Page 108 of Diavolo

"How could you choose her over me, my love?"

"Because you are no longer useful to me."

"Did you ever love me?"

"You know I am not the kind of man who believes in love."

"Kill me, then, if you are man enough!"

Monte and Luca led Elyse around a corner into the hallway. She could no longer see Alessandro or Cara, but she could still hear them.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You are worth more to me—alive. For now."

"What about your wife?"

"What about her?"

"It does not bother you at all that I tried to kill her tonight?"

"I only care that you disrespectedmethrough her."

The indifference in his tone wrenched Elyse's heart. Was Alessandro bluffing to maintain appearances? Or was there some truth here?

"That is all?"

"That is all."

Elyse walked down the hallway alongside Monte and Luca. With each passing step, Alessandro and Cara's voices faded more and more.

"You do not care for your pretty doctor? There were rumors. I assumed you might have married the bitch for love."

"That is where you are mistaken. I married my wife because she is a Graviano. My allegiance always lies first with thecosca. Not a woman."

This chilling declaration was the last Elyse heard as she exited the villa with Monte and Luca. It held an echo of Valentina's advice. She didn't know if Alessandro had been speaking out of leftover anger from their fight. Or if he genuinely meant every word. Regardless, it fucking hurt to process everything. Or maybe the pain from the wound was finally getting to her.

Nils pulled up in their car. Elyse winced when Monte and Luca helped her into the vehicle. She sat alone, nursing her shoulder, for ten minutes before Alessandro joined her. Once her husband slid into the backseat, he handed her several clean towels. "For you."

"Thank you," Elyse grunted as she pressed them to her injury.

Alessandro studied her with the same unreadable expression that he had worn inside the ballroom. Their eyes found each other. For several drawn-out beats, he simply stared her down without uttering a sound. She felt uneasy under the weight of his gaze. "Yes?"

Finally, Alessandro reached over to clasp her hand. Her husband's touch felt warm and familiar, but his words from moments ago still left her chilled inside.My allegiance always lies first with the cosca. Not a woman.

"I almost lost you tonight," he stated in an almost inaudible whisper.

Her heart throbbed thickly in response. This was true.Cara nearly sent her to an early grave.Elyse paused. "But you didn't. I'm still here."

Alessandro signaled to Nils to head home. As the car started to move, he scooted closer to her. "This can never happen again. I was too fucking careless."

Elyse's mind began to spiral. First Carmen. Now Cara. These women were truly psychotic. Elyse felt like she was going insane as well. She tried to reassure herself by reassuring him, "No one could've predicted Cara's intentions tonight. What matters is that I survived."

We survived. Elyse realized, then, that she had put herself in the line of fire for this man. The same man who, supposedly, only thought of her as a Graviano, as a means to an end.

"I made you a target when I married you."

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