She gives me a look as if she’s analyzing me like I’m a lab rat. “What do you think of Alessandro?”
I laugh without humor. “What do I think? I don’t want to speak poorly of your brother to your face.”
My face falls when I realize that was a knee-jerk reaction to the talk we just had a moment ago—where he essentially rejected me because he thought I was seducing him for my benefit. Which I was… but not anymore…
She shrugs. “My family kidnapped yours after trying to murder your grandfather and your brother. If you told me you hated his guts, I wouldn’t take it personally.”
“It’s confusing.”
“Confusing? That’s wonderful for him.”
“Wonderful?” I laugh.
“That means you’re getting along with him at least a little. I was worried he would be single and alone forever.”
I think back to our conversation last night—how he was forced to isolate himself until that’s all he knew. I feel a twinge of sadness for him.
“You’re still single though,” I try to steer the conversation away from him.
She gives me a sly smile. “And you’re wondering how I managed that? Getting into my thirties without marrying or having children.” She takes a sip of tea. “Alessandro helped, and your brother Max is quite lucky.”
I nearly choke on my bread at what she’s implying. “He killed…?”
She smiles and puts her finger to her lips. “But I guess keeping that quiet doesn’t matter so much now that Marco is no longer with us.”
“Well, didn’t Marco catch on to what was happening?”
“Of course. That’s why I was sent to live at the other end of the castle.”
And that’s why she hadn’t stepped into her childhood room in so long.
“Were all of your matches awful?”
“Not all of them.” She shrugs. “Some of them I even thought were nice. But I didn’t want them.”
A chill runs down my spine as I think about how Elena is capable of killing innocent men. She tilts her head; her eyes look cold. “You probably think I’m evil. Alessandro told me about you—how your family kept you from the violence?”
“Yeah… but my grandfather kept everyone away from violence. Or as much as he could manage. From what I understand, we have enough income coming in from our legitimate businesses.”
Elena looks amused. “We have plenty of money from our legitimate businesses as well. But that was never enough for Marco.”
“Right.”
Elena takes another pastry from the basket, rips it in half and then holds it up to me, raising her eyebrow. I take it from her.
“Do you think Alessandro will change that?” I ask.
“Hmm?”
“Trying to make as much money as possible regardless of how much violence and suffering it would take?”
She smirks, resting her chin on her hand. “What do you think?”
I think back to how brutally he killed Marco… but that conversation last night makes me see him differently. “I don’t know.”
She makes a noise in her throat. “Interesting.”
“But I know that he’s still planning on siphoning money from my family.” I can’t hide the bitterness in my voice.
