I stared straight at my father, squaring my shoulders. “No.”
Uncle Sergio shifted to his full height and turned his back on me as he moved to the window, as though I were unworthy of his full attention. “Your father believes you are capable of doing your duty for The Outfit, Emilia.” He spat my name like it offended him. “This marriage is an important one and would be most beneficial with a Donato bride.” Of which there was only one left—thanks to him and my father. “Of course, Matteo Romano still believes he is also owed a Donato bride.”
Just the sound of that man’s name was like a shot of ice into my veins, paralyzing my ailing heart.
Sergio glanced over his shoulder. “Seeing as the first one was…defunct.”
“My sister was not defunct!” I snapped while my father said nothing. Not a word.
My uncle’s lips twitched, mocking me, enjoying my suffering. “Would you rather marry him?”
My temper bubbled beneath my skin, wild and volatile, and I vowed to myself right then that one day…one day, I would kill that man. He would die in the flames of fury he had stoked in me for years.
“Even you cannot make me speak vows to that piece of shit, old man.”
My uncle moved like a snake, the back of his hand colliding with my cheek. Blood exploded in my mouth as he gripped my throat, yanking me to my feet until my body was flush against his. Again, my father said not a damn word. And me, I smiled in my uncle’s face because I’d made him lose control and gotten a reaction.
“If you will not speak those vows, then you will be his whore. To fuck and break. I’m sure he won’t mind either way, and you’re no use to me if you won’t marry.”
My smile faded, and hot, angry tears stung the backs of my eyes as blood trickled from my split lip. I tried to be brave, not to back down to these men and their threats, but this was one I couldn’t hide my fear of—Matteo Romano.
My uncle knew he’d won, and a smug smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he shoved me back into the chair. I sucked in a ragged breath as he smoothed a hand down the front of his suit.
“Good. Now…your marriage.”
I had no comeback, no words, no fight. He’d played his trump card, and in this moment, he had me. Because really, how was I supposed to stand up to a man like him? Right now, I couldn’t, but I could bide my time. I might not have succeeded in escaping my family, but if they wanted me to marry—
“You will marry Giovanni Guerra. He is consigliore and underboss to Nero Verdi.”
My heart dropped.
I hated everything that encompassed our world—the traditions, the codes, the false decency. Those were the thick, black lines of my life, placing me in a tiny box. But Nero Verdi and Giovanni Guerra…the New York Famiglia had no lines. I’d heard the rumors. They killed women and children, obliterated their competition so ruthlessly, few would or could stand against them. Least of all, my uncle and father. Why the hell was he trying to ally with the Famiglia? But of course, the answer was obvious. Power. Power he was willing to buy with me. The thought made me sick. On more than one occasion, my father had said that the Famiglia had no honor, no code. Although, honestly, I’d seen what “honorable” men did, and that word didn’t mean a thing to me anymore. Still, Father was willing to sell me to men he himself branded as monsters, and I couldn’t deny that it hurt.
Uncle Sergio watched my silent monologue with narrowed eyes. “I see you know the name.”
“Yes,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady.
He grabbed my chin, thumb swiping over my bloody lip and making me wince before he forced my gaze to his. He towered over me, and I wanted to stand, but I also didn’t want him to think he intimidated me. “Matteo wants an unruly whore to break. Giovanni Guerra will expect a proper Outfit wife. Obedient, submissive, one who knows her place. Which are you, Emilia? A wild whore or a mafia princess?”
Neither. I was just a girl who wanted to be free of this life. But this…Matteo…this was a punishment, leverage to make me marry Giovanni Guerra, and it was truly cruel in a way only my uncle could be.
“Do you hate me so much, Uncle?”
He released my chin. “Don’t be childish. We all have our duty, girl.” He grasped my hand and tugged me to my feet before kissing both my cheeks like he hadn’t just hit me and threatened to let that animal rape me. “You’d do well to remember it.”