Revenge (41 page)

As Enrico escorted Fuente to the front door,
Kate sat on the sofa, stunned by what she’d just witnessed. How
easily Enrico bought whatever he wanted—the outcome of a murder
investigation, for example.

What a fool she was. How could she have
accepted his proposal so quickly? He was a
mobster
, for
God’s sake. He’d admitted to her that he’d killed people. Killing a
judge to stay out of jail? Obviously that wasn’t out of the realm
of possibility. He’d told her he didn’t kill innocent people, but
that was yet another lie. The discussion with Fuente had clearly
rattled him.

How could she trust Enrico, now that she knew
what he was capable of?

By the time he returned to the study, she
could hardly contain herself. “How could you do such a thing?”

Enrico sat down beside her. “I did not do it,
I swear. Carlo has framed me.”

“Well, isn’t that convenient. It’s all
Carlo’s fault. Again.”

“It is not convenient at all. He nearly
landed me in prison, and I suppose he still will, if he does not
kill me first.”

“A judge
and his family
. How
could
you?”

“I did not, and I would not. Let me
explain.”

She held up her hand, palm facing him. “Stop.
I don’t want to hear it. It’s just going to be more lies.”

“Please calm down.” He reached for her
hands.

She slapped his fingers away. “I will
not
calm down. I will
not
let you sweet-talk me
again. This is it. You heard the man. I’m free to go.”

“
Per favore
, I can explain.”

“No. I’m packing my things and leaving this
country tomorrow. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

His voice deepened. “Carlo still wants you
dead. And you are in no condition to fly. Even if you do not care
about yourself, you have a child to think of.”

She looked away from him, breathing hard, the
stabbing pain from the wound in her chest confirming what he said.
She had her passport, but she couldn’t leave yet. “I can’t stay
under this roof. I can’t bear to look at you.”

“You must see a doctor before you get on a
plane. You don’t want to endanger yourself or the baby.”

She threw up her hands. “Your precious,
longed-for heir. That’s the whole reason you’re marrying me. Your
cousin pretty much said so.”

“I told you I loved you before I knew you
were pregnant. Do you not remember?”

She did remember. The baby wasn’t the real
reason for the doubt that crept around her heart. After a few
moments, she said, “You still can’t tell me you love me more than
Antonella.”

His eyes shifted from hers. “Does that matter
so much?” Then he looked at her. “I have risked my life for you.”
His voice grew hoarse. “What more proof of my love do you
need?”

Her throat ached, and she willed herself not
to cry. Not to show him how much he was getting to her. “You can
show me you love me by letting me go instead of keeping me here
against my will.”

“I would never force you to stay here. I only
want you to be careful.”

“I can stay in a hotel until I’m better.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Hotels
are hard to secure.”

Cold washed over her from head to toe, as if
she’d plunged into an icy pond. Enrico had lied to her for a long
time. And not without a damn good reason: if he let her go, his
life was forfeit. If he’d killed innocent people to avoid jail,
what was he capable of when his life was on the line?

Enrico was still looking at her, as if he was
waiting to say something. “What?” she asked.

“Do you hate me?”

“There are lines I can’t cross. This is one
of them.”

“I will prove to you that I am innocent.”

Enrico was about as innocent as a circus
carny. She had to get away from him. “I need time, Enrico. Time to
think. I got carried away when I accepted your proposal. Both of us
had nearly died, we were both heavily medicated…. It was not the
right time to be making such a decision.”

He looked pained, but he nodded. “Must you
leave? Can you not think about it here, where I can keep you
safe?”

“I need to be away from you.”

“I hate this.”

I hate it too
. Anger sank its teeth
into her. “I hate everything about this situation!” she shouted.
Clenching her fists, she lowered her voice. “I’ve told you what I
want, what I need. And you’re damn well going to give it to me if
you ever want to see me again.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “I
apologize. I did not mean to push.”

She softened her tone. “I don’t know you well
enough to marry you. I’m not sure what kind of man you are. I need
time to think.” She hated lying to him, but he’d let her leave more
easily if he had hope.

“Whatever you need. I will always give you
that.”

Her throat constricted. He did love her. But
how much? And was it enough? Did he love her more than his own
life?

She was going to have to use his love against
him. A cold hard stone formed in the center of her chest, and Kate
hated herself, just a little. What she wanted, what Enrico wanted,
none of that mattered, as long as the baby was safe.

“I’m counting on it, Enrico. You don’t know
how much.”

Hope flared in his eyes, and she hated
herself just a little bit more.

Carlo listened to Fuente’s report, a smile on
his face for once. Things were proceeding as planned. He’d been
worried when Domenico told him of the upcoming marriage. “The
American was upset?”

