Chapter 12
Valentina
We barely got any further sleep as we got into bed, coming up with a plan.
With my knowledge of how to find out who had been terrorizing us, Enzo and I decided that we had to focus on two actions: getting answers on who the hitman was and stopping the hitman once and for all.
Neither would be easy. Getting answers and evidence would require me to confront my father.
Stopping the hitman was going to take cunning plus Enzo and I putting our lives in danger.
But both actions had to be taken, otherwise, we’d never be free.
The day after the wedding, I arranged for a meeting with my father through one of his assistants. Best for this to be seen as more of an official visit than a social call. He’d know that we meant business.
As I was getting ready to see Papa, I felt an attack of nerves.
This wasn’t some ordinary confrontation.
I was going to have to stand up to my father.
My loyalty to him was being tested and there was a very good chance he would conclude that the confrontation was a betrayal on my part.
I didn’t know what that would mean for our relationship.
Or even what it would mean for my role in the family empire.
Still, what I desired now was for Enzo and me to be able to start our lives together.
For the first time in my life I had found something that mattered more than power.
Not that I would release my hold on power if I could avoid making that choice.
If I wasn’t going to have to make a choice between love and power, I would much rather get to have both.
Only a fool would strip themselves of the advantages of power for no reason.
But now that I’d found Enzo, love was my greatest motivation. Nothing else came close.
Enzo and I arrived at my family home in Carnegie Hill.
We were let in through the Italian wrought iron gates, taking the elevator to the third floor.
A member of household staff led us to the library that also acted as my father’s office when he was home.
There was something strange about staff leading me around.
They hadn’t needed to when I’d grown up here nor when I’d visited my parents, which was often.
But now that I was making an appearance with Enzo, we were getting the guest treatment.
There was no one in the library when we arrived, so we sat down on the visitor’s side of my father’s enormous desk while we were served coffee and pastries during the wait.
Enzo was glancing around the library, looking thoroughly impressed by the floor to ceiling bookshelves, the black oak furniture, and the glass and wood cabinet stocked with expensive liquor. “So, you grew up here. Pretty fancy.”
I nodded, taking in the library’s scent of coffee, leather, and oakwood. “It’s been in the family for a couple of generations. It has a lot of history.”
“I can just imagine our kids here, spending time with the grandparents,” he said.
I smiled. “Me and my cousins used to come in here to read under Papa’s desk. We imagined it was a fort where we could start all our adventures.”
“That didn’t drive him nuts having a bunch of kids take over his space?” Enzo asked.
“If it did, he never showed it,” I said, my heart warming at the memory of those bygone days.
That was what I wanted for my own children.
Only without the constant danger lurking in the shadows.
It was one of the reasons why I was here planning a confrontation with Papa—to create a safer world for our future children.
“He used to bring us treats from his restaurants and we’d eat in our little fort. ”
Enzo grinned. “Let me guess, you played at being the princess in the castle.”
“Of course,” I said, still smiling as I lifted my chin. “And I fought off all the dragons.”
He reached out to take my hand, giving it a loving squeeze that sent an encouraging warmth through me. His touch was the best thing in the world. I savored it, enjoying the way my hand fit so perfectly into his larger, calloused one.
I started chatting to him about more childhood memories, welcoming the distraction from my anxiety. There were so many beautiful memories here. Of the happy times spent with my parents, my extended family, school friends, and Uncle Tony, God rest his soul.
Soon, I heard the sound of footsteps on hardwood. From the rhythm of the pace alone, I knew it was Papa headed our way.
My insides churned then, my mouth going dry as I desperately wracked my brain for what to say and how to say it.
It was rare for me to confront my father.
I tried to tell myself that since we had such a good father-daughter relationship, I had no reason to worry about his reaction.
But it was precisely because we had a good relationship that I felt so nervous.
This confrontation could ruin our good relationship permanently.
What if I ruined things so badly that it meant I’d never be able to bring my future kids here?
What if they never had a relationship with their grandparents?
Papa entered the library then, a surprised look on his face as he approached us with open arms. “Good morning, Lena. I was expecting that you would be at the airport now on your way to your honeymoon destination.”
