Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
“I am.”
It’s what I’d suspected. Aria wasn’t the type to risk her sisters’ lives like she did her own, and none of Luca’s men, much less Luca, would have supported her in this foolish endeavor.
“You shouldn’t have come to Chicago.” The photographer was three cars behind us. Aria was quiet beside me. I wasn’t surprised she didn’t ask about her father. There was only bad blood between them.
I pulled off the main road and parked near train tracks. For the following photos, this was the more likely place. If our affair were true, a more deserted place would be a good choice to engage in more entertaining activities.
Rocco’s advice was one I couldn’t follow. For one, I considered it cheating even if it was just for show, and second my stance on sexual violence against women hadn’t changed. I wouldn’t violate Aria even if it would lead to better photos and consequentially a stronger reaction from Luca. As jealous as he was, even less explicit photos would make him draw the wrong conclusions and cause the wanted damage.
Aria looked down to the bag in the legroom between her feet. The contemplative expression told me there was something inside she debated using against me. Before she could force me to hurt her in self-defense, I reached for the bag.
Aria flinched, her head colliding hard with the window. “No!”
I searched her face and the horror in her eyes told me all I needed to know. She thought I was coming on to her, would force myself on her in this deserted place to break her and Luca. And while that would certainly crush Luca like Rocco had predicted, which was why mass-rapes were such a common practice in wars of the past and even sometimes today, the mere idea disgusted me deeply. I grasped the bag like I’d intended to do and returned to my side.
Aria released a shuddering breath, not moving away from her position pressed against the window.
“Aria, you are Luca’s wife; a war won’t change that. And even if you weren’t his wife, you wouldn’t have to fear that from me, or from anyone else in Chicago. I swear it.”
“Thank you, Dante.” She finally sat up, but the tension remained in her body.
“There’s no need to thank me for respecting your body.”
“What will you do with me then?”
Aria was my unknowing pawn. She’d find out about this trap, about the photos later, probably from Luca. “That is the question, I suppose. I should use you to punish Luca and the Famiglia. Or at the very least use you as leverage to blackmail him.”
Fear flashed across Aria’s face. I didn’t think it was yet for her own fate. She loved Luca. I’d witnessed their feelings for each other in our encounters over the years. It seemed impossible considering my assessment of Luca’s personality but it was the indisputable truth.
“Luca is Capo. He won’t risk the Famiglia.”
Of course, she’d say that. “But you are his wife, and I saw the way he looks at you. There’s only one thing Luca would risk his position as Capo over, and that’s you.”
“I think you are overestimating my worth. Luca’s first choice will always be the Famiglia.”
Aria’s lying skills had improved but they weren’t convincing enough for me. “And I think you are underestimating your worth for good reason.”
“I’m not. Luca won’t risk his territory. You don’t know him as well as I do.”
“And that’s the problem. If Luca didn’t comply with our requests, I’d have to try to convince him.” Rocco had suggested this. Arturo wouldn’t have trouble causing a woman pain. He didn’t have trouble causing anyone pain. My father would have chosen this option and many of my men would have been in favor of it as well. Maybe it was the best for the Outfit, but hurting Aria, an innocent woman, in any way was out of the question.
“By hurting me.”
“By hurting you. I’m not very fond of inflicting pain on women. Yet, the Outfit is where my concern lies.” Aria couldn’t read me, couldn’t know that I’d already made my choice. I’d never hurt her the way blackmailing Luca required. Not only because I’d known her as a young girl and felt obligated to her but because Val would never forgive me if I hurt Aria. She and I had often talked about how women in our world often suffered either through their husbands or for their husbands’ faults, and she hated it fiercely. If I became a man who tortured a woman, even if it was through Arturo’s hand, she’d resent me.
Val’s feelings toward my actions shouldn’t be of concern for me. She was only a woman, not of concern in the eyes of so many of my men, but I valued her opinion, and even more than that, I needed her support, her love.