"I know what you wanted." I soften my voice, just slightly. "But I'm not thirteen anymore, Mamma. I'm not the little girl you can protect by keeping secrets."
The irony isn't lost on me. I'm lecturing her about secrets while hiding the biggest one of all.
Pietro runs a hand through his hair, visibly forcing himself to regain composure. "Fine. Baganov it is. But this happensmyway now. Everything goes through me."
"Agreed."
He points at Mamma. "And you. No more secret meetings. No more wedding planning without my approval.Capisce?"
Mamma nods stiffly.
Bruno wheels toward the door. "Well. This has been entertaining. Wake me when someone remembers I exist."
He's gone before anyone can respond.
Dante opens the door for him, then closes it again, resuming his position like nothing happened.
Nico catches my eye. "You're sure about Baganov?"
I think about Dmitri's hand reaching for mine in the car. About the crack in his armor when he told me his father was dying.
"I'm sure."
Nico nods once. It's not approval, but it's not disapproval either.
Pietro collapses back into his chair. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we start the negotiations."
I head for the door, my legs steadier than they should be after that interrogation. But before I reach it, Mamma's voice stops me.
"Vittoria."
I turn.
She stands there, looking smaller than I've ever seen her. Older. Human.
"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I should have... I should have talked to you."
I swallow the lump in my throat. "Yeah. You should have."
Then I leave, because if I stay another second, I might say something I can't take back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Dmitri
The door opens without a knock.
Igor.
He stands in the doorway, arms crossed, that look on his face I've seen a thousand times. The one that says I've done something monumentally stupid and he's about to tell me exactly how stupid.
"You're being reckless." His voice cuts through the silence like a blade.
I pour another glass. "Cut it off, Igor."
"No."
The word hangs in the air between us. Igor never tells me no. Not like this. Not with that edge in his voice that sounds almost like fear.
