I swallowed the bile that rose up in my throat. “I want your word first.”
“At least you’re learningsomething,”he said smugly. “Alright… you apologizeto my liking,then I’ll allow you a phone call with your sister-in-law. Which I will listen in on.”
Fucking son of a bitch.
“And what does ‘to your liking’ mean?” I asked.
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“I’ll apologize. What I’mnotgoing to do is grovel.”
“Then fuck off.”
I would have gladly given my left arm to kill him.
But getting one last chance to see Cat was worth almost any sacrifice…
And it wouldn’t even require the loss of any limbs.
…just my pride.
I at least knew one thing was certain:
He didn’t give a shit about me saying I didn’t want to marry Isabella.
He only cared that I had offendedhim.
I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I tried to convince my brother to cancel the wedding. I shouldn’t have done that. You were right; you made a deal with my family, and I tried to sabotage it. That was disrespectful and wrong of me. I ask your forgiveness for my foolish behavior.”
“And for disrespecting me as your new Don,” he snarled.
I stopped short.
Dario was my Don.
But…
Vicari had a point.
I was marrying into his family…
And he was the leader of that family.
“…and for disrespecting you as my new Don,” I said quietly. “For that, I ask your forgiveness.”
Vicari sat there smirking, obviously quite happy to see me bowing down to him.
And though I could see he was thinking about humiliating me further…
I knew he was also trying to avoid overplaying his hand like he had with Niccolo.
I was also betting he was itching to find out what was going on with my family.
He didn’t trust me – or them – any further than he could throw us.
But he did have one more way to put me in my place.
He stood up from his chair…