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She’d read the emails with her own eyes. Had seen him okay Malcolm’s plans to work with the Greeks, to take her toAthens.
Maybe that will teach her alesson…
The words, embedded in her mind, swam before her eyes. Primo’swords.
He’d sanctioned her kidnapping not out of some grand strategy to overtake Damian. That she might have at least understood, but he’d agreed to Malcolm’s plan simply to teach her a lesson, to grind the ax of his jealousy over the fact that she’d left New York withDamian.
Everything she needed to know about her brother was contained in thatrealization.
The only question now was whether she was strong enough not just to face the truth but to do something about it. Was she strong enough to accept what Primo had become? Was she strong enough to make a choice once and for all? To stand by that choice whatever the futurebrought?
She considered the alternative, tried to imagine herself leaving Damian, returning to New York with Primo, being wholly on his side in the fight for New York, doing it in the name of family. It would mean setting aside everything she believed in, everything she now knew about her brother. It would mean setting aside what little honor and dignity she had left. It would mean giving her implicit approval for Primo’s tactics — tactics like setting fire to the shelter on Franklin street, imprisoning someone like her just to make apoint.
It wasunimaginable.
Then again, she could stay with Damian and refuse to take sides. Be the same rudderless boat she’d always been, adrift on the seas of everyone else’sdecisions.
Even moreunimaginable.
Damian had proven his loyalty to her. He’d risked his life — and, she had to presume, called in significant favors with the Syndicate — tosaveher.
There had been nothing half-hearted or convenient about the rescue he’d staged in Greece. Giving him half-hearted loyalty, convenient loyalty, wasn’t an option. It wasn’t even possible, if she was going to be honest with herself. That much had become apparent the moment she’d considered leaving him and going back to New York. It had been made obvious by the hole that had opened up inside of her, the deep well of emptiness at the thought of not seeing him every day, not feeling his touch or seeing his reluctant smile when she finally made himlaugh.
It suddenly seemed sosimple.
She stood, tucking her hands under her arms as she started back toward thehotel..
She knew what love was even if Primo didn’t. Most importantly, she knew what the love she shared with Damianmeant.
It meant unwavering loyalty and steadfast support. It meant choosing each other over and over again, whateverthecost.
She would start by choosinghim now.
