Page 71 of Vow of Silence

“You can just use his name, you know.” I drop the arm with the water, the bottle heavy in my hand. “Say it, Papa.Ignazio.”

My father’s eyes slash into slits, his brow bearing a deep furrow. “Why must you keep on with this conspiracy of yours?” Three steps forward, and he stands an arm’s length away. “What makes you think you’re so knowledgeable whenIcan’t even find out who took your friend away?”

“Can’t?” My stomach sours. “Or won’t?”

The silence sits between us like a knife’s edge—deadly and vicious when wielded in the right hand.

“Go to your room, Nastasya.”

“Not until you answer me.” I swallow—hard. “Can’t? Or won’t?”

He sighs as one does when faced with a petulant child.

Ivan’s head moves side to side, his attention volleying between us.

“There are finer details that require attention before I can strike back, my love. Relationships, business agreements, unspoken contracts—they’re all at risk.” Papa shakes his head. “I can’t take a piece off the chess board without expecting it to fuck up the whole game. Strategy, Nastasya,” he chastises. “A wise man is a man who looks two moves ahead before he so much as raises his hand.”

The loss of color from my face leaves me feeling faint.Every goddamn time.Every time, I think I’ve got it all figured out. That I’ve proved how effective I can be when protecting our family—our name. And every goddamn time, he proves just how fucking inexperienced I am.

Papa tilts his head, gaze narrowing in scrutiny. “You look ill, child.” The irritation radiates from his crisply dressed frame. “What is it?”

“What are the loose ends?” I swallow, the sound loud in the otherwise quiet room. “The finer details?”

He studies me for a painfully long moment before asking, “What have you done?”

“Benito found the men who shot Caroline.” I swallow. Fuck him for making me feel remorseful. “That was where I went today. Benito took me to a house, and he gave me the greatest wedding gift a man could offer: retribution.”

“Retribution? What the fuck are you saying?” He appears genuinely confused before his eyes widen. “Who the fuck did you kill?”

“I told you.” My confidence wavers, unsteady in the breeze of his ire. “The men responsible.”

“Ty menya razdrazhayesh’,” Papa roars. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

My blood feels like sugar water in my veins—sickly and unbearable. “Considering I clearly have no knowledge of the deeper issues at play here, I’m going to say no.”

Papa spins on his heel. Ivan moves closer in my peripheral vision. “Let me guess. These men you killed today. They were men who had no previous ties to us. Correct? Men that shouldn’t evenregister on our goddamn radar they’re so insignificant!” Spit flies past his lips as he roars the words at me, pacing back until we’re face-to-face once more.

I fumble with the granola bar, the food almost tumbling from my shaking hand. “If you want me to stop making mistakes, fucking tell me what’s going on! Stop keeping me in the dark!”

Ivan moves between us, facing my father as he uses his massive shoulder to force me back a step. To safety.

He’s chosen to protect me, not his boss. The disgust on Papa’s face as he glares at thekachkisays more than words ever could. His loyal soldiers slowly turn against him, and he’s too damn ignorant to understand why.

Papa stands with his back to me, hand on his forehead. “The men today. They had Albanian associates, correct?”

“Yes.” My whisper is barely audible, even in the vast cavern of the foyer. He wouldn’t know that if he didn’t already know more.How littledoesmy father love me?

“They were paid to do the job, and that’s all. The mob has no interest in us this way—only one of ourfriendsdoes.” My father turns, eyes steel as he bears down on where I stand. “They told you who paid them, yes?”

“No.” I lie—straight up to the man who sired me. To the man supposed to protect me from the moment he was ordained a father.

“Are you certain?” He leans in, studying me. I read the unspoken question in his suspicious gaze:Is this why you asked me about Ignazio?“Becausethatis the person you should go after.”

If he knows, why hasn’t he done anything about it?

“They refused to say anything.” I want to hear whathehas to tell me. I need to hear the confession from his mouth, unprompted. “They kept quiet.”

Because if he admits heknowsIgnazio was behind the hit, my father may as well admit he gave his permission for me to be killed. Removed from his life. Forever.

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