“Most certainly. I do not think Don Lucchesi
can talk his way out of this.”

“You have done well, Silvio.”

“And my children? They will benefit from your
generosity?”

“Most certainly.” Carlo ended the call,
almost laughing at Fuente. The man was so predictable. Money was
all he cared about. Carlo had plenty of that to go around.

Now all he had to do was wait for the woman
to leave Lucchesi. And for Domenico to locate Rinaldo.

Enrico insisted on putting Kate up at the
Villa d’Este, despite her protestations about the cost. The choice
was a bit ironic given his plan to propose to her there. His hand
closed around the ring box in his pocket, his fingers sliding over
its velvety surface. Would he ever get to put that ring on her
finger?

Despite the ruined plans for his proposal,
the Villa d’Este was the best choice for keeping Kate safe. It was
close by, and because the hotel was a favorite of the jet set, it
had better security than many others on the lake.

Kate and Antonio would check in under false
names, as husband and wife. Enrico had booked them a suite with an
adjoining door. The two guards he was sending with them, Paolo and
Tommaso, were in the rooms on either side. Their job was to
alternate guarding the suite. Enrico had threatened them with their
family’s lives if anything happened to Kate. But he was much more
blunt with Antonio.

Antonio was surprised by the summons to his
capo
’s study, and even more surprised by what his boss was
telling him. And how he was telling him. “I love her. More than I
know how to handle. If anything happens to her, it will destroy
me.”

Don Lucchesi pulled a small black ring box
out of his trouser pocket. “I had planned to give her this tonight.
Now… God knows if I ever will.” The wounded look on his
capo’
s face was more than Antonio could bear. He studied the
carpet, rather than look at that face.

Cristo
. Antonio had never loved a
woman like that. He was pretty sure he’d never been in love at all.
Not if it was like this. He didn’t know what to say.

“You must keep her safe, Tonio. I’m trusting
you with the one who is most precious to me.” Don Lucchesi paused.
“With both of them. Look after her as if she were yours. Make sure
she eats, that she takes the vitamins for the baby. Don’t let her
out of your sight.”

“I will. I swear it.” He meant it, but he’d
say almost anything to get away from the intensity of that gaze,
that pain. “I will guard her with my life.”

“I’m counting on that. If something
happens….” He didn’t finish the thought.

Antonio wanted to comfort his boss, but he
couldn’t embrace him the way he would a father, not anymore. The
days when Don Lucchesi would accept a hug from him were long in the
past. They hadn’t touched since Antonio was a boy at the Lucchesi
Home for Children.

Something twisted in his gut. He wished he
could do more for this tortured man in front of him, this man who
meant so much to him, this man who had saved him from a life of
ruin. But all he could do was take care of the
signora
.

Perhaps he could persuade her to forgive his
capo
. Don Lucchesi was the best of men; any woman who had
his love would be lucky, and his child would be loved beyond
measure. An ache spread throughout his chest. Don Lucchesi might
never get to show that love to anyone. To his child, most of all.
Antonio knew what it meant to lose everyone you loved.

“I will not fail you,
mio capo
. I
swear it.”

Don Lucchesi nodded and seemed like he was
about to dismiss him, but Antonio couldn’t go without knowing
something. “
Scusa
, but what if you cannot convince the
signora
to stay? What will you do then?”

His
capo
met his gaze, his dark eyes
flat. “I’ll do what I must.”

Alarm flashed through Antonio’s body. Was he
talking about silencing her? Then Don Lucchesi said, “I’ll persuade
her. If I can’t….” He was silent for a moment, then he said, “I
will keep her safe, and someday she will be mine again.” He looked
down at the carpet. “I must believe that.”

“Will you silence her?”

Again, his eyes were flat. “How can I?” His
voice when he continued was strangled. “I love her.”

“But the vows—”

“I know my duty.” His tone said there would
be no further discussion.

Antonio didn’t feel any closer to knowing his
don’s heart than he had a few moments ago.

Worse, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to
hear.

All he knew was that he must convince the
signora
to accept Don Lucchesi.

Antonio took his charge very seriously,
hovering over the
signora
at the hotel to the point where he
risked irritating her. He swore to himself he’d make her see
reason. At the least, he could remind her what her future would
look like if Don Andretti got hold of her. He didn’t want to
frighten her, but he would if he had to. The stakes were too high
to play nice.

In the meantime, he enjoyed playing her
husband. Perhaps a little too much. Even with her current pallor,
she was still a vision with that long auburn hair, those flashing
green eyes, and that smooth, creamy skin he longed to touch. He
took advantage of his role in public, touching her lightly at the
small of her back, taking her arm in his, putting an arm around her
chair when they sat down, playing with the dark red hair that hung
down within reach of his fingers. She was intoxicating.