That night, Kholod sat by the bed for a long time, quietly watching me.
I curled up on the other side, my back to him.
"Does it still hurt?" he suddenly asked.
I didn't answer.
After a long while, he stood and walked to the door.
"Rest now," he said. "Starting tomorrow, Mother will teach you proper behavior. Don't disappoint me again."
The sound of the door closing was especially harsh in the silent room.
I turned over, staring at the ceiling.
My hand unconsciously touched that red, swollen patch of skin on my chest.
I finally understood deeply—he'd carved a mark on my body that could never be erased.
Outside, snow began falling again. This winter seemed like it would never end.
Chapter Seven
Kholod
"Boss, Lorenzo Conti has been sent back to the Bellucci family." Dmitri stood in the study, delivering his report. "Our men showed restraint—three broken ribs, fractured right wrist."
"What's the Belluccis' reaction?" I didn't look up from the files in my hands.
"Sofia Bellucci went ballistic, blamed Lorenzo for acting on his own. According to our sources, there's serious upheaval inside the family. Some think Lorenzo was defending family honor, others think he's a hothead who nearly destroyed their last hope."
I set down the files and leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming against the armrest.
"He destroyed himself." My voice was ice. "Arrogant fool."
"There's something else. Those competitors who've been pressuring the Bellucci businesses—they're getting restless again. Seems they didn't take your warning seriously."
"Who's pulling the strings?"
"We suspect Kieran. That old fox has been quiet lately, and those families all have murky connections to him."
Kieran.
My fingers stopped drumming. My gaze turned cold.
"Teach those families a lesson. Make them understand—Morozov warnings are only given once."
"Understood." Dmitri nodded. "How far should we go?"
"Bankrupt them." My tone was casual. "But no blood. Now's not the time to deal with cops."
"Yes, boss," Dmitri responded. "And Sofia Bellucci..."
"Warn her," I cut him off. "Keep Lorenzo in line. If he shows his face around here again, next time won't be just a few broken ribs."
"Understood."
Dmitri turned to leave. I stopped him.
