Page 58 of The Forbidden Husband

My hand lingered over my lower belly.

I didn’t think I wanted that anymore. What I wanted was back in New York, and he had to know the entire truth. He had to know that I never offered any important information and that I was trying to stop this from happening.

He had to survive.

And my sisters…

There was one thing I had to do first. Before I went back to Enzo, I needed to make sure my sisters were accounted for and out. If I could get them out, I could have the future I wanted. Everything had the potential to fall into place.

I dialed Jaimie and listened to the rings.

“What?” she answered, her one terse.

“Jaimie, did—”

“You lied to all of us,” she said.

“There’s more to it than that. I’m going to explain. But I need my sisters out first. Did you find them?”

The line went silent, and the back noise around her faded before she spoke again. “I don’t do blind faith, Bianchi. But I wasn’t going to let two girls be punished for shit they’re not involved in. I found one of them, but I can’t get her out. She’s under heavy guard. That one is the youngest. The older sister is missing. Finding her will take more time.”

“Evelina?” I asked as my heart skipped a beat.

“I can find her, but I need time.”

“But you can’t get either of them?”

She paused. “It will take time.”

“I don’t have time,” I shouted, ending the call.

My father would learn that I failed him, and Evelina would be sold in a matter of days? Hours? I didn’t even know how long I had been unconscious. I also couldn’t understand whyEnzo would send me away rather than keeping me close and questioning me, but that was something I would unpack later.

I thought I had everything figured out. I thought I would be able to get my sisters out and have the family I had started dreaming of, but if I could only have one thing—if both options weren’t on the table…

Evelina and Livia had to come first. But Enzo and his uncle were just as important. They deserved to survive me and my father’s plans. My happiness would come second. The baby in my womb… well, I would make sure it was loved and cared for regardless of my situation.

I dialed a number I had hoped never to dial again.

My father answered on one of the last rings. “You fucked up,” he snarled as soon as he answered. “All my intel in the Rissi family has gone dark, and they are suspicious. What did you do?”

His pissed off tone should have terrified me, but I was on a mission.

“Don’t kill Giovanni,” I demanded. “I’ll do anything. Anything. But don’t go through with the plan to kill him.”

He laughed hard. “You’re fucking kidding me. You’re going to negotiate with me?”

“What do you want from me? I can work for you. I can be anything, but I want them to be left out of the situation.”

“You are stupid if you think you matter more than everything that is at play.”

“I don’t,” I told him, keeping my tone steady. “I know I don’t. But they have you outnumbered, and when you attack,they will win. Whether or not you take out the entire bloodline. They have plans to keep everything running smoothly, even in the event of their deaths. But you? You have two daughters who you are holding captive, none of whom will take over for you or remember you when you are killed. When you die, you will become nothing. Nobody will remember you in a few years, nor will they care to.”

“I have three daughters under my thumb, and that’s more than enough.”

“You don’t have me anymore. You didn’t even see me leave New York. You won’t find me if I don’t want to be found.” Silence greeted me on the other end of the line. “Even if I come back, there is no guarantee my sisters will be safe. You won’t be able to use them as leverage anymore if I never come back, and neither of them will do your bidding the way I always have, will they?”

He knew the truth. Livia was too rebellious, and she would betray him at the first opportunity. Evelina… well, she wasn’t socially aware enough to be of use to him.

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