I stood up to hug him briefly. As I pulled away, all I could manage was, “Morning, Papa. We’ve delayed the honeymoon to finish some last minute errands in the city.”
Enzo stood to shake my father’s hand. “Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, sir.”
“What?” My father shook his head. “What is this formality? We’re all family now, you didn’t have to make arrangements through assistants. You should have called me directly.”
“Are we all family, Papa?” I blurted out, overcome by the stress of the situation and my desperation to finally know the truth.
My father’s brow furrowed, but he gestured as us to sit down. “Yes, of course we are family. What kind of question is that, Lena?”
Retaking my seat, I inhaled a shaky breath and right on cue, Enzo took my hand again. His strength was giving me courage. No matter how scared I was, with him around, I could be brave. I could get through this. With Enzo, I could accomplish anything.
“Do you really see Enzo as one of us?” I asked pointedly.
Papa sat down on the opposite end of the desk, the expression on his face turning serious. “Where is all this coming from? I feel as if I’m being interrogated. Enzo, didn’t I tell you that night in your apartment that I was going to entrust you with my daughter?”
Enzo cleared his throat. “You did, sir.”
“So what has changed?” my father asked.
“Enzo hasn’t changed,” I said. “He hasn’t gone back on his word.”
“Well, if he hasn’t gone back on his word, then that must mean you believe that I am the one who has gone back on his word.” My father frowned. “That is a very bold accusation to make against me.”
I heard the warning his tone. It said, careful, because if you’re going to do this, don’t make the mistake of shooting and missing.
My stomach was in knots at the prospect of making the accusation I had come here to make. If I said it out loud, nothing would ever be the same between us. Even if Papa turned out to be completely innocent, he’d know that I doubted him and I had no idea how we could ever come back from that.
Enzo glanced at me, and seeing the state I was in decided to act as backup. “Mr. Romano, when you came to my apartment, you said that there was a mole. Someone selling you out to the authorities. Did you ever discover who that traitor was?”
My father shook his head while giving Enzo a sideways look. “No, I haven’t discovered the identity of the mole. But the more information they feed the federal government, the worse it could get for me. I’ve worked to shield my family from law enforcement, which has left be exposed.”
“I see,” Enzo said.
“No, I don’t think you do,” my father said. “The FBI has been monitoring me in ways they haven’t before. With someone constantly feeding them intel about our business dealings, it’s only a matter of time before the inevitable.”
“No,” I shook my head vigorously. “No, you can’t go to prison. I won’t let that happen.”
“I’m sure that with a lawyer as good as Frankie, I’ll be looking at two or three years at most,” my father said.
“At your age? No, I’m not accepting that.” I shook my head again. “We’re going to stop that from happening, but we need your help.”
My father arched an eyebrow. “My help? I think I’ve done all I can—”
“Papa, did you send an arsonist to hurt Enzo when we were at the safehouse?” I asked, unable to hide my suspicions any longer.
Staring at me with a stunned look in his eyes, my father said, “I would advise you not to make accusations, Valentina.”
“She isn’t really the one making the accusation,” Enzo said. “I am.”
My father’s expression hardened as he looked from me to Enzo. “You accuse me of trying to kill you?”
“Yes,” Enzo said, without flinching, his tone clear and even.
“And what do you think, Valentina?” my father asked quietly.
“I think I would have a hard time forgiving you if you did this, because I love him.” My voice cracked at the end and my vision blurred, forcing me to lower my eyes to hide the extent of my pain.
“You love Enzo,” my father said in disbelief.
“More than anything,” I breathed out.
I saw my dad slump back in his chair then, his face the picture of total misery. Papa sighed. “If that’s how you feel about him then you deserve the truth.”
“What is the truth?” I asked, still fighting to hold back my tears.
“Enzo is right,” my father admitted slowly, his gaze shifting to look off at something in the distance that I couldn’t see. “I did send a someone to come after him when you were at the safehouse.”
“Why?” Tears started to stream down my face then. Enzo had been right. I was supposed to be the clever one, but I hadn’t seen this coming. I had been so blind. “Why would you do that?”