Page 75 of Wicked Rivals

Time to be direct.

“What about an ex-lover?” I asked. “A boyfriend who couldn’t stand the thought of you in another man’s bed?”

She froze near the far wall of my study, her back going rigid. Then she slowly turned to look at me over her shoulder.

“Are you really accusing me of being impure?”

“I don’t give a fuck about your virginity, Benedetta. As long as you’re not carrying another man’s child and you ended all relations from before our engagement, as agreed, then it’s none of my business.”

“Well, you’re in the minority with that,” she seethed. “Stefano, I've remained untouched. I’m sure you understand the consequences of dishonoring my father like that before he decided who my husband would be.”

Her eyes narrowed again with a twitch.

“And to imply otherwise is an insult to my family.”

“My son’s life is on the line. I must consider every avenue.”

“Well, that avenue is a dead end,” she snapped. “I can promise you that.”

Leaning forward, I pressed my palms against my eyelids, hoping to mitigate the beginning of a headache.

“If it is, then give me an alternative. I can’t link any of my rivals to this. And no ties between this botched job and the Commission either. There’s just… nothing.”

Benedetta hurried back to her seat on the sofa and realigned her perfect posture.

“The alternative is simple. Cancel the contract, Stefano.”

“What?”

I dropped my hands and opened my eyes to stare at her.

“You want to break our marriage contract? Is that why you showed up here this morning?”

She shook her head.

“I came because my father told me to. He said I needed to ease your cold feet. I was supposed to dangle myself in front of you and act like the doting bride, concerned about my future husband after a shootout in Brooklyn.”

A bitter chuckle escaped me.

“And instead of playing the part, you would rather go back to your father and tell him you’re no longer marrying me?”

Don Capaldo would not take that well.

Another small smile flickered over her lips, this time with less fury and more wry amusement.

“Well, it won't be pleasant. But I think it’s the best course of action for now.”

“So you're willing to let me call off this wedding so late in the game? What about your reputation? Even if I take the blame, you’ll still be the one damaged by it. And I don't think you have time for your reputation to heal before your father must find you another husband.”

She shrugged a bony shoulder.

“I’m willing to call it off myself. I have grounds for it, even if you didn’t know you had a child. You do now. I don’t want to be a home-wrecker, Stefano. And I refuse to have that innocent boy's blood on my hands.

“Nor do I want to be the other woman in my own home. But we both know my father would kill me, so you need to do it. Oh, he’ll be furious for sure, but his anger will be directed at you instead of me.”

I wasn’t too concerned about a dying man’s tantrum.

Let the old fucker be furious.

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