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I lean back in my chair. “I actually like Sanderson if I’m being honest. It would be better to have as the mayor under our control, than anyone else. I don’t trust his opponents.”
Rico nods. “I don’t either. So we’re blackmailing him?”
“Yeah but we still need to think about how we’ll keep him under our thumb once he’s in the position. I’ll have to discuss with the other Dons.”
“Okay. Then I guess we’re done with the meeting,” he announces. “You heading to Steele’s place?”
I shake my head. “Actually I’m waiting for Sophia to reply my text. I asked to see her.”
He offers me a sympathetic look. “Alright, Kat. Let me know when you’re ready so I can take you where you need to go.”
He leaves and I’m left alone for a couple of minutes. Just as I’m considering calling Anthony and forcing him to trick his wife into a meeting, Sophia texts me back.
Fine. I’ll meet you in thirty minutes at the park near my house. Don’t bring Rico.
Relief sweeps through me. Followed by dread. My gut is bunched up with nerves the entire car ride to the park. When I get there, she’s already waiting for me seated on the park. My sister and I somehow manage to look so similar and then not at all. My father likes to tell me that while I favor some of his features, Sophia looks a lot like our mother. I see our mother in her sometimes. Her smile, the color of our eyes, her grace. She’s the confident one, the smart one and I’m unbelievably lucky that she’s my sister.
“Hey stranger,” I greet, standing in front of the bench.
She looks up, blue eyes landing on my face.
“Hey, Kat.”
Her expression is devoid of any warmth. I rub my hands together, thinking about how to navigate this conversation. I decide to ask about the well-being of my niece first.
“How’s Nova?”
Sophia shrugs. “She’s okay. She keeps asking to see you. I’m not sure how to tell her that she also has a cousin she needs to meet for the first time.”
Okay… we’re heading right into it.
I inhale softly. “Can I sit down?”
“You can do whatever you want. You always have,” she mutters.
“Okay, enough with the passive aggressiveness,” I state, taking a seat at her side. She turns to look at me. “You’re angry.”
Her expression darkens. “Of course I’m angry. Do you want to know what’s been replaying in my mind ever since I found out the news. The moment you found out I was pregnant. I still remember how betrayed you were. You berated me for finding myself in that position. Meanwhile you had been in the exact same position yourself. You’re a hypocrite, Katerina,” she spits.
My guts twists with guilt.
“I was just-”
She cuts me off before I can speak. It’s clear she needs to get it all off her chest.
“Your hypocrisy pisses me off but more than anger I’m hurt, Katerina. Because you could have kept the truth from Papa, to some level, I understand that. You could have kept it from Rico, from our uncle, literally everyone else but I can’t believe you kept it from me. You aren’t just my big sister, you’re my best friend. I tell you everything but you couldn’t even extend the same courtesy to me. Nine years, sorella. Nine years hiding such a huge secret. Do you have any idea how that feels?”
“I’m not perfect, Sophia,” I begin quietly once she’s done.
“I never said you were,” she bursts out.
My voice is firm as I say, “No, I need you to listen to me. When mama passed away, it fell on my shoulders to take care of you, to shield you from any danger and I tried my best to do that. I loved doing that because you were mine to protect, my little sister. How was I supposed to tell my little sister that not only had I fallen pregnant but was also trapped in Moscow with a psychopath intent on finding me?”
Her eyes widen at that and she sucks in a breath.
“I still don’t know the full story,” Sophia mumbles.
I manage a smile. “I’ll tell it to you. And I know that it’s no excuse for my actions. I fucked up and I’m owning that completely. Apart from Xander and Nate, you’re the person I hurt the most and I’ll do my best to apologize to you for as long as you want, Soph. Because I love you so much and I need you to forgive me.”
