Page 51 of Where the Wind Whispers

“There was no deal to begin with,” Caesar interjected calmly. “Don’t you understand, Alberto? This never existed in the first place—it would have never happened. Ask. Her.”

Alberto’s face reddened in his anger, but he turned on Violet, looking like he was ready to make war. “What is he going on about?”

“I don’t know,” Violet said.

Her heart thumped hard in her chest, the panic making her throat thick. Even still, her words came out clear and confident. She was far too good at this lying thing.

“She does know,” Caesar replied, sighing. “She knows exactly what I’m talking about. She’s too precious to the Russian, Alberto. And when you have precious things that others want to take, the best thing you can do is give them over to someone else who thinks they’re precious, too. Even if it’s only for a little while.”

Violet’s head snapped to the side, and she glared hard at Caesar.

“Tell him,” Caesar said, still smiling in that cold way of his. “Tell him why the Russian sent you away, Violet.”

She swallowed hard, her teeth grinding in an effort to keep quiet.

“You’re a bastard,” she told Caesar.

His expression didn’t change a bit. “Let’s see how much of one, though, huh?”

“Violet.” Alberto’s snarl of her name felt like a whip of ice cracking over her skin. What was she supposed to do now? Lie? It seemed if she did lie, Caesar was going to tell her secret anyway. But who was there to help her now? “What is he talking about?”

That panic and the small swell of fear that had swept over Violet earlier began to slowly bleed away as she stared at her father.

She didn’t know why, and even knowing what she did about Alberto Gallucci, she found it hard to be truly afraid of him.

And she wasn’t ashamed.

Not of herself, or the baby she was carrying.

Concerned for her safety, yes.

Not ashamed.

“Violet,” Caesar said quietly, “tell him or I will.”

She closed her eyes for a brief second, needing the darkness and the calm it provided. It was just enough for her to think but not much more.

“Tell me wh—”

Violet’s eyes snapped open, and she found her father staring at her, his brows furrowing and his features darkening. As though maybe he was starting to realize what Caesar had been alluding to where Kaz was concerned, and why he would really send Violet back.

“I’m …” Violet took a breath, calmer than ever and surprised about that fact. “I’m pregnant.”

From the side, Violet could see Caesar’s smile growing.

He was a bastard.

He honestly was.

But there was something in his smile—pride, maybe?

Violet thought it looked more like assurance as Caesar pushed up from the table as if he was done with the entire conversation and day.

What had he done?

What was he planning?

Alberto was frozen, stiff like a statue and staring at Violet as though she was an alien who didn’t belong at his table or in his house.