“You’re not at all concerned what sort of husband I might be to her?” I question.
He’s her uncle, for Christ’s sake. Her brothers were murdered. He’s making her marry one of the men responsible, and he doesn’t seem to give a rat’s ass how I’ll treat her. I wonder if she was even given a choice in this.
That’s a lie.
I’m sure she wasn’t given one.
And I don’t care.
But her uncle sure as shit should.
Vicente raises his chin. “I have every confidence you’ll treat her as she deserves.”
What does that even fucking mean? Is this prick hoping I’ll take care of her the way I took care of her brothers?
I’m going to check those papers again and make sure there isn’t some clause that grants him a fortune should something horrible happen to his little niece.
The air thickens as the silence stretches.
“Tomorrow, then.” Ivan puts a hand on my shoulder.
“Yes.” Vicente nods quickly.
“Tomorrow,” I agree.
We make our way out of the office, Vicente right on our heels yammering about the luncheon reception and other details I could not care less about. As far as I’m concerned, we can exchange vows on the tarmac at the airport. I have no need for a church and all the trimmings.
But the pretense that a true truce has taken place is in order. Vicente has bigger men to appease back home in Italy, and I have my sister to avenge.
I can stand a few hours of pomp and circumstance.
As we walk through the house to the front doors, I take note of the continued lack of photographs even in the hallways. While the place has a warmth that the over-the-top office didn’t, there’s no sign of a family living here.
“Who lives here besides Sienna?” I ask when we reach the door.
Vicente’s eyes widen, like he’s not sure how to answer me.
“Well, just her at the moment. This is our family home. The boys lived here when they were in town, usually a few months ofthe year. But now—” He clears his throat and pauses. “Now it’s just her.”
“Hmm.” I stuff my hands in my pockets. “Interesting.”
I open the front door and jog down the steps to our car idling for us. As I open the front passenger door, an eerie feeling creeps up my back. Like I’m being watched.
I turn to the front door; Vicente is talking with Alexander while Ivan nods along. The front windows of the house are all empty. I tilt my head back, looking up at the windows on the second floor.
A curtain moves, as though it’s just been dropped back into place. I wait a long moment, staring at the window.
When nothing appears, I climb into the car and slam the door shut.
“Do you think they’ll actually shut down the houses?” Ivan questions as soon as his door is shut and he and Alexander are back in the car.
“Unless the old man wants another war on his hands, they had better. I have a feeling he’s getting pressure from back home to make this problem go away.”
Igor pulls away from the mansion, driving down the long road and though the gates.
“I’m surprised you didn’t demand she be brought in front of you, Kaz.” Alexander chuckles.
I check my phone and answer a text message about the evening’s events.
