Page 85 of Corrupted Queen

Silvano takes a deep breath and comes around the front of the sofa to face me. He doesn’t see the pregnancy tests neatly lined up on the coffee table. He is too distracted, his features pulled tight with focus.

I don’t like it.

Silvano clears his throat. “I have orders,” he says. “From Gabriel.”

I cock a brow when he doesn’t continue straight away. His lips purse, eyes shifting from me to the door. Is he ... nervous? Do I make Silvano Gambaro nervous?

“I don’t have all day,” I say.

I do have all day. I literally have no plans. But I like seeing him sweat.

“You are to be ejected from the premises,” Silvano continues.

Fine with me. I’m not attached to the mansion in any way, shape, or form, and I’d love to have my freedom back. I am already thinking about where I could stay—Debbie? Or maybe Clara and I could get a place together?—when Silvano drops his final bombshell.

“You must leave Harry here.”

No.No.

My arms tighten around Harry instinctively and I shoot to my feet, ready to run. How could Gabriel do this? I never thought he would sink this low. Even after everything I’ve done, I don’t deserve to have my son cruelly stripped away from me, and Harry needs his mother.

I shake my head. “Harry comes with me.”

“It’s nonnegotiable.”

Harry gurgles in my arms, sensing the molasses-thick tension in the room. I rub his back soothingly.

“I’m not negotiating,” I say in a sharp voice. “I’m telling you that you will not separate my son from me.”

I briefly assess the younger Gambaro. He shares his brother’s short stature, leaving us around the same height. I wonder if I could fight him off. Only thing is he’s corded with muscle and I’m carrying a toddler. Not the easiest scrap.

“Alexis, I can take him from you, or you can say a nice goodbye and leave him here.” He shifts around, as though caging me in. “Think about Harry. You don’t want to traumatize him, do you?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “I am the only one thinking about Harry. You have no idea what removing me from his life will do to him.”

“I’m just following orders.”

I swallow, blinking back the stinging tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. The situation seems hopeless, but I refuse to give in. I will not let Silvano see me cry. I will not hand over Harry. If Gabriel wants him, he will have to rip him from my arms himself.

“Listen, Silvano, maybe you haven’t heard, but I’m not the best at following orders.” I hoist Harry up and begin to step to the side. Silvano mirrors my movements, following me. “If you want to take Harry from me, you will have to drag him, screaming, from my arms. While you are doing this, I will be clawing your eyes out. How does that sound?”

Silvano’s mouth tightens. “I guess I need to call for backup.”

My heart sinks. Of course, even if I could fight off Silvano, there’s enough burly men in this house to subdue King Kong.

My desperate mind reels—what do I do? What do I do? The only person in this house who I think might stand up for me is Angelo, and if this is a direct order from Gabriel, I doubt even he would stop it.

“I want to speak to Gabriel,” I snap.

Silvano shakes his head. “He doesn’t want to speak to you.”

“Well maybe he will when he finds out I’m pregnant!”

The words shoot from my mouth like a dart and hit Silvano right in the jugular. His eyes flare open and I stifle a triumphant laugh. I wonder if there was a module on me in his consigliere training. Even if there was, he clearly wasn’t prepared for this.

“You’re lying,” Silvano says.

I point to the pregnancy tests on the table. “For a man whose job it is to be observant, you kind of suck at it.”

---