Page 33 of Till Death Do Us Part

His grip was firm but not too tight. And he might have been a friend of Felice’s, but he also seemed like a partner in their shared business.

“And this little beauty is Adelasia.” Elsa smiled at the little girl. She smiled back, putting the stuffed animal in Elsa’s face, growling some. Elsa growled back and they both started laughing.

I’d never seen Elsa smitten with a kid before. She even refused to do tours for field trips.

“My daughter,” Cassio said, bringing my attention back to him.

“She’s beautiful,” I said and meant it.

He thanked me and then asked if he could have a second to talk to me. Elsa’s eyebrows shot up, as if to say,I’ve heard that before—a lot over the weekend.I agreed and set my things down at my desk. All but my coffee. It would give my hands something to do if things got awkward. Or I could throw it in his face if he tried something.

Cassio offered Adelasia his hand, but she turned away from him. He looked like he didn’t know what to do about it.

“I can watch her,” Elsa offered. “I don’t have anything to do right now.”

My eyebrows shot up, and she shrugged. She liked the kid.

“I don’t usually leave her,” Cassio said. “But it might be easier. I’m sure I don’t have to imply that if anything happens to her, the same will happen to you, Ms. Lang.”

“No implication needed.” Elsa saluted him. “I have this.”

Cassio told Adelasia he’d be right back and to be good. She ignored him to play with Elsa.

We entered the museum and followed the stream of traffic heading toward all the exhibits.

“I’m going to make this brief.” Cassio stopped, forcing guests to walk around us. “It’s in everyone’s best interest if this thing between you and John stops.”

“I know,” I said.

He blinked at me. “That’s it? No argument?”

I sighed. “No. I’m sure you know how traditional my father is. And over the weekend, while my sister had her engagement brunch, I learned who my father expects me to marry. Jack Maggio.”

He nodded. “Jack is—”

“Felice’s uncle. I know.”

“Felice?”

“That’s his name?”

“Yeah,” he said. “But no one calls him that. Not even his own mother. Tommaso will occasionally, but it’s not often.”

Tommaso. The boss.

“Why are you telling me this? Don’t you think you should talk to John?”

He barked out a laugh. “That’s like asking that big fossil over there to move. Nicely.” After a second, he sighed. “This is not going to end well. For anyone. You know this, but it bears repeating.

“Dr. Corvo is good friends with Tommaso Russo. Years ago, Dr. Corvo prolonged Tommaso’s father’s life. Then he saved Tommaso’s with that invention and those pills of his. Tommaso is indebted to him. Dr. Corvo is serious about the arrangements he makes for his daughters. He’s not going to like that John’s sniffing around you…the daughter already promised to Jack Maggio.”

“And there’s bad blood between John and Jack.”

“Between that entire side of his family. John’s old man, Sal, was the oldest. Alfonso, John’s grandfather, wrote Sal off before he’d even left John’s grandmother for his new wife. His business ties only made things worse.”

“Like he has room to judge,” I said, thinking about how dangerous pharmaceutical companies were.

Cassio studied my face. “Are you fucking serious right now, Miss Illinois?”

---