Page 84 of Mafia Virgin (The Kings of Italy)

“Why?”

“Because we need to talk first. I want to know what Virga has on you.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

Emma

He pulled away instantly and cold air washed over me. I missed his warmth, and for a moment I regretted bringing up the topic. But this was a conversation we needed to have.

When he started to sit up, I reached out to grab his arm. “Wait. We need to talk about this.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Listen, we have to trust each other. It’s time.”

“Time for what?”

“For us to work together.” The unhappy crease in his brow didn’t ease up in the least. I kept explaining because I had to convince him. “We aren’t getting anywhere by ourselves. Maybe if we work together we’ll have better luck.”

“It isn’tluck. It’s Virga disappearing because he knows I’ll kill him the second I have the chance.”

“What if we can help one another? Because if we can remove the leverage Virga has over each of us, then—”

His top lip curled, his expression unforgiving, almost cruel, as he sat up. “If I help you, then what? You go back to Toronto and I’m still at risk.”

He thought I would abandon him the first chance I got? Did he think so little of me? Maybe other people might, but I wouldn’t. “Giacomo, I’m not going to leave you here to deal with this alone. I’ll help you and you help me.”

“There is no help for me, except Virga’s death or a positive pregnancy test.”

“You can’t mean that.” I propped myself up, uncaring of my sticky nakedness. “Tell me what Virga is blackmailing you with.”

“You tell me first.”

I stared at him, my mind whirling. Would he use this against me? I doubted it. What would it gain him? Not to mention he’d told me the truth at every turn. He’d protected me, shown me kindness. I had no reason to fear him.

And we just had sex. I let this man inside mybody. If I didn’t trust him, then what were we even doing?

Of course I trust him.

I drew in a deep breath and forced out the words. “My father is dying.”

Giacomo didn’t appear surprised. In fact, he gave no reaction whatsoever. Okay, weird.

I added, “Virga has men in Toronto, in the house itself. He said if I fail to produce an heir for you then he’ll kill my father and his aide.”

“You mean Gloria?”

My mouth fell open. During my untraceable call the other night, I pretended Gloria was my aunt. That obviously hadn’t worked. “How did you know?”

“I’ve suspected about your father’s condition for some time. And I know your aunt’s name is Carla, not Gloria. Your call the other night was a dead giveaway.”

“You suspected? How?”

“He hasn’t been heard from directly or seen in quite some time, not even to speak to his favorite daughter’s new husband when contacted. So either he’s given up control of the family business or is too ill to run it himself. And you still live at home with him. The commute from your home to your classes is a long one, but you do it because you look after him. You want to take care of him.”

He’d put all that together in such a short time? No one had questioned Papà’s behavior in the six months, not even two of his own daughters. Yet this man who’d known me for a hot minute figured it out.

How was that possible?

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