Page 80 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

I quickly push the image of me and Donovan and anything beyond this arranged marriage away. "It's not like that, Elena. We had a lovely time, but we don't have anything like you and Niko have."

She rolls her eyes. "I wish you could let yourself be happy. I understand why you always had to be on your guard with Mom and Dad around. But it sounds like you didn't need to be like that in Italy, and you don't need to be like that here. Niko and Donovan are going to keep you safe."

I let out a sigh and take Elena's hand, tugging her over to the window seat where we both sit down.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Immediately, her expression turns to worry. "Are you all right? Is Donovan all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine. But you know that they are on a mission to kill Dad, right?”

She nods, and I study her face carefully, wanting to see if there's any hint that she is against the idea that our father needs to die.

Her hand rubs her belly, and I wonder if she's thinking about the car accident that could have hurt her babies. Our father had arranged the accident to kidnap us. Then he handed Elena over to Romeo Abate, a man with a violent reputation. A man she had to kill to save herself and her babies. So no, I don't think there is any love lost between her and my father.

"The problem is that he's in hiding. Finding him is proving more difficult than I think Niko and Donovan expected. But Mom, on the other hand, has been spending time in Atlantic City."

"She always did like to gamble." Elena’s tone is hesitant, like she knows big news is coming and is trying to prepare.

"So we came up with a scheme to take her and find out where Dad is."

Her head tilts to the side. "Bywedo you mean you were involved?"

"Yes. I invited her to lunch and pretended that Niko and Donovan had kidnapped me and forced me into the marriage. But it was a ruse. We took her and brought her back to New York."

Elena's eyes watch mine, and I can see that she suspects that Mom is no longer with us, but she doesn't know that I'm the cause of it.

“She wouldn't give up Dad." I look down as the memory of the way she talked to me, even though she was tied up, came back. The way I was nothing to her.

When I look up, I stare directly into Elena's eyes. "I suspect you know that she's dead now, and I need you to know, and hopefully, you won't hate me for it, but I'm the one who killed her."

Elena sucks in a breath. My own breath stalls as I wait to see how she's going to react.

She squeezes my hands. "I had to kill Romeo. It does something to you to kill somebody. Are you all right?"

I blink because that isn’t what I was expecting. "My biggest concern is how you would take it. If you would be upset at me or maybe look at me differently."

She shakes her head. "I couldn't imagine that Niko would be able to exact his revenge without taking Mom as well. You’re the most important person to me in our family. Mom and Dad… they weren’t real parents. If you are okay, then I'm okay too. I know she was so much worse to you. And now, she's gone."

Elena wipes tears from my cheeks that I didn’t realize I’m shedding.

The door flies open, and a woman about my age breezes into the room. I jump up and guard my sister.

“Okay, I’m here to meet the women who have stolen my brother and Uncle Donovan’s hearts.”

Did she say brother?

Elena stands, her expression looking delighted. “Are you Aria?”

“I am.”

Elena rushes to her, giving her a hug. “I’m Elena.”

When she pulls away, Aria looks at Elena's belly and shakes her head. “I was sure my brother wouldn’t ever find his heart. Not only has he found it, but he’s going to be a father.” She turns to me. “And you must be Uncle Donovan’s wife.”

I’m not as gregarious as Elena or Aria, but I muster a smile and accept her hug. “I’m Lucia.”

Aria tugs us both over to Elena’s bed. “I’m so excited to meet you, even though I’m so mad at my brother for not telling me about you. How’d you meet?”

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