Page 39 of Secret Baby for the Mafia Don
“Maybe.” I nod, glad she finally understands the gravity. "Or they'd force a marriage, not to me, of course. Or maybe they’ll come up with something even worse than anything I've suggested today."
Antonio looks completely defeated. "Gabriella, perhaps?—"
"Three days," I cut in. "You have three days to decide. Either she's on a plane to Italy, or I bring this to the next meeting."
I straighten my suit jacket, a strange sense of victory washing over me even as my chest feels like it’s in a vise.
This is what needs to be done, for Antonio, for La Corona, for all of us.
The fact that it will also remove the constant temptation of Gabriella from my life is a bonus.
"For what it's worth," I say, pausing at the door, "I never wanted it to come to this."
Her eyes flash with defiance even now. "You never wanted me at all."
That’s not true, but of course I can’t tell her that.
At this point, it wouldn’t matter.
I turn without responding and stride out of the office.
Behind me, I can hear Antonio's quiet voice trying to reason with his daughter, but her heated responses tell me this battle is far from over.
Good. Let her fight.
Let her rage.
As long as she does it from the safety of Italy, far from Blackwood's reach and far from me.
8
GABRIELLA
I struggle to maintain my composure. I won't give my father the satisfaction of seeing how Marco's threats affected me.
"Are you happy now?" My father’s voice cuts through the silence.
"Happy? That man just threatened us both and you're asking if I'm happy?"
He slams his palm against the wooden arm of the chair. "No, Gabriella. He threatened what would happen if you continue this dangerous game with the Feds. What were you thinking?"
“This agent approached me?—"
"And you should have walked away immediately!" His face flushes red. "Do you understand what you've done? The danger you've put us in?"
I cross my arms. "I didn't tell him anything."
"It doesn't matter! Being seen with an FBI agent is enough."
He rubs his forehead, the gesture making him look older. "The moment anyone in our world suspects we're talking to law enforcement, we become targets."
"Marco is the target we should be worried about."
"Enough!” His outburst makes me flinch. "Marco has been the only thing standing between us and disaster for months."
"You can't possibly believe?—"
"What I believe is that bringing in the Feds will destroy everything. They don't want to help us, Gabriella. They want to use us to bring everyone down. Best case scenario? We spend decades in prison. Worst case? We never make it to trial."
