Page 61 of Revenge & Ruin

“She is amachine,Issy,” he counters, exasperated. “And you’re just another cog in her schemes. I don’t like the way she uses you. I never have.”

“Then why don’t you just sell her out to the Guild and be done with it!”

The words hang in the air between us like a guillotine.

Finally, Leon sits. Exhausted. “Because it would kill you too.”

I have no words for that, so I turn on my heel and leave.

Ida Natali was neverone to shy away from nice things.

In the months since my last visit, the safe house has become a shrine to overindulgence. The simple two-bedroom home in the suburbs now has, inexplicably, a conservatory extension at the back, as well as a maid to greet me at the door.

“Bambina!”My mother throws her arms wide as I’m escorted into the lounge.

Minimal, hideously expensive decor now graces every corner of the room. A large painting covers an entire wall, casting the space in tasteful cubism, and a single sheepskin rug attempts to stave off the cold of the matte grey floors.

Unlike Leon, her embrace is more than welcome. Dressed to perfection, even in loungewear, my mother holds me with the utmost care, as if I might break if she holds on too hard.

“What happened to lying low?” I tease as I pull away, gesturing to the maid and the extravagant changes to what was supposed to be an inconspicuous space.

“Willy next door is an architect,” Mother explains as she gestures for me to follow her into the kitchen. “I had him change a few things for me.”

I try my best not to roll my eyes at this. Of course, Mother managed to wrangle a man to do her bidding. We might be out in the sticks, but that’s never stopped her before.

“Can I get you a drink, my darling?”

I accept a bottle of water before wandering over to sit on her couch. The smooth leather barely dents under my weight. “I take it this isn’t from Anthropologie.”

Ida tuts as she takes her seat in the armchair opposite. “It could be.”

“Leon will cut your stipend if you keep this up,” I warn her.

“What Leon doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” she brushes me off. “How is my son?”

I cringe a little. “As stubborn as ever.”

“Still intent on taking out the Guild?”

I nod and take a sip of water, unwilling to relive our last disastrous conversation.

Mother sighs. “You know, I thought I would be happy for this day to come. After the Vitales murdered my parents, robbing you of your grandparents and my inheritance, I thought of nothing but revenge.”

I put the bottle down. “You don’t talk about it much.”

“I suppose it’s always been quite painful.” She crosses her legs. “Back then, I was barely your age. I’d lived in those casinos all my life. Then, one day, it was all gone. The Vitales took charge of the Prince’s Hand, and I was left with nothing.”

“But you got it back,” I supply, trying to ignore the pang of sympathy that echoes through me. Not for my mother but for Teo,who experienced the same thing in reverse.

Was history always so doomed to repeat itself?

“I did.” She smiles sadly. “Your father was good enough to agree to meet with them to negotiate a peaceful handover. We never expected the ambush or for the Vitales to be so bold as to set fire to their own home with us inside.”

“That was their mistake.”

“No, the mistake was mine.” My mother gives me a long look. “The don and his wife perished that night. But if I had only the foresight to clean up the loose ends, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

It takes a moment for me to realize what she’s implying. “Teo was barely a teenager, Mamma.You can’t blame yourself for not killing him, too.”

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