Kiss Me in the Dark Anthology - Monica James Page 0,93
fail the task of ruling over Indianapolis. They were waiting for that moment, for my fall from grace. I curled my fingers into a fist around the ring and went in search of my Capo and Serafina’s father.
Ten minutes later, Serafina’s father Pietro Mione, her brother Samuel and our Capo Dante Cavallaro met with me in the office of the Mione mansion, trying to settle the matter of the broken wedding bond. The matter would cause a riptide of rumors regardless of what we decided today. It was too late for damage control.
I released a sigh. “My father insists I’ll marry someone from your family,” I said emotionlessly, even when my insides burnt with rage and guilt. “A bond between our families is necessary, especially at this time.”
Pietro sighed, slumping in his chair. Samuel shook his head with a glare. “Serafina won’t marry. She needs time to heal.”
I’d give her the time she needed like I’d told her, but she didn’t want to marry me anymore.
“There are other options,” Dante drawled.
Anger rose in me. “What options? I won’t accept the daughter of any other Underboss. My city is important. I won’t settle for less than was promised!”
Dante scowled. “Watch your tone, Danilo. I realize this is a difficult situation but I expect respect nonetheless.”
Samuel looked as if he wanted to attack me. “You can’t have Fina!”
“You can’t have Anna either,” Dante said.
I’d never considered his daughter an option. If I married her, it would only cause me problems. I doubted Dante wouldn’t shove his nose into my business if his offspring was concerned. “You need my support in this war. You need a strong family at your back.”
“Is that a threat?”
“That’s a fact, Dante. I think you’re a good Capo but I insist I get what my family deserves. I won’t settle for less.”
“I won’t force Fina into a marriage, not after what she went through,” Pietro said.
Dante nodded. “I agree.”
Even if I still wanted Serafina, I understood their reasoning. She didn’t want to marry me and I wouldn’t force her into a bond, when she’d already suffered a loss of control recently. “We’re at an impasse then.”
There was only one option. It was one I wished to avoid, but couldn’t. Father had immediately suggested my ex-fiancée’s younger sister as a substitute. What a ridiculous idea, but the only viable option.
Dante and Pietro looked at each other, probably considering exactly that option. “Is that what you ask of me, Dante?”
“Pietro, if we follow the rules, Danilo could demand to marry Serafina. They were engaged.”
I waited for them to settle whatever they had to. There was only one option to our problem.
Pietro opened his eyes. They were hard, full of warning. “I will give you Sofia.”
My father had been right.
Sofia. She was a child. I’d never even looked at her. “She’s what eleven?” Even if it was the only option, a new wave of anger rose in me. Anger for the situation and absolute rage toward Remo Falcone.
“Twelve in April,” Samuel corrected, scowling at me. His hands were curled to fists, but I had a feeling his anger wasn’t only for me.
“I’m ten years older than her. I was promised a wife now.”
“You’ll be busy with this war and establishing your reign over Indianapolis. A later wedding should be of advantage for you,” Dante said.
Ten years younger than me. I couldn’t even think of her as a woman, my wife. Just trying to imagine her as a grown up already made me feel like a fucking pervert. Serafina hadn’t been that much older when she’d been promised to me but I had been close to her age. I’d wanted her even back then because she was the ice princess, because she was so beautiful everyone wanted her.
I couldn’t imagine wanting Sofia like that, couldn’t imagine wanting her at all. She was a child. She wasn’t her sister.
I was going to kill Remo Falcone for stealing my fiancée, for breaking her in ways that made it impossible for her to marry me. I was going to kill everything that mattered to him too. I wouldn’t rest until I’d destroyed his life like he had mine.
“Danilo?” Dante asked carefully and I realized I’d zoned out.
It didn’t matter what I wanted. This bond would save Emma. That was all I could hope for at this point.
“I have one condition.”
“What condition?” Dante asked in a clipped tone. His patience was running dry. These last few months had tested us all.