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Max does a good job at acting like he hasn’t been introduced to the toxic culture Papa forced on him. He was never given the chance to grow up in a calm environment, and I can’t help but sympathize.
“Do you know where Kirill is?” I’m trying to make myself feel better about this situation.
My brother grips his steering wheel and glances down at me. “Yeah, I do.”
He’s trying to end the conversation, his expression almost begging me not to ask another question, but I do because I know he will tell me.
Max doesn’t keep secrets. Not a single one. That’s one of the many things I admire about him.
Honesty.
He may choose not to tell me things, but if I ask the right questions, I could know everything there is to know.
“Where?” I finally ask.
His head shakes as he debates what words he will tell me.
Will I get the whole story, or will I just get a simple answer?
“Listen, Nina,” he says, letting out a long sigh as if it will reset his emotions. “Giovanni has created a lot of issues. But you can thank him for sending Kirill back to Russia.”
My eyes narrow, trying to make sense of what he told me. Giovanni made Kirill leave.
Why?
“Kirill is not here?” I ask, just to clarify.
“No. And he won’t be here for a while.Mi dispiace.” He slams his fist against the steering wheel in frustration. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to do anything to help the situation. I’m upset with myself for not pushing Papa enough to back out of the contract. And I’m pissed that it was Giovanni who was able to get through to him.”
I shake my head back and forth, trying to figure out what to say. Max is mad at himself for not being the one to stand up to our papa.
Is the contract with Kirill void now?
If it was, he wouldn’t be helping me find a way to get on the pill.
“Max, it’s okay.”
Those are the only words I am able to say. I’m anything but upset with him; I never expected him to stand up to Papa. If anything, I’m glad he didn’t, because he would have gotten the hand from him.
But what I have a hard time understanding is why Giovanni stepped in. He doesn’t owe me anything. Sure, he has watched over me nearly my entire life, but I thought something changed once he left.
Unless he only did that because he wants something from me.
Papa’s phone.
All motives aside, the feeling of freedom and bliss comes back to me. It’s impossible to care about anything wrong now that I know Kirill is an entire ocean away.
I can finally breathe again.
8GIOVANNI
Ihave lived by rules my entire life.
Many of my father’s words went in through one ear and out the other because they didn’t seem to threaten me in any way.
But four of his rules have stuck with me because if I defy them, the penalty for my actions can be summed up in one word. Death.
I try to tune my father out as he reads the rules to me again through the phone.
