Page 131 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
“My brother isn’t like that. He doesn’t respect the old way of doing things, because he knows the old ways are broken.”
For some reason, this makes him snarl. “You’re blind, Martina, and you’re in for a rude awakening.” His eyes flick from my face down to my bare legs, and he grimaces like he knows it’s the last thing he should be looking at. “De Rossi can’t afford to disrespect the Casalesi traditions, his personal opinions notwithstanding. Do you even know what those traditions are? Or have you lived in total ignorance your whole life?”
When I don’t answer right away, he scoffs.
“Let me enlighten you. The big families marry their sons and daughters into the other big families. The only exceptions that are accepted are those that cement powerful alliances outside the clan. De Rossi’s wife happens to be one of those.”
“I can guarantee you Dem wasn’t thinking about that when he married Vale.”
“Maybe not, but it sure as hell was a fortuitous coincidence.”
“And what of your blood? You’re the don’s son.”
His eyes narrow. “I will never claim him as my father. No, I’ll die a Girardi, not a Gallo.”
“Even if that last name is all you’d need to have me.”
“Fuck. You still don’t get it. It’s not just the name, it’severything. Your brother would never give you to me. He’d get nothing in the deal. You are his only kin. Marrying you is the only way someone could become part of his family. Do you know how valuable you are to him?”
“Dem would never force me into a marriage I don’t want.”
“De Rossi will do whatever he needs to do to secure his power.” He rakes his fingers through his hair. “Enough. This has gotten out of hand. We both knew this thing between us only existed inside the walls of the castello. No amount of arguing will change that.”
“You act like I’m the only one who wanted this,” I snap. “But it wasyouwho stole my book. It wasyouwho kissed me. It wasyouwho kept me in your bed for days and told me how I’m perfect, and tempting, and fucking everything!”
He shoots out of his chair. “Of course, I wanted it. I don’t regret a moment of what happened between us, but now that we’re with your brother, it’s done.”
“You’re scared. You’re scared to admit to Dem how you really feel about me.”
He advances on me, stopping only when our faces are mere inches apart. “I’m not the kind of man your brother would ever pair you with. De Rossi is giving me something I’ve wanted for more than half of my life. I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.”
A crack appears in my heart. “What is it that you want?” Clearly, it’s not me.
“Sal.”
My brows knit together. “Dem will kill Sal whether you want him to or not. He has to in order to become the don.”
“I’ve asked your brother to let me be the one to do it.”
My eyes widen. “But your precious tradition says the man who kills the sitting don becomes the next don.”
“It will be done in secret. As far as everyone is concerned, it will be De Rossi who did it. Do you get it now? I’ve managed to secure your brother’s trust. I’m not going to do anything to compromise that.”
When the dots connect, air empties out of my lungs.
Giorgio’s choosing revenge over me. Revenge for the woman who gave him life only to take parts of it away.
Revenge for a ghost.
His chest rises with heavy breaths. “I burned it, Mari. The cottage. After I buried Tommaso and Allegra, I burned it down. There’s only one more thing left for me to do, and I’ll be free. I’m doing this for my mother. And for you.”
I swallow down a sob and meet his eyes. “You’renotdoing this for me. I don’t fucking want your vengeance. And you’re already free. You’re just choosing not to see it.”
His expression wavers. “Mari…”
I whirl around and walk out of that damned room.
* * *
