Relief fans through me. “Papà doesn’t know about any of this. We’ll have to tell him now.”
“I gathered as much since your father didn’t seem at all nervous when he arrived.”
Adrenaline buzzes beneath my skin. “Once we tell everyone, I have to leave,” I say. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but I’m asking for a favor. If Papà tries to stop me, can you help? Just until I walk out the door.”
“Where are you going to go?”
I swallow. “To him.”
For a moment, Rafaele seems like he’s about to say no. Why would he help me? I’m the woman who just made his life more complicated. His reputation has painted him as a ruthless monster, but I think there’s far more to him than meets the eye.
Papà said he thought Rafaele had a strange moral compass. I’m not sure what that means, but while I wait for him to answer, I’m praying the arrow on that compass points in my direction.
Finally, he firms his jaw. “Fine. I’ll make sure you’re able to leave.”
I exhale a pent-up breath.
He moves to exit the office, but there’s one more thing.
“Wait!”
He pauses with his hand on the door handle. I feel like I’m tempting fate by asking so much of him, but I can’t leave this last thing unsaid.
“Please take care of Cleo.” My voice cracks. “I know she can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but she’s clever, and funny, and insanely brave. Just look at what she’s willing to do for the people she loves.”
His fingers tighten on the handle. He throws me a look over his shoulder and makes the smallest of nods. “I fully intend to take care of my wife.”
Before he turns away, I catch something darkly possessive swirling inside his gaze. Something that makes my breath catch.
There’s no time to ruminate on that. Rafaele opens the door and motions for me to move. I brush past him, exhilaration, relief, and nerves all somehow churning in my stomach. When we reenter the private dining room, all eyes are on us.
I slide into my seat by Cleo’s side. She immediately takes my hand and laces our fingers together. I squeeze twice. It’s done.
Oh God. It worked. The weight on my chest slowly lifts, but a nagging thought at the back of my mind tells me that this isn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
We still have to break the news to everyone. And then, I have to find Ras and convince him to take me back.
Rafaele stops by the head of the table but doesn’t take his seat. “The engagement is off.”
My eyes widen. Wow, he didn’t waste a second.
There’s a collective gasp, followed by a loud thud as my father slams his fist against the table.
I flinch before I remember to take in a deep breath. I won’t let him scare me anymore.
The veins in Papà’s neck pop out. “What?”
“Take a breath, Garzolo,” Nero barks.
I turn my head and look at Cleo. She gives me a proud smile.
“You promised me a virgin bride,” Rafaele states matter-of-factly. “And Gemma is not a virgin.”
“Nonsense.”
“Garzolo, she admitted to it herself,” Rafaele says.
Papà’s head swivels on his neck, and he pins me with his narrowed, angry eyes. “She’s unwell. You know how she’s been ever since she returned to us. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying,” I say firmly.
Nero clicks his tongue. “It seems to me like she’s quite in control of her mental faculties, Garzolo.”
Papà rises, his chair skidding behind him. “This is a misunderstanding. Let me talk to my daughter in private.”
Does he really think I’ll ever be alone in the same room as him again? That ship has sailed.
Vince and I stand up at the same time. My brother moves closer, as if to shield me if Papà tries to make a move.
“I’m done talking to you,” I grind out. “It’s already been decided. I won’t be marrying Rafaele.”
Papà tries to come closer, but Vince blocks his path. “Sit down,” my brother tells him.
Papà snarls at him. “Get out of my way. Gemma, what the hell is this? How dare you—”
Enough. I don’t want to hear his vitriol anymore. I’m so done with all of this. “How dare I? How dare you demand anything from me after what you’ve done? I spent my life trying to keep you happy, only to get beaten by you and emotionally abused by Mamma. You’ve never loved me. I don’t think you’ve ever loved any of your kids. I’m through with you. My only regret is that it took me this long to get here. And by the way, I’m pregnant.”
The room falls silent. Vince’s eyes widen, and Mamma covers her mouth with her hands. Rafaele’s family have the same pallor as a group of ghosts.
Papà looks at me with such hate that it takes everything in me not to glance away.
But I don’t. I hold his gaze so that I’ll never forget the kind of man he is.
He’ll never touch my child. He’ll never so much as lay eyes on my baby.
“Like I said, Gemma is no longer qualified to be my wife,” Rafaele says, annoyance dancing at the edges of his tone. I get the sense he’s eager to be done with all of this. “The stipulations in our contract were very clear. I’ve already delivered what I promised. I got you out of prison, and I got your charges dropped. This isn’t how I do business, Garzolo.”
“What do you want me to do?” Papà rasps, clearly panicking now. “I had no idea—”
“You owe me a wife.” Rafaele’s gaze coasts over to Cleo. “So I’m taking your other daughter.”
Nero laughs, but he’s the only one who seems to find the situation funny. There isn’t another smile to be found in the room.
Rafaele’s uncle sputters. “Everyone knows that girl is a slut.”
Cleo flinches, and Rafaele sees it. His expression darkens. “I’m aware there are rumors floating around about my future wife. Good thing they’re completely unfounded. From now on, anyone who speaks a word of them will lose their tongue. Have I made myself clear, Uncle?”
Cleo’s eyes are wide. I don’t think she expected Rafaele to stand up for her like that.
Rafaele’s uncle pales. “I didn’t know. I apologize.”
Nero grins and claps his hands. “The matter is settled then.”
I stand up, my thoughts already on how I’m going to find Ras.
“Go, Gemma,” Cleo says to me, her hand still holding mine. “It’s done.”
She’s right. We did it. I don’t know how, but we did it. And now it’s time for me to find the man I love.
I take a step toward the door. Then another.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Papà shouts. “Stop her!”
The driver who brought us here tries to block my path, but Rafaele’s men immediately grab him and pull him out of the way.
I look back over my shoulder and meet Rafaele’s gaze.
He nods, silently telling me I’m free to go.
It’s an act of kindness from a supposedly unkind man.
Hope for Cleo flickers inside of me, a single match to repel the darkness.