of letting Rafaele become his successor.

“You want to stay on as don.”

He lifts a shoulder. “I’m fifty-four. My father retired at seventy. I’ve still got plenty of time to bring our family back to the top of the food chain in this town.”

“Rafaele will never allow this to happen. You made a deal with him. He gave you five years.”

Papà nods. “Which is why Rafaele needs to go.”

My blood runs cold.

Of course. I should have known Papà would want to have his cake and eat it too. Use Rafaele to get himself out of prison and then find a way to get rid of him before his five years are up.

Anger kindles inside my chest.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Your husband is an impenetrable fortress. I’ve tried to find his weaknesses, to find some way to get leverage, but so far, I’ve found nothing. He’s got all his capos under his thumb. They all say he’s a control freak, that he doesn’t feel emotions and cares about no one, that he can kill anyone and anything around him if they get in the way of his plans. They’re all fucking terrified of him.”

A chill runs through me. Rafaele would never hurt me. Or would he? Am I being naive thinking that my famously brutal husband won’t ever show that brutal side to me?

I push the thought away. “What do you want me to do about it?”

“Help me find something that I can use against him. There has to be something. You’re in his house, in his bed. Eventually, you might learn things about him that no one else knows.”

My eyes widen. I can’t believe this. “You want me to spy on him?” I laugh. “You’re crazy to think I’ll help you.”

My words don’t faze him. It’s as if he expected me to say just that.

“Don’t do it for me. Do it for yourself. If you help me take him down, I’ll give you your freedom.”

I scoff and shake my head. “Yeah, right. What does that even mean?”

He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “I will formally disown you. You can go live with your sisters in Italy or move anywhere you want. Help me, and you can live your life as you wish.”

My breath hitches. It takes me a moment to convince myself I heard him say those words. He just offered me the one thing I’ve always wanted.

Freedom.

A way out of this life and this world.

My father’s expression turns triumphant. “What do you say?”

There’s no way he means it. Is he really this desperate? Desperate enough to try to make a deal with me?

I shake my head. “You expect me to believe you after you just told me you plan on breaking another deal you’ve made? I don’t trust you. How can I be sure you’d let me go if I help you?”

His lips curl into a sneer. “Your mother and I tried to make you into a palatable human being, but we clearly failed. You’re a fucking nuisance. I’m happy Rafaele took you off our hands, and I sure as hell want nothing more to do with you after I get rid of him. I’ll put you on a plane and hopefully never see you again.”

A bitter taste floods my mouth. He knows trying to flatter me would have done him no good. I wouldn’t believe him.

But this I believe. My father hates me as much as I hate him. If he kills Rafaele, I’ll be a widow with a questionable reputation. I’ll be of no use to him.

His words echo through my head. If you help me take him down, I’ll give you your freedom. He wants me to join him in betraying Rafaele. To help him find a way to murder my husband.

My limbs feel numb.

Even my dreams aren’t worth that price, are they?

I shouldn’t be entertaining this. I’m tempted to laugh in his face and call him an idiot for letting me in on his plan. To see how he’ll react when I tell him I’m going to go straight to Rafaele with this information.

But another part of me holds me back. The part that wants to at least consider the possibility of being with Gemma and Vale. Of being free of all of this.

“I’ll think about it,” I say.

The words taste like poison on my tongue.











CHAPTER 24











CLEO


The next morning, I wake up with my back pressed against a heater.

It takes me a moment to realize that’s my husband. I remember falling asleep very aware of the six or so inches of space between us, and now they’re gone. Erased by the pull between our bodies in the night.