Page 95 of The Freedom in Captivity

But the fact that Flynn remains silent cracks my heart. It’s tempting to turn around and look toward him, but I don’t. Directing dislike toward Nico makes hiding my shattering heart easier.

The tense silence in the room is itchy, uncomfortable, and when the office doors open, I’ve never been more excited to see the Corsettis. Della first, who walks to Nico’s side, and then his parents who position themselves by the far wall, Lorenzo glaring daggers toward me.

“Why is she here?”

“There was a situation,” Nico responds carefully. “Besides, after everything, don’t you think it’s fair she hears our plans to bring down her father?”

“Is that safe?” his father asks, tone sharp.

“She’s not going anywhere.” As Nico talks, he stares at me, his cocky grin making my dislike for him grow. “Nor does she want to. She’s better off here than out there. Step a foot off this land and her father’s disciples will find her.”

Maybe.I can’t begin to guess my father’s plans anymore.

The door opens again, and this time, the youngest Corsetti male and the organization’s capo, Rafael limps in. He has one hand holding his side and the other wrapped around Isabelle’s hand, who follows him in with no less than a terrified expression. “What, Nico? You realize what you interrupted, right?”

Isabelle’s cheeks flash red, indicating the meaning behind Rafael’s statement.

“What happened?” Rafael continues in a more serious tone as he takes up a stance to the side. His attention finds Flynn in the corner and then me, so it’s clear Nico hinted toward us being at the centre of the drama.

Instead of Nico answering, the door opens yet again and three more people enter. Ariella heads to her sister’s side, while Rosen and Aurora move close to Flynn, everyone staring expectantly at Nico.

His eyes take a sweep around the room, finishing with me, and then he kicks off the desk’s edge. “With Rafael back in the land of the living—”

“Fuck you,” the younger Corsetti grumbles.

“—we can return to planning for De Falco’s takedown. The time spent taking out his mercenaries means he might be nearly here, if Rozelyn’s timeline is any indication. Or maybe, he’s not, and he’s waiting for us. The fact is, the unknowns are too great and I willnotrisk any of our lives for that fucker’s. Not now.” His voice lowers, his attention shifting first to Aurora, and then to Della. “Not while we all have too much to live for. Which means insurance. A guarantee. We will hunt him down and attack first, regardless of whether or not he’s in B.C., surrounded by the Seven, or not.”

“You will lose,” I state matter-of-factly in the exact moment Lorenzo approaches his son, a hand landing on his shoulder.

“I think we should buckle down and wait for them to come to us. His daughter had one thing correct at least; attacking on enemy territory is too great a risk. You talk of not wanting to take any, but your plan indicates otherwise.”

Nico shoulders off his father and paces away from me and approaches his sister, who only narrows her eyes. The new focus allows me to also peek at Flynn, who isn’t watching his boss, but rather glowering at me.

My neck prickles, my face feels hotter, and I hate this reaction. He’s barely looked at me since Nico showed up at the bedroom they assigned me and dragged us here.

When Nico starts talking again, I send a silent thanks for the reprieve he brings. “As I’ve said, the unknowns are too great. I will not risk this family, but I also will not jeopardize our chance at revenge. Therefore, I’ve requested the support of the Rossi family. Erico Rossi and I have had a long conversation, and he’s agreed, as a show of good faith for the pending union. He is presently travelling here with his men. His flight lands in a few hours.”

Silence.

Tense silence.

There’s a new meaning to the worddiscomfortbecause my belief that being locked to a chair was it, is incorrect.Thismoment is pure discomfort as he mentions the person Aurora is supposed to marry. I only know the name due to my time at the garden and all the conversations we shared. A simpler time, that while was a part of a larger plot, I kind of miss.

Somehow, Aurora gets taller, her nail jamming right into her brother’s chest. “No. We had a deal, Nico. Call him off. Do not bring him here.”

At her side, Rosen only looks wary, but his attention is more toward Aurora’s behaviour than Nico’s statement. Considering his girlfriend’s supposed-to-be fiancé is on his way here, I’d think he’d be a bit more pissed off, but perhaps he was pre-warned.

Nico slides his arm between them and breaks her connection. “At some point, we need to face him. While I’ve agreed to end your engagement, he still believes it’s happening in three weeks.”

Huh. That was quicker than I’d last heard from Aurora.

“Therefore,” Nico continues, voice level and calm, “we will utilize that to our advantage.”

Lorenzo crosses the room, getting in his son’s face again. “This sounds like a horrendous situation. It’ll be one thing to break the engagement, but to do so right after they help us…there is no worse betrayal.”

“Better than slaughtering their heir in cold blood.” Nico throws his father a meaningful look, but they’re losing me in this conversation. “Either way, the Rossis will be pissed at us, and rightfully so. My way, we get their assistance. TheFamiglia’s forces are greater than ours. We use them, and then I’ll deal with the fallout with Erico personally.”

Aurora’s shaking her head through his entire rationalization while Rosen stares calculatingly at his boss. It’s clear he’s thinking as Nico is, and not as Aurora is.

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