Page 28 of Vow of Silence

He hasn’t sat down since we entered the room; unperturbed by the risotto stain on his slacks, he appears to have nervous energy to dispel.

“Soon, but we need to be practical.” Gennaro guides his wife to a seat and then takes the one adjacent. “We have family overseas who’ll need time to make the journey.”

“As do we.” Papa hides his mouth behind steepled hands.

I assumed they’d already settled on a date, considering he organized for my cousin Lana to come in and help with the preparations. But perhaps my father made a pre-emptive move? Assumed it would be swift to settle the unrest between the families.

“With all due respect,” I say, fingers white on the crystal tumbler. “Why do we discuss the urgency of the wedding when nobody has told me if the men responsible for Caroline’s murder have been found?”

Benito’s palm slides onto my knee, his stern gaze directed at his father.

“Manuel has been charged with finding those accountable, Miss Kuznetsov.” Gennaro licks his lips, shifting his jaw to one side before he continues. “However, I cannot assume responsibility for this. Not when the order was not mine.” He pins me with unwavering intensity. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe what you said.”

Lies. He doesn’t believe the men were Italian and thinks I’m mistaken. But he doesn’t want to belittle me in front of family. I can respect him for that.

“There’s no need to delay celebrations while we wait for Manuel to do his work.” Brigida shifts to the front of her seat. “Finding those responsible could take days, weeks, or even months.”

“The point being?” I look toward Papa and find him staring at the floor to avoid my inquisition. “You’ve agreed to this already. What reason is there to rush formalities?”

Benito squeezes my leg drawing my focus to him. His twitch of a smile says it all: he knows the reason for our parents’ urgency.

“You think I’ll sabotage the wedding? Don’t you?” My jaw hangs slack. “Do I look like a runaway bride?”

Benito shakes his head.

His father, however, looks towardmine.

“Papa?” I lift my eyebrows. “Youthink I’d betray everyone by finding a way out of this?”

“Nastasya,” he coos, holding his hands wide. “Everyone here knows you don’t have a reputation for listening to what I say, let alone doing as you’re told.”

Ignazio snorts, one elbow slung on the high back of Gennaro’s chair.

“You’re a headstrong woman, my girl.” Papa smirks. “You’ve never liked having the decision made for you, even when you were small.”

“I can’t believe this.” The alcohol burns a path down my throat.

The gall of the fuckers. They lump me with the burden of being the one likely to sabotage the wedding. What about Benito? He has as much say as I did in this, but nobody considers him a possible flight risk. Nope. Blame the emotional woman—the same bullshit it’s always been.

“Fine.” I hold my glass out for a refill, waggling it at Alessio when nobody moves. “Make the damn thing tomorrow for all I care.”

Benito shakes beside me with a silent chuckle. The fucker finds this amusing. I, on the other hand, feel liable to explode.

Alessio swipes my glass and paces to the drink cabinet. “What role does she get in our family?” He dumps the brandy in carelessly, sloshing the drink over the edge. “I understand you want proof of our respect and honor, Arseni, but surely you don’t expect her to take an operational role, Papa?”

Gennaro sighs, hands flexing on the ends of his armrests. “That’s yet to be discussed.” He lances his youngest son with a hard stare. “And none of your concern.”

“What the hell did you talk about at the adult end of the table, if not Nastasya’s rights as apretendDe Santis?” Ignazio holds his empty vessel out for his youngest nephew.

Alessio grumbles, snatching it from his uncle.

“Arseni tabled his conditions, and we countered with our own.”

“Well then.” I wave my hand between Benito and me. “Enlighten those of us involved.”

“Nastasya,” Papa snaps.

I know—I act out of turn but fuck it. Our elders want to play us like pawns on a chessboard. Sue me for having an opinion about it. Alessio passes me a fresh drink, and I swallow half in the first gulp.

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