I didn’t hate it.

“Your father,” I started. “He gave his consent for this marriage. What will he do if you don’t honor the agreement with Virga?”

“My father will understand.”

Cryptic, but her father wasn’t my only problem. I couldn’t have Ravazzani and D’Agostino causing trouble that would endanger Viviana. “What of your sisters? What have they said about the marriage?”

She traced the edge of her wine glass with a fingertip. “They don’t know I’m here.”

“Won’t they find out?”

“No. My father won’t say anything and I told them I accepted a short internship with a vaccine research company. They think I’m in Peru.”

“You contacted them. How?”

“With this.” She pulled a mobile out of her back pocket. “Virga returned my phone.”

The delivery she’d received earlier. The men had notified me as soon as the box arrived. “You lied to your sisters instead of telling them the truth. Why?”

“Because they know I don’t want this life and they’ll be furious that it happened. So until we figure a way out of this mess, I don’t need them—or their husbands—causing trouble.”

Trouble? Emma’s family, including Ravazzani and D’Agostino, must abide by Mancini’s wishes. As Emma’s father, he made the decisions regarding her life. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to understand.” Standing, she cradled her wineglass and started toward the hall. “All you need to know is that this is our mess. And we’d better find a way to fix it—fast—without starting a war.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

Emma

There were a flurry of text messages waiting on my phone the next morning. Questions about what I was doing and who with and for how long.

Frankie

The more I think about this Peru trip Em… is it a good idea

Gigi

Yeah fr

Do we know it’s safe?

Frankie

Can you give us the number of someone to reach in case we don’t hear from you?

GIGI

Em you turned location off on your phone!!!

wtffffffff

FRANKIE

Shit I hadn’t checked

GIGI

Em if you’ve been kidnapped by Russian traffickers again ISTFG