By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers, #4)

by Cora Reilly

“He’s my life too. You all are. I don’t want to leave. I can’t be what the Famiglia expects, what Amo needs. Eventually he’ll rea...

Mom looked at him then at me, her expression softening further.

“Leaving my family, it was an impossible choice until it wasn’t, until only one choice remained.”

Amo needed another woman at his side, someone other than me. Our families needed...

My gaze found the clock. Amo’s surgery had been going on for three hours. Oh Nevio.

Dad and Luca were facing off, guns drawn, and Dad’s face didn’t bode well. I didn’t know Amo’s father very well but his face didn’t give me much hope either.

“And I thought our truce would guarantee my son’s safety on Camorra land. I suppose I was mistaken.”

“Some monsters won’t stop from hurting you.”

“Who attacked my son, the future Capo of the Famiglia?” Luca growled.

He let his eyes glide over us and then his smile became harsher. “Falcone Junior himself.”

position myself right in front of Luca who had raised his gun to point it at Dad. Instead it now pointed straight at my head.

“Luca,” Dad said in a low voice. I had a feeling he was aiming his gun at Luca’s head.

Luca met my gaze and lowered the gun. His lips curled as he looked over my shoulder at Dad.

don’t hurt women, Falcone. I’m a man of honor. I’m going to take my son home with me now and the moment we leave your territory consider our truce over.”

“Your engaged son asked my daughter for her hand. He should remember his boundaries. Some things are even beyond his reach.”

“That probably won’t be a problem in the future. He’ll be married soon and busy with war.”

“Luca wants to be alone with his son.”

Romero closed the door and positioned himself in front of it. Then he took out his phone and began typing. Was this the end of truce?

a hand holding mine too tightly. I knew at once that it wasn’t Greta. The hand was too big, too strong.

I forced my eyes open to find Dad watching me with dark shadows under his eyes and an expression in them that was a mix of fury and concern.

“You didn’t tell Mom, right?” Dad looked ready to choke me to death. “Of course not. She thinks we’re having another meeting with the Falcones. She suffered enough when Marci was kidnapped. I won’t let her suffer because of your stupidity.”

“Damn it, Amo. Have you lost your fucking mind? Asking the Falcone girl for her hand in marriage on Camorra territory?

Why didn’t you just burn down the fucking city and get the war declaration over with?”

“Get her out of your head now. The only way you could ever have her would be to kidnap her and I don’t have to tell you what would happen after?”

“Nevio Falcone stabbed you.”

“And I stabbed him. We’re even.”

“If you weren’t ...

“Dad. We can’t have war now. How do you explain it ...

“Come on, Amo. We need to get you dressed.”

I wasn’t surprised Dad had chosen him and not Matteo. Romero was a calm, controlled man.

A door opened and Greta stood there, her doe eyes wide and forlorn. My stomach dropped, my body flooding with such intense longing my knees almost buckled.

Behind her I could see Nevio in a hospital bed and his mother beside him.

Greta turned around, taking the decision from me, and went back to her brother’s bed where she sank down and held his hand. Her eyes said goodbye.

She made her choice and I had to accept it. Maybe it was better this way.

Our family had taken a big hit when Marcella had picked Maddox. If I brought war over the Famiglia because of Greta and dropped Cress...

My life belonged to the Famiglia. Now a...

My chest felt dark and hollow when I watched Amo and his father leave. This felt like a definite goodbye.

“Right?” Nevio said. He leaned forward with a grunt and touched my arm. “Tell Mom.”

“What you did was wrong. And I’m mad at you.”

“It wasn’t against my will and it wouldn’t have been our first kiss. We kissed before.”

Nevio swung his legs out of bed even as the color drained from his skin and pushed to his feet.

“You chose him?”

“I obviously didn’t choose him...

Nevio glanced at something behind me and I followed his gaze toward Dad and Nino in the doorway. Dad’s ...

“Dad, we must stop this ridiculous truce with the Famiglia. It’s time for war. The Vitiellos are becoming too sure of themselves....

“Of course. You’re obviously not capable of seeing what kind of guy he is, but I know his sort, and I won’t allow him to ruin your life.”

“It’s none of your business!” I growled, causing Nevio’s eyes to widen in shock. I’d never raised my voice against him.

“And you won’t kill him, or I’ll never speak a singl...

Nevio’s face became a mask of nothingness. “You woul...

“Don’t test my limits, Nevio,” I said qui...