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“Italian bitch,” Tara spits out at me in English.
I tense. Even knowing she has every right to hate me, it hurts. I make myself smile while maintaining eye contact. “Hello.”
Drago narrows his eyes at me, focusing on my lips. The lower one is trembling slightly, so I pull it between my teeth.
“What did you say to my wife, Tara?” he asks in a calm tone, but I can see the pulsing vein in his neck.
I take a step forward and place my hand on his forearm, make my smile grow wider. “She didn’t say anything.”
“We’ve already established that your pretense doesn’t work on me, Sienna.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his body. “She said something that hurt you. No one is allowed to do that. Not even my sister.”
Tara huffs, annoyance written all over her face. She leans against the banister and crosses her arms while her glacial glare drifts back to her brother.
“It was nothing, Drago.” I squeeze his arm slightly. “I swear.”
He searches my eyes and clenches his jaw. “Get to your room. I don’t want to see you until you apologize to my wife. Now, Tara.”
Tara turns around and runs up the stairs.
“You’re overreacting,” I mumble.
“Tara needs to learn to show respect. She doesn’t have to like you, but she will remember that you’re my wife. Especially while she’s under our roof.”
My breath catches. He saidour. Notmy. I reach out and brush my fingers along his jaw. “What’s going on, Drago? The extra security. Bringing your sister here. I saw guys carrying crates of ammunition to the storeroom.”
“We’re going to intercept the Romanians’ weapons shipment tonight and blow up two of their storage locations.”
“What?” I pinch his chin and pull his head lower. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“It can’t be avoided, Sienna. But don’t worry, you’ll be safe.”
I stare at him. This house is a fucking fortress. Of course I’m going to be safe. But what about him? He’s going to be out there, playing the damn war games with the second-largest criminal organization in New York! He’s going to get hurt.
“Sienna?” He tugs on my waist, tightening his embrace, but I’m spiraling into a bottomless void and can’t pull myself back to reality.
I’m suddenly cold. My hands are clammy, and numbness is settling over me because I know what’s coming.
Someone will enter my room in the middle of the night. They’re going to say that something bad has happened and that I need to be strong. Just like Arturo did when our parents were killed. Just like when Nino came to tell me they found Asya’s things in the snow while my brother was scouring the city for her. I can’t do that again. I can’t.
“Sienna.” Drago is now holding my shoulders. “Baby, are you okay?”
I press my palms to his chest and shove him. Instantly, his hands release me, and I spin and run up the stairs. I can hear him calling after me, but I just keep running until I reach the fourth floor and stop on the landing. My breaths are shallow and rapid, and my hands are shaking. I can’t go into our bedroom. There’s too much of his presence there, even when he’s not physically in the room. I turn in the opposite direction and flee toward the third door on the right. It’s one of the rooms that’s unoccupied. However, when I get inside and lean against the back side of the door, I find Drago’s sister lounging on the bed.
“What the hell are you doing in my room?” she snaps. “Get the fuck out.”
“Sienna!” Drago’s voice reaches me from somewhere in the hallway.
I push away from the door, sprint toward the bed, and quickly crawl under it. The sound of heavy footsteps thunders across the floor. Doors are opened and then shut again. The hurried footfalls getting closer. A few moments later, Tara’s door swings wide. I tilt my head to the side and spy Drago’s feet through the gap under the bedcover fringe.
“Is Sienna here?” My husband’s voice fills the room.
I close my eyes. Shit. I thought he wouldn’t look for me here. Tara is going to tattle on me any sec—
“What would your wife be doing in my room?”
My eyes fly open. There’s a stream of Serbian curses and the door slams shut.
Minutes stretch in silence before Tara speaks. “How long are you planning on staying under my bed?”
