Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Seven million.”
“Jesus,” Ottavio mutters. “We can write you a check.”
I turn to him sharply. “I don’t want a check. I came to New England to obtain a wife. You know as well as I do the money was only icing on the cake. The point was to join the Capo and Castellano families, to form alliances.” I sip my espresso. It’s already cooling, but pleasantly bitter and sharp. “I will not go home without one, and I’m due to arrive home tomorrow.” I wait, feeling the eyes of every man in the room on me. “Her life is mine, Romeo. You know that. I’m within my rights to take her life for interfering, and any recourse against me would start a war.” I feel my anger rise. “And I don’t take kindly to people lying to me.”
“Who’s lied to you, brother?” Romeo asks quietly.
“Marialena.” Saying her name feels like a summons. I want to see her. I want her to own what she did.
No one responds. No one blinks.
“But I decided I don’t want to kill her.” I shake my head. “Your sister’s beautiful, and my research tells me she’s single and eligible.” I smile as I deliver the final blow. “If I take her home tonight, none of you will be harmed. I’ll even waive the promise of a dowry.” It’s a step I do not need to take but will, to keep a modicum of peace. I don’t need the money.
“You want to take her to marry her,” Romeo says, his voice hoarse. “I’ll pay you more than—”
“I don’t want the money, Romeo. I want your sister.”
A door swings open. Marialena, wide-eyed, a little stunned, but as beautiful as I remember her, stands in the doorway. Her brothers tense and Mario half-rises from his chair, as if she was safe before she entered. They know better than that, but I can’t blame their instincts.
Rosa, the eldest sister, stands beside her with a possessive grip on her arm, as if her small hand on her sister will prevent me from taking her away. Their loyalty’s almost cute.
Rosa shakes her head. “We heard you,” she whispered. “Marialena didn’t know that woman was betrothed to you. She didn’t know who you were.”
“Go upstairs, Rosa.” Santo, her husband, is on his feet. He knows interference won’t be tolerated. But I have no need of punishing more than one Rossi woman tonight.
I shake my head. “That doesn’t matter. What’s done is done.”
“I can’t marry you,” Marialena whispers, then, more vehemently, “I won’t.”
I don’t respond to her but look to Romeo. He knows refusing me brings war. Blood. Devastation. Death.
Romeo Rossi’s a man of honor, well-respected among his peers. Will he falter now?
He swallows and turns back to Marialena. “You have to. You’ve left us no choice.” He hangs his head, defeated. “Rosa, help her pack a bag.”
Tosca enters the room holding a tray of wine. It seems she’s ready for more than espresso and needs an excuse to come back in here.
I can tell by the look on her face she hasn’t heard the news yet.
“Mama,” Romeo says, his voice still husky. “Help Marialena pack. She’ll be going home with Capo tonight.”
“What?”
Romeo’s voice rises, betraying his emotion. “She’s marrying Capo. She leaves tonight. Say your goodbyes.” He looks to his sisters, his tone sharp. “I told you to go pack. Go!”
The tray of wineglasses falls to the floor, shattering them. No one flinches as crimson red wine splatters over the walls, the carpet, and Tosca’s clothes.
“No,” she whispers. “Romeo—”
He snaps, “You know the rules as well as I do.” His voice has taken on the edge of a leader as he quickly loses his patience. “Go! Help her pack.” He waves his hands at the girls. “Go, all of you! There is no getting out of this. There is no arguing. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.” His voice shakes as he levels his angry gaze at Marialena. “I told you it would come to this eventually. I told you to stay safe, to stay out of things, but you couldn’t leave well enough alone. And now, you’ve left me with no choice.”
He frowns. “Go. And call someone to clean this up, Tavi,” Romeo says, a bit gentler.
Tosca lifts her head. I see the tears shining in her eyes, but they don’t move me. The Rossis may have disarmed me when I entered, but I’m prepared to fight if anyone interferes.
“Mama,” Marialena says, her face pale. She doesn’t look at me but at Tosca, begging. “Don’t let them, Mama. You can’t.” Then she turns to her brothers. “Mario!”
Rosa tugs her hand and speaks to her in low tones, urging her to leave the room.
But Tosca’s had enough.
“You,” she begins, her voice laced with venom. Tosca Rossi may play nice from time to time, but it’s impossible for anyone to survive marriage to Narcisso Rossi without a spine of steel. “No. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care what claim you think you have on my daughter. I’ve seen what my Rosa has gone through, and it will be over my dead body that you take Marialena from here.”