I stumbled, my right cheek burning, a high-pitched ringing filling my ears.
I looked up in disbelief.
Lorenzo seemed startled by what he'd done, staring at me with shock in his eyes. The Don who had ordered men into the ground without a flicker now looked as if his own hand had betrayed him.
But the moment he caught Gemma's reddened eyes in his peripheral vision, that shock turned to disappointment and disgust.
"Adriana, what gives you the right to touch Gemma? Because she called out your lie? And to think you were once a woman who gave up her own Family's standing for the truth."
"Cursing your own parents now? Aren't you afraid of God? Think about the baby you're carrying and try to be a decent human being."
"Either apologize, or take your junk and get out. Make another scene and I bring the soldiers in."
By the time I made it back to the estate, clutching that pile of fabric, I was soaked through from the downpour.
Shivering with cold.
The rain had diluted the filth on the cloth, leaving it shapeless and ruined, like a dirty rag.
It was supposed to keep me warm the way Mamma used to.
I sat motionless through the night. At first light, I tore the amicable severance agreement I'd drafted into pieces.
Lorenzo was right about one thing. In our world, the truth is the only weapon that never misfires.
How could I possibly let him down?
Late that night, something cool and herbal-smelling touched my cheek.
I opened my eyes. Lorenzo was sitting there with a jar of ointment, guilt written across his face.
"Adriana, does it still hurt?"
"I'm sorry. I lost my temper today. But you shouldn't have said those things about Gemma in front of her patrons."
"She's an unmarried woman trying to run a business of her own. That kind of talk could ruin her standing."
I brushed his hand away. My voice was flat.
"And?"
Lorenzo pressed his lips together, then ventured carefully.
"So could you apologize to her publicly? Just say you were affected by the pregnancy, that you weren't in your right mind, that everything you said was nonsense."
"The day after tomorrow is the second anniversary of Gemma's club. You know people who can move a crowd, don't you? Maybe you could put the word out for the place while you're at it. No charge."
For one sickening moment, the herbal ointment smelled worse than the cat litter that had swallowed my mother's gift.
"Lorenzo. I'm only going to ask you this once. Are you sure?"
He dropped his gaze, unable to look at me, but his voice was strangely firm.
"Gemma's been crying nonstop. Think of it as making it up to her. And think of it as building good faith for our baby."
"If you agree, I swear on the famiglia I'll be there for every appointment from now on. I'll make it up to you and the baby, double."
I studied his face in silence.
I couldn't find the man I'd married anywhere in it.
After a long time, I smiled.
"Fine."
Lorenzo's face lit up and he reached for me, but his phone kept buzzing against the table.
I didn't need to look to know who it was.
Sure enough, he chose Gemma again, and left.
But I wasn't hurt anymore.
A few minutes later, Gemma called.
"Adriana, how pathetic are you?"
"Pregnant and still can't sit still, playing the victim so Lorenzo would come check on you. And what happened? One crook of my finger and he came running right back to me."
"If it weren't for that thing in your belly, he'd have thrown you out into the street a long time ago!"
Before, I would have hung up immediately.
But this time, I rested my hand on my flat, empty stomach and let out a cold laugh.
"Right. And as you just pointed out, I'm carrying his child. The Falcone elders care about keeping the bloodline intact, and Lorenzo cares about his standing before the Families."
"If I had to guess, he uses protection every time he takes you to bed. Am I wrong?"
Gemma went dead silent. That told me everything.
"Then you should know that as long as I have this baby, he will never cast me out for you."
"Men can play around all they want out there. In the end, they always come home to the wife who carries the name."
"Oh, he also just told me that once our baby is born, he's signing everything over to the child. You won't see a single dollar of tribute."
"As for you, you're just a toy my husband plays with while I'm too pregnant to bother. Really, I should be thanking you."
Furious panting came through the phone.
"Don't get so smug. I will make him sever the alliance with you!"
And she didn't disappoint.
Half an hour later, she sent me the video of herself in bed with Lorenzo.
Complete with a taunting voice message.
"Adriana, what exactly are you so proud of? All I had to do was shed a few tears and he agreed to give me a baby."
"So we didn't use protection today. Once I'm carrying, you and that little bastard in your belly can pack your bags."
I didn't reply.
Wasting even one more word on a fool wasn't worth my time.
Two days later, Lorenzo paid out of his own pocket to throw a second-anniversary banquet for Gemma's club at one of the Family's hotels.
The guest list included friends they shared, the made men he favored, and Gemma's most loyal patrons.
Before anyone even crossed the threshold, Gemma had announced to the whole room that I would be issuing her a public apology over the live feed today.
When the time came, Lorenzo nodded to the man at the control station, signaling to begin.
The screen lit up, and my face appeared.
The room quieted the way a room does when something is about to happen and no one yet knows what.
"Hello, everyone. At my husband's request, I'm here today to formally apologize to Miss Vitale."
Gemma's eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of a winner. Her hand drifted to her collarbone, the old victim's pose, and her gaze flicked once across the room to see who was watching her be wronged.
Then I smiled. My fingers had already gone still around the thin gold band I still wore.
"I'm sorry that when I received the video of you in bed with my husband, I couldn't help myself and threw up. I failed to respect your dignity as a kept woman."
"To make it up to you, I'll do exactly what you wanted and give you and your friends some free publicity."
"Now, please enjoy the show, and witness this grand, filthy affair for yourselves."
