"You know what really gets me? Your brothers act like this is some minor inconvenience for you. Like you're just attending some boring function instead of sacrificing your entire fucking life."
She sighs. "What choice do I have?"
"That's just it. You don't have a choice. And they don't even acknowledge what you're giving up." I hit the steering wheel, feeling so fucking helpless. "You're literally putting your life on the line to keep peace between families, and they treat it like you should be grateful for the opportunity."
She turns to me, those gray eyes softening. "Thank you for seeing that. For understanding what they can't."
"Or won't," I add, not hiding my bitterness.
Her hand finds mine, and it grounds me, when I’m the one who should be helping her. "It doesn't change anything, though, does it?"
"No. Not without starting a war that would kill hundreds. Not just us, but innocents caught in the crossfire."
We drive in silence for several minutes, her hand still on mine.
"I keep thinking there must be a way out," I finally say. "Some angle I haven't considered. Something that saves you without destroying everything else."
She squeezes my hand. "If you find it, let me know."
I bring her hand to my lips, a dangerous gesture in public, but I can't help myself. "What about Luca?" I say, the thought forming as I speak. "He's family. He cares about you. And he already hates Maksim after what happened with Katerina."
Valentina shifts in her seat, turning toward me. "I thought about it. But I can't bring Luca back here."
"Why the hell not? He'd put a stop to this in a heartbeat." There’s a part of me that thinks Luca could have taken the Dante family from Alessandro if he wanted.
The guy has a reputation for having balls of steel and zero fear.
He’s the only one who’s ever made Maksim hesitate.
"Luca's return would threaten Alessandro's position. Again. He's already insecure about his authority after Father died."
I scoff, accelerating through a yellow light. "I don't give a fuck about Alessandro's fragile ego. If he doesn’t have the balls to do his fucking job, then someone else should.”
"Cristian," she warns, but there's no heat behind it.
"It's true. Luca would never allow this. He'd have put a bullet in Maksim's head the moment he suggested it."
“First, he knows what’s going on?—”
“What?” I gape at her.
“He doesn’t like it, but I convinced him it was the only way.”
“Jesus.” I glance at her again. “You can change your mind. He’d understand.”
“Yes, but I can’t. For one, he’s got a wife, a son, a baby on the way. Plus, if Luca kills Maksim, we're at war with the Bratva. If he challenges Alessandro, our family fractures from within. Either way, blood flows."
“Blood's going to flow regardless. Yours. When that bastard gets his hands on you."
She goes quiet, staring out the windshield.
"I'm sorry," I say, softer now. "I just can't accept that there's no way out of this."
"There isn’t.” Her resignation guts me.
"But you're his family too," I argue. "Luca doesn’t want this for you. He’d help in a?—”
Valentina shakes her head. "Luca has finally found peace. I won't be the reason he loses that happiness."