Page 12 of Ruthless God

Luna’s breath caught at that, and I looked at her, wondering why she would have such a strange reaction.

“A daughter would be just as nice,” I said mildly. Did she not want a son?

Beside me, Emilio cackled. “Sure, but I think it’s best to have both daughters and sons. Some to help with connections”—the fucker raised his drink to me—“and some to help run the family business.”

The man seemed happy, but only because he had three sons and two daughters. Though the oldest wasn’t even thirteen yet.

Luna’s shoulders remained tense. Fuck, how I wished I could read her mind then.

“Daughters,” Andre said, his voice taking on an odd note. “Daughters are good at forming alliances, but it is nothing compared to a son. Trust me. I have two of my own. It seems my wife is destined only to give birth to daughters.”

His wife looked down at the table, but not before I caught the look of hurt in her eyes. This was obviously a sore subject, and Andre blamed her for it.

“It’s the father who determines the baby’s sex,” Luna said, speaking up for the first time. All eyes turned on her, making her fluster. I raised an eyebrow at that. The girl hadn’t said a word since the start of dinner, but she chose to speak up now to defend her mom.

Not that the woman seemed to appreciate Luna for doing so. She was glaring at her daughter.

“Don’t you know not to speak out of turn?” Andre asked, his voice hard. His hand twitched, and I narrowed my eyes at it, wondering if he’d ever gotten physical with her. Based on her reaction to Andre’s words…

Fuck.

Andre turned to me. “I apologize. I tried my best to raise her, but sometimes, she needs a firmer hand. Something I’m sure you’ll work on once she comes to Las Vegas with you.”

Luna tensed, her grip on the fork tightening from Andre’s words.

“How I conduct my business with my wife is of no concern to you,” I said.

No one said anything. I was contradicting the man in his home. But Luna was mine. She was mine the moment Andre decided to give her to me. And I would be damned if I allowed another man to raise a hand to what belongs to me.

I would be damned if I let any harm come to her.

Luna slowly raised her eyes and took me in. Her brows pulled together in a small frown as if she couldn’t decipher what I was saying.

Andre laughed. “Lo Spietatoof Las Vegas, no? I think there wouldn’t be a problem with Luna acting up in your family.”

Romeo frowned at Andre’s words, and it looked like he was about to say something, but I shook my head.

Emilio cracked a small smile, and I didn’t say or do anything to contradict them.

Luna was back to staring at the food on her plate, but she was no longer blushing. Her face was pale, almost as if all the blood had drained from it. Besides her, her sister grinned happily, as if the thought of Luna being miserable—no, not miserable, but in pain—truly made Lina happy.

I looked over at her mom. The woman didn’t look to be feeling anything.

Fuck, but what had this girl been through in this household?

5

LUNA

Lo Spietato of Las Vegas.

Andre’s words stayed with me for the rest of the night. I barely remembered anything else that happened at dinner or the conversation that went around.

Any doubt that Massimo might not eat me alive had quickly evaporated.

He wouldn’t have earned his reputation if he were a nice man. After dinner, the men went off to the office to talk and have drinks while the women were expected to retire early for the night. I was glad about that, but I still needed to bid Massimo, his brothers, and Emilio, good night. The quick kiss Massimo pressed against my cheek was awkward and nerve-wracking all at once. His lips were surprisingly soft, and he smelled nice, but all that was tainted by my fear of the man.

I held still and closed my eyes briefly at the contact, and once all that was done, it took everything in me not to run out of there and not stop until I got to my room.