Page 72 of When She Loves
I push the thought away. “What do you want me to do about it?”
“Help me find something that I can use against him. There has to besomething. You’re in his house, in his bed. Eventually, you might learn things about him that no one else knows.”
My eyes widen. I can’t believe this. “You want me tospyon him?” I laugh. “You’re crazy to think I’ll help you.”
My words don’t faze him. It’s as if he expected me to say just that.
“Don’t do it for me. Do it for yourself. If you help me take him down, I’ll give you your freedom.”
I scoff and shake my head. “Yeah, right. What does that even mean?”
He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “I will formally disown you. You can go live with your sisters in Italy or move anywhere you want. Help me, and you can live your life as you wish.”
My breath hitches. It takes me a moment to convince myself I heard him say those words. He just offered me the one thing I’ve always wanted.
Freedom.
A way out of this life and this world.
My father’s expression turns triumphant. “What do you say?”
There’s no way he means it. Is he really this desperate? Desperate enough to try to make a deal withme?
I shake my head. “You expect me to believe you after you just told me you plan on breaking another deal you’ve made? I don’t trust you. How can I be sure you’d let me go if I help you?”
His lips curl into a sneer. “Your mother and I tried to make you into a palatable human being, but we clearly failed. You’re a fucking nuisance. I’m happy Rafaele took you off our hands, and I sure as hell wantnothingmore to do with you after I get rid of him. I’ll put you on a plane and hopefully never see you again.”
A bitter taste floods my mouth. He knows trying to flatter me would have done him no good. I wouldn’t believe him.
But this I believe. My father hates me as much as I hate him. If he kills Rafaele, I’ll be a widow with a questionable reputation. I’ll be of no use to him.
His words echo through my head.If you help me take him down, I’ll give you your freedom.He wants me to join him in betraying Rafaele. To help him find a way to murder my husband.
My limbs feel numb.
Even my dreams aren’t worth that price, are they?
I shouldn’t be entertaining this. I’m tempted to laugh in his face and call him an idiot for letting me in on his plan. To see how he’ll react when I tell him I’m going to go straight to Rafaele with this information.
But another part of me holds me back. The part that wants to at least consider the possibility of being with Gemma and Vale. Of being free of all of this.
“I’ll think about it,” I say.
The words taste like poison on my tongue.
CHAPTER24
CLEO
The next morning,I wake up with my back pressed against a heater.
It takes me a moment to realize that’s my husband. I remember falling asleep very aware of the six or so inches of space between us, and now they’re gone. Erased by the pull between our bodies in the night.
My fingers twitch against the bed sheets. Rafaele’s breathing is slow and steady, but I know what he sounds like when he’s asleep, and he’s not asleep now.
Instead of pulling away like I should, I flex my spine, pressing my hips slightly backward.
It’s an infinitesimal movement. The kind people make in their sleep. The hardness that presses back against me would be enough to jolt anyone awake.
