“But you won’t,” Stefano said. “Because you believe me when I tell you we’re handling this. Barry Anthon will pay the price for murdering your sister and destroying the life you had.”

“I can give you Cella’s phone,” she offered. “I don’t know why I didn’t before.”

Taviano laughed. “Little sister, that’s rich. You don’t need to give it to us. We’ve already seen it.”

“That’s impossible. It’s in a safety deposit box under Joanna’s name. You’d need the key.”

“She keeps it in her top left-hand drawer,” Vittorio said. “I made a copy when I had my little chat with her, and then Salvatore went to the bank and retrieved it. Don’t worry. It’s back in the box. He returned it once they made a recording. We needed the evidence for the investigation.”

Francesca didn’t know whether to be annoyed or impressed. “What investigation?”

“We always make certain of all facts, little sister,” Ricco said, sitting back down to eat more of the pasta. “We don’t make mistakes.”

“Thorough,” Giovanni added. “It can take a while, but we know we’re right before we make a move.”

Francesca threaded her fingers through Stefano’s. “That’s why you waited on the girl, isn’t it? You had to make certain.”

Stefano nodded. “Our solutions tend to be permanent. We can’t afford mistakes.”

She liked that. The fact that they took their time to make absolutely sure, even if they wanted to move on something—as Stefano clearly did with Nicoletta Gomez—made her certain she was right to trust Stefano.

“I was about to tell you that I have to go out of town tomorrow. Giovanni and Taviano will go with me. It will appear that only the two of them will board the plane and I’ve stayed here with you. Emmanuelle, Ricco and Vittorio will be with you at all times. Barry Anthon won’t get close to you, but if you need me here, Francesca, now that you know Anthon is close, I’ll delay the trip.”

“No. Of course not. I’ve seen Emme in action, and if I decide to go crazy and go after Barry, I have no doubt she can stop me.”

“You’re sure.”

She looked him in the eye. “You get her out of that situation. More than anything else, I want that. I was afraid for the people around me, Stefano. Barry destroyed my life and he beat me down. I came to Chicago with the idea of building myself back up. I planned to find a way to go after him. Believe me, I wouldn’t have allowed him to get away with my sister’s murder. He’s going to pay.”

Stefano brought her hand to his mouth and gently scraped his teeth back and forth over the pads of her fingers. “That’s my woman.” There was pride in his voice.

The hotel phone rang. The room went still. Stefano, keeping possession of her hand, tugged until she went with him across the room to answer it. It was the front desk telling him he had a visitor, a friend from out of town, Barry Anthon. Could he come up on such short notice? Yes, he was alone. Stefano answered easily. “Sure, tell him we’re just finishing dinner and Emilio and Enzo will bring him up.”

Time slowed down instantly for Francesca. There was a strange buzzing in her head. She could see the kitchen counter from where she stood and her gaze fixed on the butcher block of knives. They weren’t just any knives. They were a chef’s weapons in the kitchen, precise and sharp beyond measure.

Stefano’s fingers closed around her upper arm like a vise. She hadn’t realized she’d taken a step toward the kitchen when he pulled her up close to his body. His hand spanned her throat, thumb tipping her head back, forcing her eyes to meet his.

“You trust your man, Francesca. You put yourself in my hands. You committed to me. That means I have your trust. It may not be the latest trend, or the modern concept of what a partnership is, but you chose me and I chose you. I will never be anything less than the man in our relationship. Trust me to take care of you properly. I will always do my best for you. You do what I say in this matter—do you understand me?”

She moistened her dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “What are you saying?”

“You don’t ever do violence, Francesca, not unless it’s self-defense or in the defense of our family. I won’t have that on your soul. You’re going to be my wife. The mother of my children. You’re about love and softness. Not killing. Never that. This man has harmed you. He murdered a woman who would have been my sister. When we’re ready, the family will strike. Until then, you do exactly what I say.” He turned and gestured toward his silent siblings. “What they say. This is our field of expertise.”