Then I lie in the dark and wait for morning.
Wait for my life to end and something new and terrible to begin.
Tomorrow, I become Seraphina Nero.
And the girl who restored rare books and dreamed of being a curator, the girl who loved her brother and believed in second chances, that girl dies.
I don't know who I'll become in her place.
CHAPTER 10
Adrian
Leo is in my office bright and early.
"You look like shit," he says by way of greeting.
"Good morning to you too." I pour myself a cup, black, and settle behind my desk. I haven't been able to sleep. Sera, despite everything, passed out almost immediately. Probably for the best considering her condition.
"What are you doing here?" I ask. "Did Bianca send you to make sure I'll be following through on her orders?"
He pulls out a tablet, slides it across to me. "Dimitri Morozov's body was found in a dumpster in Red Hook yesterday morning. Throat slit. No witnesses. No cameras. Clean. We considered making him disappear completely, but Bianca wanted a body. Apparently, it's important to the Russians to bury their men."
Alexei Morozov playing the grieving cousin is laughable, but if it keeps him from starting a war before the wedding, I'll take it.
"Bianca has a meeting with him before the wedding," he says. "To express her condolences."
"It's why she's pushed the wedding so hard," I say. "She wants us married as insurance."
Leo sighs.
"What?" I narrow my eyes on him. "What aren't you telling me?"
He reaches into his jacket, pulls out a cream envelope. He hands it to me, and as I glance at the gold foil engraving, I know exactly what this is.
I laugh and throw the envelope on the desk. "Fuck. My mother works fast. I didn't even confirm that Sera agreed to the marriage."
Leo shrugs. "I suppose Bianca was confident."
"Give me the rundown," I order. "I assume that's one of the reasons she sent you."
"Wedding starts at 5 PM. She's already picked a dress for Sera. A thousand guests are expected."
I laugh, shaking my head, but there's no humor in it. "Of course." I run a hand through my hair. "I told Sera we'd get married at the courthouse."
Leo raises an eyebrow. "I could have told you Bianca was never going to allow that."
I close my eyes. "This is a fucking mess." I know better than to fight Bianca on this, no matter how much I want to.
"It's non-negotiable. Your mother already has the mansion set up, the invitations sent, the whole thing planned." Leo's voice is matter of fact. "The Commission meets the day after tomorrow. You need to walk in there as a married man with a pregnant wife, not a loose cannon who killed Alexei's cousin over a woman."
"Great," I say, sarcasm dripping. "I'm glad she has a plan for the family. Meanwhile, I'll need to let my fiancée know that the quiet wedding I promised is now moot."
"Well, considering you have her brother, I'm sure you can get her to comply."
"It's not ideal." I look past Leo's head toward the bedroom where Sera is sleeping. I want to go back in there, wake her, and beg her to forgive me for this. "I'm trying to get her totrust me. Hard to do when I'm blackmailing her and expecting her to smile in front of thousands of people while I do it."
Leo nods slowly. "I see the problem."
