"Who knew you had a romantic streak," Adriano mocks.
Alessandro rolls his eyes. "Joke all you want. I'm trying to have a moment here."
"A moment?" I fight a grin. "Did taking over as Don turn you soft?"
"I'm reconsidering my support," Alessandro threatens, but there's no truth to it.
For a moment, we’re back to being siblings again. Teasing and pushing buttons.
But then the moment is gone as Alessandro sits back in his chair. "There's one more stipulation.”
I tense, not sure I’m up to hearing something that will fuck up my life again.
“Maksim wants assurances we won’t retaliate by proposing marriage.”
Perhaps I’m still under the influence of pain or drugs.
Or maybe the euphoria of Katerina’s touch, because I don’t know why this is a problem.
If he’s agreed to let Katerina go with me, he’s not proposing marriage to her.
And besides, she might be Bratva born, but she’s a Dante now. Or will be once I put a ring on her finger.
“To Valentina.”
I think my head just exploded. "Valentina is supposed to marry Maksim?"
I glance over to find Valentina studying her nails with detached interest.
"This isn't happening.” Am I having a nightmare? "I'm not letting my sister be bartered like some medieval peace offering."
Alessandro's jaw tightens. "It's a traditional alliance?—"
"It's bullshit," I cut him off. "Maksim is twice her age and a psychopath. You've seen what he does to people who cross him."
"I've agreed to it," Valentina says, her voice devoid of any emotion.
I turn to her, disbelieving. "What?"
"I said I've agreed." Her gaze meets mine without fear. "The Bratva respect strength through bloodlines. This solidifies everything."
"You can't be serious."
"Deadly." She straightens in her chair. "This isn't your call, Luca. You get to leave with Katerina and build your perfect little family in Chicago. I'm choosing to serve ours here."
I’m not sure whether she’s dissing me or not. After all, they kicked me out of the family and even after that, I “served” them. Is she suggesting I’m abandoning them?
“I’ve served?—”
“No one is questioning your loyalty or dismissing all you’ve done for us,” Alessandro interrupts me. “This is about brokering peace.”
"There has to be another way," I insist, looking between my siblings, sure that they’ve all lost their minds. "Alessandro, you can't approve this."
"It's done," Alessandro says with finality.
"This is how I protect our family, Luca. This is how I protect you,” Valentine says.
"I don't need your protection," I snarl. “Not like this.”
