Page 26 of The Sound in Silence

“Miss Volkov,” I return the greeting, attempting to keep my mood in check until determining why the princess of the Bratva ishereon American soil, inmyclub. If she’s here, then her father, the Bratva’s leader, Ursin Volkov, must be slinking around nearby. “What an unlikely surprise.”

She laughs, throwing her head back, which seems entirely too fake and grates my nerves. “If you were to speak with your father, it’s actually not so unlikely.”

My eyes flash behind her, to the door Father left out of, and our entire conversation hits me. The meeting he avoided telling me about isthis. Vanessa’s presence is my secondary concern, next to the fact that the head of the Bratva is somewhere in my city, making deals with my father. A deal that could be positive for theFamiglia, given how powerful the Bratva is, but they’re almosttoopowerful. They’re an organization I’m pleased not to work with, because doing so only puts us closer to them, and nothing good can come from that. Sometimes the price of power is too great to pay.

Father, what the hell are you playing at?

She steps forward and runs a hand up my chest, pausing right over my heart. “Come now, Erico, don’t ignore me.”

Every word from her mouth flicks at my nerves until I grab her thin, breakable wrist between two fingers, and jerk her away. My fingers add an extra pinch, a warning, which based on how quickly her smirk slides away for surprise, works. At least she’s smart enough to recognize when the game’s up.

“Never refer to me by my first name. It’s Mr. Rossi to you. Get out of my sight. Run back to your father.”

When I move to step around her, she follows, blocking my path again, her early seduction swapped for pure focus. “Mr.Rossi, we have things to discuss while our fathers chat about the future.”

The future. Of fucking course. Father was insistent for me to wed her versus Ariella. I thought after the conversation he and I had, the topic would be dropped—but clearly not. Which means, I need to find him and break whatever deals he believes he’s making.

My arm sweeps out and I force her to the side, only barely remembering to not push her too roughly. “Get out of my way, Miss Volkov. If you’ve forgotten, I’m married.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but a stream of men burst through the bar’s entrance, saving me from her response. My capos from all over the country file in, nodding toward me. If they notice Vanessa and who she is from afar, no one comments as they head to the door by the entrance and walk downstairs to the basement, where it’s set up for these large meetings.

I glance at my phone, noting the time, which explains why everyone’s suddenly arriving. Fuck. I’m torn between finding my father with Vanessa’s unwilling help, and doing my actual job.

The last person to enter heads toward me rather than the staircase. He’s dressed in a rumpled suit, which knowing him, was probably yanked out of a laundry basket minutes ago. He shoves his dark bangs from his eyes, which narrow in on the woman at my side.

“Leave, Miss Volkov. You have five minutes.”

And then I walk toward Caladin, meeting him halfway. His gaze remains over my shoulder, his finger coming up to point. “Is that…”

“Yes.” I knock his hand down to his side and grab his shoulder, spinning him with me as my stride doesn’t break. “Just walk. Don’t speak to her. I’ll explain later.” By the basement’s stairs, I glance back to see Vanessa heading toward the front door, an extra bob in her steps that make me roll my eyes. But I ask my cousin, “Why are you here? Thought you wanted to sit out.”

“I did.” He sighs deeply, dramatically. “But your father showed up at my condo earlier this morning and dragged me with him. Said he’d be handing over leadership in the days coming, since all the heads are here. Which means,” he spreads his hands, “here I am with nothing better to do. Which, also, by the way, do you know how uncomfortable it is to sit with your father on a plane all afternoon? I’d rather have my balls cut off than do that again.”

I chuckle and shove my cousin down the darkened steps, only lit by a single light. He and Father always had a strange, tense relationship, regardless that Caladin has lived with us since he was ten. His own parents, my aunt and uncle, were both killed in a shooting gone wrong at one of theFamigliabusinesses when he was a kid, so my parents took him in. We grew up together like brothers, one room away from each other, until he was eighteen and decided to move out. Mother paid him less attention then she paid me, and although Caladin trained with Father and me, there’s always been a disconnect between them.

We make it to the bottom of the stairs, where half the men are already sitting in a circle, waiting patiently for me to begin.

I straighten my suit jacket and walk for the head of the table, Caladin remaining behind me, even as I sit. Leaning against the wall by my shoulder, where he’ll be for the rest of our lives. It became obvious years ago, while he’d be right for the underboss position once I move up, he’s more my Consigliere than anything. I need his advice, his support, and he enjoys the freedom of the role.

Right before calling the meeting to a start, my phone lights up with a message.

Sebastian

She won’t come out of her room. She’s been in there since this morning when the rain began. It’s nearly seven but she refuses to eat.

Ariella

Rain pounds heavy against the bedroom’s windows. Furious, turbulent, and aligned to the exact beat of my heart. The sky is a dim, welcoming grey, exactly like my emotions. Outside is chilly, precisely like my internal temperature, no matter how tight of a ball I’ve curled myself into.

Other people despise the rain for bringing their mood down and ruining plans, but I love it. I love how the obscurity gives me a chance to hide. No one says, “Come outside, it’s beautiful,” when it’s pouring, which means not having to invent an excuse.

From beneath the blanket, I observe the vicious rain mingling with the massive body of water surrounding the property. It’s been pouring since this morning, and according to the weather app on my phone, it’ll continue into the night and tomorrow, which means the tour Sebastian began will be postponed for a while.

It’s probably for the best though. The tour I got of the mansion only made me sadder. I kept thinking about what Mom would tell me as a teenager.

Mom flicks hair off my forehead before pressing a kiss there. “I’m sorry, Ari. I know you wanted to go on the class trip.”

“It’s okay,” I reply through a dry throat. It doesn’t feel like it is, but I get it, so there’s little point in showing Mom I’m upset when she’s already aware I am. “No biggie.”

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