Aria spotted me as I walked toward them, shock reflecting on her face. She looked at Val who frantically shook her head.

“I didn’t tell him anything, Aria. I would never—”

I stopped beside their booth. “She didn’t,” I said coldly. I’d discuss this with Val later. After her secrecy about Frank and Antonio at the beginning of our marriage, I’d hoped we’d reached a new level of trust, one that allowed Val to tell me everything, especially crucial information like the presence of Aria in my city. Maybe she didn’t understand how serious this war was.

I met Val’s worried gaze. “But in a time like this, I won’t let you go anywhere without my knowledge.”

“You tracked me,” she said, staring down at her mobile lying flat on the table.

“That, yes, and Enzo recognized a familiar face this morning during your brunch with Bibiana but he wasn’t sure, and when he sent me a photo of Aria and I told him to grab her, she had already disappeared.”

I slid into Aria’s booth, forcing her to make room for me with my body. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Val glanced between Aria and me anxiously. “Dante,” she began. She was going to try and placate me, but this was no longer her business. I’d deal with her later.

“Go outside. Two of my men are waiting for you. They will take you home.”

“Dante,” she tried again, pleading with me.

“Valentina,” I growled. I hadn’t taken that tone with her in a very long time, and certainly didn’t like taking it with her in her pregnant state but she’d betrayed me and that would have to be addressed later.

Cradling her belly, Valentina rose. She searched my eyes but I didn’t allow her to read me.

“Thank you, Val, for coming here,” Aria whispered.

Val walked past me and out of the restaurant.

I turned to Aria. Her fear shone brightly in her eyes. She’d never been good at hiding her emotions, especially to someone who was used to reading others. Even on her wedding day, her terror had been clear as day. Now her fear was directed at me. “I will call the waiter over now and pay for dinner. We will get up together, you will stay at my side, and we will go to my car and you will get in.”

Aria nodded. She was more complacent than Gianna, but I was still wary of her submittal. After I’d paid, I grabbed Aria’s coat and helped her into it. I touched her shoulders, my body close to hers. It was a too intimate gesture. One I usually would have avoided because it was disrespectful toward Aria but it was necessary. My eyes sought the outside of the restaurant but I couldn’t see the photographer from my vantage point.

I leaned even closer, bringing my mouth close to her ear. “Don’t try to run or do anything stupid, Aria. I’d hate having to hurt you.”

Aria trembled in my hold and nodded again. I led her to my car, holding her hand tightly, and finally noticed the photographer hidden behind two buildings. The lens was directed toward us.

Aria got into the car and I slipped behind the steering wheel.

“I assume you are alone,” I said as I steered us away from the restaurant. I wasn’t in a hurry. The photographer needed to catch up with us.

“I am.”

It’s what I’d suspected. Aria wasn’t the type to risk her sisters’ lives like she did her own, and none of Luca’s men, much less Luca, would have supported her in this foolish endeavor.

“You shouldn’t have come to Chicago.” The photographer was three cars behind us. Aria was quiet beside me. I wasn’t surprised she didn’t ask about her father. There was only bad blood between them.

I pulled off the main road and parked near train tracks. For the following photos, this was the more likely place. If our affair were true, a more deserted place would be a good choice to engage in more entertaining activities.

Rocco’s advice was one I couldn’t follow. For one, I considered it cheating even if it was just for show, and second my stance on sexual violence against women hadn’t changed. I wouldn’t violate Aria even if it would lead to better photos and consequentially a stronger reaction from Luca. As jealous as he was, even less explicit photos would make him draw the wrong conclusions and cause the wanted damage.

Aria looked down to the bag in the legroom between her feet. The contemplative expression told me there was something inside she debated using against me. Before she could force me to hurt her in self-defense, I reached for the bag.

Aria flinched, her head colliding hard with the window. “No!”

I searched her face and the horror in her eyes told me all I needed to know. She thought I was coming on to her, would force myself on her in this deserted place to break her and Luca. And while that would certainly crush Luca like Rocco had predicted, which was why mass-rapes were such a common practice in wars of the past and even sometimes today, the mere idea disgusted me deeply. I grasped the bag like I’d intended to do and returned to my side.

Aria released a shuddering breath, not moving away from her position pressed against the window.

“Aria, you are Luca’s wife; a war won’t change that. And even if you weren’t his wife, you wouldn’t have to fear that from me, or from anyone else in Chicago. I swear it.”

“Thank you, Dante.” She finally sat up, but the tension remained in her body.

“There’s no need to thank me for respecting your body.”

“What will you do with me then?”

Aria was my unknowing pawn. She’d find out about this trap, about the photos later, probably from Luca. “That is the question, I suppose. I should use you to punish Luca and the Famiglia. Or at the very least use you as leverage to blackmail him.”

Fear flashed across Aria’s face. I didn’t think it was yet for her own fate. She loved Luca. I’d witnessed their feelings for each other in our encounters over the years. It seemed impossible considering my assessment of Luca’s personality but it was the indisputable truth.

“Luca is Capo. He won’t risk the Famiglia.”

Of course, she’d say that. “But you are his wife, and I saw the way he looks at you. There’s only one thing Luca would risk his position as Capo over, and that’s you.”

“I think you are overestimating my worth. Luca’s first choice will always be the Famiglia.”

Aria’s lying skills had improved but they weren’t convincing enough for me. “And I think you are underestimating your worth for good reason.”

“I’m not. Luca won’t risk his territory. You don’t know him as well as I do.”

“And that’s the problem. If Luca didn’t comply with our requests, I’d have to try to convince him.” Rocco had suggested this. Arturo wouldn’t have trouble causing a woman pain. He didn’t have trouble causing anyone pain. My father would have chosen this option and many of my men would have been in favor of it as well. Maybe it was the best for the Outfit, but hurting Aria, an innocent woman, in any way was out of the question.

“By hurting me.”

“By hurting you. I’m not very fond of inflicting pain on women. Yet, the Outfit is where my concern lies.” Aria couldn’t read me, couldn’t know that I’d already made my choice. I’d never hurt her the way blackmailing Luca required. Not only because I’d known her as a young girl and felt obligated to her but because Val would never forgive me if I hurt Aria. She and I had often talked about how women in our world often suffered either through their husbands or for their husbands’ faults, and she hated it fiercely. If I became a man who tortured a woman, even if it was through Arturo’s hand, she’d resent me.