Page 61 of The Forbidden Husband

“The call?”

“I want you to call off the hit. Right now. In front of me.”

A smile pulled to his lips. “I taught you well,” he said, pulling out his phone and putting it on speaker. “Is it done?”

“Not yet, Sir. We have everyone pinned down. The sniper is in position. When they come up, we’ll have him.”

He looked at me, and I clenched my jaw. “Call it off.”

“What?” the man shouted. “We have him, Boss.”

“Call. It. Off.”

He ended the call, and a weight faded from my chest. They were still alive, and my decision would ensure that remained the case. I just had to do this.

“Proceed.”

He turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

I knew what the bargain had been. I knew what I had to do, and I tried to justify it. Every fiber of my being pushed me to do what was necessary. I was giving this man a part of my body, but only temporarily. The seed inside my womb wouldn’t belong tohim. Nothing would wipe away the true lineage of my child. I just had to lay there andpretend.

I had to give this one last thing…

But I didn’t think I could.

He stepped forward, and I stepped back, lifting a hand. “Wait.”

“We’ve got to get this done, babe.”

I shook my head. I wanted to keep everyone around me safe, but at what cost? I had given everything to everyone around me. I had lost myself and forgotten that I was a fighter. Noemi always fought our father, and she didn’t stop when he threatened her. Because of that fight, she had gotten away.

Livia rebelled against him.

Evelina didn’t bend to his every whim.

I wasdone.

Calling off the hit would have to be enough. Hopefully it would buy Enzo and Giovanni enough time to fight back. Because I wouldn’t go through with this. I couldn’t.

“If you touch me, I’m going to kill you,” I told him.

I told Livia that I couldn’t protect her anymore, though I would still try to find a way when this was all over. Giving my body wasn’t an option. It was the only thing I had left after losing Enzo.

“What the fuck did you say to me?”

“You heard me.”

His eyes narrowed in anger, and he stepped forward. Before he could touch me, he stopped himself. His lips narrowed. “If you weren’t Alonzo’s daughter…”

He allowed his words to trail, but I knew what he meant by them.

He turned toward the door and walked out of the room. The door barely closed before Dad charged inside. “I’m going to have them killed. Both of them. Right fucking now.”

He grabbed his cell phone, but my words stopped him. The only words I knew would give Enzo and Giovanni more time. “I’m pregnant,” I told him. He paused. “I’m pregnant, and I’m not going to let you have this baby. It’s mine, and I’m done with your leverage. I’m done being used by you.”

“Pregnant?” he asked, his phone dropping back into his pocket.

“You’re going to let Evelina go, or everything I know—”

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