A criminal.
So I lie. "No.” I shake my head. "No, I don't love him. He was—he was a distraction. A mistake. Nothing more."
"And Thaddeus? Do you love him?"
Another impossible question. "I care about Thad. I respect him. I—" I swallow hard, forcing out the lies. "I'm committed to our engagement. To our future together."
"That's not what I asked."
"I know. But it's the truth. I'm committed to Thad. To this family. To—to doing what's right." I don’t think my father really cares if I love Thad. And I can’t bring myself to speak that lie. It feels like a betrayal of Romeo, regardless of what he’s done or what else has happened.
He leans back in his chair, still studying me. "The Ciresa boy—do you know who his father is?"
I nod. "You told me. Dante Ciresa. A—a crime boss."
"Not just a crime boss. One of the most powerful organized crime figures on the East Coast. The kind of man who could destroy careers, ruin lives, make people disappear." He pauses. "The kind of man I cannot afford to be associated with. Our family has been, in the past. It went badly. That family and ourshave nothing to do with each other, now. You cannot be seen with a Ciresa."
I nod, my hands shaking, even though they’re twisted together in my lap. "I understand."
"Do you? Do you understand that it could destroy everything I've worked for?"
"Yes, sir. I understand."
"Good." He stands, walking around the desk to stand in front of me. "Then you'll understand why I'm making the following conditions."
My stomach drops. "Conditions?"
"You'll be allowed to go back to New York. You’ll get to finish your degree, as I promised. But your activities will be monitored more closely. Thaddeus will be visiting more frequently. And you will have no contact—none whatsoever—with Romeo Ciresa."
My chest feels like I’ve been stabbed. But I force myself to sit, stiff and pale, and nod agreeably. "Yes, sir."
"Additionally, the wedding date is being moved up. Your mother nearly fainted at the idea of Christmas, so Thaddeus has suggested next summer, and I agree. That gives you time to finish your first year of graduate school, and then?—"
"Next summer?" The words come out before I can stop them. "But that's only—that's less than a year away."
"Yes. And if you're truly committed to Thaddeus, if you're truly done with this—this distraction—then there's no reason to wait."
"But my degree?—"
"You can continue your studies after the wedding. Many women manage to balance marriage and education. Thaddeus is willing to compromise and allow your attention to be divided until you finish your degree, so long as the two of you are married. You will move out of the dorms once you’re marriedand into an apartment that the two of you will share. He will go back and forth between here and New York."
"But—"
"This is not a negotiation, Savannah." His voice hardens. "You've proven that you can't be trusted with too much freedom. So we're going to provide more structure. More oversight.” He pauses. "More guidance."
I feel like I'm suffocating. "Yes, sir."
"And if you step out of line again—if there's even a hint of impropriety—I will pull you from the program immediately. The wedding will happen within weeks, not months. Do you understand?"
I feel like I could pass out, like I can’t breathe. This is too much, too fast, but I know I have no room to argue. Nowhere to compromise from here. "Yes, sir."
"Good." He returns to his desk. "You'll stay here for the weekend. We'll have dinner with the Whitmores tomorrow night. You'll apologize to Thaddeus. You'll reassure him of your commitment. And then you'll return to New York on Sunday night before your classes resume on Monday."
I bite my lip hard to keep the tears from falling again. "Yes, sir."
"You're dismissed."
I stand on shaking legs and walk to the door. I need to be alone.
