Page 68 of Wretched Choices

I don’t like staying in a place I don’t know, especially at night. And we still need to sign our alliance.

He doesn’t argue. “Then lunch. It is almost one p.m. I’ll let Ludovica make your favorite.” Isabella relaxes, and he goes back to his seat. “Before my lawyer brings papers for us to sign, I want to add one thing to this agreement.” I pull the chair beside me for Isabella to sit down, knowing she is safe beside me.

Taking my seat, I glance at him, my jaw tightening. “And that is? I thought we agreed on everything.”

“Yes, but this idea just popped into my mind. Something we both may benefit from.”

“What idea?”

He grins, his smile vicious as he looks between me and Isabella. “You are to provide me with a grandson.” The back of my neck prickles with sweat, and I swallow. This idea didn’t justpop up, it was there all the time. “One that one day will follow my footsteps. One I’ll leave all this to. Your firstborn or second. I don’t care. You will make sure to provide me with a grandson in order for our deal to work.”

The bastard. From the smirk on his face, it’s obvious he left this part until Isabella was here.

“Don’t take this personally, Salvatore. This is the same deal I had with Federico. It is only right that now this deal is yours. This is something I’ll request from any man Isabella should marry. This way, I get what I want, and you get your peace.”

Beside me, Isabella shakes her head, her lips pressed in a hard line. If she has something to say, she doesn’t.

“You have a year to conceive, or this alliance will end. It will also end if you ever divorce my daughter.”

This message isn’t just for me, it is for Isabella too. He is making his point to her that, once again, she has no control over her life. He is wrong, though. I will make sure she has a choice. Not just for her, but for me too, because his request is what I swore off. What I promised my father I will never have. And I plan to keep it that way.

One year is enough for me to eliminate every threat that comes my way. Meanwhile, I will have to agree to whatever he wants.

I don’t have time to overthink. It doesn’t matter because a man with a briefcase appears, the one carrying the agreement of our alliance.

Papers checked and signed with Ruggeri and my signatures and lunch eaten, it’s time to get out of this place to the safety of my boat.

I’m sure Isabella will appreciate it because even though her father saidParmigianawas her favorite meal, she didn’t touch any of it. Not to mention her never leaving my side or the way she was tense the whole time.

As soon as we’re back in the car and away from her father’s house, she lets out a breath and relaxes.

“When are we going back home?” Isabella breaks the silence that surrounded us all the way back to the docks.

“Tomorrow. Why?

“I want to show you something. Can the captain turn the ship around the coast? There is a place on the other side I want to visit.” Isabella motions left from where we are. Small boats and a few small yachts occupy the docks.

“I’ll let the captain know.”

Losing ourselves amongst the people and walking under the clear sky through the piazza between baroque buildings and palm trees, we hold hands like we do this every day. Like it’s normal.

I walk beside Isabella and her eyes sparkle while she assesses her surroundings.

I follow her as she pulls on my hand and leads me toward the old lady on the corner of the street where usually a farmers’ market is supposed to be. At this time of the day, I’m surprised there is anyone left with any fruits or vegetables.

She lets go of my hand, heading straight to the stand, exchanging words and smiles with the older lady standing behind it. The smell of peaches and various fruits explodes in my nose, reminding me of the first and last summer I spent in Italy. I shove that feeling deep down where it belongs and focus on the beautiful creature before me as she takes a peach and inhales the scent. Gone is the anxiety and fear, and back is the strong-willed, almost carefree woman I know.

From the corner of my eye, I see men turning their heads as they pass her and the switch of my possessiveness turns on. I wrap my hand around her waist.

“Are you going to buy something?” I whisper to her.

“Yes, I will. Do you want something?” she asks, picking the fruit.

I chuckle. “I’m fine with whatever you get for me.”

I take the money from my pocket and pay the older lady more than what all the fruits on the stand are worth, and with a smile, I take Isabella's hand in mine as we leave.

Isabella glances at me, giving me a bright smile. “I missed this.”

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