29. Anna
Anna
It’s never going to stop. No matter what Vincenzo and Massimo say, Bastian Gallini is never going to stop coming for me.
I suck in a deep breath as Vincenzo leaves the warmth of our bed, sliding into his dress pants, pulling the Glock from the chair and readying the clip.
Those dark eyes penetrate me with intensity.
“Stay here and don’t come upstairs no matter what. ”
His brother was right. Coming out was not a good idea and now we’re in danger again because of me.
My immature needs to get out and have some fresh air instead of being the strong solid boss’s wife that I should be.
Damn it all to hell. Now I’ve put Vincenzo and his brother in danger again, not to mention all of his men.
I roll to my side, cradling Vincenzo’s pillow and inhaling the pure masculine scent of the man who just left our bed to put himself between me and whoever is out there hunting me in the night.
Vincenzo and his family’s life are on the line again because of me and this time for a whim.
A stupid selfish whim that I had no right to ask him to do for me, but yet I did.
There’s nothing but quiet for a bit, and the silence burns into my soul, every second making my heart race with fear for the man I love.
It’s so quiet, when the sudden gun blasts in the distance permeate the air, my blood to runs cold, and then the atmosphere returns to absolute silence.
I watch the clock carefully, trying hard to do as he’s asked but it’s been too long now.
I know Vincenzo told me to stay put but after another ten minutes the thought of him upstairs in trouble causes my heart to pound with fear.
I pull on a robe and pad up the same stairs he took just a little while ago.
“Vincenzo,” I call softly, walking into the living area but not seeing anything except the lights still strung from the deck. “Vincenzo?”
Suddenly, I recall an eerily similar situation, when our family was spending a day on the water, and Papa made us get below.
“Down, where they can’t see you if they get a shot off.
Always stay below, you’ll know when it’s clear when someone we trust tells you it’s safe.
Capisce, little girl? Now don’t ever do that again. ”
I close my eyes, torn between making sure Vincenzo is okay or doing as he asks and trusting that he has it under control.
Emotion burns the back of my throat and tears threaten to spill.
Yet, I turn and pad back downstairs, sitting on the bed with my robe tucked around me for another ten minutes, the tears finally spilling, sliding down my cheeks not knowing if my husband is dead or alive.
Trusting that he’s got this and will come back to me in one piece and doing nothing comes with a hefty price because I can hardly breathe waiting for him to return.
Finally, the door opens and those strong broad shoulders fill the space of the doorway. I’d recognize that shadow anywhere. My throat is so full of emotion I can barely speak. “I was so worried. Why were you so long?”
His low rumbled laugh just makes me mad. “What are you laughing at? I was so worried about you and everyone else.”
“And disobedient too, no?”
“Gar…” I narrow my eyes. “How did you see me?”
“Camera’s, princessa. Everywhere but down below in the private areas.”
“Was it Bastian?” I ask, hoping against hope that it wasn’t but deep down already knowing that it was.
Vincenzo closes the distance between us.
“I can’t say for certain yet, but I wouldn’t doubt it.
We anticipated a play if we went out, and we got what we expected.
Our soldiers were ready though, princessa.
If I didn’t think we could handle what they brought tonight we wouldn’t have gone out. You’re safe.”
I stand on tiptoes and grasp his face between both of my hands. “And Bastian?” A tear rolls down my cheek. “He’s probably sending soldiers he thinks are indispensable after me time and time again. When is he going to be a man and show his face, tell me Vincenzo?”
His hand snakes to my nape. “I don’t think the lousy bastard will ever show his face willingly. We’re going to have to draw him out, just like tonight, princessa. Make no mistake though, we’re going to find him and when we do, we’re going to feed him to the fishes all around us, capisce?”
“I know you want to protect me but after what his family has put us through, I seriously want to end him myself.” Tears spill down my face. “Does that make me a horrible person, like my father?”
Vincenzo holds me in his arms. “You’re not a bad person for wanting revenge after whatever his brother put you through. I can only imagine how bad it was.”
I sink into his warmth. “Barcelo didn’t even want me, just an heir and my father agreed to his contract.”
Vincenzo whispers against my ear. “Are you sure your father didn’t sign any contract related to children or heirs? Nicolo heard from one of our sources some time ago that your father agreed to give you to Barcelo in the beginning, but Gallini had conditions.”
The moistness of my eyes I’m sure tells him everything that I need to say but can’t find the words because the fact that I’m sterile, can’t have children breaks my heart and crushes my soul.
“The only reason he kept torturing my father was to get him to change the contract after he learned I couldn’t have children, but Papa wouldn’t.
In the end, Papa did the right thing although it cost him his life. ”
Vincenzo’s arm wraps around me.
My eyes meet his. “Yeah, the bastard was always after one thing. He wanted an heir.”
He takes my hand. “Our informant said that if you couldn’t bear children the deal was off. If you could then after the firstborn, the entire state would belong to the Gallinis.”
Tears roll down my cheeks and I wipe them with my fingers as he pulls me close to him.
“I’m sorry Anna, but doesn’t this change things?
If the elders know the conditions and that Barcelo took your ability to have children, and you’ve married me, there is no way that he has a leg to stand on now,” Vincenzo says. “Right?”
My chest heaves with the weight of everything that’s happened.
“It was always the Gallini’s goal to have children conceived of the Cassone and Gallini family.
It didn’t really matter how it happened, whether he forced it or I gave it to him as a gift.
I honestly don’t think it matters to the elder Gallinis which brother got me pregnant though. ”
Vincenzo’s eyes have gone dark. “I don’t know what happened and you’ll tell me when you’re ready, but I will love you no matter what, princessa.”