Nothing about this is simple. I sit back in my chair, utterly shocked. I refuse to believe Vince is on board with this. Why didn’t he say something to me about this when we spoke in Ibiza?
Papà must have been planning this with Rafaele for far longer than that, so he’s pulling the rug from under Vince. That’s the only explanation.
What if Vince is already on his way back to New York?
My blood runs cold. Is he in danger?
Rafaele is ruthless when it comes to getting rid of his enemies. Will Vince join the ranks of them if he doesn’t fall in line?
Papà reaches across the table and clasps Mamma’s hand. It’s a rare show of affection meant to convey to Cleo and I that they’re a united front on this. “I’m not planning to retire for another few years, so the changes won’t go into effect for a while.”
“And you expect everyone to be all right with this?” I ask, my shock morphing into prickling anxiety. “Do the rest of the Garzolos know?”
“They will soon.”
Cleo shakes her head, still in disbelief. “This makes no sense.”
She’s right. It doesn’t.
Papà is proud.
Territorial.
For him, there’s always been an “us” and a “them”。
Rafaele will marry me, but he doesn’t share any blood with Papà. As far as I know, we’ve never warred with the Messeros, but we haven’t been allied for long either.
Why would Papà put so much trust in him? Why would he give Rafaele the key to his kingdom? The kingdom our great-great-grandfather started when he first immigrated to the United States?
Is Papà this desperate for an ally?
I force myself to breathe slowly and move my attention to my fiancé. “You’re charging a steep price to stand behind the Garzolos in case our enemies move against us. That’s all we’re getting from you in exchange for all of this, isn’t it?”
Rafaele gives me a strange look. Beside him, Nero purses his lips as if he’s making a conscious effort to keep his mouth shut.
I squeeze the armrests with my fingers as cold foreboding slides down my spine. “What is it?”
The room is quiet until Papà clears his throat. “I understand this is a lot to take in.”
I shake my head, my conviction growing. “There’s something else. Something you’re not telling us.”
“Gemma, enough,” Mamma snaps. “Your father has said everything he’s going to say on the subject.”
“I deserve to know,” I hiss. “Have you forgotten that you’re giving me to this man? Sounds like our marriage is what’s giving him the legitimacy he needs to become your successor. I want to know under what terms I was sold,” I say, my voice breaking.
My lungs are frozen as I wait for Papà to give me an answer, but it’s Rafaele who finally speaks.
“The Feds are building a case against your father,” he says in a voice that’s steady and impartial. “If he gets arrested, I’m the only one with the ability to get him out.”
I blink. There’s a whooshing sound inside my ears as things start to slowly, tragically fall into place. “Papà is that true?”
I want to hear confirmation from Papà’s mouth.
My father glowers at me, his lips pressed into a thin, tight line. He’s angry. Maybe he didn’t think Rafaele would tell me the truth.
“They’re looking to send me away for life. Rafaele has an in with the DA. If the indictment comes, he will make it go away. I’ll remain the don for a maximum of five years before handing the reins over to him.”
My vision narrows, and darkness seeps in. Unbelievable. This is fucking unbelievable.
This isn’t about protecting my family.
It’s about protecting him.
Papà’s using all of us—me, Vince, our family—to save his own skin.
“You told me our family was in danger,” I whisper.
“There’s always danger. Always someone vying to take what’s ours.”
“But there is no concrete threat, is there? You made it sound like the other families have been foaming at the mouth to come after us after the Riccis. You lied.”
Papà’s gaze is hard and unapologetic. “If I’m put behind bars tomorrow, Gemma, this family won’t have anyone capable of leading them. This plan ensures that we’re not plunged into chaos. It is a good thing. Everything I do, everything I’ve done, has always been in the best interests of our clan.”
Liar.
My chest constricts. There’s not enough air in this damn room.
I feel like I’m going to burst.
Nero draws everyone’s attention by clearing his throat. “Let’s all take a breath, shall we? I can see that this is quite a surprise.”
“No shit,” Cleo spits out.
Nero shoots her a tight smile. “It’s good we’re talking about it now. This way, there won’t be any more surprises after the wedding. We’re all invested in making sure this union between the Messeros and the Garzolos is a success, and that’s why Rafe and I thought this was a good time for all of us to get on the same page.”
My fiancé studies me, his fingers steepled, his expression unreadable.
So this was his idea. Does he expect me to thank him?
Our confusing exchange at Vale’s wedding makes more sense now. He thought Papà had told me about what was happening right from the beginning.
Mamma latches onto my arm and squeezes hard enough for me to wince. It’s what she does when she wants me to keep my mouth shut.
The rest of the dinner is a blur while I try to control my emotions. I want to cry and scream and throw my plate against the wall.
Dons go to prison all the time. Grandpa did seven years before he died. He had an acting boss carrying out his orders on the outside. Papà could have done the same with Vince.
It would have been the honorable thing to do.
But Papà doesn’t have any honor. He only has selfishness and greed.
There’s a ball in my throat. I thought I was marrying Rafaele for the sake of my family.
Turns out, I just helped Papà oust Vince. There’s not a chance in hell our family would accept Rafaele as their don if we weren’t getting married.
I should tell Papà that I won’t do it. That I won’t marry Rafaele for his benefit.
I’m not a little girl anymore. I don’t care about disappointing him.
But what difference would that make? Papà will find a way to force me into the marriage anyway. He’s been using carrots up to now. If I resist, he’ll use a stick. He’ll make my life hell. He’ll drag me down the aisle himself if he has to. I know how he is.
I need to talk to Vince. Maybe we can come up with a plan together. He must be just as furious about this as I am. Until then, I need to keep my cool. There isn’t anything I can do. Not when there are so many unknowns and consequences I can’t predict.
A cord of despair wraps around my throat and squeezes.
My hands shake for the rest of dinner. I don’t touch my food. I don’t lift my eyes from the table.
It ends rather quickly. Maybe Rafaele and Nero take pity on us. I don’t say goodbye to them as we file out of the dining room. Cleo must have chugged an entire bottle of wine when she went to the bathroom because she’s barely on her feet.