Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,399

mean war. No, it would lead to fucking war. Dante Cavallaro was a calculating man but his soldiers had been waiting for a chance to tear into us again. I’d seen it in many of their eyes today. Things between us had gone steeply downhill in the past few years. The honeymoon phase of our union had waned off quickly after Luca and Aria’s wedding, and now this was a marriage of convenience, a marriage both the Famiglia and the Outfit wanted out of. The smallest infraction would be enough to blow up everything.

Without realizing it I’d followed the other guests into the lobby. I spotted Lily’s dark blond locks at the top of the steps, next to Benito’s ugly head, and a crowd of other men around them. And then my feet started moving, my hand going for my gun, my temples pounding with anger. I had to push through the crowd, and ignored the mumbles of protest. I couldn’t let that fucker Benito have her. Lily was mine, and would always be mine. If that meant a fucking war, then so be it. I’d spend until the end of my days hunting Russians and Outfit bastards if that meant I could keep her.

I sped up and then Luca was suddenly in front of me. I ground to a halt, breathing hard. I had half a mind to punch him, but I fought the urge. If I made a scene surrounded by so many people, I could screw up everything. Luca grabbed me by the shoulder and steered me into an empty corridor. He pushed me against the wall, making my ears ring, then he released me.

“Goddammit!” He snarled and gripped my shoulder again. “She’s not yours. She’s a married woman now.”

“She never wanted any of this,” I said harshly and shook Luca’s hand off. “It should have been me next to her at the altar.”

“But you weren’t. It’s too late, Romero. This is Chicago. We won’t start a fucking war because you can’t keep it in your pants.”

I got straight into his face. “This is much more than that and you know it.”

“I don’t care, Romero. You watched Liliana walk down that aisle and now you have to accept the consequences. She did her duty and so should you. Go to your room and get some sleep. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Luca was Capo. It was his job to look out for the best of the Famiglia, but right then I wanted to kill him. I’d never wanted to kill my Capo. “Yes, boss.”

Luca grabbed my arm. “I mean it. This is a direct order. I won’t have war over this. I’ve warned you about how this would end a long time ago, but you didn’t listen.”

“I won’t do anything,” I gritted out. Even I wasn’t sure if it was the truth or if I was lying. I hadn’t made up my mind yet.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Liliana

When people started to call for Benito and me to retire to his room, I felt the blood leave my face. Benito didn’t waste any time though. He took my hand and pulled me to my feet, and before I knew what was going on we were heading toward our room.

His palm stuck to the thin material of my wedding dress. It was sweaty and heavy and too warm. Slowly it traveled lower until it rested on my butt. I suppressed a shudder. I wanted to push his hand away, push him away but he was my husband and soon enough he’d touch me there without the protection of fabric, he would touch me everywhere, would see every inch of skin that was supposed to be Romero’s only.

Sickness washed over me, and I almost threw up. Sheer power of will kept my wedding dinner in my stomach. I glimpsed over my shoulder, even though I’d promised myself I wouldn’t do it. My eyes searched the crowd for Romero but he wasn’t there. Part of me was glad that he didn’t have to witness Benito pawing me, but the other, the bigger part, was disappointed. That silly part had hoped that he’d somehow stop this. Of course that would have only gotten him killed. They would have shot him on the spot and then war would have broken out. Many people would have died, maybe even Fabi, Aria, and Gianna. It was a good thing that he’d kept his oath, that he hadn’t interfered and let me do what was expected of me.

I turned back around