I almost laugh at the absurdity of the question. "Do I look okay?"
"Not really." He settles onto the bench beside me, careful to leave space between us. "Want to talk about it?"
"With you?"
"I know I'm not your first choice for a confidant," he says with a self-deprecating smile. "But sometimes it helps to talk to someone who understands the situation."
"Do you understand it?" I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "Because I sure as hell don't."
"Your world got turned upside down overnight. Your father isn't who you thought he was, and now you're caught in the middle of something you never asked to be part of." His voice is surprisingly gentle. "Yeah, I understand that."
"Then maybe you can explain why Dante thinks this is protecting me."
Bogdan is quiet for a long time, staring out at the gardens. "Have you ever seen what happens when rival families want to send a message?"
I shake my head.
"It's not pretty. And it's not quick." He turns to look at me, his eyes serious. "Your father's situation has created enemies for us. For him. For you. Here, you're safe."
"For how long?"
"Until the situation is resolved."
"And if it's not? What happens to me then?"
Another long silence. "Dante won't let anything happen to you."
"How can you be so sure?"
He studies my face, and I have the uncomfortable feeling he's seeing more than I want him to. "Because I know my cousin. He doesn't do anything without a reason, and he doesn't protect people unless they matter to him."
The words send a chill through me. "I don't matter to him. We barely know each other."
"If you say so." But his tone suggests he doesn't believe me any more than I believe myself.
"I just want to go home," I whisper.
"I know." His hand briefly covers mine, a gesture of comfort that surprises me. "But home isn't an option for you. I think you should be grateful Dante is being generous.”
“Generous?” I scoff.
Anger flashes through Bogdan’s eyes before it’s gone in a heartbeat. “Dante kills those that betray him. He kills their families. Normally, he would have killed your father and you. Instead, he’s giving your father a chance to pay him back.”
I’m definitely picking up on anger.
Did Bogdan want us dead?
I look around at the beautiful gardens, the armed guards, the fence that keeps me trapped as surely as any prison bars. "This feels like a cage."
"Sometimes cages are the safest place to be," Bogdan says quietly. "Especially when there are wolves prowling outside."
Despite my suspicions about him, despite the way he made my skin crawl yesterday, there's something comforting about his presence right now. Maybe it's just because he's being kind to me when kindness feels like a rare commodity.
"Thank you," I say finally. "For listening."
"Anytime." He stands, brushing off his pants.
He walks away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the growing certainty that there's so much more to this situation than anyone is telling me.
