Forced To Be The Mafia King's Bride (by Oma Green) novel Chapter 182

Dante's POV

Gianna’s face filled my mind, her beauty, her smile, the passionate kiss we shared when, for a moment, I feared it would be our last. My wife had a pure heart, and even though she had promised to hand her father over to me, I wasn’t completely certain she would when the moment came. There was always the chance Lorenzo could manipulate her, twist her feelings, or make her forgive him, and I couldn’t risk leaving her caught in the middle.

Leaving her out of it was for the best. I didn’t want anything increasing the friction between us.

"No," I said finally. "She doesn't need to know. Not yet."

"She's aware you plan to kill him, right?" Caesar tilted his head.

I nodded. "She knows. That was the deal. She helps me find Lorenzo, I marry her and give her protection."

"And now?" He spread his hands. "You're just going to handle it without her?"

I leaned forward again, resting my elbows on my knees. "This way is safer. I don't need her involved. Lorenzo is dangerous. He could hurt her."

Caesar raised an eyebrow, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Hurt his own daughter?"

"You have no idea what kind of man he is." I clenched my fists. "He's the devil himself. He cares about no one but himself. When we ambushed him, he ran. Left Gianna behind without a second thought. She was his daughter, and he abandoned her to save his own skin. That's the kind of bastard we're dealing with."

Caesar leaned back farther, studying me with narrowed eyes. Several seconds passed in silence.

"What?" I asked, shifting under his gaze.

He smiled slowly. "When I heard you were marrying Lorenzo's daughter, I thought you'd lost your mind. Why her? After everything Lorenzo took from us? But then I thought about the man you are. I knew you had a plan, and it had to be revenge."

He paused, tilting his head. "But this? Keeping her safe? That's not part of a revenge plan, nephew."

My chest tightened. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. I couldn't hurt Gianna. The thought of it made me sick.

"Revenge was the plan," I said quietly, staring at my hands. "Until I found out she was a victim as well. Then everything changed."

"So what now? You're in love with her?" Caesar laughed, slapping the desk. "You're in love with the daughter of the man who killed your first wife? Now that's a twist I didn't see coming."

"Uncle, it's not funny." I looked up at him, my jaw tight. "My life is complicated enough."

"Okay, okay. I get it." His expression turned serious. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk. "I'm asking you directly. Do you love her that much?"

I thought about Gianna. About how she made me feel. About how I'd die before I let anything happen to her.

"I care about her deeply," I said, meeting his eyes. "I would protect her with my life."

Caesar's eyes widened. He sat back, rubbing his jaw. "You're willing to give up your life for her? You realize you have Ariel to think about, right? And you just gave me that answer without even blinking."

Guilt crashed over me. I dropped my head into my hands again. "Fuck. I know, I do."

"Your life is important, Dante." Caesar's voice was firm. He stood and walked around the desk, perching on the edge in front of me. "Ariel already lost her mother. You want her to lose her father too? I'm not telling you not to care about Gianna. But I'm telling you to think about your daughter. This world is too dangerous to leave her an orphan. I'd gladly take her in, but it would break her heart to lose both parents. Think about what Lorenzo took from you and Ariel. What he stole from your family. Your desire to make him pay, I understand it. But don't let it cost Ariel everything."

The words cut deep. My feelings for Gianna were real, but so was my responsibility to Ariel.

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