Page 42 of Forced Vows

"You say that like it has bearing on this discussion. It doesn't," he says calmly.

Too calmly.

I don't want him to be calm. I want Miceli to feel as out of control and trapped as I do, but he never will.

How can he? He's not only a made man, but he's the underboss. The only person in the Genovese Family with more power, is his brother, the don.

He could have refused this alliance marriage, but he went along because like so many men in the mafia and mob, he doesn't care who he marries. I'm just a walking reproductive system to him.

A way to cement an alliance neither family would trust completely without the promised child.

Because of all the deaths. "Just because we could never prove it, doesn't mean I'm ignorant of who killed my father."

"Who?" Miceli has the gall to ask.

"No culprit was ever identified." Like he doesn't know this. I let every bit of contempt I feel for the mafia show in my face. "But I know who my money is on."

"The Cosa Nostra?" he asks like it's the most ridiculous idea ever.

"Bingo."

"We didn't kill your father."

"How would you know? You didn't even know your people killed my mother."

"Eleven years ago, I was a low-ranking soldier. Six years ago, I was not. I would have known if one of the Five Families took a hit out on your dad."

"He's dead."

"Which is not irrefutable proof that it was at the hands of the Cosa Nostra. If it will make you feel better, I will dig into it further."

I shake my head. "You think I will trust you to tell me if you find out his murderer is one of your own?"

"I'm not going to lie to you about it."

His words have a ring of certainty I can't allow myself to trust, but a tiny part of me…hello, vajayjay…wants to.

"You promise me you will tell me what you find out?" Did I really ask that, like I could trust his vow?

"On my oath as a Genovese."

I suck in a shocked breath. That kind of promise is binding. No matter who it is made to. Man or woman. Enemy or friend.

One of the things my cousins and I learned about Miceli during our research is that he does not break his word. Neither does his brother.

Which might be something to hold onto if it wasn't the very trait that has me trapped in this deal.

"Now, you promise me on the memory of both your parents that you will never do anything so fucking stupid and dangerous as ditching your guards so you can get away to have sex with a stranger again."

"Wow. You went from almost human to overbearing ogre in a single sentence. You're talented."

"This is not a damn joke, Róise."

"No, it's not," I agree with venom. "Two months ago, I was blackmailed into agreeing to a marriage I don't want. To a stranger I wasn't even given the name of."

"Your uncle should not have been so secretive with you. Withholding information is sometimes necessary, but this time it wasn't."

He's preaching to the choir on this one.

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