Page 22 of Vicious Redemption

“Is it?” My volume never rises, but the anger bubbling beneath the surface does as I voice my suspicion. “Tell me then, did you sneak out to see your family today?”

I take my foot from the gas, finally slowing so I can truly read Tia’s face. And my heart sinks at what I see. Her shoulders slump, her eyebrows pressing into a pained expression that borders on guilt. And in that look, all my fears come to life.

“Yes. I went to see my sister,” she explains, her voice wobbling dangerously.

Like that’s supposed to make me feel any better. “The same one you passed information to when you were planning to betray me?” The accusation in my tone is blatant as I grip the steering wheel more firmly and compress the gas pedal once more.

“It wasn’t like that!” she shouts, the argument escalating again.

“When?” I sneer. “Just now, after you already know what comes of talking to Maria? You can’t possibly be naive enough to think that things will end differently this time around.”

“Can’t I?” she counters belligerently. Then she bites her lip, as if realizing she’s just inadvertently called herself naive.

I meet Tia’s gaze with a fierce one of my own. “You deliberately disobeyed me. You went to the house of a man who wants to destroy me. You spoke to the person responsible for destroying my plans with the mayor. I can’t believe you think you have a leg to stand on right now.”

“They’re my family, Leo. You can’t possibly expect me to turn my back on them because of what my father’s done.”

“Why not?” I demand. “I’m your husband. Your father gave you to me under the guise of trying to form an alliance. He used you without a second thought for your safety. Meanwhile, I’m the one who scaled a cliff to save your life. I’m the one prepared to care for you and our child. And still, you think you owe them loyalty?”

“I just went to see my sister,” she whispers, her tone wounded.

“Yeah, well, from where I stand, that’s not much better since she’s as blindly obedient to your father as you are.”

The hurt that flashes across Tia’s face almost makes me feel bad. Almost. But I’m so angry, I can’t help but speak the brutal truth.

Rather than argue with my statement, she shifts topics this time, crossing her arms as she glares out the windshield once more. “It’s inhumane to expect me to just sit in that big house all day, staying silent and doing nothing. And I can’t help it that you happen to hate the only people I know and love. What else am I supposed to do?”

“Not fuck me over?” I growl, jerking the steering wheel with unnecessary force and skidding onto the gravel drive leading up to said house. Loose rocks crunch beneath the tires, and I slow to avoid spinning out as we reach the fountain at the courtyard’s center.

Pulling to a stop, I throw the car in park and turn to look at Tia. But her hand is on the handle, and her door is open before I can say a word. I catch a glimpse of tears glimmering on her cheeks before she flees up the front steps and vanishes inside.

Sighing heavily, I get out and close my door. I follow her up the steps at a slower pace, glowering when I find Luigi with a stunned expression on his face. He seems surprised to have found her outside.

“My wife is to be watched twenty-four, seven until the Guerra conflict is resolved,” I growl.

“Yes, sir,” he agrees, straightening stiffly before following me inside.

“I’ll be in my office, cleaning up this mess. Tell Rasco and Johnny to find me there as soon as they arrive.”

“Yes, sir.”

I don’t know what Tia might have said to her sister today, and I don’t have the time to focus on that now. All I can do is hope that it wasn’t enough to throw a further wrench in my plans because I have too much on my plate already.

With my father in the hospital, I’ll need to take up his responsibilities as well as my own, which means I need to restructure. It’s time for Johnny to step up.

Tia will just have to wait, and she better fucking be here when I’m ready to speak to her.

12

TIA

Collapsing onto the bed, I consider just how terribly things have fallen apart in twenty-four hours. Last night, I was dancing in Leo’s arms, happier than I ever imagined I could be. And today, it feels as though our marriage is more contentious than ever.

“What have you done, Tia?” I breathe, rolling onto my back. Sniffing, I wipe the tears from my cheeks as I stare up at the ceiling.

I feel terrible because, as much as I want to deny it, Leo’s right. It was a mistake to visit Maria. Not because my sister would do anything to hurt me or the man I love, but because I just can’t seem to stop screwing up.

And once again, I’m keeping something from Leo—that my father wants me to spy on my husband to help further the Guerra rebellion.

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