Page 83 of Heir of Darkness
Cecilia frowned. “It’s just for tonight.”
“Is it? I don’t think anyone is going to make their move in a room full of mafia personnel, so it’ll end up going into the wedding, the honeymoon, the baby shower, who fucking knows. I won’t have any normal events in my life because it’ll be mafia matters always,” she said, choking down the lump in her throat.
“Valerio isn’t normal. You knew that,” Gianna said. “That’s why you fell for him in the first place.”
Luna sighed, knowing she was right. She didn’t want normal; she wanted Valerio.
“What can I do to make this asshole act out?” Luna asked them. “That way they can take him away and I can enjoy the rest of my life.”
“Don’t do anything,” Blair said. “Enjoy the party as much as you can and let them handle this other shit. You’ve been through enough.”
She let out a long breath. “That seems impossible.”
The girls quieted down, standing up straighter. Luna turned around, facing her mother and father, walking with their arms intertwined. They didn’t smile, they didn’t offer pleasantries. They looked like they would rather have been anywhere than at the party.
She knew they would be coming but seeing them here after everything felt strange. Especially since the last time she saw them, Valerio had broken her father’s wrist and shot the man her father wanted her to marry. They hadn’t spoken since.
Luna tensed up. “When did you get here? I would have greeted you if I knew you had arrived.”
“Why did we hear about this party from your brother and not you?” Eleanora asked. She completely ignored Luna’s question.Despite her attempt to keep her tone light, there was a bite to her voice she recognized immediately.
“I was busy planning it,” Luna said. “Are you enjoying the party?”
“What are you thinking?” Reece Kingsley hissed. “Why are you parading this engagement around?”
She frowned. “Because we’re getting married.”
“I was trying to find a way out for you,” her father said in a low voice. “I have a couple of suitors better fit.”
Luna’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about? You set this all up. You signed the contract.”
He was the reason any of this was happening.
Reece grabbed her arm, his hold tight as he pulled her off to the side. Luna held in her yelp, her arm burning. Like always, no one batted an eye. They never did. But she didn’t expect the girls to get involved either, not when he could turn on them.
“I refuse to come up with a truce with that family. You will not be marrying him.”
“Yes, I am,” Luna replied, her voice stern. “We’re not doing this again.”
“Watch your tone,” he bit back. His hold tightened. This time, a whimper escaped her lips. Suddenly, she was a child again, completely defenseless against him. “You’re not married to him. There is no heir. I can pull you out of that contract when I please.”
“Why would you do that?” she whispered. “Why go through the trouble?”
“I’ve received better offers for you. Things that will help out the family. You know how important it is to choose family,” he said. She could hear the manipulation in his voice that tried to weigh out whether Luna was still loyal to him or not. She had never been loyal to him. It was fear that kept her tied to their name, not true unwavering loyalty.
It all came down to dollars and cents with him. He wanted the highest price for his precious daughter, and if people were offering more, why would he want to refuse?
What had changed though? Why hadn’t he mentioned anything before?
“It’s for the best,” her mother said. Her voice attempted to hold the empathy that she would have expected from a mother, but it sounded inauthentic when she did it. “We’ll find someone who can take care of you, keep you safe.”
“Why? So I can end up like you?” Luna said before she could stop herself.
Her mother’s mask slipped for a second, showing disbelief or maybe even remorse before it was back up and stoic again.
“After the break-in the other night, you don’t have a choice,” Reece said. “Someone wants you dead because you are with him. It was enough of a scare to make us realize you are in danger with him.”
Luna’s head swirled, making her dizzy. She turned to her father. “How do you know about that?”
