Page 57 of The Viper's Wife

“It is not drugged, if that is your worry.” He takes my cup and drinks deeply from it before returning it to me. “There, see? I am not here to hurt you, Valeria. I only wanted a quick talk.”

I relax a little. “Okay. About what?”

“I have known Nico since he was baby. I have seen him grow from shy boy to hard-working man.”

The image of a shy, baby Nico involuntarily tugs at my heartstrings.

Giovanni continues, “I have never seen him act this way around a woman before. I saw how he looked at you at the engagement party.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks—Giovanni is wrong, of course. Nico looked at me like a man who knew an easy lay when he saw one. Like he told me—there was no reason searching for a new wife when he already had one at home.

Argument fizzes at the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back.

The more people think Nico cares for me, the safer Stefano and I are.

Better to stay quiet—self-important men like Giovanni tend to fill the silence, anyway.

“I am thinking—it would be good for you to go live with Nico now.”

A ball of lead drops into my stomach. “What?”

“I know we Italians can be very traditional about things, but in this case, Nico’s father wants an heir. Now.”

I go cold. An heir?

A child?

Nico told Giovanni about what we said in the bathroom.

I clench my teeth together. That’s a stupidkink, it doesn’t mean anything.

I can’t raise a kid with these people. I couldn’t even imagine exposing a child to my own family, and I know enough about Nico—his dad sending him to jail, Nico lashing out—that his family would be poison to an innocent child.

And I could never do something like that to a baby.

“We haven’t spoken about kids yet.”

Giovanni watches some passerby before returning his intense gaze to me. “That does not matter. His father wants an heir. You will give him one.”

“We’re not even married.”

“You are not a virgin,” he says impassively. “For many reasons, you were not the best choice for Nico, but if you are with child before the wedding, you will make his father happy.”

It feels like gliding my finger along the edge of a knife to ask out loud, but I do anyway. This isn’t just about me anymore. “And if I’m not? Not everyone is able to have a kid.”

“It will not be so good for your health.”

“What does that mean?”

Giovanni steps in close, looming his enormous weight over me, reminding me just how insignificant I am. He places his heavy hand on my shoulder and murmurs, “The lamb taken from the herd gets eaten by the wolf. It is in your best interest to make sure Nico, and your future in-laws, like you very much. How much family do you have left?”

The train comes to a stop next to us, sucking all the air out of my lungs. “Where is my dad?”

“Nico might seem like he wants a wild girl, Valeria, but he is like all men. He wants a silent,obedientwife. We will be talking again soon.” With that, Giovanni turns and walks away, disappearing into the crowd.

Dread swirls through me as I look at the coffee cup in my hand. The one his mouth touched.

I think about how much DNA was left on the lid and walk back to Lacey’s place to give her one more sample to test.