Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
His features went slack as though I’d sucker punched him.
“You’re willing to give up your birthright?” His jaw firmed, and his eyes narrowed at me. “You don’t owe me a debt, if that’s why you’re doing this. And I won’t accept if this is a decision made from misguided guilt.”
I squeezed Nora’s hand, anchoring myself to her. “Ever since Nora confessed that she loves you too, I’ve known that she wouldn’t choose between us. I’ve thought of a way that we might be able to make this work: whatever you call what this is between us.”
It definitely wasn’t love. Not between Dante and me. We didn’t even like each other.
But I was willing to work on that. I no longer loathed his guts, and that was a start.
“I was raised to be the heir,” I continued, standing firm in my decision. “No one ever asked what I wanted.”
I’d never even dared to ask myself what I wanted. I’d been so desperate to meet my father’s expectations that I’d never taken time to think about what I really wanted in life; what mattered most to me.
Seeing the depth of Giuseppe’s callousness in his treatment of his daughters had stirred old, dark memories of my mother’s death. I’d failed her, but I would never fail to protect my family again. I would never fail Nora.
“All I want is to make Nora safe and happy,” I confessed. “She is my only priority.” I kept my attention on Dante, letting him see the resolve behind my words. “You’re clever and ruthless. You’ll make a strong leader and restore order after all the chaos. You will stabilize the organization, and Nora will have the full power of our family to protect her. If you and I are a united front, the bloodshed stops. We need all the strength we can muster. The Bratva was crippled in their misguided assault on your estate, but there are still more of those bastards for us to kill together.”
Dante regarded me silently for a long moment, expression enigmatic. I had no idea what he might be thinking, but I’d just offered to hand him the position of power he’d tried to steal through treachery and torment. He should be thanking me and promising his love to Nora.
“I’m humbled by your offer,” he finally said with the weight of an oath. “Considering everything I put you through, I can’t say that I deserve it. I will work every day to prove to you and to Nora that I will make things right with you.”
“You’ve already proven yourself to me, Dante,” Nora interjected softly, hope shining in her hazel eyes. “Would you really be able to work together for my sake? To put your old wounds aside and be partners?”
“I would be honored to have you as my consigliere,” Dante told me. “And if we’re going to make this work, Nora has to remain legally married to you, not me.”
“What? No!” Nora vehemently refused. “I won’t favor one of you over the other. That’s not how this is going to work.”
“No one will accept that the three of us are in some sort of unconventional relationship,” Dante said firmly. “Publicly, you will be Luca’s wife. He’ll be spending more time with you while I consolidate power and secure my position. It will look more natural for the two of you to be together. Everyone will see our relationship as a close alliance after a period of instability, and nothing more. This is the way it has to be. It’s to protect our family, Nora.”
“Our family?” she breathed.
He traced the line of her parted lips. “We’ll figure this out. You’re my family. Nothing will change that, no matter whose ring you wear or what some legal document says.”
I knew what he wasn’t telling her: that this was yet another way he was making his amends to me. He would allow me to be her husband in public as yet another sacrifice in an attempt to atone.
I studied the man who’d once been my worst enemy. He was still a sadist capable of monstrous things. That would never change.
But he might just have his own twisted code of honor, even if on the surface he seemed to be a volatile madman.
He wasn’t my friend, but he was a man I could respect.
“You make me so happy,” Nora declared, eyes shining with the depth of her joy, “Both of you. I love you so much.”
“I love you, Nora.” It was the first time Dante had said it aloud, although I’d seen it in the intent way that he’d watched her and in the way he’d so jealously guarded her from me.
But as Nora leaned down to brush a gentle kiss over his lips, I didn’t experience so much as a flicker of jealousy. I was secure in the knowledge that she had enough love in her heart for both of us.