“Targets?” I ask with a worried wrinkle of my brow, picturing Vincenzo holding an assault rifle and mowing down a crowd of people.
“You’re marrying an assassin, doe. Do you have a problem with killing?”
“I have a problem with killing innocent people.”
“Good,” he says curtly. “So do I.”
Relief rushes through me. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear those words.
He sits forward and looks deep into my eyes. “Let me reassure you that tonight isn’t about killing. It’s about intel, and I don’t plan on spilling any blood. Are you with me?”
“That’s enough.” Sofia throws her napkin down. “You will not take this sweet girl to a Dervishi brawl. I forbid it. Take your cousin.”
“It’s fine if I’m in danger?” Matteo grumbles. “Thanks, Ma.”
“You know how to defend yourself.”
While Sofia and Matteo argue, Vincenzo gazes steadily at me, not breaking eye contact.
My heart is pounding. Even if we’re going to quietly gather evidence, this is still insane. The Dervishis will kill us if we blow our cover. I should be terrified. The girl who couldn’t sleep without seeing Pietro’s blood would have refused immediately.
But that girl also thought she was weak and helpless. A victim who could only survive by obeying.
There’s a spark of excitement in my chest. For the first time in my life, someone is asking me to be brave instead of obedient. This is my chance to be useful instead of decorative. To stand beside Vincenzo instead of being protected like a porcelain doll Dad keeps locked away.
“I’ll do it.”
Vincenzo’s smile sharpens with pride. “That’s my girl.”
Those three words make pride bloom in my chest, fierce and bright.
Sofia stares from Vincenzo to me with worry filling her beautiful eyes. For several minutes, she argues with her nephew, trying to convince him that this is a mistake.
Finally, Vincenzo reaches out and covers her hand with his. “I know you’re worried about me because of what happened to Dante and the rest of our family, but I’ve wasted enough time these past weeks. If I don’t get these weapons back, they’re going to be used against us, and we’ll lose the Lucanias as allies as well.”
“He’s right, Ma,” Matteo admits. “We need our don.”
Vincenzo’s eyes flicker to Matteo, and his jaw flexes as though the worddonhas caused him physical pain, but he doesn’t argue with his cousin.
Sofia sighs heavily and gives in. “All right. But if you’re going to do this, let me feed you properly first.” She pushes the breadbasket toward him. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.”
He takes the bread, a smile warming his lips and glowing in his eyes as he glances at me. I should be thinking ahead to all the things that could go wrong tonight, but instead Vincenzo calling mehis girlis making me tingle all over.
As Vincenzo mops up the last of the sauce on his plate, he says to his aunt, “Doe knows how to handle herself,Zia. First time I met her, she brained me with a baseball bat.”
“Was that before or after you kissed her?” Matteo asks.
“After.”
Matteo grins. “Damn, you need to work on your technique.”
“It was a wonderful kiss.” My voice rings out over the table, louder than I intended and silencing the others. All three of them stare at me.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that out loud. I tear up a piece of bread to cover my embarrassment, but can feel Vincenzo’s heated gaze on me.
After the meal, Matteo helps his mother clean up while Vincenzo tells me everything he knows about the Dervishis and describes bare-knuckle fights in Malus. I’m so entranced by ourconversation—and honestly, his handsome face and deep voice—that I realize with a jolt how late it’s getting.
“I should go home and get changed.”
