Page 39 of Deviant Knight

“Can you not speak like you won’t be here tomorrow? I don’t like it.”

“Princess, we aren’t promised tomorrow. My job is to prepare you for anything, which is why I asked you to meet with me alone. There is something I’m going to show you, but I need your oath that you will not tell Domenico or anyone else, including your husband.”

“Dad, that isn’t fair to them or me. You just scolded me for keeping a secret from you. Do you remember how upset Dom and Ren were when they found out I knew who killed Mom and didn’t tell them, or has that slipped your mind? Now you’re asking me to keep something else from them?”

“Daughter,” I say, releasing a long breath. “If there is one lesson you take away today, it’s that the consigliere is more than a sounding board, more than the person that gives their opinions and advice. The consigliere keeps the boss’s most sacred secrets close to their chest until he tells her she can share them.”

“Again, I’m not the consigliere of this family yet.” She clucks her tongue in irritation.

“As far as I’m concerned, this family has two consiglieres at the moment. At some point in your life, Dom will ask the same thing of you, and it’ll probably happen more than you’re going to like, but it’s part of the job. You only answer to the boss. And if he decides to fill you in with information only he knows and then tells you to keep your trap shut, you do it, no questions asked.”

“Maybe you’re grooming the wrong person for the job then,” she argues.

“I’m not. I will show you the video clip anyway and do so without your oath in hopes you’ll watch it and agree that Dom doesn’t need to knowyet.”

“What video, Dad?”

“It was a video that was made to blackmail the Albania boss here in New York, only it backfired on the man who recorded it. The recording is from five years ago, when the girl was fourteen. The problem is that it fell into my hands a few months ago. When you see it, you’ll understand why she doesn’t trust anyone, and why it’s up to us to show her how a real family loves, as well as fights and forgives.”

I stand and button my suit jacket.

“Where is the video?” she asks, her tone wary.

“On the desktop of my computer screen,” I inform her.

“Then why are you getting up like you’re leaving your office?” she queries, her face confused as I step around my desk, stopping next to her chair and peering down as she tilts her head back to peer up at me.

“Because I will not watch that video with you in the same room as me. I draw the line at that shit. Besides, I could go the rest of my life without seeing that horror again. As much as it pains me, Sienna, it’s something you need to get used to for the future that is already in motion for you. I am truly sorry that I am putting this and more to come on yours and your brothers’ shoulders.”

“Dad, don’t be sorry for the way you raised us. I wish Mom were here with us, but you did not fuck anything up. You made us strong, and if the world comes crashing down on top of us tomorrow, we will survive because of you.”

“Thank you, princess.” I didn’t know I needed to hear those exact words from my daughter, but I did, and it’s taking everything in me not to break down and weep in front of her.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Sienna. And one day, hopefully not too soon, you’ll make me proud when you and Ren step up at your brother’s side. Even if I’m not here to see it, know that I am so very fucking proud of all three of you.”

When she stands, I step to the side to allow her to walk behind my desk, and I make my way to the closed door as there’s a knock.

Turning the knob and opening the door, I find Giovanni with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his black dress pants. Glancing past me, he eyes Sienna sitting at my desk, her eyes on the computer screen. His brow arches, but he doesn’t ask the question locked behind his lips.

“Move.”

I cock my head, daring him to ask. I could tell him that she’s doing research, which would be the truth, but since I’m not going to spill everything until the time is right, I’m keeping him in the dark too.

I don’t like keeping secrets from my family, especially Domenico. He was upset, and rightfully so, that I told Giovanni that Raffaele was responsible for his mother’s murder before I told him. But like that situation, this one is too similar.

He takes a step back, which allows me to step into the hallway and close the door. Leaving him to follow, I head toward the kitchen with the intent to make sure everything is ready for the ceremony in an hour.

“Is everything handled?” I ask, feeling Giovanni a few paces behind me.

“Everything’s in order. Ciera is with Sasha getting ready. Domenico arrived ten minutes ago, his Russian companion on his heels. Last I saw, they were in the living room with Lorenzo. I assume Matteo went to get Brooklyn.”

“Were all of them dressed?” I inquire, making sure Domenico isn’t dragging his feet. Of course, if he weren’t going through with the wedding, he would have refused me when we discussed it five days ago.

“They are, and before you ask your next question, everything is in order out in the back. We have servers on standby, waiting for the ceremony to end so they can set up the reception to follow. Even the priest is here.”

“Good,” I commend him. He coordinated most of tonight’s events with Ciera’s help. All I did was set the wedding in motion and send invites to whom I wanted to be present at this evening’s event. Some for specific reasons, others because it doesn’t hurt to have more heat here than needed for backup.

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