Chapter 4

I pulled free. "Doesn't the Don have a hundred responsibilities? Since when do you care where I'm going?"

Dante fell silent. Months earlier, when I'd asked why he hadn't come home for three nights, he'd used those exact words on me.

At last, he said, "I should've told you about Chicago. I was wrong." He hesitated. "But tomorrow I have to attend Vivi's hearing. It's an internal hearing before the captains. She's accused of attacking a member of the security team first. If her appeal fails, she'll be barred from family gatherings for three months. I need to find out what really happened."

Even in an apology, Vivi still came first.

"Move your surgery to the day after tomorrow," he said. "As soon as the hearing ends, I'll go with you."

"Don't bother. I don't need anyone with me."

He spoke as if he hadn't heard the refusal. "I'll put the best surgeon on standby and stay until you wake up."

His phone rang before I could answer. Vivi's terrified voice came through the speaker. "Dante, someone's been pacing outside my hotel room. A minute ago, they tried the handle. I'm scared."

His entire demeanor changed. He grabbed his keys.

"Wait." Perhaps I still have a last glimmer of hope for him.

Dante turned with a flash of impatience. "I don't need your permission to protect someone under this family's protection, Elena. She may actually be in danger." Then, as if throwing me a consolation prize, he added, "I'll make it to your surgery. Right now, you need to understand what matters most."

He'd misunderstood me completely.

I wasn't asking him to stay. I was trying to tell him that after tomorrow, he'd never have to rush back to me again.

But the door had already closed behind him.

The next morning, I arrived at the clinic and learned my surgery had been postponed.

Dante had called the director overnight and used his authority as the head of the family and my husband to change the date. No one in the city wanted to refuse him.

Dr. Whitaker even defended him. "Don't be too hard on your husband. He said you insisted on going alone because the two of you had argued. He's willing to rearrange family business for you. A man doesn't do that unless he cares."

Under my original plan, I'd have surgery today, fly to London tomorrow, and report to work the following morning.

One call from Dante had wrecked the entire schedule.

I called him. But Vivi answered.

"He just fell asleep," she whispered. "He was worried about me and stayed up all night. If you need anything, you can tell me." She paused, then added with fake innocence, "Oh, weren't you having surgery today? I'm sorry. I don't think Dante can make it. Please don't get the wrong idea. Nothing happened between us—"

I hung up.

Seconds later, she posted another public update.

[The luckiest thing in the world is knowing that no matter when I turn around, he will always come for me.]

The picture showed a luxury hotel suite. Dante still wore yesterday's shirt as he sat beside her bed. The shadows under his eyes said he'd kept watch all night.

I blocked both of them and booked the procedure at a private clinic in London.

It was a minor operation. The country didn't matter.

The following morning, I boarded a flight out of New York. With my palm over my still-flat stomach, I breathed easier than I had in years.

No one came to stop me.

Dante didn't even know that his wife and unborn child had already left New York.

At eleven, Underboss Callum called the boss's office. "Elena didn't show up at the clinic. They're asking whether to hold the operating room."

Dante checked the time. He'd stayed with Vivi until six, then gone straight to the hearing. He'd assumed Elena would do what she'd promised and handle everything herself.

"Did she reschedule?"

"There's something else," Callum said carefully. "Dr. Whitaker thought you knew. Elena is about eight weeks pregnant. They needed to adjust the anesthetic plan."

Dante went still.

A rare smile slowly touched his eyes. "We're having a baby?"

He repeated the words under his breath as though speaking too loudly might scare them away. "That stubborn woman. She kept something this important from me?"

Callum's next words wiped away the smile. "I can't reach her, boss. Can you get hold of her?"