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𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱’𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨. The knock comes after midnight. When I open the door, Luca Petrucci is standing on my porch. The Devil of Chicago. My dead ex’s older brother. And the last man on earth I ever wanted to find me. “Valentina.” My stomach drops. I tighten my hold on Mikey. He’s half-asleep against my shoulder, his dark curls smashed against my cheek. “What do you want?” Luca doesn’t answer. His eyes move to my son. And stop. For one horrible second, neither of us breathes. Mikey blinks sleepily at him. Same hazel eyes. Same dark curls. Same Petrucci face. Luca does the math. I see the exact moment he realizes. “Put your son to bed,” he says. Your son. Not the boy. Not Mikey. I step backward. “You need to leave.” His gaze returns to mine. “He’s Stefano’s.” Not a question. My heart slams against my ribs. “You don't get to say his name.” “He was my brother.” “He was a coward.” Something dangerous flashes behind Luca’s eyes. Good. Let him be angry. I spent two years raising the child Stefano never bothered to meet. I’m not handing him over to another Petrucci now. I shift Mikey behind my shoulder. Luca notices. “You think I came here to hurt him?” “I think men like you don't show up after midnight to deliver Christmas cards.” His mouth almost moves. Almost. Then he steps closer. I don't move. “If you've come for Mikey,” I whisper, “you'll have to go through me.” Luca studies me for a long moment. Then says something I’m completely unprepared for. “I didn't come to take your son away from you.” My lungs finally work again. Until he reaches inside his jacket. And pulls out a small black box. He opens it. A diamond catches the porch light. I stare at it. Then at him. “What the hell is that?” “The reason I'm here.” “I’m not marrying you.” “I haven't asked yet.” “You brought a ring.” “I'm not particularly optimistic about your answer.” Despite myself, I almost laugh. Then his expression turns deadly serious. “Mikey is the last Petrucci heir. The moment certain people discover he exists, your life changes.” “My life already changed because of your family.” “I know.” Two words. Quiet enough to hurt. Then Luca closes the distance between us. “You have two choices, Valentina.” “I don't remember asking for any.” His eyes lock onto mine. “You can spend the rest of your life running from men who want to use your son against my family…” He holds out the ring. “Or you can marry the man they're afraid to come for.” I stare at him. The monster I thought had come to steal my child. The man offering to make us his family instead. “I would make a terrible mafia wife.” For the first time, Luca Petrucci smiles. “I’m counting on it.” ➜ The Hidden Heir, Read on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HDC41299