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“They’ll do it on their own terms, honey,” Alessia said under her breath. Silvio turned to smile at her.
My parents were both dead but I didn’t think I had ever seen my dad smile at my mom–or at Kieran’s mom or at Liam’s mom–like that.
“Actually, we’ve been thinking of doing something... different,” Adriana said, her voice steady. “A masquerade ball, to celebrate our engagement.”
Silvio’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he masked any surprise quickly, nodding as if considering the strategy behind her words. “Interesting choice,” he mused. “And the timing?”
“Timed perfectly,” Adriana continued, “to keep our enemies guessing and off balance. A celebration that’s also a statement.”
“The perfect political princess,” Carmen said.
“Shut up, Carm,” Adriana replied, no real venom in her voice.
I did admire her cleverness. The masquerade was a stroke of genius, really. It was theatrical, distracting, and it bought us time - time we desperately needed to navigate the treacherous waters of our families’ alliances and rivalries.
“Very well,” Silvio said after a moment, a hint of pride in his eyes as he looked at his daughter. “I trust you’ll handle it with the same precision you handle everything else, Adriana.”
“She is an actuary,“ I said, as if I had any idea what that meant.
It made her laugh. I reached under the table and found her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
The clink of fine china filled the silence after Adriana’s announcement, and Silvio Orsini leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled as he watched us all with keen eyes that had seen too much. When did this man eat? All he did was lean and stare, but his plate was almost completely empty.
“And what’s the news on the Rossis?” he asked casually, yet with a weight that implied it was anything but.
I kept my expression neutral, feeling the texture of the tablecloth beneath my fingertips. “Haven’t heard a thing,” I lied smoothly. It was the only safe answer in a game where truth was often more dangerous than fiction.
Kieran shifted in his seat next to me, the dark fabric of his shirt stretching over his shoulders as he leaned forward, eager to make an impression. “We’re handling it,” he said, his voice tinged with the arrogance of someone who wanted to prove themselves.
I felt a muscle in my jaw twitch at his recklessness. A swift kick under the table sent him a clear message—stay quiet, stay smart. He shot me a glare, rubbing his shin, but fell silent.
Fucking Kieran.
Silvio nodded, his gaze lingering on Kieran a moment longer before returning to me. “There might be an opportunity coming up,” he continued, oblivious or indifferent to the tension between his guests. “A meeting with some of the Rossis.”
I masked my immediate distaste for the idea with a sip of water, keeping my face impassive. Silvio didn’t need to know that the prospect of walking into what could easily be a trap wasn’t my idea of a solid plan. “Sounds promising,” I managed to say, my tone carefully measured.
“I thought you’d be more annoyed,” Silvio said. “Considering they did take my daughter.”
I took another sip of water, remembering how he had to help me save Adriana from Nick Rossi. How my father had died from Nick’s hand.
“I expect you won’t let Nick Rossi keep running it,” I replied. “I expect he’ll see appropriate retribution for everything he has done. In my experience, you’re not a forgiving man. I have faith you’ll handle this, Mr. Orsini.”
I hadn’t said a thing I didn’t mean, but the words still tasted like ash in my mouth.
“Indeed,” Silvio replied with a nod. “These things are delicate, Tristan. One wrong move and we find ourselves in a world of trouble.”
I clenched my hands under the table, trying to steady the storm brewing within. Adriana, sensing the rising tension, reached for a lighter topic like she was grasping for a lifeline.
“Speaking of plans,” she said, her voice pushing through the heaviness, “Carmen, you’ve been awfully quiet about your own love life.”
Carmen tossed her head back and laughed, her fiery red hair catching the light in a cascade of flames. “Please, as if I’d ever let myself be tied down for something as tedious as political alliance. Thank heavens I’m not in your shoes, sis.”
Alessia shushed her. Silvio grunted with what could have been amusement or agreement – it was hard to tell which. “Damn right you’re lucky,” he said with a sidelong glance at me that felt more like a warning than a jest.
I’d noticed Liam hadn’t said a word so far, he’d just been watching everything with interest and quietly eating his food.
Adriana’s face paled, a stark contrast to the warmth of the morning sun pouring into the estate’s grand dining room. Her sharp wit struggled against the weight of our situation, but today, it seemed to falter. Excusing herself abruptly, she stood up, knocking her chair back slightly. “I need some air,” she muttered before striding out, her athletic build despite the expanding baby bump tense with barely contained emotion.
