Page 2 of The Sound in Silence

“Seems you have your hands full here.”

Nico chuckles, but it’s not a sound of ease. He’s on edge—nervous, which tells me I should be too. For a second, I empathize. It’s not a simple task, having to step into the footsteps left by one’s father, and we both share that burden.

“You have no idea,” he replies, sipping from his own glass. “It’s related to what I want to speak with you about actually.”

“Oh?” I sit straighter. My movement draws attention to the comforting weight of my Glock strapped to my side. A weapon the Corsettis haven’t apprehended out of mutual respect and trust. After all, within three weeks, I’ll be this man’s brother-in-law.

“First, thank you for making the trip from New York so quickly to aid us. Your support would have been tremendous, but we didn’t foresee circumstances turning out how they had. Regardless, your willingness to help is appreciated.”

“Of course. That’s what family is for, right?” I answer carefully, my grip tightening around my glass.

“Exactly.” He pauses, his stare hardening. “Which is what makes this next part so difficult—”

I rest my drink on the edge of his desk, preparing for the news. No one enjoys hearing ‘difficult’ news, but in this line of work, Nico could possibly be announcing deceit. This feels too close to what Father warned me about. He doesn’t approve of this agreement and claims the Corsettis shouldn’t be trusted.

“Aurora’s return into the family has been…different than what we believed it’d be. She’s complicated and didn’t take to being Lorenzo Corsetti’s daughter well.”

What is he saying?

“She’s chosen her own path and it’s one I can’t compete with. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

“Speak plainly, Corsetti,” I demand, all the guise of niceties disappearing with impatience. “What are you not saying?”

“That my sister refuses to wed you.”

Recalling the woman I met with in the hospital wasn’t the same girl I was introduced to at his engagement party, so this isn’t all that surprising. There was a new desperation in her, which she didn’t bother hiding. Hell, even when we met for the second time at his wedding, she didn’t mask her hatred for the circumstances. Something changed in her during the week between his engagement party and his wedding.

“When has that ever stopped a union?” It’s a well-known fact that women in mobs don’t always get their way, but backroom deals have already been made; therefore, it’d entice a war to break them.

“Because I’m backing her decision,” he replies with a firm finality that proves Father’s presumptions were correct.

“Think hard about your decision, Corsetti.” My warning is blatant.Decide wisely or we’ll have to react appropriately.“This is twice your family will have fucked us over.”

“We’re not breaking off the engagement,” he continues, his tone leaving little room for argument, if I wasn’t already verbally toe-to-toe with the man. “I’m proposing an amendment.”

“Intriguing,” I reply honestly, my temper de-escalating into unease. Given Aurora is the only Corsetti female, an amendment would be…My mind searches for another family member of equal value but comes up empty. Unless there’s long-lost daughters Lorenzo and Caterina have been hiding, whoever Nico offers will be an insult after Aurora.

While Nico blows out a long breath and manages another sip of his drink, I study his body language for leftover nerves—shaking hands, a tight grip—but find none.

“My sister-in-law, Ariella Lambert. You wouldn’t know her.”

I do know her.

After the engagement party, it was her, not Aurora, who starred in my dreams. I know her—knowofher—but before now, I didn’t have a name to put with her alluring face.Ariella.A unique name for the silent, mysterious woman who made me, for the first time ever, feel like I was drowning. Lost for words, unable to breathe, trying to solve the puzzle that is her.

But remembering why she’s being mentioned, I end up with numerous questions. “Your sister-in-law, Corsetti? That’s pretty cold, even for me. She never asked to become a part of your family when you married Della.”

“She volunteered.”

Volunteered? The beautiful woman who hadn’t spoken a wordvolunteeredto be married off. Suddenly, I long to learn more because who would agree to such an engagement? It’s one thing for a woman born into this lifestyle to smile and march down the aisle because it’s their duty, but it’s another for an outsider to willingly do it.

What are they playing at?

“I understand she’s not as valuable as my—”

“She’s fine,” I interrupt, his brows lifting in response to my quick agreement. A protectiveness regarding his pending insult has me biting my own tongue, tapering down the sudden, strange emotion. “Surprised her sister would allow this.”

He huffs a snort, his gaze drifting to the door, presumably imaging his wife somewhere beyond it. “They had a few choice words. Della’s pissed, yeah, but if Ariella’s offering, I accepted in order not to wreck what we’ve been building between the organizations.”

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