Page 52 of Merciless King

The men and Caro leave my office, relief on their faces.

“We can’t let Rinella get away with this,” Lana says, perched on the edge of my desk.

“No, we can’t.” I sit down behind my desk.

“What do you have in mind? she asks.

I lean back in my chair, steepling my fingers together. "Nothing."

Matteo frowns, looking at me like I've lost my mind. "Nothing?"

I shrug, a slow smile spreading across my face. "Exactly what I said. We do nothing. Vincenzo wants a reaction out of us, wants to provoke us into doing something stupid. But we're not going to give him the satisfaction."

Lana gapes at me. "So what, we just let him get away with this little stunt? Let him think he can mess with us whenever he feels like it?"

"Oh, he's not getting away with anything, Sis. Trust me on that. But we're not going to stoop to his level. We're going to hit him where it really hurts."

Matteo leans forward, his eyes narrowing. "And how, exactly, are we going to do that?"

I pause for a moment, savoring the anticipation. "I'm going to marry Piper."

Lana's jaw drops, her eyes widening in shock. "You're going to what?"

Matteo looks equally stunned, his brows shooting up to his hairline. "Marry her?"

I nod, my grin turning smug. "Vincenzo thought he could strong-arm me into marrying his daughter. Or he just wanted to fuck with me in this petty prank. So I’ll be petty back. Not only have I rejected his daughter, but I’m going to marry someone else. He’ll see that as a bigger slap in the face.” I like this idea a lot, but not as retaliation. No. I want to make sure Piper is mine. “Plus, I get back what was stolen from me, the woman I love and my child. It’s a win-win.”

“What about the fact that she’s married?” Matteo asks.

“That can be undone.”

Matteo runs a hand through his hair, looking skeptical. "And you think that's going to be enough to get back at Vincenzo? Marrying some girl from your past?"

I level him with a hard stare. "She's not just some girl. She's the love of my fucking life. And yeah, I think it'll be more than enough. Because it hits at his pride. Plus, his only real asset for building an alliance with us has been through his daughter. But now? It's useless. And he knows it."

My phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket, glancing at the screen. Piper's number flashes up at me, and I feel a sudden rush of excitement. Maybe she's calling to tell me she's ready, that she's packed and waiting for me to come get her and Elysse. Perhaps I’ll have time to stop by a jeweler and pick up a ring to make my intentions official.

I poke the answer button. “Are you ready?”

A sob comes through the phone, putting me on alert. “Piper?”

“Elio?” It’s Elysse. “He’s hurting Mommy.”

Oh, fuck. I feel a cold dread wash over me, my heart clenching in my chest.

“I'm scared.”

For a moment, I can't breathe. Can't think. All I can see is Piper's face, bruised and battered, her eyes wide with fear. And Elysse, my little girl, watching it all happen, powerless to stop it.

I pull my shit together, jumping up from my desk and heading out the door. “Where are you?”

“Mommy told me to go to my room, but I’m hiding. I don’t want him to hurt me.”

“Good. That’s good. You stay hidden. I’m coming right now.”

“What’s going on?” Lana says as she and Matteo follow me out.

“I’ve got to get to Piper’s.”