“This isn’t new to you, is it?” Isla asks me, jolting me from my thoughts.
I don’t have to question what she’s talking about.
I swirl my martini in my glass, thinking about the unorthodox way I grew up. “In a way, it is. I was born and raised in the Bratva. My father worked his way up to brigadier, and then he became Pakhan after my mother was killed. But my stepmother insulated me from a lot of what went on, and when she left my father, she took me with her. My world became ballet instead of bullets.”
Or at least it had, until Misha forced his way back in when he returned from Russia and became the new Pakhan.
“We have that in common, then,” Luna says. “I went to college and grad school and got away from all this, only to end up back in it when I married Matteo. Love makes you do strange things.”
It takes me a second to remember that Matteo is Priest’s real name just like Scorpion’s is Lorenzo. The soft smile on her face and the tone of her voice say it all. She’s head over heels for her husband. But the feeling is apparently mutual. I never see Priest far from her side. From what I can tell, they have a real, happy marriage. Not the standard arranged marriage that’s all too common in worlds like ours.
“So you went to grad school,” I say, changing the subject and doing everything I can to keep my mind off how drastically different my situation is from hers.
“Isla and I both did,” Luna answers. “It’s how we met and became friends.”
“We’re creative writing and English lit nerds,” Isla confirms, grinning.
Not the background I’d have guessed for women involved with the Andriani brothers.
I finish the last swallow of my lemon drop, feeling liquid courage take hold. “Tell me more.”
The two instantly launch into a story of how they first bonded in a poetry class over their mutual dislike of a pompous know-it-all fellow student. Literature is so not my cup of tea, but their enthusiasm for the subject is infectious. I like these two. And I like hearing about their interests. It shocks me to realize I’m enjoying myself. I don’t know if it’s the vodka or the company. Maybe a bit of both.
We finish our first round, and all three of us head to the bar for a second, the dinner forgotten for now. Isla volunteers to make the next shaker, which is probably a good thing because I’d have us all completely drunk out of our minds in no time if it were left up to me.
“Scorpion tells us you’re a ballerina,” Isla says as she shakes up her batch of lemon drops.
The last thing I want to talk about is me.
Or the life I had up until a few weeks ago.
“I was one,” I say noncommittally.
I should win an Academy Award for how nonchalant I sound, like it’s not killing me to give up everything I’ve dreamed of. But even if I like Luna and Isla, I don’t know them well enough to decide whether I can trust them. I need to watch my back.
“He sent me the link to a video of one of your shows,” Luna adds. “You’re very talented. I didn’t think the show was all that long ago…”
“I left the company when things changed,” I explain tightly.
But then it occurs to me that Scorpion sent her a link. It would be touching if he weren’t my kidnapper and the man I wasforced into marrying. But he is, and I’m not about to let myself soften toward him.
“Things,” Isla probes, pouring the lemon drops into the waiting glasses. “You mean you and Scorpion?”
Lorenzo mentioned something about Isla being new to the family. She’s not married to Saint yet, but everyone seems to think it’s a given that he’ll propose any day. It’s clear she’s not following why I’d have to give up my career. Maybe she doesn’t know how archaic many of the men in the Bratva and the Mafia are. If not, she’ll find out soon enough. I hope for her sake that it’s not the hard way.
“I have a lot on my plate at the moment,” I explain, taking up my glass and gripping the stem so tightly I’m amazed it doesn’t shatter. “Ballet requires intense focus and dedication. I can’t devote the time I need to that with everything as it is.”
“Will you go back to it after you’re settled down with Scorpion?” Luna asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“Well, there’s always plenty of time to think about it.” She lifts her glass in another toast. “Here’s to a new sister.”
I lift my glass to join in, only belatedly realizing she’s talking about me and not Isla. Technically, I became a part of the Andriani family yesterday.
I clink glasses with the two women. “To the both of you. Thank you for being so welcoming to me.”
“You don’t need to thank us. You’re family now.” Luna smiles warmly. She’s a breathtaking woman, with dark hair and rich brown eyes, and she and Priest make a striking couple.
