I held my hands up pleadingly. “I’ll do anything else you ask of me, but please, please don’t ask me to do this.”
“I’ve told you to marry Raphael Neretti, and that is what you’re going to do!”
“But–”
Father’s palm cracked against my cheek. “Don’t you dare open your mouth to defy me again, or I’ll do what Alessio Neretti failed to do with Caterina! But I’ll do it with my own hands!”
I shrank back in horror at his reference to Rafe’s father ordering one of his men to beat the baby out of Caterina. Thank God for her, Callum and his brothers had arrived to save her and in turn, the baby.
But no one would come to save me.
As agonized pain ricocheted through my cheek, Mother placed a tentative hand on my shoulder. Glancing between Father and me, she said, “Perhaps there is another way for Andrea to honor the engagement and still keep the child.”
Since I couldn’t possibly see a way through this, I questioned hoarsely, “What do you mean?”
Mother stared questioningly at my abdomen. “How far along are you?”
“The doctor said it wasn’t more than five weeks.”
As Mother’s eyes lit up, Father growled, “Tell me you weren’t stupid enough to use one of our doctors?”
Hiccuping a cry, I replied, “I used an alias at the Planned Parenthood on Locust Street.”
With a mirthless chuckle, Father replied, “Maybe you’re not worthless after all.”
Mother cupped my cheeks in her hands. “You’re barely pregnant, which means we can work this to our advantage.”
“How?”
“Because of Raphael’s behavior, your Father moved the wedding up.”
Swallowing hard, I asked, “When?”
“Ten days.”
Bile shot into my throat. “That soon?”
“Yes, and thank God for that since it’s the answer to your problem.” Even though it was just the three of us in the room, she suddenly lowered her voice. “Married women get pregnant. Some even get pregnant on their honeymoons.”
I jerked away from her. “You aren’t serious.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Women trap men all the time to get married. What’s so different about what you’re doing?”
“Because I would be deceiving him.”
Mother waved a dismissive hand at me. “Like Raphael would really care as long as he has a son to carry on his name.”
Shaking my head, I challenged, “Yes, he would. He told me he didn’t care if I remained faithful to him, butonlyafter we’re finished having children.”
A shudder ran through me as I remembered Rafe’s words and tone. “He said it wouldn't end well for me.”
Father grunted. “After the shit he’s put me through in the last few months with that Kavanaugh girl, he deserves it.”
As desperation rose in my throat, I cried, “I can’t pass off another man’s baby as the heir to the Neretti family!”
“If it’s a girl, it won’t matter,” Mother countered diplomatically.
As I glanced between the two of them, I felt like I was traipsing around in the Twilight Zone. Considering their backgrounds, I’m not sure why I was surprised. Lies and deceit were daily occurrences for them.