"No," she agrees. "But your children do. And this way, when you leave, you'll know they're safe. The Bratva won't touch them. Not when I'm sleeping in Maksim's bed."
I’m not sure how to respond to this. For all my power, I'm helpless against my sister's determination to sacrifice herself.
"I won't allow it," I say finally, futilely.
Valentina smiles. "You don't have to allow it, Brother. You just have to accept it."
"Maksim will take advantage of this," I growl, unable to let this go. "You think he wants a political marriage? He wants a Dante under his thumb. Someone he can break and manipulate."
The thought of Valentina in that monster's hands makes my blood boil.
I've seen what the Bratva does to women who displease them.
I know without a doubt he’ll take out his anger toward me and Alessandro on Valentina.
"I'm not a child," Valentina snaps. "I know exactly what I'm walking into."
Alessandro raises his hand, silencing us both. "I've thought of that. Valentina won't be alone. I'm assigning her a bodyguard."
"A bodyguard?" I laugh bitterly. "Against the Pakhan of the Bratva?”
Alessandro ignores that final comment. “I’m sending Cristian Bonetti. His family has long worked for us. He’s loyal only to us, and he's nearly as lethal as you, Luca."
Valentina rolls her eyes. "I don't need a babysitter."
"It's non-negotiable," Alessandro counters. "Maksim doesn't touch you.”
“Is he going to sleep with them too?" I snap.
“Maksim knows what’s at stake. If he hurts Valentina, bodyguard or not, I'll burn his entire operation to the ground."
“See, nothing to worry about.” Valentina looks at me like I shouldn’t worry.
But hell yeah, I’m worried.
I don’t trust Maksim.
However, it’s clear the deal is made and everyone but me is on board with it.
Since I have no say in Dante business, my opinion doesn’t count for anything.
I leave the conference room with my head spinning, torn between relief for my own future and dread for my sister's.
Her sacrifice, all in the name of peace, doesn’t sit right with me.
In my room, I start to pack and make a mental list of what Katerina and Enzo might want to bring with them.
I make a quick call to Franco, letting him know I’m coming home and giving a few to-dos for him to execute before I return.
When I get off the call, the door opens and Katerina and Enzo walk in.
“Daddy!” Enzo runs for me, and I know it’s going to hurt like a mother fucker when he barrels into me, but I don’t care. I squat down and wrap him in my arms. “Hey buddy. How was school.” I’m not wrong. I feel like I might have torn my chest open. But my son’s embrace offsets the pain.
“Good.” He steps back and studies me. “You’re not sick anymore?”
“I’m almost one hundred percent.” I look up at Katerina. “We have the approval we need.”
She sniffs back tears as she comes to me. “Finally.”
