Page 1 of The Temptation
Chapter 1
Romeo
I’m lurking in the corner of the hospital room as my best friend and his family fawn over his newborn baby daughter. I’m the only person here who doesn’t share a scrap of DNA with anyone present, but I don’t feel left out, quite the opposite.
I feel included …wanted. This is why I love being part of theFamiglia(Family). It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever truly felt like I belonged somewhere.
It’s a reminder that family isn’t always about blood. It’s about love, loyalty, and showing up. Sometimes, the people who choose you and stand by you end up meaning even more to you than those who birthed you.
Dante Mancini—the Don of theFamiglia—is like a brother to me, so I knew the second his face fell as he glanced down at the screen of his phone that whatever he’d read in the text message he just received wasn’t good news. He quickly schooled his features before anyone noticed, but it wasn’t quick enough to fool me. Over the years, I’ve come to know this man better than he knows himself.
After sliding his phone back into his pocket and running his flattened palms down the front of his trousers—another tell—his eyes briefly meet mine as he stands and crosses the room, heading straight for Alexander, his biological brother.
My suspicions deepen when he demands Alex hand back his daughter, giving him some flimsy excuse that holds no merit.
A knot of unease twists in my stomach when he finally manages to herd us out of his wife’s room, following us into the corridor. That can only mean one thing … I’m right. And whatever it is, he doesn’t want Arabella to hear.
My eyes don’t leave him, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he’s now a father. He holds his little girl so effortlessly, so protectively, and with that unwavering confidence he’s always had despite her being so fragile and small.
It’s hard to believe the man he was before he became the Don—the carefree jokester, always ready for a good time, the ladies’ man—is now a devoted husband and father.
It’s hard not to envy him. Deep down, a small part of me has carried the hope that someday I might have a family of my own … to be the kind of parent I never had. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part because people like me don’t usually get happy endings. Despite that, the pipe dream still lingers.
Dante motions for me to come closer, pulling me out of my thoughts as I step forward. “Giuseppe Salvatori and some of his men just boarded a plane to Australia,” he whispers in my ear, his voice low and tense. “You need to get Lucia to a safe house immediately.”
That knowledge hits me like a punch to the gut for two reasons. The first is the paralysing fear that Lucia’s safety is now in serious jeopardy. I’d hate to see what would become of her if Salvatori gets his filthy hands on her.
That motherfucker will marry that woman over my dead body.
My second concern, and probably the most dangerous of the two, is being locked away in a house with Lucia Rossi for the foreseeable future. That’s going to be a different kind of hell. It’s a temptation I don’t want or need. I’ve been avoiding her for months now, with good reason.
I blow out a frustrated breath because it’s an order, and I have no choice but to obey it. “Okay, boss,” I say, with a nod.
“You’ll need to go to the house and grab some of her things. Take whatever food you want. I’ll make sure it’s all replenished by the time Arabella is released from here. I’ll come as soon as I can, but you may be in lockdown for a while.”
“Do you think Salvatori is bringing a war to us?”
He lifts one shoulder. “More than likely, I doubt he’s coming here for a leisurely holiday. For now, my first priority is Lucia. I guarantee he has his sights set on her. I’ll worry about the rest later. If you need to contact me, use the encrypted message app.”
“Alright.”
I wait until he disappears back inside Arabella’s room before I stalk towards Lucia. “You’re coming with me,” I say, grasping her elbow.
“I am?” she answers as her pretty brown eyes widen. “Where are we going?”
“We’re leaving,” I grumble.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“No!” she replies, digging in her heels.
“What do you mean, no?” I growl.
“I’m staying here with my sister and baby niece.”
“This is not up for negotiation.” I bend my kneesslightly, capturing her around the waist and hoisting her over my shoulder in one swift movement. She’s coming with me whether she likes it or not.
