I tear my eyes away from Stefano to glance at him in question. He waves his hand. “Six men, including Morelli. Unless we’re expecting any more?”
There’s a twist in his voice. Something harsh, but it’smehe’s staring at as if he wouldn’t mind giving me the fight I feel so desperate for.
“What?” My tone borders violence.
He only raises a mocking brow at me. “I’m only checking. Any more arrivals we should know about? What aboutadded extras? Do I have any other children you’vehiddenfrom me, Domenico? Or was it only my daughter you lied about?”
The others still.
Dante’s sharp blow lands with all the more power behind it for the unexpected question. I rock back on my heels as if it were physical, taking in the fury he finally allows to show on his face now that we’re all out of immediate danger.
Another reckoning to face.
And I knew it was coming, knew that I would need to answer for this too - but fuck if I’d nearly forgotten amidst the pain of everything else these last few months. And that guilt wraps itself around my neck with a throttling grip.
Whatever friendship we started to build… I see none of that reflected in his face as he stands, his fingers adjusting the fit of his suit jacket, even though it’s covered in soot and ripped on the one side.
This is the V’Arezzo capo. Cold, and angry, and right to be. I have no defence, aside from protecting Cat.
And she willalwaysbe my first priority.
“Dante—,”
There’s an apology, low and genuine, in my voice. Or the beginnings of one. The words I owe him are too big to fit within a single sentence, and too fragile for me to share them here, with everyone watching us.
But his own anger is too strong to allow me anything at all, and I can’t fucking blame him for it as he steps closer. I don’t move, even as his finger stabs into my chest.
“You’re itching for a damn fight, Domenico.” I jerk at that, but he doesn’t let up, his words a low snarl. “I can fucking see it –allof us can see it. And I’ll happily fucking give it to you, butnot here. If I can hold onto my need to punch you in the fuckingface for keeping mydaughtera secret from me, then you can sit the fuck down until we get off this plane and get her somewheresafe.”
His words drop to a hiss as he glances behind me.
We all turn, as if all of us are synced to the woman who brought us together in the first place.
But her eyes stay closed, even as that furrow in her brow remains.
Awake, but silent.
And Caterina says nothing.
2. Caterina
Ican feel their eyes on me as the tension around us rises, threatens to spill over into something physical as Dante and Domenico face each other, their words carrying.
They’re all watching. Waiting - for something, anything. For me to jump up, to pull them apart, to give them a sharp tongue and sharper wit.
But I don’t give them anything. Ican’t.
All I can do is breathe.
Keep breathing.
In, out.
Again.
Again.
And the ice – that cold, numbing sensation that crept over my body as I walked out of the Asante compound for the last time – it steals all of the words that I might have said to them, strangles them in my throat as I lay here with my eyes closed, listening but numb.
