Page 73 of Brutal Power

I keep on walking past the edge of the gathering and back toward Elena’s house. She keeps up with me and only speaks when we’re well out of earshot of anyone else. “What the hell was that?” she asks gently.

“They wanted me to go on some hit with them and I turned it down.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure how to feel about that.” She pauses at the porch steps and doesn’t follow when I climb them. “Davide looked upset.”

“Can you blame him?” I don’t look back at her, shoulders tense. “He thinks I’m a fucking coward, but I couldn’t do it. He doesn’t understand.”

She’s quiet for a beat. “Is this about your plan?”

I nod once. She doesn’t know about my meeting with Santoro. None of them do. I can’t risk telling anyone, not when there are spies in all the families, and I’m already on the razor’s edge. All she knows is I’m trying something dangerous and unconventional.

“When this works, they’ll get over it,” I say and walk to the door. “But for now, maybe I’m not welcome at the party anymore.”

She doesn’t argue when I go back inside.

Chapter 38

Elena

Idon’t know what’s going on with Brody, but I’m worried.

That’s what I do these days. I worry and I worry about everyone and everything, but mostly I worry about Brody.

I know he’s got some plan going that’ll hand Santoro over to Captain Kennedy, but he refuses to give me the details. Simon’s aware that Brody’s working on something too, but he knows even less than I do, and I know barely anything. Brody’s out on his own and I don’t know how to help him.

Which leaves me frustrated. I don’t like feeling as though I can’t do anything for him. I’ve defined myself based on how much I can help other people, especially the people I care about the most, but it’s like Brody’s determined to keep me at arm’s length.

I’m distracted when I get back to the house a couple of days after the barbecue. I just spent the afternoon with Mom, Stefania, and Emily going over baby stuff and making sure Emily’s got everything she needs. Her due date is coming up and she’s understandably nervous, and though Mom’s doing her best tomake sure Emily knows she’s supported and that she’s going to be okay, the poor girl is still freaking out.

I notice something’s wrong the minute I step inside. It smells like pine cleaner and the floors are practically sparkling. But the Famiglia-approved housekeepers haven’t been in yet this week. I walk slowly toward the kitchen and the trail of perfection continues: dusted shelves, straightened paintings, shimmering and pristine counters. There’s a note on the island.Come outside.

Brody’s sitting at the table with a glass of wine at his elbow and another glass for the chair beside him. I stare for a minute as a grin spreads across my face. “Did youclean?”

He glances up from where he was reading on his phone, locks the screen, and puts it away. “I cleaned,” he confirms.

“My god. Why? What happened? Is anyone dead?”

He gives me a fake-annoyed look. “I know you’ve been stressed out lately and it helps when the house is perfect. I figured I could do this one little thing for you.”

I laugh, unable to help myself. When I married Brody, I never in a million years imagined he would clean just because having a pristine house makes my stress levels plummet. And it wasn’t like our place was very dirty before.

“You’re too much,” I say, sitting down. I accept the glass of wine and take a big drink. “Seriously, Brody. Thank you. But you don’t have to do this.”

“Haven’t you ever just sat back and let someone do things for you?” He tilts his head and studies me. “You always react like it’s the craziest thing in the world when I try to help out.”

“It’s just, I guess I think of that as my role, and I don’t really know how to handle it.”

“What if I said I had an ulterior motive?”

I shrug a little. “I hope your ulterior motive ends with me in your bedroom?”

He smirks and shakes his head. “No, that wasn’t my plan, but that’s not a bad idea.”

“What were you thinking then?”

I can practically feel his tension as he leans forward and grips his glass between both hands. “I need to ask you something, and I need you to be completely honest. Even if I won’t like the answer.”

“Brody. Now I’m a little freaked out. What’s going on?”

---