Page 4 of Unspoken Ties

“We received intel they were going after you, too. The plan was to eliminate the Alto lineage completely.”

“Huh?”

“Fortunately, you have a friend here.” I was getting a headache from the night’s stress, and started massaging the side of my temple. “If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have intervened.”

“You would have let me die?” Hilaria asked. Leone had protected her so fiercely, leaving her sheltered and unaware of the harsh realities of the world. Just because our families had a truce didn’t mean I was under any obligation to save her.

“Yes,” I responded. “Fortunately, I thought of better use for you.”

The corner of her mouth curved into a frown, revealing her displeasure with my choice of words. But I couldn’t be bothered by her disapproval. She remained silent, her eyes fixed on me, waiting for an explanation.

“You’re going to marry me,” I said simply.

In the wake of Leone’s departure, a vast array of opportunities and resources lay before me. He had always been an unstoppable force within the five - well, now four - families and no one was able to surpass him. With him out of the picture, I could now access his contacts, secret locations, and lucrative income sources. The only thing I needed to do was marry Hilaria.

Technically, I could have accomplished this task without getting married, but being joined in matrimony definitely simplified things. And now that I had laid eyes on her, being married to someone with her looks didn’t seem like such an unpleasant proposition.

“M-marry you? I don’t even know you!”

A look of disgust crept across her face, as if the mere thought of marriage to me was revolting. She shrank back, her body language conveying a strong sense of rejection and disdain. I was slightly insulted; no woman had ever looked at me like that in my life. Most would beg for a night in my bed.

“No. But, you owe me your life. You’d be dead on that restaurant floor if it wasn’t for me.”

“I’ll just…” she bit her nails, not sure how to navigate the situation. “Give you something. You can talk to my father’s consigliere.”

“He’s dead too, sweetheart. Want to see a picture?”

“No! No.”

Hilaria anxiously gnawed on her nails, biting them down to the quick. I could tell she realized she was utterly and completely screwed. Her father had always kept her sheltered from the harsh realities of Mafia business dealings, leaving her unprepared for this dangerous world she now found herself in.

“It’s a good deal for you,” I said, trying to entice her. “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

“I’ll figure it out,” she said, completely unsure of herself.

“Doubtful. You won’t make it back to your house without getting killed.” She looked at me, shocked. “What? Did you think I was going to give you a ride home?”

She didn’t respond, because she knew I was telling the truth.

“And, if I had to guess,” I said. “You want nothing to do with the power you inherited.”

Her eyes, so wide and innocent, swam with a mixture of fear and defiance as she opened her mouth to challenge me, stubborn in her refusal to admit defeat. Yet, no words came out. Her gaze broke away from mine as she looked down, her shoulders falling slightly - an ill-timed admission of her situation.

“Exactly,” I spoke softly, almost sympathetically.

I paused for a moment, letting the gravity of my words sink into her fragile mind. She was quiet, hands clasped tightly together; I could see the terror painted across her face. It was clear she had never imagined herself to someday rise to the occasion, to step into her father’s shoes.

“I’m already engaged to Dillon,” she uttered out.

“Now that your father is dead, the contract is void. You can choose. So,” I took a step forward, closing the distance between us and entering her personal space. “Who is it going to be?”

Chapter three

Liria

As Ettore entered my personal space, I could feel the heat radiating from his body. He crossed his arms in a defensive gesture, towering over me with his broad shoulders and muscular frame. I shifted my gaze away from his piercing eyes, afraid that I might lose my train of thought if I stared at him for too long. Despite my efforts to focus on anything else, it was impossible not to notice how strikingly handsome he was. His chiseled jawline and tousled hair only added to his undeniable charm.

I couldn’t bear the thought of marrying Dillon. His arrogant demeanor, annoying habits, and his constant belittling of me only fueled my desire to escape. On the other hand, Ettore was a wild card - unpredictable, but also potentially dangerous. The thought of choosing between the two sent shivers down my spine as I contemplated the unknown paths each one could take me down.

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