Page 11 of Broken Mafia Bride
“What?” I stare at her, at a loss.
“You’re pregnant.”
All the air leaves my body at once.
Pregnant.The word echoes in my skull, bigger than everything else. Bigger than the gunshot, the lake, the empty memories.
4
RAFFAELE
Idon’t know what I expect, but it’s certainly not the older man letting out a low, rasping laugh. I stare at him in surprise, wondering if he’s lost his marbles.
“How the mighty have fallen,” he eventually says, a humorless smile twisting his mouth. “Who would have ever thought that Raffaele Gagliardi, the perfect protege, Edoardo’s pride and joy will stand before me, confused, terrified and at a loss? This must feel so humiliating for you, which makes me wonder how your father will?—”
“Don’t talk about my father,” I grit out, sick of his yapping. “This has nothing to do with him.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Tell me what I want to freaking know, or your brain will end up being splattered on the wall behind you.” My voice is icy and hard as steel. Behind me, I hear Isabella suck in a terrified breath.
Instead of giving me the information I need, though, Enrico steps forward, making sure that the gun is pressed as firmly as possible to his skull.
“Everyone leave us!” he roars, eyes never leaving mine.
“Uh-b-boss, b-but—” one of the men begins.
“Take the men and leave,” he orders, harsher this time. “If Raffaele Gagliardi wants to put a bullet in my skull, who am I to oppose him?”
My jaw clenches together. I don’t have time for his games. Since I realized what a horrible father he was to Giulia, and how much he hurt her despite her constantly jumping to obey his orders, please him, and defend him, I’ve been itching to hit him.
“I’m not fucking around, Enrico,” I warn him. “Just tell me where she is.”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” he says flatly,eyes flashing with manic amusement. “I much prefer you like this, going out of your mind with worry.”
“Tell me where she is!” I roar, heart racing. “What have you done with her?”
“Raffaele, please!” Isabella pleads. “We can just discuss this. We can just sit down and talk about this like adults.”
“I have nothing to discuss with a Gagliardi,” Enrico spits.
“This isn’t the time for your stupid family feud,” Isabella chides him, voice trembling. “Giulia is missing, for god’s sake, and she fell off a cliff—she could be lying somewhere dying or—or already…” Her voice breaks, and she presses her lips together, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Do it,” the older man’s mouth pulls into a smirk. “You want to kill me so badly, then do it. I have nothing to say to you. Kill me, and end this whole thing once and for all. Don’t you want that bastard Edoardo to finally look at you with approval?”
“Shut up!”
He laughs. “Kill me! Pull the fucking trigger.”
“Fine.” I cock the gun. “I’ll kill you, and then I’ll use the rest of the bullets on my father. I’m going to tear down this world and turn it upside down until I find her.”
“Put down the gun for a second. Let’s be logical about this.” Isabella tugs my shirt. “You two are acting so stupid right now, and watching this is making me sick.”
“Stay out of this, Isabella. This is between Enrico and me.” I glance over at her and freeze. My mind has been on a one-track lane since I walked into this room, and I’ve scarcely noticed anything else except Enrico.
Now I take in the discoloration on her face. Old bruises, maybe a day or two healed, but still ugly against her skin. There’s purple and blue bruising on her chin, at the corner of one eye, and on her cheeks. A stitched-up wound runs into her hairline.
“What the fuck happened to you?” I ask.
