1

I stumbled, and the sound gave me away.

Luca whipped around.

He blanched the moment he saw me in the doorway.

"Elena?"

He was on his feet and coming toward me before he'd even thought about it. He looked rattled.

But before he could reach me, the little boy beside him grabbed his sleeve.

"Daddy, who's that lady?"

Luca stopped.

The woman froze too, and her eyes went straight to Luca.

The vast living room fell silent.

Outside, late-autumn mist hung over the Tuscan vineyards.

A fire roared in the fireplace. Champagne, red wine, and plates of beautifully prepared food covered the long table. A child-size chair stood beside it.

This didn't look like a place where mafia families held secret meetings.

It looked like an ordinary dad celebrating his birthday with his wife and kid.

If that dad hadn't been my husband, I might have found the whole scene sweet.

I looked at the boy, and my throat tightened.

"How old are you?"

He looked up at me, curious, and answered in a bright little voice. "I'm five."

Five.

Five years ago, I took a bullet meant for Luca, and I lost our first baby.

Luca finally snapped out of it.

"Go find your nanny, sweetheart, okay? Daddy has something to take care of."

The boy wouldn't let go.

"But you promised I could blow out the candles with you tonight."

For a second, Luca's face softened.

"I won't forget what I promised you."

Then he signaled the bodyguard by the door to take the boy out.

Only then did the boy leave, dragging his feet.

As he passed me, he gave me a curious look, then turned back to Luca.

"Daddy, is she here for your birthday party?"

Nobody answered.

I waited until his footsteps faded down the hall before I asked quietly, "What's his name?"

Luca hesitated.

"His name is Salvatore."

Salvatore.

The Caruso family had a tradition. Each new heir was named after the old Don.

When I was pregnant, Luca had decided early on that our baby would be named after his own father: Salvatore.

Then I lost that baby.

And now another boy was walking around with that name.

The woman jumped in right away. "Elena, if it bothers you, I can change his name."

She was twisting the hem of her dress in her hands. On her wrist was a diamond bracelet that must have cost a fortune.

I knew that bracelet.

Last Christmas, Luca had asked me to pick out a gift for an important business partner.

So the gift had never been for a business partner.

I looked down at my own hand.

In the firelight, the diamond on my ring finger glittered so brightly it hurt to look at.

Six years ago, Luca had put this ring on my finger in front of the heads of the five families.

He'd said I would be his only wife.

Back then, he'd just come out of a two-year war with a rival family.

I was the one who convinced my father to put our family's men and guns at Luca's command. I was the one who sat down face-to-face with the families who'd refused to recognize him.

On our wedding day, Luca held my hand and made a vow in front of everyone.

"From today on, you're my family. No matter what happens, I'll never let anyone hurt you."

I believed him. After that, I poured everything I had into building his empire.

"Elena, Salvatore has had that name his whole life. If we change it now, I'm worried it will upset him."

Luca's voice pulled me back to the present.

He came up to me and reached for my face.

I pulled away without thinking.

"How did you two meet?"

His hand froze in midair.

"Lia saved my life once.

"Seven years ago, when I disappeared for those three months, Lia was the one who got me away from the people hunting me.

"Elena, Lia has never asked for anything. All she wants is for Salvatore to have a father."

I nodded.

"Luca, I want a divorce."

Luca took a deep breath, as if he were trying to hide his impatience.

"I was going to tell you when the time was right.

"To spare your feelings, Lia and the boy have never dared set foot in Palermo.

"My mother, your father, even your brother. They all knew, and they all understood that Lia could never threaten your position. So why can't you just let this go?!"

His words hurt more than any excuse could have.

I looked at him and suddenly wanted to know how long he'd planned to keep this secret.

Until the boy grows up?

Until he has no more use for me and kicks me to the curb?

Or until I'm lying in a pool of my own blood for him again?

Luca's voice softened. "Elena, you will always be the Donna of the Caruso family.

"You can raise the boy yourself, too. He'll call you Mom. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Lia stepped up beside Luca and took his arm.

"Luca, forget it."

Her voice was soft, almost timid. "Elena will never accept us. Salvatore and I can leave. Just don't let us wreck your marriage."

Luca turned to her at once and took her by the shoulders.

"What are you talking about? Nobody's sending you away."

I slowly slid off my wedding ring and set it on the table beside me.

Luca's eyes landed on the ring, and alarm crossed his face.

"Elena, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

I looked up and smiled.

"It just hit me that this ring doesn't really suit me."

I turned and walked out the door.

Behind me, I heard Lia ask anxiously, "Now that Elena knows, is this going to cause problems for you?"

Luca didn't sound worried at all. "No. Elena is the last person in the world who would ever leave me."

The night wind carried their voices away. I never once looked back.