Page 37 of Sinful Queen (Dark Mafia Sins 5)

“Excuses me?” My fingers steeple under my nose as I try not to murder the head of the Rossi clan. “That is out of the question. Katrina married me before our baby was born, and I am the father. I own her now.” Never mind the fact that I think I might be in love with her. “If we do what you are suggesting, she would be disgraced. Women are beautiful but evil piranhas, and when they smell blood, they attack.”

I lean back in my chair as he leans forward in his. “You manipulated her into thinking she had to do this for the good of the family.”

“If she felt that way, it was because of you. She came to me, not the other way around.” He stills at my confession, and my eyes narrow on his when I add, “We can either take this marriage as an alliance, one that Katrina desperately wanted for her family. Or we can consider each other enemies. We both know I’m stronger than you right now.”

“I don’t know what has been said, but our family has always tried to protect Katrina.” He points a finger at me.

I smile back at him, showing my teeth. I watch as my expression makes him glare at me harder. “You’ve done a shitty job, and now it’s mine. Now what will it be?”

My brows rise as I wait for a concrete answer. If he chooses enemy, I will destroy him before he has a chance to see sunlight again. He hates that I have the upper hand. I watch as his jaw slides back and forth. We’re in a standoff, waiting for the other person to cave. It won’t be me.

“Marriages have always been an alliance in my family,” he grits out like it kills him. It’s almost comical how I can take such a strong man and make him submit. “I have a couple of ideas how to merge our businesses to work together.”

I don’t think so. They need to prove to me this is real before I will link my way of life with theirs.

I’m already tired of listening to this asshole. It’s time to get to the point of why I asked him here. “I want to know why you sold Katrina’s gallery.” Her brother stands abruptly at my question, acting like he has no idea of the pain and suffering they’ve caused my wife. “You realize the only reason Katrina is self-conscious in any way is because of your family and how you treat her, right?”

“Katrina is the most confident person I know. If she weren’t, she would have never fallen in love with one of her sister’s boyfriends. She wouldn’t have slept with you for damn sure.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Luca!” Katrina’s gasp has me looking up. She stands in my office doorway, looking hurt. He pauses and looks at her. “When will you forgive me for my past? Did you sell my gallery to teach me a lesson?” she asks.

I wanted to spare her this disappointment. I hadn’t planned for them to see each other.

He stalks up to her, and I’m behind him, ready to set him straight if he disrespects my wife. “You told me nothing, Katrina. I thought you were in rehab, like everyone else in the world thought. No one knows how to run a gallery, especially the way you wanted. I didn’t want to disrespect what you created by turning it into just another family cover business. A buyer came by and wanted all of your paintings.” Her hand flies to her heart. By the looks of it, she didn’t realize all her art was sold in the process. “I looked into the buyer. They were a real collector. So, I sold all of your paintings and closed up shop.”

“I lived and breathed that gallery. It was the one thing I considered mine in my life, even though I was forced to share it with the family. I go away for a bit and you sell it from under me!” she yells. The same fire I’ve admired in her eyes is now lit against her brother. She is beyond sexy when she’s angry.

My cock strains in my pants. I want to be balls-deep in her once again. I’ve missed this side of her while I’ve been trying to restrain myself since she gave birth.

“You don’t get it. You never trusted any of us with your secrets. You would lie and sneak around. It’s time for you to look around you. You’re in this situation because you refuse your family’s help. You think you know more than everyone. I can’t help you anymore. And that is onyou.” Luca is calm the entire time while he argues with my wife, but if an angry Katrina didn’t turn me on so much, I would have stopped it once it began.

“She doesn’t need saving, Luca. All she wants is her family’s support.”

He glares at me. He knows better than to start a fight in my house, so without another word, he turns on his heels and walks toward the entrance.

“Are we still an alliance?” I tease, wanting to get a reaction out of him.

“We’re an alliance, but she’syourproblem now.”

My strides are stealthy as I catch up to him and shove him to the wall, catching him off guard with my hand around his throat. “You need to get this straight. Katrina is not a problem. You can’t or refuse to understand her, and that’s onyou.” I would love to cut off one of his fingers, especially his trigger finger, just to make sure he’s paying close attention to what I’m saying, but I use all my self-control and refrain.

He wheezes but doesn’t fight or ask me to let go of his throat. He’s too proud.

“Tell my wife you’re sorry.” I push him down to his knees, and he sucks in a deep breath he desperately needed. This is the moment of truth. Are we truly an alliance, or are we enemies?

Luca glares at me as he speaks to my wife. “Katrina, as you know, I came from nothing. Our father saved me from a miserable life that would have soon turned into death.” His eyes slide from me to look at his sister. His irises shift from hard, angry, black dots to something softer, and sincere as he continues. “I’m not trying to be mean. I honestly only have the best intentions for you. I want to make Father proud. And I wantallmy sisters to be proud of where they came from. I’m sorry if you think I am trying to hurt you. I’m not.”

It’s the best apology he will ever make. I stay silent, wanting him to sweat it out on his knees, my hand firm around the base of his neck. Finally, I release him, and he slowly stands.

“Thank you, Luca. Just as you are trying not to hurt me, I am doing the same. We both want the same things here.” Katrina looks pained from fighting with her brother. I’m proud that she never allows herself to be a doormat to them and stands up for herself.

He nods toward Katrina and then myself as he walks out of our home.

When the door closes, Katrina rushes to me. Her arms wrap around me, and she kisses me with everything she has. She’s my biggest temptation and, most likely, my biggest weakness.

“No one has ever stood up for me like that. You are the sexiest husband I could ever have.”

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