“I can’t do it. I’m supposed to be in a strategy simulation, sharing space with Conor. The bastard nearly killed her by doing nothing. I’ll kill him if I see him tonight.”
“But you have to go,” Rosa says softly.
A soft voice joins us from the bed. “You do.”
I turn; Aoife is awake. Her eyes are open, swollen, red, but clear. Focused. She brings the sleeve to her face and wipes the tears away. “You need to go,” she says, sitting up slowly. “This trial isn’t just about you. They’ll be watching how you move. What you say. If you back down now, it’ll show weakness, and the second you do that, they’ll use it against you.”
“Little lamb…” I whisper. She reaches for my hand. I kneel beside her again, eyes locked. “How are you feeling?”
She shakes her head. “Like I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“You jumped off the fucking cliff, Aoife,” I say, voice shaking. “You have to talk to me. You have to?—”
“I don’t know what this is between us,” she cuts me off gently. “But I know what’ll happen if it gets out. I might hate my family, but?—”
“But nothing,” I growl.
“Matteo,” Milo warns, and I turn to face him. “She’s been through a lot, tone the voice down.” His glance moves to Aoife, and I nod.
“What do you want, Aoife?” I ask.
Her lip trembles. She looks like she might break all over again. “You. But I can’t have that.”
I press my forehead against hers. “You already have me.”
“No, no I don’t. We both know this can’t happen. We both know neither family will allow it. Hell, mine have everything planned for me, and yours?—”
“We will figure it all out.” The clock clicks louder now. “Do you trust me?” I ask her, because before I do anything I need to know that I have her trust.
She looks in my eyes, not just at me, she’s looking at my soul.
“Yes.”
“Then trust me, I will think of something. But first I have to do this trial, and not kill your cousin.” I stand up, and go to face my brothers, but stop when Aoife grabs my hand.
“Please don’t tell Conor about… please.” Her plea hits me hard, and I nod. I have no idea how I’m supposed to keep my mouth shut, but something tells me if I tell him what happened on the roof, her family will take her home, and I won’t see her again, never mind save her.
Turning to my brothers, I order, “Don’t let her out of your sight until I get back.”
Marco nods. “We won’t.”
I walk to the door, and Milo follows. “This is going to be hard, but you have three wins. Just don’t kill him,” Milo jokes, and I smile the first smile which has hit me all night.
“I’ll try.” I walk away, wanting this trial to finish quickly.
But the first thing I need to work out is a fucking plan. There is only one way I get to win, but it’s also the one thing I’m the most fucking scared to do. Talking to Grandfather.
Chapter 28
Matteo
The second I step into the trial room, I know this isn’t a puzzle. It’s a war.
A war with myself, not to kill him. My focus isn’t on winning. It’s on getting out before I lose control. The mood I’m in I’m not sure it will take long for me to lose it.
Stale air. Tight walls. One table. Two chairs. A dead bulb hanging like a noose from the ceiling.
Conor’s already here, slouched in his chair like it’s a normal day. The bastard doesn’t care what his family’s doing to Aoife, but I wonder how much does he really know about what’s happening to her?
