Page 57

“A lot has happened,” he says.

“Yeah,” I say softly. “But it’s fine.”

“It’s okay not to be okay.”

“Same goes for you.”

“Your world is different from mine.”

I tilt my head. “Not all that different.”

I walk out of the room.

Maybe staying here with me will help him see that. All I need is a good plan to push him in the right direction. If he can only see himself in the mafia world and doesn’t want anything else, then my babies and I will have to leave and go on without him.

I don’t know why, but it feels like a new chapter has begun for all of us.

CHAPTER 31

Matteo

“I’m telling you,he’s there,” I say as my father stares at me from behind his desk. “It’s the perfect time to attack. He’s still weak, and I know how to get in. It’ll be quick.”

After going through all the information and studying the movements of Adriano’s men, I’ve come to the conclusion that he has to be hiding in his wife’s house. It’s the only thing that makes sense. It’s weird, but I’m sure of it. He thinks I can’t get to him there, but he’s wrong.

“No.” It’s just one word, but I want to strangle my father for uttering it.

I haven’t spent a week tracking Adriano down and barely getting any sleep just so my father can tell meno.

“Why the fuck not?” I glare at him.

But I know the answer. He prefers Adriano. He’s always preferred Adriano, and he doesn’t want me to kill him.

“Watch your tone.” My father gets to his feet, striding toward me. “It would be a cowardly move to attack now. He’s not at his best.”

“Right.” My lips lift up into a fake smile.

“Don’t think about disobeying me again. If you do and go after Adriano, say goodbye to your inheritance. You’ll be on your own. Penniless.” His gaze is hard on mine.

He’s not lying. He really means it. When I told him I shot Adriano, I thought he was going to put a bullet in me. But he only glared at me. I came up with a story about Adriano attacking me first, but I don’t think he believed me.

I should’ve just gone back and finished my plan. Adriano would be dead, and my father... I should kill him too. He’s had me in his clutches for way too long, and all because I know what’s written in his will. If I kill him, I lose everything.

Maybe there’s nothing to lose because he intends to give everything to his precious Adriano. If he had to choose between Adriano and me, he’d choose Adriano.

I know it.

He knows it.

Trying to get through to him and hoping he’ll finally see me as his only rightful heir is a waste of time. Nothing I do will ever be enough.

“If I was the one who’d gotten shot and almost died protecting a woman, you would’ve let him finish me off. Or you would’ve done it yourself because you’d think I was pathetic and an embarrassment to our name.” I stare deep into his cold eyes.

It’s the truth and we both know it. My father only has a soft spot for Adriano and no one else. I’ve never understood why. I haven’t even told him that Adriano’s wife is pregnant with twins.

It’s a piece of well-kept information that I had to torture out of the doctor’s mouth, but I don’t want to share it. My father would be so proud to hear he’s going to be a grandfather. I won’t give him that satisfaction.

I went after Adriano to get the final confirmation that no matter how many of my father’s rules Adriano breaks, my father will always protect him.