Page 81 of Dark Breaker

“Then don’t lose me,” I tell him. “Protect me.”

“I’m trying,” he tells me. “It would help if I didn’t have the damn Jackal constantly trying to kidnap you. I don’t know what I’m going to do if he succeeds. My greatest fear is that I’ll give away my business to save you. Throw away my life’s work for you. This is why I can’t get attached to you, Rosa. Don’t you see? You’ll ruin me.”

I gaze at the rising sun.

“You’ve already ruined me,” I say softly.

If he heard me, he doesn’t reply.

I smile sadly. No other man will ever measure up to him. He’s definitely ruined me.

He’s worried that he’s going to lose me to the Jackal, or another mafia family? That’s why he won’t love me?

Maybe I’ll have to talk to Massimo. See what he can do.

I give Fabio a kiss on the cheek. “I have to go to class.”

I head back inside and get dressed in my new jumpsuit. While waiting for Giuseppe to fetch my Vespa in the garage, I call Massimo.

“CiaoRosa, are you all right?” Massimo asks. “Has he hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” I tell him. “He hasn’t hurt me. He’s been… like a husband to me. All the sex, without the love.”

“That’s good,” Massimo replies. “I think.”

“Listen, is there anything you can do about the Jackal?” I ask. “Maybe assassinate him or something?”

“I heard about how the Jackal had those men watching you,” Massimo says. “Have you seen more?”

“No, not yet,” I reply. “But it’d be a load off my chest if he disappeared.”

I hate having to ask Massimo to disappear someone for me, because I’ve always prided myself in being above stuff like that, but if it means I can finally achieve love and happiness, I have to try. Plus the Jackal is the biggest loser in the world for trying to follow and kidnap me, so I won’t really shed a tear if he’s eliminated.

“No one knows where he is,” Massimo says. “And even if we did, he’s probably well guarded. It’d take all of our families to do it. And afterwards, the Tunisians would retaliate. It’d be like stirring a hive of bees. We’d be at war. Remember, the whole point of your marriage was to prevent unnecessary deaths in our family.”

“All right, if you’d rather I was kidnapped…” I say.

He sighs. “Look, we’re in the process of negotiating with the Tunisians at this very moment. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize those negotiations.”

“Are you going to marry off someone else?” I mock. “Maybe Angela’s sister?”

“Preferably not,” he replies. “Look, they already agreed not to touch you until negotiations are complete.”

“But they’re allowed to spy on me, huh?” I tell him, thinking of the two men Fabio roughed up outside the cafe. “And just because they agreed not to touch me doesn’t mean they won’t.”

“If they do, then they’re all dead,” he replies coldly.

“Why not act preemptively?” I press.

He doesn’t answer for a moment, and then chuckles. “Rosa. Wow. I never thought I’d see the day where you’d be openly urging me to assassinate someone. Fabio has really done a number on your moral compass, hasn’t he? You used to complain about us kidnapping people, and now you’re happy to request a killing. Are you sure Fabio didn’t put you up to this?”

“No!” I say. “Never mind, then. This is the first time I’ve ever asked you for anything, and you have to go and laugh at me.”

“What do you mean, the first time,” he counters. “I’ve always been here for you. I—”

“Maybe it was kind of important,” I interrupt. “Or I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Sorry,” he says. “Like I told you, we’re already trying to work something out with the Tunisians. Giovanni doesn’t want to risk a war with them. Neither do I. Try to hold on a little longer.”