Page 17 of Till Death Do Us Part

“I had Rosa take it away,” Dario said with a hint of a smile. “You will be on your best behavior.”

“Oh hell no. I’m here, I’m dressed, and I’m not armed. Take your wins, brother.” I raised my voice. “Rosa?”

Dario came closer, towering over me. “Mia, as your capo, I’m warning you.”

“You think you can threaten me? With what, Dario? Death? I’ll take that over the life sentence you’re giving me.”

The muscles in the side of his face pulled tight as he clenched his jaw.

“Mia, may we go for a walk?” Catalina asked.

I hid my relief. This had been my plan. I believed if Catalina sensed Dario was becoming angry, she’d step in to try to help. Now I had to assess if she would actually help. “I’m headed to the kitchen to find Rosa.”

Catalina came toward me. “I’ll go with you.” She shot Dario one last glance as we walked from the parlor. She waved off her bodyguard, Armando, as our high heels clicked on the shiny marble floor. Mother had the house staff working around the clock to make a positive impression on the cartel.

I looked toward my sister-in-law. In the two weeks since their last visit, she might have grown a small baby bump. That didn’t mean she didn’t look as lovely as always.

“I’ve known Aléjandro for most of my life.”

Taking a breath, I stopped walking. We were out of earshot of the others yet not near the kitchen. “Catalina, I don’t want this. I don’t like him.” Could I say I hated him? Not yet, but I was confident I would in time.

“You only barely met him.”

“Did you hear about the night of the wedding, after you and Dario went upstairs?”

She nodded. “Aléjandro and Dante got into a disagreement.”

“Do you know why?”

“No.”

“I came across Aléjandro with Jasmine in one of the servants’ hallways. I was trying to avoid people on my way upstairs.”

Catalina’s eyes were wide.

“I sent Jasmine away. Dante and Rocco found Aléjandro and me alone.” I quickly added, “Nothing had happened except tense words. And…oh, yeah, I slapped him.”

Catalina’s cheeks rose in a smile. “I’m sure he deserved it.”

I looked at my sister-in-law pleadingly. “Is there any way for you to talk to Dario? He won’t listen to reason.”

Her lips came together. “This wasn’t a hasty decision. Dario and Patr?n have been in talks for months.”

“But Aléjandro would rather marry Jasmine.”

“That’s not true,” she replied. “Aléjandro knew that bringing Jasmine to the wedding would upset Dario.” She shrugged. “That’s just who he is. He pushes boundaries, ignores rules, all in an effort to find others’ limits.”

“And you think I should marry him?”

“I married a man who does the same thing. If you haven’t noticed, Dario has done his share of rule breaking.”

I shook my head. “Now he makes the rules.”

“And so will Aléjandro one day. The cartel is strong, especially with this alliance. I admit that Aléjandro and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good soldier and a force for the cartel and now the famiglia. My brother likes him, and I trust his opinion.”

“You won’t help me.”

“I’m trying to help you,” she said. “You never deserved to be Rocco’s wife. I didn’t know him well, but he always gave me a bad feeling.”

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