Dad frowns. I think sometimes evenhe’sa little put off by my capacity for ruthlessness.
“Also, let’s be real. Cesare chose Chiara first for an arranged marriage even though she's younger than Dove for a reason. It's the same reason Dove has been away from New York for years and no one knows where. The same reason she lives in the carriage house and not one of the ten—ten—available bedrooms in her father’s home.”
Dad looks amused as he sips his drink. “Which is to say?”
“She’s fucking weird.”
He chuckles. “Pot, meet kettle.”
“I'm not weird,” I say peevishly. “I’m…reserved.”
But the fucked-up thing is, she and I might have more in common than I care to admit, especially to Dad, who might wonder why I was up on that roof to begin with.
Dad smiles a little as his eyes pry into me.
“You’re okay these days?”
“I’m fine,” I lie, as usual. It’s not that I enjoy lying to him. But lying to those you love in order toprotectthem is another thing.
“You’re still talking to Dr. Turov?”
I nod. “Every Wednesday.”
“And you’re still?—”
“Taking all the pills, yeah.”
He smiles wryly. “I don’t like to ask?—”
“I know it comes from a place of love.” I flash him a tight smile. “I’m good, Dad.”
Another lie, to protect him.
I glance back at the TV, still playing the clip of us on a loop: her pressing her hands against my chest, trying to shove me away. But damn, if it doesn’t look like she’s trying to pull me tighter to her, like she just can’t get enough.
“You’ve spoken to Cesare already?”
Dad snorts. “What the fuck do you think?” he grunts. “He either wants your head on a platter with your severed balls in your mouth by breakfast tomorrow. Or…” He shrugs. “He wants you to marry Dove, like, yesterday.”
My lips curl darkly at the corners. “Then it’s settled.”
My father says nothing for a second, just looks at me like he’s trying to see through my armor.
“You don’t have to do this, son.”
“Of course I do.”
“Bane,” he sighs. “You’re my son first, my heir second. And no, those two are not the same.”
I smile at him. “I’mdoingit, Dad. For the family.”
For the family, yes…but also for revenge.
She took a life. She owes me hers.
I knock back the rest of my drink and set the glass down. “Gotta run.”
“Bane—”
