“Uh huh, except now you’ve made another mistake. What do you think the punishment for fucking the boss’s daughter is? Death? Torture. Hm.” She tapped her finger against her ruby red lips, calling attention to the smeared edges. “Probably both, and don’t forget about your poor mom and brother. What will Dominick do to them? Your dad’s debt will be on your brother’s shoulders, and somehow I don’t think he’ll fare very well in this world.”
“You can’t prove a damn thing. It’ll be your word against Emilia’s and mine, and everyone knows you’re a liar. Besides, I haven’t done a single thing with Emilia that Dominick doesn’t know about.”
“Oh, really?” Lettie leaned forward, her lips curling up into a cat that ate the canary smile. “How would Dominick feel about the pictures I took of you two at the Christmas Eve party? Emilia on the countertop with her legs spread, her head thrown back, and you with your lips all over her neck and your hand up her skirt? Better yet, how would Marcello take it?”
My heartbeat accelerated, roaring like an engine in my ears.
Oh my God. Oh my God.
I was fucked. Sal was fucked. Wait, fuck Sal. He was an asshole. They all were. He lied to me, Lettie used me, and my father didn’t give a damn about me or he wouldn’t be plotting to send me with Marcello tomorrow.
Sal snatched her phone out of her hand and flung it across the room. It thudded against the wall and tumbled to the cement floor. “Marcello doesn’t give a fuck what she does as long as she walks down the aisle and says I do.”
“That’s interesting, because he certainly put on a good show at their engagement party. So much so that you ran out of there like your ass was on fire when he kissed her. And the way, his eyes followed her everywhere. That was pretty impressive if you ask me. If he was acting, he should audition on Broadway. I heard all about this too.” She brushed her hand over the bruise at his cheekbone. “Pietro couldn’t stop talking about how Marcello kicked your ass. But what do I know about men? I mean, I’m married to an asshole, and you stopped giving me the time of day so long ago I can hardly remember what it was like for a man to give a shit about me.”
“That’s right. You don’t know shit. This whole thing is about money. One-half of the Bonaccorso estate, which will be Emilia’s when the old man kicks the bucket.”
Her mouth fell open. “Seriously?” Sal nodded. “What does this have to do with you?”
“I haven’t done one thing with Emilia that Dominick doesn’t know about. Think about that.” He tapped his fingers against Lettie’s forehead. “Why would Dominick assign me to be his daughter’s companion? A guy not much older than her. A guy she showed an interest in.”
“How would I know what goes through that sadistic bastard’s head?”
“Dominick hates the Masciantonios, and he hates the idea of them ending up with all that money. He blames them for Ava’s death.”
“Yeah, so? Emilia doesn’t want to marry that guy. He should go tell them to pound sand. What can they do? Put a gun to her head?”
“Not unless he wants to risk going to war with the Masciantonios and the Bonaccorsos.”
“Who in the hell are the Bonaccorsos?”
“Ava’s family in Italy. She went by her stage name to distance herself from them. They’re one of the most powerful families in Sicily. She…”
What? My vision narrowed, and nothing Lettie or Sal said penetrated my brain. How come I didn’t know the truth about my mom? I always assumed she was an outsider, but she wasn’t. She was like me, the daughter of a powerful mobster who only wanted freedom. And that day in the park when that man mentioned the Bonaccorsos…Holy shit, no wonder my dad freaked out.
Sal’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Dominick thinks there’s a loophole, and that’s where I come in.”
Laughter exploded from Lettie’s mouth. “Oh my God. So you’re prostituting yourself and pretending to be interested in Emilia so, what? She refuses to marry that guy? She takes off? She gets pregnant? Tell me, what voids the whole agreement? What’s the end plan?”
My chest squeezed so hard it felt like everything inside was being sucked into a black hole and replaced with pain, anger, and so much betrayal. My vision spun and I splayed my hand on the wall to catch my balance.
Sal tipped his head to the ceiling. “If she marries me without her father’s consent, Dominick thinks the Bonaccorsos will back down.”
Lettie’s laughter came faster and harder. “Oh my God, and you volunteered to sacrifice yourself? Is this your grand plan to pay off your family’s debt to the Trassatos? You marry awkward Emilia and voila, your problems are solved?”