Page 99 of Mafia Darling

“I did not take to it right away, but I came to settle in and accept it. The same will happen for my son.”

He wasn’t hearing me. He was stuck in his primogeniture mafia fantasy world. I pressed my hands together like I was praying. “Fausto, please listen to what I’m telling you. Giulio is not you. He’s a completely different person, and I’m worried about what this is doing to him. He’s in a dark place.”

“What does this mean, dark place?”

He practically sneered, so I gentled my voice. “His mental health. I’m worried.”

“You young people and your mental health. Your generation needs to toughen up.”

The number of offensive things in those two sentences made my throat ache. “Listen, boomer, this is not about toughening up. This is about your son being miserable enough to do something drastic.”

He grew very, very still, his blue gaze watching my face very carefully. “Such as?”

“I don’t know, but I’m concerned. You are asking him to sign up for a life of celibacy and loneliness. Of misery and death. Don’t you want him to be happy?”

“Money and power make men happy, dolcezza.”

Oh, he was annoying. I gave him a pointed stare. “Really, husband? Is that what makes you happy? When we were separated, was all that money and power keeping you warm at night?”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “What would you have me do? Give it all to one of Marco’s boys?”

“Yes,” I said emphatically. “Toni also has sons. There are other Ravazzanis to take over besides Giulio.”

“It should be my son,” he hissed. “The leader has always come through my family.”

He was starting to get agitated, the beeps on the monitors growing louder, so I patted his shoulder and gave him one last piece of advice. “Perhaps it’s time for change, then. Because you have to let Giulio choose.”

“I will handle my son,” he said harshly.

I knew he was irritable and feeling powerless, but I would not allow him to take it out on me. “In case you’ve forgotten, this marriage is a partnership, Fausto. There isn’t your life and my life. There is only our life. Capisce? And the lives of our children, who we will parent together.”

“Perdonami. You are right.”

A quick apology? Hmm. Maybe he was learning, after all.

Closing his eyes, he let out a tired breath. “This is why Marco should have locked you up.”

I bent and pressed a kiss to his hand. “It would never work, bello.”

He remained silent and kept his eyes closed. I could tell he didn’t have the energy to argue, and I hated to push him while he was still recovering, but I was truly worried about Giulio. This problem couldn’t be ignored, and it would take time for Fausto to wrap his mind around the idea of offering Giulio the choice.

A knock sounded on the door and Fausto’s guard appeared. “A doctor for the signora,” he said.

“They may come in,” I answered, rising.

An older man walked into the room. He immediately bowed his head toward my husband. “Signore Ravazzani. An honor.”

Fausto explained that I had missed a doctor’s appointment, so he’d like me and the baby checked out.

The doctor smiled and nodded at me. “Sì, sì. Signora Ravazzani, come.”

“No,” Fausto said. “You will do it here. She does not leave my sight.”

“But signore—”

“Here,” my husband insisted. “Bring the machines or whatever.”

I opened my mouth to argue this was too much, but Fausto’s expression said I’d better not. He was deadly serious that I remained in this room. I smothered my irritation. I’d already upset him enough about Giulio. No need to add to it.

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