“Slide this on,” he commanded softly.

I took the diamond ring and pushed it onto my left ring finger.

The platinum band was heavy and cold against my skin.

“If Silvio is working with Marcus, they want to use you to break me,” Damiano said.

He leaned down, placing his hands on the armrests of my chair.

“They will say you are a liability,” he whispered.

“They will say you are a federal asset sent to destroy this family.”

“Am I?” I asked, looking straight into his dark eyes.

“No,” he said. “But they will make the others believe it.”

The office door clicked.

We both turned our heads toward the sound.

Marco, Damiano’s lead security detail, stood in the doorway.

His face was pale, his coat damp from the rain outside.

“Boss,” Marco said, glancing at me before looking at Damiano.

“Silvio is downstairs,” Marco said. “He brought three of the captains with him.”

“They say they have a matter of urgent security to discuss.”

Damiano did not blink.

“Tell them to come up,” Damiano said.

“Should I leave?” I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.