Page 37 of Daddy's Mad Love

“Um, Clara, can I speak with you privately?” Hailey asked, frowning at Gio as he sidled closer to Clara again. He was not doing anything except standing beside her, but apparently, Hailey did not approve.

“Of course,” Clara replied cheerfully. She turned and nearly ran into Gio. Without stepping back, she tilted her head up to look him in the eye, despite the height difference between them. “Move, please.”

Bemused, Gio stepped out of her way so she could pass. Hailey was hot on her heels, my mother watching both of them thoughtfully before sending a glance my way. I shrugged. Gio could manage his own affairs, though if Hailey tried to involve herself in whatever was going on between him and Clara, I would step in to put a stop to that.

“Sit down, Gio, and have some sausage,” my mother said, gesturing to the seat Hailey had just vacated. In a flash, Mrs. Valachi had Hailey’s plate cleared and a fresh one in its place before Gio even managed to seat himself.

His attention wasn’t on the food, though—it was on the door the two ladies had just left through. As was mine… but I knew I’d find out what they said to each other sooner or later.

17

Hailey

“You can’t come here again.”

“What?” Clara put her hands on her hips, frowning at me as I shut the door to the library behind us. “What are you babbling on about?”

I sighed, shaking my head, and gestured for her to sit down. There were plenty of seats—two large armchairs by the fireplace and several chairs around a table in the middle of the room. Clara bypassed the table to go to the more comfortable armchairs, and I followed after her, trying to marshal my thoughts.

This morning had been one shock after another.

Waking up in Giacomo’s arms and not feeling the immediate desire to crawl away… though it did eventually appear, tinged with self-recrimination that I had actually been enjoying cuddling with him. Not only that, but part of me had still thought of him as ‘Daddy,’ rather than Giacomo. I’d ruthlessly shoved that part down deep inside me.

Breakfast with his family and his father’s change in attitude toward me. He had acted as though I was any other member of the family. I’d worried how he might react to Mrs. Smith and Arthur’s presence, but he’d let Serena do as she wished without a hint of critique. I could only wonder if Giacomo would be similar with me one day… then shoved that thought away, too. It was ludicrous to think. Wasn’t it?

Then the news that Mayor Smith was dead.

Suicide?

More like execution by Familias.

Giacomo had kept his promise. The mayor wouldn’t be able to hurt his family anymore. All because I’d asked him to.

I hadn’t meant him to have the mayor killed, though…

Had I?

The swelling of satisfaction and relief that had poured through me at the news would indicate otherwise.

How else can I be sure Mrs. Smith and Arthur would be safe from him?

I’d asked Giacomo to take care of the problem for me, and he had. I didn’t fool myself that he’d only done so for sex. He could have had that at any time. What he’d wanted was a willing wife. A willing me.

It made my emotions clash in an uncomfortable manner as I suddenly wondered what would make him want to do that for me.

What made a man willing to kill on the whim of a woman?

I’d been still reeling from that when Clara had come barging in. Sweet, eager Clara, who was far too cavalier about the family I’d married into, who did not see the danger. I’d wanted to cover her mouth when she’d bossed at Gio, though, thankfully, he’d seemed more amused than insulted by her sass. However, I didn’t know how far his tolerance would go, and Clara didn’t seem to realize he was a threat. She hadn’t taken any of my previous warnings seriously.

Huffing, she plopped down into the chair.

“So, tell me, why on earth you think I’m going to abandon my best friend just because she married into the mob?” Clara raised her eyebrow at me.

At least she understood the issue. I sighed as I lowered myself into the chair, only a little gingerly. I was still sore, though not in the way I had been yesterday, but my body was not used to nightly marital relations. It had only been two nights, after all, though somehow it felt far longer.

“Because it’s dangerous?” Which should be a good enough reason for anyone, but not for Clara. She sniffed derisively.

“They are still merely men.”

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