Page 69 of Deceptive Union

“Oh, I know. It’s going to kill him knowing I have you, and there’s nothing he can do about it.”

Franco pushes me through the building doors and to his car. “Get in.” He opens the door for me, motioning me inside. I don’t put up a fight. Not when Franco could just walk back inside and hurt Anna.

“Why do you hate him so much?” I ask as Franco drives us to Antonio’s childhood home.

Franco snorts. “Because Antonio is competition. He’s the only son of Riccardo Moretti. He has to die if I’m ever to be fully in power. And besides, the little bastard refuses to die, and it pisses me off. So, yes, I want to see him suffer. And you’re going to help me with that.” He strokes his finger down my face. I smack his hand away.

Franco laughs as he continues driving. “You have a fire in you. I like a woman who fights it.”

I think back to Giulia’s confession when we had dinner together with Antonio. She said Franco had raped her. Multiple times. Franco is the epitome of a horrible person. The only hope I have now is that Antonio manages to kill him, once and for all.

* * *

The familiar brownstoneis ultra-white in the morning sun as Franco pulls up to it. He tells me to follow him inside.

The inside of the house is full of warmth and yummy smells. Not at all what I imagined for Franco. It must be because of Giulia that this house has any warmth to it.

And speaking of Giulia, she enters the foyer, freezing when she sees me. “N—” She stops herself from saying my name. She’s not supposed to know who I am. “Who? What?”

Franco pushes me toward Giulia. “This is Nina, Antonio’s wife. She’ll be staying with us for the time being. Make sure she’s welcomed.” He steps close to Giulia. “And that she doesn’t leave.”

Giulia nods quickly. She’s been playing Franco’s game for the past eleven years. She knows how to act around him.

Franco doesn’t spare me another glance as he walks away. Once he’s gone, Giulia rushes to my side.

“What’s going on?” she asks. “Antonio?”

“He’s fine. But Franco took me. He wants to make sure Antonio doesn’t attack him here.”

A frown crosses Giulia’s face. “That’s going to be a problem. I called Antonio last night to tell him I’d help him with Franco. The plan is for me to leave with the kids today so Antonio can come in and kill Franco when he’s not expecting it. But now that you’re here …”

“I’ll be fine.” I grab her hand, making her look at me. “You need to think about you and your kids. Antonio will be happy knowing you’re out of the picture so he can come after Franco. Don’t worry about me. Please. Stick to your original plan.”

Giulia hesitates. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Ok, then. I won’t tell you any more of the plan in case Franco asks you any questions.”

“Smart.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Franco asks, coming back into the room.

Giulia pulls me into a quick hug. “I’m just happy to meet my daughter-in-law. That’s all.”

Franco looks between us, then sniffs, like he thinks women are incapable of planning anything behind his back.

“Breakfast is almost ready,” Giulia says. “Let’s all go eat.”

I find myself at the kitchen table a few minutes later with the rest of Antonio’s family. The only person who doesn’t belong to the family is a guard who stands in the corner of the room. The twins, Lucia and Luca, sit beside each other, talking about theHarry Potterseries, which they just got into. Cecilia, who I can tell from the cross around her neck, looks at me curiously but doesn’t ask questions. Antonio told me they looked almost like twins, and I believe it. That just leaves Antonio’s other sister, Mia, who decides to ask me who I am.

“This is Nina, Antonio’s wife,” Giulia says, introducing me.

Cecilia’s eyes widen. “You’re … Antonio’s wife? I didn’t even know he was married.” She looks terribly sad at the thought.

“There’s a lot we don’t know about Antonio,” Mia says. “He’s been gone forever.”

“Where did he go?” Luca asks, swatting at his twin sister. Lucia sticks her tongue out at him.

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