My phone vibrated on the small table. I snatched it up, seeing Gianna’s name flash on the screen. Happiness burst in my chest. We had talked this morning, but it wasn’t unusual for my sister to call more than once per day and I didn’t mind.
The moment I heard her voice, I sat up, my heart pounding in my chest like crazy.
“Aria,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.
“Gianna, what happened? What’s going on? Are you hurt?”
“Father’s giving me to Matteo.”
I didn’t understand, couldn’t. “What do you mean he’s giving you to Matteo?” My voice shook and tears already burnt in my eyes as I listened to Gianna’s heart-wrenching sobs.
“Salvatore Vitiello spoke to Father and told him that Matteo wanted to marry me. And Father agreed!”
I couldn’t breathe. I’d worried that Matteo wouldn’t let Gianna get away with her rudeness toward him. He was a man who didn’t like to be refused, but how could Father have agreed? “Did Father say why? I don’t understand. I’m already in New York. He didn’t need to marry you off to the Famiglia too.”
I stood, couldn’t sit still anymore. I started pacing the roof, trying to calm my racing pulse with low breaths.
“I don’t know why. Maybe Father wants to punish me for saying what I think. He knows how much I despise our men, and how much I hate Matteo. He wants to see me suffer.”
I wanted to disagree, but I wasn’t sure Gianna was wrong. Father thought women needed to be put in their place, and what better way to do that with Gianna than bind her to a man like Matteo? Behind his grins lurked something dark and angry, and I had a feeling Gianna wouldn’t have the sense not to provoke him until he lost it.
“Oh, Gianna. I’m so sorry. Maybe I can tell Luca and he can change Matteo’s mind.”
“Aria, don’t be naïve. Luca knew all along. He’s Matteo’s brother and the future Capo. Something like that isn’t decided without him being involved.”
I knew she was right, but I didn’t want to accept it. Why hadn’t Luca told me about this? “When did they make the decision?”
“A few weeks ago, even before I came to visit.”
My heart clenched. Luca had slept with me, had made me trust him and love him, and hadn’t bothered to tell me that my sister was being sold to his brother.
“I can’t believe him!” I whispered harshly. Romero was watching me through the windows, already getting up from the sofa. “I’m going to kill him. He knows how much I love you. He knows I wouldn’t have allowed it. I would have done anything to prevent the agreement.”
Gianna was silent on the other end. “Don’t get in trouble because of me. It’s too late anyway. New York and Chicago shook hands on it. It’s a made deal, and Matteo won’t let me out of his clutches.”
“I want to help you, but I don’t know how.”
“I love you, Aria. The only thing that stops me from cutting my wrists right now is the knowledge that my marriage to Matteo means I’ll live in New York with you.”
Fear crushed my heart. “Gianna, you are the strongest person I know. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. If you hurt yourself, I couldn’t live with myself.”
“You are much stronger than me, Aria. I have a big mouth and flashy bravado, but you are resilient. You married Luca, you live with a man like him. I don’t think I could have done it. I don’t think I can.”
“We’ll figure it out, Gianna.”
The elevator doors opened and Luca stepped into our apartment. His eyes darted from Romero to me, his brows drawing together.
“He’s here. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I hung up as fury burnt through me. I hadn’t thought I could ever hate Luca again, not even for a moment, but in this second I wanted to hurt him. I stormed inside, my hands balled into fists as I headed toward Luca. He didn’t move a muscle, only watched me with calm scrutiny. That calm fueled my rage more than anything else. I wasn’t sure what he thought I was going to do, but it wasn’t attack—that was obvious from his reaction. My fists hammered his chest as hard as I could. Shock flashed across Luca’s face, his entire body exploding with tension. From the corner of my eye I saw Romero take a step in our direction, obviously unsure if he was supposed to do something. He was my bodyguard, but Luca was his boss. Of course, Luca didn’t have trouble handling me. After a moment, he gripped both of my wrists in his hand. I hated that he could overpower me so easily. “Aria, what—”
He didn’t get to finish because I rammed my knee upward, and only his quick reflexes prevented me from hitting my goal. The sound of Gianna’s sobs rang in my mind, made me lose whatever rationality I had.
“Get out,” Luca ordered sharply. Romero did so without protest. Luca’s blazing eyes met mine, but I was past being scared. I would die for Gianna. I tried another kick and grazed Luca’s groin this time. He snarled and pushed me down on the sofa, my legs pinned down by his knees and my arms pushed above my head. “For god’s sake, Aria. What’s gotten into you?”
I glared. “I know about Gianna and Matteo,” I spat, and then I lost it completely and I started crying, big, gasping sobs raking my body. Luca released my wrists and sat back so I could move my legs. He regarded me like I was a creature he would never understand.
“That’s what this is about?” He sounded incredulous.
“Of course you don’t understand, because you never loved anyone more than your own life. You can’t possibly understand how it is to feel your own heart breaking at the thought of the person you love getting hurt. I would die for the people I love.”
His eyes were hard and cold as he stood. “You are right. I don’t understand.” The cold mask was back. I hadn’t seen it directed at me in weeks.
I wiped my eyes and stood as well. “Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve known for weeks.”
“Because I knew you wouldn’t like it.”
I shook my head. “You knew I’d be mad at you, and you didn’t want to ruin your chances of fucking me.” I didn’t blush, even though I never used the word.
Luca became rigid. “Of course I wanted to fuck you. But I got the impression you enjoyed our fucking sessions.”
I wanted to hurt him. He was so cold. Of course it had always been about taking what was his, about claiming my body. He didn’t give a shit about me, or anyone. “And you worried I wasn’t a good enough actress to fool everyone after our little trick on our wedding night. But it turns out, I even fooled you.” I let out an ugly laugh. “I made you believe I actually enjoyed it.”
Something flickered in Luca’s eyes, something that made me want to take back my words for a moment, but then his mouth pulled into a cruel smile. “Don’t lie to me. I’ve fucked enough whores to know an orgasm when I see one.”
I flinched as if he’d hit me. Had he just compared me to his whores? I said the ugliest thing I could think of. “Some women even experience an orgasm when they’re being raped. It’s not because they’re enjoying it. It’s their body’s way of coping.”
For a long time Luca didn’t say anything. His nostrils flared and his chest heaved and his hands were clenched to fists. He looked like he wanted to kill me on the spot. Then the scariest thing happened: the anger slipped off his face. His expression became emotionless, his eyes as smooth and impenetrable as steel. “Your sister should be happy that Matteo wants her. Few men can stand her gab.”