Page 31 of Righteous Enforcer
I stare at Eva, speechless, as a tidal wave of emotions crashes through me.
Rage, betrayal, shock, at her and my father.
But there’s something else.
When I turn my attention to Mirabella, warmth fills my chest. I see it now.
The gray eyes are similar to mine.
A fierce need to protect grows.
Nothing, not Alessandro, not Eva, will keep me from my child.
8
EVA
I know I’ve just given away more than I should have. I’ve just put an end to any chance of me and Mirabella escaping again.
But as I watch the shock on Adriano’s face as he takes in Mirabella transform into a fierce protection, I wonder if maybe deep down, I wanted him to know.
The guilt of hiding it from him all these years, along with the guilt of a life on the run Mirabella has been forced to live, have forced my conscience to do what’s right.
Adriano’s eyes narrow as he turns to Alessandro, stepping between his brother and me like a shield. "She stays. Her and Mirabella both. Under my protection."
Alessandro's jaw tightens. "You're letting emotion cloud your judgment. Again."
"My daughter," Adriano says with gritted teeth, "will be safe in her father's house. And her mother stays with her."
The fierce protectiveness in his stance makes my chest ache. This is exactly what I'd imagined all those nights lying awake, wondering what kind of father he would have been.
"Adriano," Alessandro warns, "think about what you're doing. You're willing to risk everything, your position in this family, the current situation with the Russians, for a woman who betrayed us? Betrayed you?”
"You don't know that. Not even Dad was sure," Adriano snaps. "And unlike you, I know what it means to protect the people I love."
Love. The word hangs in the air. I believed he loved me before, but can he still love me? Or is he merely referring to our daughter?
"I get it from Luca and Valentina, but she’s not like Katerina," Alessandro argues. "She's not even like Cristian. We can't just forgive?—"
"You don't know shit about shit," Adriano cuts him off. "And especially not about relationships. When was the last time you felt anything for anyone besides yourself?"
I flinch at the venom in his words.
The brothers stare at each other, tension crackling between them like electricity before a storm.
This isn’t a good situation, coming between two brothers, one of whom is the Don.
Adriano will have no choice but to bow to his brother’s will, and where will that leave me and Mirabella?
"If you want me to keep playing your enforcer in this war with the Russians," Adriano continues, "then Eva and my daughter stay under Dante protection. Non-negotiable."
Alessandro's gaze shifts to me, cold and deadly. I meet his eyes, refusing to look away despite my fear.
"Ivan is after her, Alessandro," Adriano says, his tone less angry and more strategic.
I keep my face neutral, though my heart races at the mention of Ivan's name. The memories of what he did to me during those weeks of captivity rise like bile in my throat.
Alessandro's eyes narrow as he studies me. "She could be playing both sides. Maybe they let her go as bait. A clever trap."
