Page 6 of Deception & Desire

The two of them stare at each other for a moment as something wordless passes between them. Then, Mia swallows hard and takes a step back.

“What kind of choice is this?” she whispers.

I half expect her to start crying, but she simply stares at her father with a grief I’m not sure how to comprehend. Somehow, it’s so much more terrible because sheisn’tcrying. Everything about her declares that her heart is breaking right before my eyes, but she doesn’t shed a single tear.

Perhaps my reaction is more to do with my relationship with my own parents, but surely, this is not a normal reaction to being told such a terrible thing.

“I’m sorry,” Marco whispers back. “I love you.”

I have to look away for a moment, forcing my mind to focus on all the reasons I need to do this.

Ever since my mother died…ever since Ikilledmy mother for threatening the life of my sister…the Prince’s Hand has been in freefall.

I have no second. I have no heir. There’s no one left to pick up the pieces if I die. And there’s a strong likelihood of that happening, considering the war with the Cartel on the horizon.

The prospect of dying has never been of particular significance to me until now.

Now, my potential death has become quite an inconvenience.

Winning this war is dependent on an alliance between the two Italian factions. An alliance I am willing to consider for the sake of my sister, who decided to endanger herself once more by marrying the don of the Guild.

Then again, I’d be willing to consideranythingif it kept her and my niece safe.

They’re the only family I have left in the world.

“And you’re okay with this arrangement, are you?” Mia yells at me, emerald eyes screaming louder than her voice ever could.

The Guild needs my support, but they’re worthless without me. I’m a risk. If I die at the wrong moment, it could endanger everyone else.

They need an insurance policy—an heir to my throne—as soon as possible.

A wife was the simplest solution.

And if it meant the alliance would become viable…if it kept my sister safe…

“Yes.”

It’s the first words I’ve spoken out loud to her since that fateful day all those months ago.

I thought she was nothing more than Teo’s feral bodyguard. Entirely too sure of herself, judgmental, mindlessly loyal. Though her little party trick of toppling men three times her size was, in fairness, a useful one.

Thinking about it now, of course, it would make sense that she was Marco Chiavari’s daughter.

The oldest surviving member of the Guild was perhaps the most respected man at the negotiation table. When he made me the proposal, it had felt like something akin to an honor.

At leastthisI could get right. I could marry a respected woman. I could sire an heir. I could save my family.

But all my plans will fall to the wayside if Mia doesn’t make it down the aisle.

“You’re okay with marrying a total stranger, so that, what? You can knock her up at your earliest convenience? Force her to bear you an heir she doesn’t want? Own her like some kind of…dairy cow?”

Mia storms forward relentlessly, leaving her father behind.

“Yes,” I inform her. “This union will save lives.”

She comes to a stop right in front of me, long hair tipping down her back so that she can look me in the eye. “This union might killme,not that any of you bastards give a shit about me.”

“It is as your father said. I will keep you safe.”

---