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Silence again. The hum of a TV playing too loud drifts into the room. Siena keeps looking at me, blinking rapidly, and I keep looking back. Don Bastone grumbles something under his breath and paces back and forth, considering my offer, before he sits at the end of the bed with a sharp huff of air.
“Very well,” he says, gesturing at his daughter. “You may have her, if that’s what you want.”
“I have one more condition,” I say, holding up a hand.
He sighs and waves me on. “Go ahead.”
“You will not speak of this to my father.” His gaze narrows sharply, but I push ahead. “Let me deal with him first. As you suggested, he will not be happy about me finding my own wife, and it will be an uphill battle to convince him of Siena’s worth.”
“What happens if you father doesn’t accept this?” he asks slowly, watching me carefully.
I stiffen and finally look away from Siena.
I don’t have an answer to that. If my father doesn’t accept it, likely he will kill us both and throw our corpses into unmarked graves. If I take this risk, there is no going back, not to Bastone, and not to anywhere.
But I can do it. My father wants me to marry and I do have some agency in who I choose.
This will not be easy. The Bastone family is strong in whoring, but weak everywhere else. They’re a minor family, and my father wants me to marry someone from a stronger clan, someone that will bring more power and wealth into our bratva. Siena will not do either of those things.
And yet my desire remains. I can’t understand it. I don’t know why I’d risk so much for this girl. We had a single night together, and I’ve had plenty of women for one night only, and yet she’s the first that truly stuck in my mind. I can’t shake her, no matter how hard I’ve tried the last two months, and here she is suddenly back in my world.
I don’t love her. I don’t think I even like her. She’s a traitor and she’s mouthy, and I’ve always pictured my wife as the perfect and dutiful bratva bride, deferential to her husband and obedient to her family.
Siena is clearly not that.
I don’t believe in fate. I don’t believe in signs. But if I did, I would see this chance encounter as an act of the almighty, and I can’t bring myself to turn away.
I don’t want her, but I need her all the same.
“He will accept it,” I say after a dozen or so heartbeats. “And if he doesn’t, you won’t have to worry about a traitor daughter anymore.”
Guido sighs deeply. “Very well. Take her if you want. I will hold my tongue, Maxim, but I will not wait forever. You have six weeks to convince your father before I speak to him myself.”
I glare at him, but I nod. I accept his timeline, only because six weeks should be plenty.
Siena stands and throws her hands into the air. “Do I get a say in any of this?” she asks, staring from me to her father.
“No,” I say at the same time her father says, “Absolutely not.”
She glares at us and crosses her arms. “Let me pack my things.”
“There’s no time,” I say. “We’re leaving.”
“At least let me say goodbye to the girls.” Her tone’s desperate. “Please, I don’t want to just disappear. They’ll worry.”
“Don’t be stupid,” her father snaps. “This man is offering you a way out. All your sins, absolved. All because Maxim Novalov wants you, for whatever reason.” He shakes his head and looks at the ceiling. “I fear I will regret this, but don’t be so stupid, Siena, my traitorous, worthless daughter. Do something good for once in your life.”
She glares hate and death at her father and I bristle at his words. “Careful, Don Bastone,” I say softly. “You’re speaking to my future bride.”
Guido grins at me. “We’ll see about that.” He walks to the door. “I suggest the two of you go. Enzo won’t be happy, you know.”
“Enzo can sit and screw,” Siena says, frowning at me. “My older brother’s an asshole.”
“I know. We’ve met.”
Guido chuckles.
I walk to Siena. I hold out my hand. I can see the fear in her eyes, but also the excitement. The eagerness. I like the electricity that seems to crackle from her skin.
