My anger had been misplaced. I should’ve never taken it out on him. They were only trying to be Brando’s brothers, honor his wishes, even if misguided in their attempts to do both.
Rocco and I held on to each other like life preservers in the storm, before either of us could speak.
“I’m sorry—”
“I will save him—”
“You will?”
“You are?”
We pulled apart. He looked down at me and I looked up at him. “Yes,” he said, after a minute. “I will.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I refuse to sacrifice any of you.”
Romeo turned to watch us. Rocco paced around the room, head down, eyes to the floor, hands on hips.
“Rocco?”
He stopped and gave me the attention I asked for.
“Iamgoing to save him.”
The two brothers gave each other a look and then turned back to me.
“Somehow,” I said, my voice dipping low. “I feel it. I can get him back. Iwillget him back.”
“How?” Vincenzo came in, standing with his shoulder against the doorframe.
I shook my head. “I need to make a phone call.”
* * *
The time it took for my visitor to make it to the castle didn’t astound me, though his companion did.
I nodded as Lev moved past me, a corralled Colette stumbling behind him, not pleased to be in his care or to see me. Rocco, Dario, Romeo, Donato, Vincenzo, and Guido stood behind me, and at their arrival, I could feel their moods go from tense to stricken. I wasn’t sure if it was Lev or Colette who they distrusted more.
“The Russian assassin, Scarlett?” Rocco said, not hiding the displeasure in his voice. All six men took steps closer, huddling around me like a football team.
Lev must’ve been used to this sort of reaction, because he said nothing, forcing Colette deeper into the castle. She swung her arms around, refusing to let him touch her.
I nodded once in reply to Rocco’s question. Then I bucked my chin at Collette, addressing Lev. “What is she doing here?”
This made her stop protesting. She narrowed her eyes at me and blew the hair out of her face. “I spied for Nemours,” she said. “All this time.”
“All this time?” I whispered. “How long isall this time?”
She lifted one slim shoulder and shrugged in her aloof way. “From the very beginning, of course. He keeps tabs on all of the new dancers in Paris. Your arrival set him off. This is why we are here at this moment. He choreographed the dance of your life all along, no?”
Before I could charge her, Vincenzo snaked a hand around my waist, lifting me off my feet.
“Let us meet in the library,” Vincenzo said, turning his back on Lev and Colette. “We can talk more freely there.”
After he took a few steps forward, he put his mouth to my ear, ignoring my subtle attempt at getting him to release me. “Be careful who you attack, lioness. You might need her cooperation. Be patient. The art of taking down prey, the mind games, are almost as beautiful and just as important as the explosive kill.”
Three days!I wanted to scream.I only have three days!
Also, the woman I had thought was a friend had betrayed me to the enemy. Because of her, people I loved had been murdered in cold blood. I didn’t know how much patience I had left in me.
