Page 33 of Wretched Choices

Ruggeri’s eyes darken and his nostrils flare. And even if I want to know more about why she ran away, now is not the time.

Curling my hand around Isabel’s shoulder, I pull her into my chest.

“Let’s leave the past where it belongs. Your daughter is safe. Now we need to negotiate what we talked about. If you want to be part of Isabella’s life and keep her out of harm and out of war your man is forcing on me, wanting my territory, I suggest an alliance is made.”

“See, Mr. Catalano, I’m very glad my daughter is fine, and you made an honest woman out of her, but you forget something.”He narrows his eyes. “Marriages made for an alliance are not forced on us, they are agreed by both parties. As for war.” He shrugs. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. I have no interest in your territory, not that I have anyone to leave it to. After all, my only flesh and blood ran away.” Beside me, Isabel stops breathing. Her body turns stiff. “However, your marriage to my daughter changes things. I will agree on a temporary alliance and investigate this war attempt you are talking about. And before anything is decided, I want to see my daughter. I want you both to come here to sign any alliance. No harm will come upon you while you stay here.”

Isabel’s body shakes and I glance at her blank face.

“Thank you for the invitation. Let me get back to you on details.”

“Yes, you do that.”

I disconnect the call without letting him say more to Isabella.

Isabel jumps from her seat and starts pacing the room. I don’t know what her problem with her father is. I said I’d wait until she tells me because I suspected she had run away because she didn’t want to marry or because of mafia life. Some girls here did it before in our organization and others. We all know about honor killing.

I changed that as soon as I took over. Any girl or a man who wanted out and didn’t take an oath can walk away. However, they are aware of the consequences if they speak.

Isabella rambles, “I can’t go back there, I won’t. And you can’t make me. That wasn’t part of our deal. The whole point of marrying you is so I don’t have to go back.” She is still pacing, her voice raising with every word. She looks like a caged animal freaking out.

I stand and reach her, grabbing her forearm and pulling her toward me. She slams into my chest. I grab her by her upper arms and lock her moist eyes with mine.

She looks frightened. From the first time I met her, I could see fear in her eyes. She didn’t look like that cornered on my desk in my office with my hand around her neck. She was fearless and self-confident.

I soften my voice. “I will be there with you and so will my men. I will not let anything happen to you.”

She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. I know what he did, and I disobeyed him. I wasn’t supposed to. He promised I would end up like her, like both of them if I did.” She is shaking so hard by the time she finishes. Even if I have no idea what she is talking about, I can tell it scares her a lot. Who are they? What has her father done?

Feeling she’s getting weak, I pull her into my chest and walk us back to the couch, where we sit. I take her face into my hands, forcing her to look at me.

“What did he do? What are you talking about?” I demand softly.

“He told me I would end up like her if I didn’t behave, and I ran away. I just did what she told me to do. What I promised her.” The tears fall from her eyes, and I wipe them with my fingers.

“Who is she?”

She looks at me and then, like she is in a trance, she shakes her head out of my grip. She tries to get up, but I grab her and force her to sit down.

“Look, I can’t protect you if I don’t know what is going on.” I try to reason with her. “And I need to know what I’m dealing with before we go to Italy. I need to know because if he tries to do something, I know how to deal with it.”

Her eyes, once filled with tears and confusion, now hold hate and anger. Remaining silent, she leans against the couch, curling up with her knees close to her chest, while gazing upwards at the ceiling. I watch her intently for a few minutes, never onceaverting my eyes from her captivating presence. Even with tears streaming down her face, she remained breathtakingly beautiful.

But this marriage is for tactical reasons only, and I need to know what she is not telling me so I can stay one step ahead of my enemies.

“I didn’t want to end up like she did, so I ran away and ruined all his plans. A chance for an heir.”

I tilt my head to the side. “What plans? You mean Sabatini?”

“Yes.”

I shake my head slightly. “Sabatini is just a church mouse who was left after his parents betrayed Camorra. His name meant nothing back then. He’s just using the opportunity that Camorra's boss is in prison and got on the first plane here for revenge.” I shrug. “He thinks the world owes him something, but he is just thirsty for power.”

She exhales loudly, groaning. She bites on her lower lip before she confesses, “That’s my fault. I should have listened.”

“What are you talking about?” She closes her eyes, avoiding looking at me.

“I worked undercover for six months in Chicago and gathered evidence to put the Camorra boss and his men in prison.”

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