“Please look at me, Ember,” he pleaded. “If I could do over the past few days, there are about a hundred things I’d handle differently. All I can manage now is not to make the same mistakes again.” He paused. “If you give me the chance, that is.”
His eyes were the color of the ocean today, lighter toward the centers, like waves breaking on a beach, something so raw burning inside them it became hard to breathe.
“You should have told me,” I admonished, wondering if that would have changed a thing.
“I know that now,” he admitted. “You deserved to know the truth long before today. But…” He paused, and when he continued, every word was full of pain.
“I had many reasons for keeping secrets, but the only one that matters was pure selfishness.” When I stayed quiet, he went on, “These past days have been the best I’ve ever known. And I knew when you had your name, when you knew Giovanni was the killer, either because you heard thetruth from my mouth or realized it yourself… I’d lose you. That you’d get what you came for and leave me behind to wreak your vengeance.”
He smiled, and it was like the sun came out. “And oh, how I want to see you wreak your vengeance,tesoro. Gods know I want to watch every beautiful, vicious moment.”
Something glimmered in his eyes as he tucked a curl behind my ear. Something that made me want to look away, except I couldn’t.
“So, I kept my secrets, told myself you would find the truth on your own, that you were safer not knowing your uncle was a monster, because that, too, was part of my selfishness, not wanting you to be hurt.
“And in the process, I got to keep you. For a few more minutes or hours or days, every one of them stolen, every one of them more than I deserved, and every single one of themmine. No matter what happens next, even if you leave right now, I won’t regret a moment of it, Emberline.”
“That’s it?” I asked, breathless. “No excuses about protecting me?”
“Protecting you doesn’t work. I tried that and failed spectacularly. But this is…” He took a breath. “I came to that wedding expecting… I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t you. I thought I’d find a spoiled princess, with her father’s soft heart and his terrible sense of humor. I found nothing but a warrior, and I didn’t know what to do with you.”
“Enzo did have a soft heart.” I sighed, remembering. “I loved that about him. My brother has one, too.”
Just like that, my whole being snapped back to thenow. “What about Luca? Will Uncle Gio hurt him?”
Immediately, Dante shook his head vehemently, as if sure of his answer. “Nico, Gabriel, and I discussed this atlength, and your uncle needs Luca right now. He’s a valuable asset and a fast learner. Your uncle will prepare him for the position, of course, but he’s the perfect face of the DiRavello family. Young, brash, and ignorant of his uncle’s sins.”
I toyed with my coffee mug. “You don’t think we should tell him?”
“Doyou?” Dante lifted his brow. “How well can your brother hide his feelings? How safe do you think he’ll be if Giovanni suspects he knows the truth? Will he be in more danger or less?”
I pushed away from the table and paced across the tiny kitchen, needing movement, or I’d fly apart. The wards embedded in the stones brushed against the edge of my senses as I passed the walls, a steady thrum that only made the pain inside me cut deeper.
This was like losing Father all over again.
Worse, maybe, because he’d been so terribly betrayed.
“No, Luca can’t know.” I closed my eyes, fully aware I was making the same argument—presumably—Dante made to himself when he’d decided not to tell me the truth, but Luca… my brother couldn’t keep a secret to save his life.
“Giovanni,” I muttered, the once-beloved name tasting like poison, “used to sit beside Father at our family table every night. He drank our wine, taught me how to use a knife, and taught me how to handle the politics of this world.” My throat burned. “He looked me in the eye and promised he’d always protect our family.”
Dante watched me, silent.
“And all this time,” I whispered, “he was the one tightening the noose.”
“Ember…”
“Don’t.” I held up a hand. “Not yet.”
If he touched me right now, I wasn’t sure if I’d break or scream or both.
I dragged in a ragged breath that scraped across my ribs.I’d been so blind. So foolish. I’d seen Giovanni for what he was; I couldn’t even make the excuse that I’d never seen his evil side. Because I had. I’d seen him betray hundreds of people. And I’d still trusted him, because he was blood. Family.
Loyal, like that stupid Dominico family motto.
What a bunch of sanctimonious bullshit.
“I’ve been lying to myself,” I went on. “All these years… I knew Giovanni played a dangerous game, but I thought he was on our side. When the other families threatened, he always defended us. When Marcello cornered Enzo, Giovanni found a way out. I thought he was protecting us.”
