Page 51 of Rise To Power

I dropped my arm to my side and pinched my brows. “His father died.”

“If he planned to marry you, he would have taken you with him.”

Santino and my dad walked away. Typical. Once my mother went on a rant, they bailed. Deidre sat on the stairs. Tears moistened her cheeks.

“It’s okay, Dee. They’ll be back in a couple weeks.”

“You hope,” my mom said.

Deidre stood and sniffed. “At least I’ll be online with them to play GTA.”

“Give them some time,” I said and hugged her. “They’re still grieving Luca and now this.”

She headed upstairs. I took a step to join her.

“We’re not done,” my mom said.

“I don’t want to fight. I’m tired.” My heart hurt, and I didn’t need her putting doubts in my head.

“Congratulations, Allegra. You’ve shown him he has a whore for a fiancée.”

“I’m not a whore! I’m not you.” Tears welled in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry. I was emotionally overloaded. “I don’t intend to manipulate my husband and pretend I’m something I’m not.”

“You spread your legs for him.”

“Yes, and if he had any question of my purity, I answered those last night.” I turned and fled, taking the stairs two at a time in my bare feet and rushing to the bedroom I’d shared with Marco.

All traces of him were gone, yet I could smell him, the hint of spice from his cologne. If I held perfectly still, my memory conjured the feel of his touch, his warm breath, and his pull on my mind.

I crossed the room and sat on the edge of the mattress. Marco, or maybe Ant, had already stripped the sheets. Other than the ache in my heart and between my thighs, there wasn’t any evidence we’d been together. All but the knife, now tucked back in the protective sleeve. I curled my finger around the handle and pulled the blade. Blood still coated the razor-sharp edge.

Dragging my thumb across the blade, I slit my skin. Bright blood seeped out of the stinging, small cut.

I shoved my thumb into my mouth and sucked the blood, remembering the taste of his flesh. He’d only been gone for a few minutes. Already I felt adrift and lost.

Chapter Six

Marco

My father’s mansion sat on a hill overlooking the Bruno vineyards to the east. The seat of the Bruno family. Not a golden castle on a hill, but a secretive fortress of power and influence. The property stretched from the coast to the rugged hills. The rich soil now soaked with the blood of my father.

Feeling the specter of the last time I saw him, I stood where he stood and stared out the window. The capos of the family gathered throughout the property.

We’d gathered for Luca and buried an empty coffin. This time we’d bury two men. Andre sacrificed for my father until his last breath. Another wave of sorrow surged through me.

I remembered my father’s words after the authorities declared Luca dead.Do what matters because death is part of the deal we make.Luca and I had disagreed about a lot of things, but there had never been a question that we’d rule our empire side by side.

Pain pierced my chest. I closed my eyes. I couldn’t let the pain take me to my knees. I’d wait for it to fester, rotting in my gut until it turned to hate, and then unleash it on my enemy.

A knock sounded at the office door.

“Come.”

Anna hesitantly opened the door. “Savio wants to see you.”

I forced a smile to my lips. The little boy carried the Bruno features with dark hair and amber eyes. He released Anna’s hand, scurried to me, and wrapped his thin arms around my leg.

I rested my palm on his head, running my fingers through his soft hair.

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