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“Oh? When was the last time you voluntarily touched someone other than Lena?”
I stare at him without answering. Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t remember. “I’ll deal with it, Roman.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Alright then.” He sighs and continues, “You know she will likely be spying on us and reporting to the Italians. You are in charge of most of our drug operations, so I need you to be very careful about what you say in front of her. Also, make sure you remove all sensitive information from your office in case she decides to snoop around when you’re not there.”
“I will.”
“There is one more thing you need to know about her, and if you decide to change your mind, I’ll saddle Kostya with her.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
“She doesn’t speak, Mikhail.”
I stiffen and look at Roman, not sure if I heard him right.
“She can’t be deaf,” I say. “She’s a dancer.”
“She isn’t deaf. There was a car accident when she was a teenager. I don’t have any details. It’s all Scardoni shared.”
“How does she communicate?”
“I have no idea. Writes in a notebook or sign language, I suppose. Are you still in?”
“Yes.”
Roman raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment on my decision. “Do you want me to set up a meeting before we do the wedding?”
I feel myself go still. “No.”
“Why?” he asks, like he doesn’t already know the answer to that question. “She can’t say no. Everything is already settled.”
“No meeting.”
Roman watches me, then shakes his head. “Let’s organize the wedding then.”
Chapter 2
Morning sunlight enters the room through gauzy drapes on the windows, bathing it in warmth. It would make such a perfect day for a wedding, if it wasn’t mine. It might be warm outside, but inside of me, a bloody ice storm is raging.
I lean forward, place the tip of the eyeliner at the corner of my eye, and pull a long thin line on my eyelid. Maybe I should have ran away. They would have found me eventually, but it would have been worth it.
“You are so beautiful!” Milene exclaims from the doorway and rushes into my room. “I’m going to cry!”
I smile for my sister’s sake and continue applying makeup. For someone who hates weddings, she’s been unusually excited about the whole thing, so I couldn’t make myself tell her the truth.
“I wish Angelo was here to see you, he was so mad when Dad made him go to Mexico.”
Yeah, I wish my brother was here today, too. He is the only family member, other than Milene, who actually cares about me, and I’m pretty certain Father sent him away on purpose.
“I made Agosto take me to see the reception hall at six this morning. It’s amazing. I still can’t believe you agreed to an arranged marriage thing. I always thought we’d stay spinsters together, living alone with a bunch of cats.”
She starts fumbling with my dress, soothing the material. “I’m totally living vicariously through you today. It’s the closest I plan on getting to a wedding. Ever.” Laughing, she bends to check the hem of the dress while I watch her in the mirror.
Milene has no idea how close she came to being in my place today. She plans on going to college after high school. Becoming a nurse is all she has talked about since she turned eight, and that is all she ever wanted. I hope her wish comes true. Knowing how stubborn Milene is, she will probably make it, unless our father decides to also marry her off before she escapes his clutches.
