Page 61 of The Masked King

“And you have no description of her.”

“Correct.”

“What proof do you have that Malevsky is involved?”

“Word of mouth.” I don’t add that the mouth belongs to our sister.

Gio rubs his thumb along the stem of his glass. “What’s in it for you? What happens when you’ve found her, and she tells you that you haven’t saved her, you’ve turned her world upside down?”

“Gio!” Megan joins us and half-leans against her husband when she sits next to him, covering his hand with hers. “You don’t know that’s what will happen.”

“You’re right, I don’t.” His tone softens like melted butter for his wife, and the gesture grips my heart and squeezes tightly. “But women like Nyx don’t get embroiled with the Bratva for the fun of it. It’s the reason why you’re so hellbent on saving her, right?” He aims this at me. “If you’re not too late.”

“Oh…” Megan covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes large with tears. “You don’t think… Ignore me, Enzo, I’m super-emotional at the moment.” She locks eyes with Gio, and something passes between them that doesn’t concern me.

I lower my gaze. “They’re using her to bait me. They’ll keep her alive… for now.”

Gio is quiet, pensive. The kitchen is filled with the aroma of spicy chorizo and tomato sauce. The twins are asleep, and Bella is curled up on my lap, her head resting in the crook of my arm. It’s a wholesome scene, a snapshot of a regular family leading a regular life filled with love, and I feel nauseous when I compare it to the sordid masks and blacked-out rooms of JADED.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.” I don’t want to taint them with it too.

Bella is instantly alert, sensing the change in mood, and I rub the soft fur behind her ears.

“No, Enzo, don’t say that,” Megan blurts out, sitting up straight in her seat. “We’re family. You should never feel as if you can’t come here or ask us for help. Tell him, Gio.”

“I’m glad you came, brother,” Gio says, choosing his words carefully. “You’ve been absent for too long, in here—” he pats his chest directly above his heart “—and here.” He points to his head.

I know what he means. I’ve been off my game since Demi, but I’m back now, and I have Nyx to thank for that.

“But my advice to you,” Gio continues, “is to let it go. You can’t take on this new strain of Bratva singlehandedly. You won’t win.”

“You did.”

He holds my gaze, his expression serious. “That was different. I understood what I was up against, I knew the risks, and I was fighting for family.”

“Family?” I don’t even try to hide the sarcasm. “Do you mean our sister, the woman you sent away and banished from seeing her own children without a second thought for what that would do to her?”

His expression doesn’t alter. “I knew exactly what it would do to her, and if you think I don’t lie awake at night afraid for her, then you’re mistaken. But I’m the head of this family because of Bianca, and I did what I had to do to protect the people I love.”

“Okay.” Megan sits forward; she means business without raising her voice and waking the twins. “Fighting isn’t going to solve anything. I think we should leave Bianca out of this and focus on the reason why Enzo is here. Are you in danger?” Her voice stumbles over the last word.

“No.” I don’t want to lie to her, but she doesn’t need to know the truth. And besides, I’ve already mentally checked out of this conversation and am preparing to do this without my brother’s support.

“Perhaps you’re right, Gio.” I stand up and set the dog down on the floor, watching her tap-tap her way along the hallway and back to the twins’ room where she has slept since they were babies. It’s like severing the ribbon knotting me to them all over again. “Nyx isn’t worth the hassle.”

His mouth quirks into a lopsided smile. “You know I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. I speak the Sabatelli language, remember?”

He nods once. “I’m glad to hear it. For a while there, I was starting to worry that I would lose you too.”

I don’t acknowledge the jibe that I’m following in our sister’s footsteps. “Thank you for the offer of dinner, but I won’t stay.”

“Enzo, please don’t go.” Megan is on her feet and standing in front of me, holding my hand. “We’re only looking out for you; you understand that don’t you?”

“Of course.” My smile is tighter than I would’ve liked it to be, but the ache in the back of my throat is back, and I need to get out of here. “I’ll be back.”

“Promise?”