Page 193 of Vicious Games

I was positive she’d be disappointed when I told her I wasn’t going to follow in her footsteps. But instead, she just smiled and said, “I always knew you’d find your own way. And that it’d be something beautiful.”

All this time, I’d been so afraid of letting her down—so focused on making her proud—when all she ever wanted for me… was to be happy.

Like any mother would.

My heart swells with love as I look at her now, watching over her students with that same affection she has for all her kids.

Sister Margaretta’s eyes twinkle as she continues. “You’ve all overcome more than your share of trials—some of which gave me more gray hairs than I’ll ever admit—but you’ve emerged wiser. Stronger. And more importantly, kinder. I could not be prouder of this class. Of the men and women I know you’ll become.” She then gestures off to the side. “And now, it is my honor to introduce your valedictorian. A young man who’s proven himself in both scholarship and spirit—Enzo Romano.”

Applause swells as Enzo steps forward, tall and calm, with that Romano confidence that must run in the blood. His smile flicks toward the crowd, but his eyes find his twin for just a second, throwing Lucky a quiet nod and knowing look.

I’ve seen that look too many times for me not to know what it means.

It’s the same one Lucky gives when he loves someone with all his heart but tries to hide it behind a cocky smirk.

Enzo clears his throat and leans slightly into the mic, giving a crooked smile that earns a small cheer from the Romano clan in the back. I throw my head back for a quick glance and see most of Lucky’s family standing tall with larger-than-life smiles on their faces as they wait for Enzo to start his speech.

“I thought about standing up here and giving one of those classic speeches,” he commences, “the kind that quote philosophers or presidents, and talk about how the future is ours to shape. And all of that is true. But it also feels… kind of overwhelming, doesn’t it?”

“You got that right!” someone shouts from the sea of blue gowns and caps.

“I feel you, buddy. The truth is, the future is uncertain. It’s wild, unpredictable, and let’s be honest—kind of terrifying. We’re stepping into this big world, and we don’t know what it’s going to throw at us. But there’s one thing we have that we should never take for granted.” He pauses, scanning the crowd with something quiet and proud in his expression. “Family.” As his voice softens, everyone goes silent, eager to hear what he says next. “Maybe it’s the family you were born into. Maybe it’s the one you found along the way. Or maybe it’s a little bit of both. But that family…those people who love you, who fight for you, who stand beside you even when things get messy and chaotic—that’s our anchor. That’s our power.”

Lucky squeezes my hand and I squeeze his right back, knowing that Enzo’s words are not only directed at his classmates, but at us, too.

“So when the future starts to feel too big or too fast, just remember one thing. You’re not facing it alone. We’ve got each other. And as our family grows—with new friendships, new loves, new lives—we grow stronger. Don’t be afraid to fall. We’ll be there to catch each other.” He pauses, his gaze flicking to the back of the field where a certain former priest is waiting for him. “If you fall…I will catch you. Always.”

The applause is instant, loud, and real.

And for the life of me, I can’t stop smiling. My cheeks hurt. My chest is light, like all the weight of the past year has lifted, piece by piece, and floated off into this perfect blue sky.

Sister Agnes takes the podium and starts calling out graduates to hand out their diplomas.

“You ready, babe?” Lucky whispers in my ear, his hands resting gently on my waist.

“I am,” I say, beaming.

“See you up there.” He winks, and with that, I join the line of students making their way to the stage.

“Frances O’Malley!” Sister Agnes calls out, her voice proud and bright.

Sister Margaretta is waiting for me at center stage, her eyes already misty, arms extended with my diploma in hand.

“Thank you,” I tell her softly as I take it.

“No, sweet girl,” she says, squeezing my hand. “Thank you for being exactly who you were meant to be.”

Tears sting at the backs of my eyes as I raise my diploma high in the air. A wave of cheers explodes from the Romano side of the crowd—only to be outdone seconds later by my own family’s thunderous applause.

There they are—Uncles Kirill, Kostya, and Sasha in the front row. My little brother, Darius, is perched on Kostya’s shoulders, waving both arms and shouting my name with all the force his tiny lungs can manage.

My heart tugs just a little when I scan the crowd and don’t see Uncle Misha or Aunt Elena. But I understand. Elena’s seven months pregnant, and Misha wouldn’t risk the travel—not with how complicated things have been for her. From what Uncle Sasha hinted, this pregnancy has been… difficult. And when Kostya told me Elena’s health was declining, I knew there was no way I could spend the summer anywhere but with her in Russia once the baby was born.

Lucky isn’t thrilled about the plan, but he gets it. He knows how important Elena is to me and that when it comes to family, I won’t hesitate to be there for them when they need me. Ever.

And Darius? He’s already counting down the days for our trip. Finding my family changed everything for me, but it did just as much for him. I meant it when I told Lucky I was going to adopt him. He might not be my son, but he’s my family in every way that counts.

That’s when Sister Margaretta came through for me once again. Instead of adoption, she suggested I foster Darius, so we could still keep our brother-and-sister dynamic.

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