Page 43 of The Forbidden Secret
Sobs wracked me as I realized that she would be the first of my family to know the truth. “I love you, Ari.”
“I’ve always loved you more than you realize.”
For the first time in my life, I realized that shehadalways loved me, and treating me as a child had been because of that love. Her fierce protectiveness would extend to my own daughter, and I didn’t doubt that for a moment.
Chapter Seventeen
Zeke Coleman
“I won’t let that motherfucker get to Evelina or her daughter, and if that means killing him, I’m going to do it. I’m done waiting for you to play politics. He’s dead!” I shouted at the don of the Rissi crime family.
I shouted at myboss.
But control had completely evaded my body thesecondI learned what was truly at stake.
I still could not believe that I had a daughter.
Adaughter.
I had spent my entire life believing I would never allow myself the opportunity of having children, not when I could one day become like the father who had no problem killing his child. I was never willing to take the risk, knowing who I may one day become.
I never planned on meeting someone like Evelina, either.
I wanted to be pissed that she hadn’t told me, but how could she have? I had effectively shut her out of my life after our night together, and I had left no way for her to find or contactme again. I had been the one to leave, not her. And when we met again, I had made itabundantlyclear that I didn’t want attachments.
“We spoke about this,” he replied coolly.
What if I never even had the opportunity to meet Beatrice before something happened to her?
“Youspoke. You told me that you wouldn’t be involved, and I’m not asking you to. If you won’t help me keep her safe, I’ll do it myself.”
Giovanni remained silent for a moment before leaning back in his chair.
“The child is going to be in the most secure place we have, and nobody but Aria and Enzo will have access to her if that’s what most concerns you.”
“That is only a fraction of what concerns me right now, Giovanni. A fraction is putting it generously. I’m out of ideas and strategies, and waiting is doing nothing. I gave you a chance to come up with something, but I’m done waiting. I’m going to march into his fucking house and take him out.”
Giovanni nodded. “When you do that and die, who will keep Evelina safe?” he asked. “And who will be a father to your child?”
I stiffened. I had told nobody. I doubted Evelina would have either, and especially not now that someone was after her.
“How?” I asked.
“I’m no fool, Zeke. I could tell there was a history between you from the moment you barged in here the first time.”
“The woman I love is in danger, and if Clide gets his hands on her, he will do unspeakable things to her. He will brutalizeher, rape her, and if she pisses him off enough, how long until hekillsher? He will leave her daughter without a mother, and I will not let that happen. I only joined your payroll because I thought you would consider people and their livelihoods before fucking profit and businesses.”
He stood in an instant. “My decisions have beenbecauseof my people. If I lose my seat of power, Alonzo will take it and kill anyone who was loyal to me. He will kill hundreds, if notthousands,of people to prove a point. Then, New York will learn what it’s like to have a brutal, unforgiving mob boss in control again. Lest we forget the history of what happened during the great mob wars a few decades ago.”
Nobody could forget that. The way the capo dei capi had been power-hungry and murderous. The death incarnate. The hundreds of officers killed trying to apprehend him, and the way that only someone close to the capo dei capi had been able to end it.
If we went back, people would die.Manypeople.
“A quarter of my investments are tied up with Clide Newton, and if he finds me disloyal to his interests, it has the potential to turn the tide in this war against the Bianchi family and Alonzo’s tyranny. There are reasons far beyond you and I that I had to make this choice.” He exhaled. “But if you take him out without my involvement, neither Alonzo nor I will receive his support. Our combined assets will remain mine, and it will not put us in a disadvantageous position.”
I stared into the eyes of a man who had killed with his bare hands more often than even me. The difference between us was our reputations: mine of brutal, unforgiving rage and his of wisdom.
“We will be wiped off the map if Clide sees my involvement with you. We will bedestroyed,and I will not risk that. Do I make myself clear?”
