through her, pretending they didn’t hear a word.
“My father discussed this with me a few times, but he was as clueless as I am. I believe, as you do, that someone targeted my family. They made a couple of attempts on me as well.”
The moment she admitted that the room went electric. Marzio suddenly looked different. Healthy. Younger. In much better shape. He also looked furious. “What did you say?” It came out a whisper, but at the same time it was loud, the sound carrying through the room with a dark menace.
Ania realized she didn’t really know this man any more than she knew Mitya, although she’d been raised from her childhood in and out of the Caruso household. Like Mitya, none of the brothers had shown interest in her until her leopard began to emerge. Was there anything such as love in a leopard relationship anymore? She knew Marzio loved Ann. Her father had loved her mother. Her grandparents always showed love for each other. But Mitya? His cousins? Maybe they weren’t capable of real love. Their fathers had tried to beat it out of them. Had they succeeded?
She feared she could fall hard for Mitya, really love him. He needed someone to love him, to show him a gentler way, but if he didn’t return her affections, their relationship ultimately wouldn’t work. She would need to know she wasn’t second to her leopard. She wanted to be loved the way her father had loved her mother. Still, she had made the commitment, promised herself—and him—she would try.
“Ania? Someone tried to kill you?”
She nodded slowly. “Actually, one of the times was that day you called to have me look at the two cars that were vandalized.”
“A setup, using our family,” Marzio hissed. “And more than once. Tell me what happened.”
He sounded like her father. “I was nearly home, and they used the same setup as they did with my grandparents. I was raised around cars and driving. I could see it was a trap. There were two cars, one chasing and one waiting. I was able to get away.”
“This makes no sense, to go after you. Why was your entire family targeted?”
“I have no idea. My father and I discussed it, but he didn’t know either.”
“Would your father have told you?” Marzio asked. “Pardon me, Ania, but you are young and a female. This is not done, talking business like this.”
“My father had one child, a girl, and he treated me as he would a son. I grew up learning every aspect of the business, learning to fix cars and driving. He drilled it into me that our word was our bond and it was to never be broken. He often discussed things with me I knew my mother or grandmother didn’t know, and I knew not to bring the subject matter up with them. He would have told me if he knew why, simply because I was in danger.”
Marzio leaned back against the high-backed leather chair. “This is not good. I had hoped you at least had a suspect or knew the reason your family was targeted.”
She shook her head. “I don’t.”
“You know your father took packages and delivered them for various families, including mine?”
Alessandro and Benedetto both straightened from where they were leaning on the wall and door. Even Cristo and Donato, the younger sons, came to attention. Clearly, they didn’t want their father bringing that subject up. It was the same in every leopard family. Women weren’t allowed. She’d made a commitment to Mitya by saving his life when he was being shot at, but that had been made under the emotional toll of the day. Now, she was doubting her own sanity.
“Yes, of course. My father and grandfather both drove. I was being trained so I would be able to do the same. In fact, after my father was shot, there were four contracts left unfulfilled. I carried them out.” She had to work at keeping her voice very even, not at all defiant. She wanted to appear matter-of-fact, as if women were included in the business world of these men every single day.
“Ania, I want to take you home with me and keep you safe,” Marzio said. “Instead, I must let this Russian, this man with a past that raises too many questions, protect you.” He sent one contemptuous look at her bodyguards, as if they were totally inferior to his. “He is not a good man. I have lived around many dangerous