Looking like he was on the verge of pulling his knives, Matteo walked over to Luca to discuss something quietly and Aria used the moment to join me. I gave her a grateful smile.

“My brother will take your daughter off your hands, despite her transgressions. I think that’s a very generous offer on our part. You should be glad that you don’t have to look for a new husband for her.”

Father scoffed. “As if I’d find someone. I wouldn’t waste my precious time like that.”

My blood was boiling, not only because of Father’s words, but Luca’s offer didn’t sit well with me either. They acted like I was a piece of scum. Listening to them made me realize I had been right to run. This world was majorly messed up.

“So what do you say?” Luca asked, lips tight.

Father glanced at his boss but Dante seemed intent to stay out of it. He looked like he couldn’t care less about the result.

“I hope you don’t intend to have a wedding celebration. I want this matter to be dealt with as quietly as possible. She has caused me and the Outfit enough embarrassment already. I won’t give her a chance to shame us further,” Father said eventually.

I gritted my teeth so hard I was surprised my jaw didn’t snap.

Matteo shook his head. “I don’t need a wedding party. I prefer getting drunk without the old spinsters of the family around anyway.”

A laugh tickled the back of my throat but I swallowed it. Matteo shot me a look as if he wanted to see if I found him as funny as he obviously found himself. Everything he did was calculated. That was something I could never forget. Matteo masked his deadliness with humor and smiles, but I wouldn’t let that fool me. Not now, not ever, especially not when it was obvious he thought he was being generous by taking me back.

“The old spinsters wouldn’t have come anyway. Nobody wants to be associated with someone like her,” Father said with a glare in my general direction.

Aria’s grip on my wrist was steely as if she still didn’t trust me not to viciously attack our father.

“There will be a church service as is tradition,” Luca said. “There’s no need for guests beyond the closest family.”

“Tradition,” Father huffed. “Gianna spat on our traditions. The presentation of the sheets your Familia is so adamant about will have to be cancelled. And a white dress is out of the question too. I won’t have her make a mockery out of our values.”

Luca nodded. “That’s reasonable.”

Aria gave her husband an incredulous look, but I wasn’t surprised that I wouldn’t be allowed to dress in white. As if I gave a damn. For all I cared I would marry naked. I didn’t want any of this. And I didn’t give a fuck about their stupid traditions. They acted like they were doing me a favor, as if I was a criminal on death row who was handed a pardon on a silver platter. I’d done nothing wrong, nothing compared to what each of the men in this room had done.

“She’s probably let every man in Europe have her, and you still want her?” Father asked again. I knew he was doing it to shame me and hurt me, and I hated it that he wasn’t entirely unsuccessful.

I stared at the man who was my father, and felt nothing. I’d always known he didn’t like me much, but I’d never realized how much he despised me. I sunk my nails into the soft flesh of my palms.

Matteo stood tall with that twisted smile on his face. “I hunted her for six months. If I didn’t want her, do you really think I would have wasted so much time on her? I’ve got better things to do.”

If I heard that one more time, I’d completely lose it.

“I thought you were looking for revenge, but my men told me you didn’t lay a finger on her.” Father directed a hard look at me. “Then again, you probably didn’t want to get your hands dirty. I don’t think a simple shower is going to wash my daughter clean again.”

Aria gripped my wrist even tighter, and I halted. I hadn’t even realized I’d taken a step toward our father to do…I wasn’t even sure what I would have done. Hit him? Maybe. His words and expression made me actually feel dirty, and I hated that he had that power over me. At the same time I’d have rather thrown myself off the roof of this house than admitted that I hadn’t slept with any guy while I was on the run. That was a secret I’d protect with all my might.

“Who says I’m not still out for revenge?” Matteo asked in a dangerous voice. His dark eyes met mine. The bastard. So the concerned looks in the car had been all for show? He knew I didn’t want to marry him. He knew this was a punishment for me. Who knew what else he had in mind for me once I was in his clutches?

“I won’t marry anyone,” I snapped. “This is my life.”

Father looked livid as he stomped toward me and slapped me hard across the face. My ears rang and the taste of copper filled my mouth. A long time and many slaps ago, I would have cried.

“You will do as I say. You soiled our name and my honor enough as it is. I won’t tolerate your insolence a day longer,” he growled, face bright red.

“What if I don’t?”

My wrist was almost numb from Aria’s crushing grip. She’d managed to position herself halfway between Father and me, despite Luca’s obvious disapproval but he was busy holding Matteo’s shirt in an iron grip.

I tried to tug Aria back but never took my eyes off Father. Aria was still trying to protect me but this was a battle she couldn’t fight for me.

Father’s hand was still raised, ready to hit me again. What would he do if I hit him back? I wished I were brave enough to find out.

“For your betrayal nobody would blink an eye if I gave you to one of the Outfit’s sex clubs, so we can make use out of your promiscuity.”

Despite my best intentions, shock widened my eyes. Dante frowned but I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not.

Matteo’s eyes were burning with so much hatred that the hairs in the back of my neck rose. Luca was still gripping his shoulder, stopping him from what? I wasn’t really sure. “That won’t happen. Gianna will become my wife. Today,” Matteo said.

“What? I--” I blurted but Father’s slap silenced me again. It was harder than before and his ring caught my lower lip. Pain burst through my face and warm liquid trickled down my chin.

“That’s enough,” Aria said, and suddenly Luca was pulling her back and Matteo was gripping my arm tightly and leading me out of the room and down the hall toward the bathroom. I wasn’t sure if it was the shock of what had happened or the speed in which Matteo dragged me away, but I didn’t fight him, only stumbled along, not even bothering to stop blood from dripping onto my shirt from my split lip. Matteo shoved me into the bathroom, then entered after me and locked the door.

I stared at my image in the mirror. My chin was covered in blood and more blood was dripping from the cut in my lower lip and onto my shirt. My lip was already swelling, but I was happy to find my eyes dry, no sign of a single tear. Matteo appeared behind me, towering over me, dark eyes scanning my messed up face. Without his trademark shark-grin and the arrogant amusement, he looked almost tolerable.

“You don’t know when to shut up, do you?” he murmured. His lips turned into a smirk, but it looked somehow wrong. There was something unsettling in his eyes. The look in them reminded me of the one I’d seen when he’d dealt with the Russian captives in the basement.