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“Good.” I rolled up the stairs two at time, storming down the hallway toward Theodora’s room. She’d told me recently that she hated being forced to live at home, but the one time she’d threatened to pack up and leave, our father had backhanded her. That wasn’t like him at all. He’d never taken a hand to the women in his life. He’d told me more than once that women were the true blessing in the world and deserved to be treated with kindness.
He was one of the few Dons who’d never had a mistress. He’d earned my respect for that if no other reason.
I tried the door, realizing it was barricaded. Then I pounded on it. “Theo, let me in. Unlock this door now.”
“Go away!” Theodora bellowed.
I took a deep breath, rubbing my jaw. Then I pressed my hand against the wall, trying to calm my rage. “Honey. Open the door. Please.”
“She doesn’t want to see you,” Maria said.
“I don’t care. I will kick down this door if I need to.”
I heard their voices and finally footsteps, something being scraped against the floor. As Maria opened the door, she tried to block me. Then she pointed her finger in my face.
She’d grown up since spending time in Italy, becoming a powerful woman in her own right. She was right. I’d ignored her plea of going to Italy with her. She’d been terrified of living in a country she had no knowledge of, even if her grandparents had only been a phone call away.
“Don’t you dare upset her any more than she’s already been. Do you hear me?” she hissed.
“I don’t plan on upsetting her.” No, I planned on breaking Nico’s neck.
“Fine. I’ll be watching you.” She backed away, opening the door wider.
Theodora stood by her window, staring down at the gardens. She loved being outside, getting her hands dirty while planting flowers. I’d adored that about her. It was her way of ignoring the family requirements and soldiers parading the grounds. She’d also grown into a beautiful young woman, fierce and protective. Now she needed protection from the same monsters my father had intended her to spend the rest of her life with.
I walked closer, Maria trailing closely behind. When I was within a few inches, her shoulders sagged.
“What happened?” While I tried to keep the anger from my voice, it was almost impossible given the adrenaline coursing through my system.
We’d said a few not so kind things to each other since Luciano’s death, all of which I regretted.
“What do you care?” she said curtly, although her voice was breaking up.
“È nostro fratello,” Maria snapped. He’s our brother.
She’d taken to using more Italian since her years spent in Italy.
“È proprio come nostro padre,” Theodora retorted. He’s just like our father.
It was cute they believed I couldn’t understand them.
“Our father would go ballistic, already burning down the city in order to hunt Nico down. I want to hear it from your lips that he beat you. And I need to see what he did.” That last thing I needed to do was to make a decision without learning the truth. Nico’s life could depend on it.
She took a deep breath, Maria squeezing her arm. Then she turned around.
I’d experienced bloodlust enough times to know when it was something I would eventually get over.
Not this time.
To see Theodora’s beautiful face swollen and with bruises was something that would never be tolerated. Not in my lifetime.
“Did Nico do this to you?” I growled, both hands fisted.
She shook her head. “You know he would never get his hands dirty. He sent one of his henchmen to do it. I was given a message to pass along to you. I will marry him or else.”
Son of a bitch. I took a deep breath, resisting touching her. Then I walked toward the window. I couldn’t control my anger, slamming my fist into the glass. “He will die.”
Both my sisters jumped, yelping from the noise as the force I used cracked the window.
