Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
My mouth dropped open. “He refused? I thought he was your boyfriend, and you were in love. Doesn’t he understand he could lose you to another man if he doesn’t?”
“My boyfriend? He wishes. Alessio isn’t my boyfriend.”
I closed my eyes and tried for calm. “Don’t tell me… he’s just another guy you fool around with.”
She smiled. “Exactly.”
“Have you at least talked to your boyfriend about it?”
She looked at her nails. “Not yet. He’s been—”
“Don’t tell me. Busy?”
Antonia wrinkled her nose. “Something like that.”
“Toni, you need to talk to him before—”
My father’s bellow interrupted us. “Antonia! Get in here.”
With a groan, she rose from her chair. “Coming, Father.”
I kissed your fiancé!
I wondered if calling it out only in my head counted?
Not that I was worried about telling her, not exactly.
I knew my sister really well.
Toni would honestly not give a damn that I kissed Matteo. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t relentlessly tease me about it and, worse, dangle it over my head like a ghoulish cat toy whenever she wanted something from me.
It was bad enough I was always bailing her out of one mess or another against my better judgment. The last thing I needed was to give her more firepower against me.
As I prepared to play again, there was a tap at the window.
I turned to see Fino’s head just peeking up over the sill.
My eyes widened as I turned my head to check the doorway so quickly, I got a crick in my neck. Racing over to the door, I closed it before running to the window. After checking the room again, just in case some phantom person suddenly appeared in the tiny library, I threw up the sash.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I needed to speak to you, urgently,” he said.
“Here? Now? If we get caught—”
I stopped mid-sentence. If it was urgent, that could mean he was about to arrest my father. Judge Marzio Delluci must have finally looked over all the evidence I had been secretly collecting and finally approved a prosecution. My heart hammered in my chest.
Although there was no direct evidence my father murdered my mother, at least this could open the door for a new investigation. This time by police officers who weren’t in my father’s pocket.
I leaned closer to the open window and tried to keep my voice low despite my growing excitement. “You have no idea how relieved I am, Fino! This is amazing. You are cutting it very close but better late than never. Trust me, I’m not complaining! I’m just so happy my father is finally going to see justice. This is the best news you could have given me!” I rambled.
He frowned. “We’re not arresting your father.”
I returned his frown. “You’re not? Then why are you here?”
“The Cavalieris.”
My heart sank. “What about them?”
“I got approval from Judge Delluci to open a covert investigation. Strictly off the books. You need to collect any evidence you can of their organized crime ties and any crimes you might uncover while you are at Cavalieri Winery.”
I whispered harshly, “I already told you I wouldn’t do that.”
He shrugged as he lit a cigarette with a wooden match. “Do it or any hope of an investigation into your mother’s disappearance and your father’s business goes poof.” With that, he blew out the match.
“You would seriously ignore all that evidence about the murders he orchestrated and the high-ranking officials he’s bribed and the construction contracts he’s manipulated?”
He took a drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke in my face. “Poof.”
“Vaffanculo,” I spat out.
He shrugged and pointed at me with his cigarette hand. “Any other murders your father commits will be on your conscience, not mine.”
“Va eccati!” I flipped the backs of my fingers under my chin. “Go throw yourself in the sea.”
“Your choice.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “What if the marriage doesn’t go through? What then?”
He stamped out his cigarette. “I guess you better make sure it does.”
“Fino, you can’t—”
“Ella! Ella!”
With my sister screaming for me, I slammed the window shut and turned just as she threw open the library door. “Help me!”
I ran over to her. “What’s happened?”
“He’s here! He’s fucking here now! Maria just let him into Father’s office.”
“Who?”
“Matteo Cavalieri.”
I shook my head. “So? He was here last night.”
She paced away from me and turned. “This time he brought a freaking doctor with him.”
“A doctor? Why?”
She crossed her arms over her middle. “Father says I need to take a blood test. Do you believe that?”
Yes.
“No!”
“I know! He says Matteo is taking one to prove he’s”—she raised her arms to do air quotes—“safe, and now I have to, as well.”
A very reasonable and smart request given her known reputation.
“What a jerk! How dare he!”
Warming up to the subject, she leaned forward. “It gets worse! He told Father it was to prove I wasn’t pregnant with another man’s baby before the wedding.”