Me
You at the mansion?
Vanessa
Da. Why?
Me
Stay. Serafina has something to tell us all but won’t say what.
Vanessa
Should I call Zeno then? Any idea?
Me
None. She’s basically crying. She was fine before intermission.
Vanessa
Get home quickly. I’ll call Zeno. Come to my office when you arrive.
Outside, she’s silent as I open the passenger door, hesitating before climbing in. Her hand rests on my arm while her expression nearly drops me to my knees. “I really did have fun tonight.Grazie. It felt like a fantasy, being here with you…like this.” She skims her hand along the front of her gown, which probably won’t be torn off her tonight as originally planned.
She claims it’s like a fantasy, but for me, seeing her smile as much as she did was the best version of reality. Now, it feels like a nightmare soon ending…or beginning.
I cup her cheek, thankful to have her alone for these few minutes. “I’ll take you to all the shows you want if you tell me what happened.”
“Bribing me won’t work, Lev.” Her mouth lifts in the corners, a smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. “Besides, there’s no motive when this will be my last show anyway.”
“Last show…? Serafina—” Never have I felt so completely useless, so unlike the weapon my father made me be, doing nothing but dropping my forehead to hers and inhaling peaches and vanilla. Breathe, pray, and plead, “Printessa,youneedto tell me what’s happening.”
She cups my face. “You know, a part of me adores that name.” Then she slides into the car like none of that happened, reaching over until I’m forced to release the door to shut it.
The walk to my side is done with slow steps, needing to calm the rage in my veins before doing something stupid. As I take my seat, the back door of the theatre opens, my sister running out in yoga pants and a hoodie. Her hair is still in that ungodly bun, and she waves before rushing to her car.
I take off down the road, eager to get home. In my rear-view, Anastasia’s keeping pace as we speed through Moscow towards Bratva lands.
Without putting away the car, I barely park it before dragging Serafina into the mansion. Behind me, Ana parks her car to the side and rushes behind us, the three of us heading for Vanessa’s office. I release Serafina as Vanessa turns her laptop to reveal Zeno on a video call.
“Sera, what do you need to tell us?”
She ignores him, heading to one of the chairs in front of Vanessa’s desk. I move to the side to lean against the wall, remaining nearby. Anastasia claims the remaining chair, but not before sending a worried glance my way.
Serafina starts, “We have a problem.”
44
SERAFINA
“What do you mean ‘a problem?’” My brother’s voice, a near-yell, comes through the laptop’s speakers. Behind him, Nero is leaning to be in view, his frown apparent and seemingly sober, nothing like the Nero I’m used to.
“During intermission, when I was leaving the bathroom, someone grabbed me. It was Alessio. He’s in Russia.”
The room breaks out into a stream of curses. Vanessa immediately grabs her phone. Anastasia swears a few times. Zeno starts spewing all sorts of things in Italian. And Lev…he’s the only silent one in the room, though his heavy stare is everything but.
While the rest work on calming themselves, I risk a peek his way, instantly regretting it. He’s no longer a man, instead death personified. No longer my date, but a person betrayed.
