“I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t have to. In three days, you’re saying the words. And after that, you’ll be all mine, and I’ll die before anyone touches you or your sister.” He pulls back so he can look at me. His face shines with righteous fury. “Nobody touches what’s mine.”
“I’m not yours,” I say, feeling weak and pathetic. I thought I was strong. I thought I could handle anything if it meant protecting Gem.
Now I don’t know anymore.
“You will be.” His lips crush mine. It’s a furious kiss. He kisses my face, licking away the tears, almost drinking them down, an obsessive and needy pulse below the way his hands brush down my skin, before taking me in his arms again.
I melt against him, spine like clay, skull like ashes, wishing I were anywhere else.
KIRA
Fairy lights twinkle softly across the hallway of Gem’s floor. It’s honestly astonishing how quickly she moved into this house and started to make it her own. But I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s always been this way, ever since we were kids. She can’t live in a place long without making it her own.
Her room’s filled with cozy pillows and new furniture. She might’ve gone overboard on the hanging plants and the vintage shawls, but it works for her. Gem’s super into the cozy chic right now.
And honestly, it’s the perfect atmosphere for me, since I’m on the verge of losing my damn mind and I need a little calm.
“Made you some tea.” She places it down beside me on the edge of her desk. “It’s Sleepy Time. I’m pretty sure anything stronger is going to set you over the edge.”
I chew on my lip, fidgeting like a crazy person. “Who’s downstairs? Anyone new?”
“Only Stellan and those two other guys. Matteo and Saverino? I don’t know, they’re being nice to me, but I get a weird vibe.”
She’s got no idea. Those two are definitely important insiders. I remember them from the church. Stellan referred to that group of asshole old Italian men asthe council, which I guess is the leadership structure in his family.
No, scratch that.
I meanourfamily.
Because I’m about to become one of them.
“You sure you’re okay?” Gem looks concerned. She stands beside me in the mirror and leans her head on my shoulder. “You’re getting married, Kira. Shouldn’t you be happy?”
Somewhere, distantly, a little voice that sounds distressingly like six-year-old-Kira is screaming about my perfect imagined wedding day. I can see heaps of flowers, a massive puffy dress, a cake in the shape of a castle—I'm really into princesses—and at least three white ponies, ideally a lot more.
That's not what we're getting here.
“It's honestly not what I always imagined,” I say, smoothing my hands over the simple white silk dress. It's a sheath, hugging my hips and bust. Gem picked it out, mostly because she's got better taste than me.
“So why are we doing this again?”
I can't look at her. Not even in the reflection. I've been struggling with whether or not I should tell her about what's going on. Her life's as much in danger as mine is now. My father is her father too. She deserves to go into this with clear eyes.
Only I know it won't help.
She's too damn smart. Gem can get me to do pretty much anything she wants. I know if I tell her about our father, about the Corsetti Famiglia, about his death and Stellan and the Turks, she'll talk me out of this in, like, ten seconds.
Which is probably a red flag, but still.
All my reasons for marrying Stellan remain. He's our fastest route to stability. He's my best chance at giving Gem a future without killing myself. So what if I have to risk my life to do it?
Despite everything, I trust Stellan to keep us safe.
“I'm doing this because he's going to make a good husband.” I try to smile. I probably look deranged. “And he's going to help put you through school.”
“We don't need him, Kira, you know that.”
