“Put me through to him.”
“Are you making demands? After what you did to my sweet Polly?”
“She was working for Adrien, not your boss,” I say, taking a punt.
“My boss?”
“Savino,” I hiss at him.
“You think the Barbaric Don owns this agency?” His voice is dripping in amusement.
“I know he does. Polina tried to have his son killed,” I say, taking another stab. “She was using the agency for her own personal gain—taking out enemies for my father. That’s why no one has come after me. I tidied up a loose end for you that would have started a war between the Camorra mafia and my father had you gotten rid of her personally. Savino owes me. Now put me through to him.”
“I see. You’ve done your homework. And Savino is grateful, but he owes nothing to no one. Now, unless you have a job to bid for, I suggest you fuck off.”
He hangs up just as my phone vibrates.
I glance down to see a message from Lorcan asking if I’m okay. No doubt, he’s seen Jude come blazing back from our check-in. I scowl when I see it. I don’t have time to babysit the boys tonight. Jude will just have to get over himself.
Breathe, Viola, breathe.
A few minutes later, my phone goes off again. This time it’s Dino.
He’s here.
Adrien.
Time to play happy families.
Adrien is talking to Sal and one of Dino’s uncles when I return to the party. My father doesn’t even acknowledge my entrance. He thinks that little of me. I’m used to being disregarded. I’ve had to endure his dismissal my entire life. And now, I use it to my advantage.
No matter how hard I push back against him, no matter how much I try to hurt him…my father doesn’t think I’m a threat.
It’s hilarious but also perfect for what I have planned. When Dino gives me the signal, I will ask to speak to him alone. I have a hot shot in my pocket with his name on it and a draught of sedative ready to go in the beer his men are drinking. I’ve thought of a thousand ways to kill him, and the only way that makes sense is to end him on my killing table. It’s a shame the cabin doesn’t exist anymore. It would have been the perfect ending.
I walk to where Dino is, taking a drink off a nearby tray. Dino stiffly puts his arm around me, but that’s to be expected. He’s meant to hate me, according to what he told his family. His act of for them, not me. After we take my father somewhere we can be alone; Lorcan and Jude will help with that since I’m not strong enough to carry him. Dino will stay and keep his family occupied. I don’t know what that entails, and I didn’t ask. But his role is the most important. I glance into his eyes and see darkness lurking behind his perfect baby blues I never thought I would.
I did that.
He once told me he was the best partner I could want…willing to do what it takes. Out of all of them, Dino is the most broken. And that makes him similar to me in ways I can’t explain.
I just had almost to kill him to get him there.
I should be glad if that.
But I’m not.
There’s still a rawness inside me that mourns the boy who believed in love. Maybe he’s still in there. Perhaps he can be saved.
But not by me. I need to let him go.
Quinn was wrong. It’s not Dante who corrupts everything he touches.
It’s me.
Drinksin the parlor turn into a sit-down dinner in the main hall. The staff has entwined fresh flowers all over the interior beams, making the house smell floral and fragrant for once. I never notice how the manor looks because my whole life has been spent hating it. But for once, it looks nice.
I check my phone for the hundredth time—still nothing from Lorcan.