Page 19 of The Cost of Corruption

My whole life, no one had ever talked about me that way—like I was a real person. Not a thing to be used or manipulated.

But no matter how nice Matteo’s words sounded, they still didn’t change a thing.

“I should go with him,” I said, unable to keep the sadness out of my voice.

“Should?” Matteo raised his brows. “I don’t give a shit aboutshould. What do youwant?”

Oh God, why did he keep asking that? Didn’t he know that the answer didn’t matter?

Wantwas for people whose lives weren’t mapped out for them from the moment they were born. For people whose families didn’t enforce their will with murder and violence.

“My father wants to kill you,” I said, dropping my voice down to a low whisper. “Maybe if I go with him, I can calm him down and talk him out of it.”

His dark eyes studied mine. “You think I’m afraid of your father?”

“No.” I shook my head. Clearly, he wasn’t. He should have been, though. “But all of this is my fault. I’m the one who caused the fight by leaving Alessia’s party. I’m the one who drank too much and couldn’t stop touching you. I should be the one to face his anger. Not you.”

I watched Matteo’s brows pulled together, his brow wrinkling in confusion. “You’re trying to protect me?”

“Of course.” Why wouldn’t I be? My over-protective mob boss father was openly threatening to kill the one man I’d ever dared to touch. If Matteo were thinking clearly, he’d be just as scared as I was.

“What are you two whispering about?” my father demanded from the doorway.

“Nothing,” I rushed to placate him. “I’m coming. Just let me grab my veil, and I’ll be right there.”

I tried to pull away from Matteo, but he held firm to my wrist, not letting me move an inch.

“And what about you?” he demanded.

I shook my head, not understanding the question. “What about me?”

“What will he do to you?”

“Shout and scream,” I answered with a shrug. If it was anything like the last time I’d disappointed him, he might even slap me around a little—though I kept that part to myself. “Butwhat he won’t do is kill me. He’ll just ship me off to a new convent. Probably in Rome if I had to guess.”

Somewhere completely cloistered where all the sisters kept a vow of silence, and no one stepped foot off the grounds.

Matteo’s gaze burned into mine. “And is that what you want?”

“No, of course not, but?—”

I never had the chance to explain. Before I could say another word, Matteo pulled me behind him and turned to face my father.

“Go home, Costa,” he said, his tone final. “Chastity is staying with me.”

“The hell she is,” my father roared, renewing his struggle against the security guard’s hold. “I’ll fucking kill you before I let you violate my daughter.”

“Papa!” I shouted over his screams. “Please calm down. Both of you. I know we can talk this out.”

“Talk?” my father scoffed. “Can’t you see that all this bastard wants is to corrupt you? He won’t be happy until he gets you in his bed and fucks you like a common whore. Is that what you want? To throw your life away on some degenerate pimp?”

I shuddered at his crass description.

“You’ve got it all wrong. Matteo isn’t the bad guy,” I tried to explain. “I’m the one who started all this. I’m the one who kissed him.”

“Chastity, don’t descend deeper into sin by lying for him.”

“I’m not,” I said. “It’s the truth. I swear it.”

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