Page 111 of Vow of Silence

We’re a joke to our own kind; Lana’s father hasn’t visited his late sister’s family in over six years. We don’t matter to them anymore. Why should we matter to our adversaries?

“What were the food options again?” I slip off the sofa and kneel beside the low table, forcing myself to focus on the regimented typeset on the crisp white pages.

“I still can’t believe Uncle Arseni would do this to the family name,” Lana muses, ignoring my feeble attempts to move on. “He may as well sign everything over to them as a fucking dowry. They’ll take it all anyway.”

“They’re not interested in what we have.”

“How do you know?” she presses.

“Because we have nothing!” I sigh at my outburst and lean back on the heels of my hands. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve got a lot on my mind. I must be a little overwhelmed.”

She draws a deep breath, her cropped T-shirt tugging at her manufactured boobs. “Apology accepted.”

“But?” I call the bitch out on her snappy tone.

“But.” Lana straightens, fussing with her hair. “When the hell are they going to let you know the details of this magical fucking union?”

“They did. Our kids forfeit the right to the De Santis dynasty, and Benito has no say in how Papa’s business is run.”

“Then, who does?”

For fuck’s sake.“You know, I’ve done a pretty damn good job of ignoring all the ways my father wants to insult me until you showed up.”

“It’s a legitimate question, Stas. You’re an only child. He has no son to carry on after he’s gone.”

I shove the pointless menus away from me and then rise to my feet. “Maybe your brothers get it.” I shrug. “I don’t know. He doesn’t tell me shit, and I can’t see that changing any time soon.”

“You have a right to know,” she offers softly.

“Damn straight, I do.” I pace to the bay window and stare at the sunset hues that wash over the glistening garden, dewy from the earlier rain. “But what can I do about it? There’s this part of me that fucking knows I’d be good for this family. The things I’ve learned running my own business would aid me with this. But he shuts me out because I wasn’t born with a dick between my legs.” I turn to face her and jolt at the compassion written across her face. “Every time I thought I did something smart, he’s reminded me how naive and stupid I am.”

“Are you though?” She hitches an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Stas.” She tilts her head, eyes closing briefly. “You’re smarter than this. What do men do to women they fear?”

“Oppress them.”

“Exactly. Make them believe they’re helpless. Weak. Your father has bullied you your entire life—you know it, I know it. Fucking everyone knows it.”

“He’s tough with me because he wants me to be strong. A pride to the family.”

“Bullshit. He wants you to doubt the strength you already have.”

We freeze momentarily, in a strange state of suspension, while her words sink deep. “Why would he let me start my event company then if that’s the case?” My words are hushed. Humbled.

“A diversion?” She shrugs. “Maybe he thought if you were busy elsewhere, you wouldn’t look too closely at what happens beneath your nose.” She sighs, twisting in the seat to face me better. “You’re not stupid, Nastasya. You want to know something?”

“I get the feeling you’re about to tell me anyway.”

“I envied you when we were kids. You never had to try. You just showed up to events or walked into a room, and people turned their heads. Younaturallycommand attention. Do you know how frustrating that is for someone like me?”

“What do you mean like you?” My brow pinches.

“Somebody who has to fucking surgically alter her body to be enough. To get noticed,” she laments, waving her hands at the pieces of her she’s modified over the years. “I walk into a room, and the music still plays. You walk into a room and the fucking beat drops. I hated you for that for so long.”

“Is that why you took him?” I swallow. “Why you fucked Benito?”

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