Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

your state.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I won’t stay in this house for another
second.”
Dad rose from his chair. “I’m doing this for our family. You’ll realize it once
your son is born, and then you’ll thank me.”
I smiled sadly, tears stinging in my eyes. “You’re wrong, but I know you and
Mom will never understand. You can’t.”
“You should be grateful,” Mom whispered as if I’d personally broken her
heart. I was sick of this game.
“I’m grateful I didn’t inherit your ambition. I won’t ever turn my children
into pawns in this horrendous game for power. Not Daniele, not Simona, not
Gabriel.” I touched my belly. “Because they all are my children, and I’ll fight
everyone like a warrior to protect them of the horrors of this world, even if they
come in the shape of my own parents.”
“How dare you after everything we’ve done?” Mom whispered harshly.
“After everything you’ve done?” I shouted. My stomach constricted with a
sharp pain, but I ignored it. “You married me off to Cassio so he’d guarantee
Dad’s position. You married your own niece off to the monsters from Las Vegas
for the same reason, and you want my gratefulness?”
I turned, clutching my belly, my heart pounding in my chest. Elia waited in
the lobby, his hand on his gun, his eyes narrowed.
“You better take your hand off your gun or you won’t live to see tomorrow,”
Christian growled.
Elia ignored him and stepped up to me, cupping my elbow. “Are you all
right, Giulia?”
I gave a terse nod. “Take me home. I’m done here.”
Elia led me outside, grabbing my coat on the way. Christian followed. I
sagged down on the passenger seat. Before I closed the door, my brother leaned
in. “Text me when you’re home so I know you’re okay.”
I gave him a shaky smile. “I wish you already were Underboss.”
“Even then I wouldn’t be able to stop Dad from spreading the news. You
know our parents. This is their chance.”
“I know.”
“I’ll try talking them out of it anyway.”
Cassio and Christian had come to a tentative understanding over the years.
They still weren’t friends but they respected each other. Christian would never
spread the news, even if it could potentially better his position.
“Don’t waste your time,” I said before I closed the door. There was only one
person who could guarantee my parents’ silence at this point. The man my father
feared like the devil, and not just because he was his Capo.
“Is Luca still in Philly?”
Elia frowned. “I think so. The meeting is supposed to go late. He won’t
return to New York until tomorrow morning.”
“Find out where he is and take me to him.”