Page 36 of Till Death Do Us Part

My sisters didn’t know until they were introduced. Not all families did it this way, but my father did.

“You have not been the same since the attack. I wanted to give you time to get to know him. You will trust him that way.”

“You didn’t do the same for Lolita.”

“Lolita is Lolita. You are Roma. I see you as individuals and treat accordingly.”

“I need time,” I barely got out. “I’m not ready.”

His face changed. He was considering what I was saying.

“And I don’t want to take away from Lolita’s time,” I added, letting him hear some of the panic, but hiding a good portion of it. I didn’t want to make it seem like I was fighting it, only coming to terms with it.

He nodded after what seemed like the longest minute of my life. “You will take this time to get to know Jack and his family. You will be ready after Lolita’s wedding.”

He was letting me know without being blunt that he wasn’t giving me more time than that. I wanted to say something else, to question his choice, but it would only lead to more questions and him becoming suspicious.

Emanuele Corvo had made it to a point in his life where not many people questioned him. He was considered a genius in his field. The only person I’d ever seen push his buttons or challenge him was Tito Sala, but my father saw him as a mentor. My father looked up to him.

I wished Uncle Tito was here. Maybe I’d have the courage to challenge this. Uncle Tito was a warm soul and a voice of reason. But I wasn’t sure if Uncle Tito would do any good. He might talk to my father, but when it came to his daughters and this tradition, Babbo was unmovable.

Elsa couldn’t understand why none of us ever stood our ground. Most people who were not brought up in the same ways couldn’t. We were raised with certain expectations, and to fail at meeting them meant failing as a daughter. And then to lose our family? The main support system we were taught to value and rely on? It was hard to look that fear in the face and deny it.

“Roma.”

My eyes met his. I’d been staring at the purple popcorn bag.

“I do this because I love you. I only want what is best for my daughters.”

“I know, Babbo,” I whispered. “I’m tired. I’m going to take a nap.”

My feet brought me to the door, but my mind didn’t register the steps. I stopped before I left his office, my back to him.

The question seemed to come out on its own, even if it felt like I was daring fate. “What if you’re wrong? About Jack?”

I refused to face him, in case he’d see the truth on my face.

You’re wrong.

He had the wrong Maggio. Jack wasn’t the one who made me feel complete. My heart told me so. And Babbo had no idea he was setting me on a path of death by forcing this. I’d always feel ripped in half, knowing my other half existed and I couldn’t connect with it for fear of losing my family.

“Sleep, my darling girl,” he said after a minute. “We speak nonsense when we are tired.”

Chapter13

Felice

She claimed she had a migraine, but I wasn’t sure. The uncertainty of it was driving me out of my fucking mind. Being apart from her put me on edge. If a man made the wrong move, I’d snap his neck. And if whoever was behind this door didn’t let me in, there was going to be trouble.

Isabella answered. She didn’t hide her surprise, but she wasn’t at a loss for words. “I remember you from the hospital. You were in my sister’s room.” Her voice was laced with suspicion. “John Maggio.”

“Good memory.” If she took offense to my clipped tone, she took it as she should. I could tell she played by the rules and wouldn’t even fantasize of disappointing daddy.

“What do you want?”

Real warm, this one. “Tommaso sent me. I’m supposed to meet with Corvo.”

“Dr. Corvo. He didn’t mention it and he’s not here.”

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