Page 58 of Maddest Temptation

Woah. Okay. “Is this an apology?”

He scoffed. “I don’t do apologies.”

“Well, it sounded like one,” I deadpanned.

“We share the same sentiment toward your father, that’s why I’m here,” he explained. “To talk about him.”

The doughnut turned too acid in my stomach. “I have nothing to say about him.”

“I think you do.” He leaned back in the chair. “More importantly, I think your husband did too.” Why did the word husband sound like an accusation? Like Cassio was mad at me or something?

“I never involved myself in their business, Cassio,” I said, needing to remind him.

“But you must have heard something,” he said.

“I barely saw him as it was, Paolo hated Donato.”

“And why is that?” He sounded awfully intrigued.

I shrugged. “Why does anyone? Donato is an easy man to hate.”

Cassio nodded, looked at his coffee, and then at me. I watched as he tapped his fingers on the table and pensively stared for a while. Lowering his voice he confessed, “Your husband was assassinated, Francesca.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “W-what?”

“He was poisoned. That’s what caused his heart to stop,” Cassio explained, but I was still stuck in his first confession.

Killed. “Why?”

I never loved Paolo, but it was disconcerting to hear that he had been killed. “That’s what I want to know.”

I shook my head. “Are you suspecting me?”

Cassio remained calm as he said, “Belladonna is considered a woman’s weapon.”

“I never loved him, but I would never kill the man,” I hissed.

Cassio looked smugly pleased with my answer. “Why did your father and Paolo fight?”

I shrugged. “Paolo always said my father was a snake that couldn’t be trusted. That he was too ambitious, too greedy. That if he had the means, he would set the world on fire and watch us all burn.”

I had agreed with him.

Cassio nodded. “So, you never loved him?” The question took me by surprise. Was that all that he heard?

“How could I?” I answered honestly.

“He was your husband.” Cassio pointed out.

“Yes,” I agreed. “What are you fishing for, Cassio?”

He smiled and hid it quickly. “Nothing.” He denied me the truth, but I knew him better than that.

“Do you miss him?” He continued with the weird questions.

“Why all these questions?”

“Just answer me?”

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