CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ADELINA

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“How did this happen?” My father yells at me as he tugs his bow tie off and tosses it on his desk.

Leo sits on the sofa off to the side, and I stand like a naughty schoolgirl in the middle of the room.

“Answer the question!” he booms.

I shake.

I hate that I react like this around him.

Dante would shoot you for speaking to me like that.

Except I left him. He will never forgive me for doing that. I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted me...wait. I don’t want him. I don’t want this.

Goddamn him and his declaration of love.

He’s confusing me.

I press my lips together and wait for my father to get this off his chest. Then I will make my next move.

“I’m sorry,” I reply, wrapping my arms round myself.

“You brought shame to this family. Embarrassed us all.” He shakes his head, then walks to the cabinet and pours a glass of port.

He turns, glaring at me as he sips it.

“You will marry Roger Amato.”

“What?!” My eyes fly open wider, my brows flying to the roof of my head. “No. Papa.”

God, the man has ten years on me. Gross.

He points to Leo.

“Make the arrangement. Tell them we accept their offer, and she will arrive tomorrow.”

“Consider it done.” Leo says, both ignoring me.

I step up to my father’s desk and place my hands on it. “Papa. No. Stop. I cannot marry him. He’s far too old for me. And...he smells.”

I’m not joking. He has this scent which wafts from him. It’s like dead meat. I gag every time he is near.

“You should’ve thought about it before you ran off with Dante Baldassare.” He growls. “You know that Gianna and Leo are promised to one another. Frank’s death means nothing. It is still to take place.”

That isn’t true.

Everyone in this room knows that.

Does he know Gianna is missing?

“I don’t want to marry Dante either,” I say, and for the first time in my life, it feels like a lie.

Tonight you will sleep in my bed. Not as my prisoner, but as the woman I love.

“Good thing you aren’t, then,” Leo says behind me.

I shoot him a glare.

“One more word, and I’ll get your brother to drive you over there tonight. Now, go shower and make yourself presentable for Roger tomorrow.”

I feel sick.

Tears threaten.

“You do not have a right to tell me who I am to marry. I’m an adult,” I yell.

“You are my daughter. A Baldoni ,” Papa yells. “Respect this family and do as you are fucking told, Adelina.”

I fail to suppress the small sob that escapes and turn to walk out of the room.

“Adelina.” He growls and I stop. “Did you use birth control?”

God.

I slowly turn, staring at the man who should be my protector. My father. Instead, he is taking more freedom from me than Dante did.

“Nothing happened between us.”

He glances at Leo. “Have her do a pregnancy test so we can tell Roger Amato with certainty she isn’t pregnant with a Baldassare child.”

Asshole.

I turn back to the door, rip it open and walk out, then run upstairs to my room.

When no one follows me after an hour, I shower and dress. I go into my wardrobe, pull up the carpet and wooden floorboards, pulling out the bag and documents I’d prepared months ago.

Logging into the computer, I check the balance on my international account and my emails.

My home in California will be ready in just a couple of days.

I’ll need to stay in a motel once I arrive if I leave today.

I have no choice.

I cannot marry Roger Amato or Dante.

Once I’m out of this house, I’ll be free of them all.