The Castellano soldiers understood instantly. One by one, they drew their belts free, the leather hissing through the loops.
And they lashed into me without mercy.
I was flesh and bone with no Family behind me, no soldiers, no name. I had no way to withstand an assault from this many of them at once.
I was beaten to the ground, curled into myself, my skin split open in ribbons of blood.
Through the blinding agony, I locked both hands over my belly and screamed with everything I had left:
"Stop! I am the Don's wife!"
At those words, the Castellano soldiers froze mid-strike.
Seraphina stood off to the side, eyes narrowing as she studied me.
"What did you just say? That you're the Don's wife?"
I met her gaze without flinching. "That's right. If Dominic Valente finds out what you've done to me, none of you will walk away from this."
I laid the truth bare, certain that Seraphina would stop.
Instead, they burst out laughing in unison.
"This filthy civilian has lost her mind! She actually thinks she's the Don's wife?"
"Just because she looks a little like Lady Seraphina, she has the nerve to claim our lady owes everything to her?"