Page 62 of Ruthless Vow

I wait.

“And I get it,” she allows. “I do. I know that if someone held one of my brothers prisoner, I would do anything to save his life. Oh, wait… Someone did hold my brothers prisoner, held guns on Damian and Leo. Drugged Luca and Vito and Joe. Someone threatened and hurt people I love—”

“Sabina,” Leo says, a warning edge to his voice.

“No,” I say. “Let her say what she needs to say to me.”

“Gee, thanks,” Sabina says, her tone overflowing with sarcasm. “I would have anyway, but I’m thrilled I have your permission.”

I shift in my seat. “I’m sure you hate me.”

“Hate is such a small word for what I feel for you, Nicole. Here’s a couple more… betrayed. Disappointed. Outraged. And, scared shitless. Yeah…you sure succeeded that day. I’ve never felt so petrified in my whole fucking life than watching you hold a gun to my brother’s head. Thinking I was seconds away from watching you blow his brains out, all because we trusted you. So, yeah. I hate you for that and I think I always will. And suddenly Leo’s okay with it all, he wants us to put it behind us and fucking have dinner with you like nothing happened.”

“I don’t expect forgiveness,” I tell her. “I wouldn’t forgive me if I were you.”

“Good.” Sabina lets out a shuddery breath and finally takes a shaky sip from her glass of wine. “Here’s something else I know. Leo is an unforgiving asshole who would rather cut someone’s throat than accept an apology if he’s been wronged.”

“Sabina, enough,” Leo begins.

Cassio lets out a bark of laughter. “It’s true, brother.”

“He might cut off their fingers,” Alina mutters into her wine glass. “Or maybe strangle them. Threaten their life for being a spy even though they aren’t one.”

Damian emits a cough that sounds suspiciously like a laugh. Then he twines his fingers with Alina’s and gives her a quelling look.

“Like I was saying,” Sabina continues, her pale blue eyes locked on me, colder than chips of ice. “He doesn’t forgive. Anyone. At least, not anyone who isn’t family. And there you were, a valued part of the organization, privy to all sorts of shit, suddenly betraying years of trust, ready to fuck up our lives in amatter of minutes. I don’t really care what the motivation was, you were there, gun in hand, ready to end his life. You didn’t, but clearly that was the plan. Right?”

“Yes. That was the plan.”

“And now you’re sleeping with him.”

I taste lipstick as I bite my bottom lip and say nothing to confirm or deny this. I don’t think I need to.

“Leo’s the one who nearly died that day. By your hand. And now he’s fucking you.” She shakes her head. “It’s like bizarro-world here.”

“You’ve had your say, Sabina,” Leo says, the warning in his tone unmistakeable.

His sister ignores the warning and turns her laser gaze on him.

“She nearly killed you. You were seconds away from having your brains blown all over the deck.” She narrows her eyes at him, then her brows shoot up. She rears back with a look of horror and throws up her hands. “That gets you off, doesn’t it? Does she hold a gun to your head while you’re…in bed? Ugh, I’m going to be sick.”

Every person at the table other than me, Sabina, and Leo lets out some version of a choked and horrified laugh.

“Oh my god,” Alina whispers.

“Jesus,” Dante mutters.

Sabina waves one hand as if she hasn’t just commented on her brother’s sex life.

“I know it’s Leo’s choice. And I’m going to have to accept that. One day. Not today or tomorrow. But one day.”

And then she picks up her glass of Chianti and drains it.

It’s as close as I’m going to come to being forgiven: Sabina’s rocky acknowledgement that I’m with Leo—for now, anyway. What the future holds in store, I honestly have no damn idea.

“Fair enough. This topic is now closed,” Leo says as he moves to his chair and sits. “Let’s eat.”

And so, the courses begin to come out. I pick at my food, trying to stay quiet. Trying to remain as invisible as I can, while the siblings speak about many topics—from important ones, including the search for my aunt. Apparently, she’s been spotted in Chicago—to less important ones. Leo reveals he hired an extra cleaner to keep up with the cat hair. Everyone laughs. Except for Sabina. She glares.

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