Page 63 of The Marriage Contract

“After tomorrow, when Father gives his blessing, we won’t have to worry about timelines. With the Romanos gone, we won’t have to worry about threats. We’re going to make it through this together.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’m not,” I tell her honestly. “There’s every chance Father refuses to accept you. There’s a chance we have to leave this city, go to the West Coast, and start a new life in Hollywood. For you, I’d make that sacrifice.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” she says. “Maria said it could cause a Mafia war, people trying to take out your dad once they know he hasn’t got an heir.”

I sigh heavily. “Yeah, that’s a possibility.”

“Then how?—”

“I chooseyou,” I cut in. “I can’t control everyone else. I can’t make Father see reason. I can’t force himnotto be a hypocrite, but I know one thing, Elena. I can never,neverlet you go.”

“I love you,” she whispers, cuddling closer to me.

“I love you too.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

ELENA

We’ve come full circle. The four of us—Salvatore, Maria, Dario, and I—sit in the same dining room where we shared our first meal. Memories return to me as Clara brings in tea and coffee, the etiquette I completely messed up, the nerves that made me ache like I was going to break down.

Once Maria pours the drinks, I say, “Thank you, Maria.” I don’t let myself give a single frick about the look Salvatore gives Dario. Since we’re going nuclear, I don’t have to worry about being too nice to the staff.

Salvatore’s sharp eyes flit between Maria and Dario. “You wanted to see me?” he says after a long pause.

Dario rests his elbows on the table, almost like a challenge, declaring that he’s finished with his old uptight ways. He looks dashing and capable in his pale blue shirt, sleeves rolled up, his taut forearms taking me back to last night. My body aches in the best way, my inner thighs throbbing as if demanding more. I never dreamed it would be so effortless.

“I hired Elena to pretend to be my fiancée. She’s not from a rich family out west. She’s from a relatively poor family right here in the city. She’s not a Mafia girl. She’s a kindhearted, funny, beautiful woman with her own dreams and aspirations.”

“You hired her,” Salvatore says, eyes narrowed. “I’m not following.”

“We were going to get divorced after the wedding. I was going to use it as an excuse to stay single. I was tired of the pressure from all sides to get married and secure the family line. I just wanted to live in peace. Before Elena, that’s what I thought I wanted. I never imagined I’d genuinely fall in love. I didn’t think Icouldfall in love.”

He reaches across the table and takes my hand. When I see Salvatore’s eyes bulging, I almost yank my hand away. He stares at our clasped hands as though it’s a personal affront.

“Dario, let’s speak alone,” he says.

“No, Father,” Dario replies. “We’re not cutting Elena out of this conversation. She deserves to be here. She deserves to hear anything you’re going to say.”

Salvatore steeples his fingers, looking at me severely. For a moment, I think he’s going to start yelling. It’s like there’s all this pent-up pressure in him getting ready to explode.

“How much has my son paid you?”

“A lot,” I admit, “and he was going to pay me even more. When this began, it was about money. I won’t deny that.”

“Now we’re to believe that this motivation has miraculously disappeared?”

I’m about to waver, but then Dario squeezes my hand supportively, giving me the strength to respond. “Coming here has been the craziest experience of my life. It meant giving up what could’ve been my big break in the theater. It meant leaving my sick aunt. It meant trying to exist in a world where I don’t belong, being laughed at, sneered at, but this is the truth, sir. If your son were dirt-poor, I’d still love him.”

“I suppose I should simply take your word for that,” he says.

“You tookmyword, Salvatore,” Maria says.

“Maria,” he snaps.

“They alreadyknow,” she scolds. “I’ve told them both about who I really am, about my true origins. I’m sorry. I know you never wanted me to tell anyone, but once I learned who Elena was?—”

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