Page 79 of Twilight Mask

“Valentina.”

My former best friend leans against the bar next to me. We’re at the far end, away from where people are ordering their drinks. “You wore the same mask. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. She likes it.”

“Where’s everyone else?”

“Around.” She shrugs. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Aren’t you worried?” I study her closely, searching for a tell, but the Valentina I knew is well hidden. She’s got her dress, her heels, and her mask, and I can’t read her at all anymore.

“You know, I was scared all the time. Remember that? Right after Dad was killed.”

“Half his Famiglia wanted to grab you and marry you. The other half wanted to shoot you in the face. You had every reason to be worried.”

She tilts her head as if in thought. “You’re right. I mean, I remember, and I know you’re right. You really did save me back then.”

“So why are you doing this? Tell me what Adam’s planning. I can still stop it.”

She dips her finger in her drink and puts it between her lip. Rum and Coke, her favorite. “I realized something recently. There’s a reason Dad’s Capos wanted me, right?”

“You were their path to legitimacy.”

“To the stupid ones, yeah, that’s true. But to the smart ones? The ones that wanted to kill me? They saw me as a rival.”

I hesitate and try not to give away anything. She’s too busy staring out at the crowd to read my body language though. “Don’t tell me you have regrets.”

“Oh, Marco, I really, really do. Because if I hadn’t been so afraid, I could’ve been the one to pull Dad’s organization back together. I was in the position to do it, right? I was his daughter. Those Capos might’ve listened.”

“They would’ve killed you.”

“Maybe. Maybe. But who knows? I listened to you, and I was afraid, and now here we are.”

“Val—”

“It’s nothing personal. I think you’re a good person and an even better friend, I really do, but that girl made you soft. You don’t have the stomach for what needs to be done anymore.”

“This won’t fix anything,” I say quietly, moving closer. “Where’s Adam? What’s he planning?”

“It’s not too late to leave. Seriously, Marco, just walk away.”

“No, Val, you don’t get it.” I reach for her, but she’s slipping out of my grasp.

“Good luck out there.” She moves further away. “I don’t hate you. I’m just disappointed.”

“Val, you need to leave. Val—” But she doesn’t hear me. She’s already in the crowd, slipping her way between couples, losing herself.

I watch her go. I want to grab her, drag her out of here, and keep her safe, but that’s not my role anymore. She’s making her own choice and I have to respect it, even if I know she’s wrong.

I can’t change her mind. Luciano wasn’t my father—he was a mentor, he was important, but he wasn’t blood. Valentina’s got too much of her dad in her to ever let this go, and I can’t even say that I blame her. She might even be right: if she had been bold in the days after her father’s death, she might’ve been able to pull the Santoro Famiglia back from the brink.

Instead, that’s not how it worked out.

“Oh, shit, Val,” I say quietly to myself as I scan the crowd again. “This isn’t a trap for the Biancos. This is a trap for you.”

Chapter 38

Laura

Igive Marco thirty seconds before I follow him back down to the party. I’m feeling extremely flustered, and I wish we had more time to play—but after the kissing was over, there was a lot of fast talking, and now it’s time for the difficult part of the evening.

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