Page 4 of All The Pretty Little Lies

“It did.”

Luca’s gaze snaps up from his phone.

“Dmitri’s father assigned Oscar and Zaire Petrov to my security detail. Oscar was there on behalf of the Petrov family to accept the marriage contract.”

“Why didn’t you mention that last night?”

I shift to stare out the window, trying to let the rolling hills of central Massachusetts cull the storm inside of me. Our school, Saint Jude Academy, lingers in the distance. It’s ironic, really, that our school is named after the Patron Saint of Lost Causes, considering within its walls are the heirs and descendants of some of the world's most dangerous people. The children of killers, thieves, and mercenaries. The fledglings of the underbelly of society. Saint Jude’s teaches men how to serve their respective families and the women how to be picture perfect wives and mothers.

“I asked you a question, Ves. Why did you leave that part out of our conversation last night?”

“It slipped my mind,” I offer.

“Slipped your mind?” Luca retorts. He shifts in his seat to see if the driver is listening to us before lowering his voice. “I’m trying to get you out of this, Ves. Our guards are one thing. But Oscar and Zaire are a complication we don’t fucking need.” He throws his back against the leather seat of the limo hard enough that I hear the leather creak under his weight.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter.

Our driver comes to a stop outside the entrance of the school and exits the car to open our doors.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Luca warns me before exiting his open door. He disappears around the car, and up the steps before the driver opens my door. I offer a polite thank you as I step out.

As soon as I step out of the car, Bianca comes running towards me, her long, black hair bouncing with each step. Her eyes narrow as they land on the ring, glinting on my finger.

"I knew it! Father wouldn’t say a word about why Uncle Antonio came to see him last night, but I had a feeling. Who is it? Do we know him? Is he handsome?" Bianca's words spill out in a rush, her envy thinly veiling her curiosity. “How much money does he have?”

“It’s Dmitri Petrov.”

Bianca’s eyes grow wide. “You don’t mean the Dmitri Petrov, who may or may not have offed his Irish mob girlfriend, right? Son and heir of the largest mafia family in the Western hemisphere? That Dmitri Petrov?”

“The one and only,” I shrug.

"Well, well, well," she says, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Looks like things just got a whole lot more interesting around here.”

I shoot her a warning look. "Bianca, please. This isn't some scandalous gossip for you to spread around the school."

Her grin widens. "Oh, Ves, you know me better than that. I'm not going to spill your secrets. But this? This changes everything. Besides, the Petrovs marrying into the Rossi family is front page news. It won’t take long for every mafia family on the planet to hear about the two largest families merging together in unholy matrimony."

I sigh, knowing she's right. Being engaged to Dmitri Petrov would undoubtedly change everything, not just for me but for everyone connected to us. More power only brings more problems.

“I mean, is Dmitri an ideal husband? No, but think of the power you’ll wield, Ves. You’ll be the most powerful woman in both families. And as the only other unmarried Rossi princess, it means my own prospects just got better.”

I laugh at her suggestion. The only power I will have is broodmare, producing Rossi-Petrov heirs until my uterus dries up.

Bianca chatters on about our wedding, sharing with me how she envisions her wedding, including a Petrov groom of her own. Only instead of Dmitri, her eyes are set on Oscar or his twin brother, Zaire.

As we make our way into the school, the whispers begin. Students turn to stare, their eyes lingering on the ring on my finger before darting away when they realize I've caught them looking. I can practically hear the rumors starting to swirl around us like a gathering storm. I can feel the weight of all the eyes on me. The whispers and sidelong glances confirm what I already knew - news of my engagement to Dmitri Petrov has spread like wildfire. Students and staff alike watch me with a mix of curiosity and wariness as if they expect me to suddenly sprout horns and a forked tail.

It's a stark reminder of the burden I now carry - the legacy of the Rossi family, intertwined with the formidable Petrovs, has become my future. And with it comes a whole new set of rules, alliances, and dangers.

Luca catches up to me as Bianca drifts off towards her own group of friends, his expression troubled. "We need to figure out how to manage Oscar and Zaire," he says.

“Did I hear my name?” a low, familiar voice rumbles from behind us. I turn, only to find Oscar’s looming presence. He wearing our school uniform, though it’s clear his has been tailored to fit him well.

Luca tenses beside me, his jaw clenched as he glares up at Oscar. He puts himself between us, but I take a step forward, meeting Oscar's gaze with a determined stare of my own.

"What do you want, Oscar?" Luca asks.

Oscar smirks, still eyeing Luca, the corners of his lips curling up in a way that sets me on edge. “My business isn’t with you, Luca. I’m here for your sister.”

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