“Exactly. It’s Gennaro’s fault. He’s not the nice man who saved a kid off the streets. He wanted to use you all along. I bet he’s not just making you his official heir without wanting something in return either.”

“He must be thinking about his retirement. Now that he’s older, he probably plans to enjoy his life and focus less on business. In his mind, I won and I’m capable of running everything on my own and ensuring his safety too. I suppose he wants to take credit for my success and show up in public like a proud father who gave me everything. He wants to be a hero, and not just in the eyes of the public, but in the mafia circles too. And he’d get all that if I agree,because he can spin a nice story.”

“But you won’t agree to that, right?”

“I don’t know what has to happen for me to agree. I definitely don’t want to.” I already told Gennaro I didn’t want anything from him.

“What happens now, though?” she asks. “Matteo is out there. Gennaro wants you to be his heir. So if you refuse, is he going to choose Matteo instead? Will they both come for us?”

I hate seeing the worried look in her eyes. She should be calm and relaxed, especially now that she’s pregnant. But even if she wasn’t carrying my twins, I still wouldn’t want her to be stressed out.

“I don’t know. Gennaro is still hoping I’ll change my mind. But we’re safe here and everything’s going to be fine.” I take her hand and place a soft kiss on her knuckles. “No one will get to us, and I’ll take care of Matteo and Gennaro.”

“We still have to do the paternity test, and I’ll have to go to a doctor to make sure everything’s okay with our babies.”

“There’s no need for the test.” I believe her.

I have no reason not to. She could’ve already killed me or invited Matteo here or whatever. If the twins were really his, Matteo would’ve never let her come back to me. It would be completely insane, even for him.

This isn’t some part of their twisted plan. The gameMatteo was playing is over because Chiara managed to escape his clutches. I wish she hadn’t had to go through all of it, and I wish I could’ve done something, but there had been no time. Now that Chiara is with me, I’m never letting anyone near her.

But Matteo has to be dealt with and fast. I don’t want him running around and coming up with more crazy plans.

“I still want to do it,” Chiara says. “I don’t want there to be any doubts or confusion. We don’t know what Matteo might pull next, and I don’t want him to be able to get to you or play mind games with you.”

“Okay.” I press my lips against her forehead. “And I’ll set up everything with the doctors. There’s a clinic close by.”

I caress her hair. How did I get so lucky to have a woman like her with me? I always thought she’d be running away from me and not coming back to me.

Unless she’s doing it because she doesn’t have a choice. She’s been dragged into the mafia world and there’s danger out there. Her pregnancy only makes things more difficult.

What if she only returned because she knew I’d protect her? I would do it anyway, whether she loves me or not, but she can’t know that.

Loves me.

It’s so strange to think about it. But my life has changed, and I’m in love with her. I want to have a family. I want her to be my family, without forcing anything.

But if I want to be sure she really wishes to stay with me, I have to remove the danger from our lives. Matteo’s plan failed, and he has to pay for everything he’s done and tried to do.

How could I lure him out? Catch him into a trap?

“I have an idea,” I say softly. “But you’re not going to like it.”

“Huh?” Chiara pushes herself up and furrows her brow. “What idea? Why won’t I like it?”

“Because it would require me to burn your house down.”

“What?” Her jaw goes slack.

“Matteo doesn’t know what happened. I doubt he could’ve found out you and I are together. Maybe we can make him think his plan is still working. If I burn down your house, he’ll think I’m furious with you. Your parents would have to go somewhere safe and the restaurant would be spared, but it would have to stay closed for a while.”

Her eyes bulge.

My plan probably sounds crazy to her, but we’re dealing with Matteo, so it might work.

CHAPTER 14

Chiara