I tossed the phone onto the mattress. The list was bullshit, contradictory. If she wanted space, then giving it was a sign of respect and understanding. But if I gave her space, how was that supposed to foster an emotional connection?
By morning, the house stirred. Relatives moved around in black clothes, preparing for Renat’s burial. None of it touched me. I had buried more men than I cared to count, and Renat was just another to add to the ground. My time was better spent where it mattered. The shipment that Salva and Marco sabotaged a while ago demanded my attention. While they prayed over the dead, I drove off to the docks.
My men had already arrived. I checked manifests against what was delivered, questioned the foreman, and sent someof my men to remind our buyers that delays didn’t excuse late payments. A few crates had gone missing, with Salva and Marco’s fingerprints still on the mess. But by the time I was done, the books were balanced, and the cargo was moving again.
I left the docks and headed for the casino. I kept my mind on numbers and routes, but somewhere between all that, Alessia crossed my mind. Giving her space and pretending I didn’t care felt like its own lie. Was she still trying to swallow the idea of having a brother? Had she made peace with it, or was she still drowning in it? I grabbed my phone and called her. The call went through until it ended. She didn’t answer. The soldier I had assigned to watch her reported nothing either, so she was fine.
The work at the casino primarily focused on cash flow. When the work was finally done, the day had already burned itself out. I returned to the territory, where it was buzzing with preparation for the final dinner. Renat was buried, or whatever they did with him.
I cleaned up and went to the main hall for dinner. The room carried whispers as if we gathered for wine-tasting instead of ruling over a blood-soaked empire. I took my place at the head of the table while examining everyone.
Roman didn’t bother to show up again. He came because I had gutted his business and taken over. Dmitri stayed hidden, leaving Grandmother here to play as his eyes and ears. My gaze shifted to her. She sat among her cousins and old men I had never cared for. She always stirred up a conversation to keep them busy.
The door opened, and servers slipped inside, balancing food trays in their hands. Alessia was among them, her head lowered. She blended with the others, but my eyes caught her. She carefully moved as if someone would snap at her any second.
I leaned back in my chair, glass in hand, watching her set bowls in front of the guests. She was careful enough to be invisible.
A laugh split the air. Cousin Vadik, swollen with cheap vodka, grinned wide enough to show the few teeth he still had. He slurred something in Russian before switching to jagged English. “Hey, you. Come here!”
It took a moment to realize he meant Alessia. She obeyed and rushed to his side.
He rambled, complaining that the soup was cold, or too bland, or both. Alessia kept her tone polite. “Yes, of course,” she said, and turned to go.
My voice cut through the room. “What was that?”
They all stilled, forks hovering above their plates. Alessia froze mid-step, the tray balanced in her hands. For the first time, her eyes lifted and found mine.
So shecouldlook at me.
Vadik’s laugh cracked, thin and nervous. “It’s nothing. I only said the soup is a bit cold, that’s all.”
My gaze stayed on Alessia. She tried to remain composed, shoulders tight, but I saw through the fear. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
Her eyes widened, ready to conjure an excuse. And I realized what I was doing. I let the obsession bleed through in front of everyone. She made me lose control. I had told myself she needed space, but the truth pressed in on me now. I couldn’t give her any.
Grandmother cleared her throat to ease the tension. “Perhaps we should—”
“I’m still talking to her.” My voice cut across the table.
Alessia bit her lip hard enough to leave a mark. She hated being caught in the center like this. “I’ll go warm the soup.” She murmured.
“The hell you will.” I tilted my head. “You’re not his maid, are you?”
Vadik tried for another laugh. “Come on now, cousin, let herserve. She is—”
His voice crawled under my skin, and my patience snapped. I drew the gun and put a bullet through his head before he could finish. The crack tore through the hall, loud, and his body slumped in the chair. For a second, no one moved. Then the room erupted, the chairs scraping back.
Alessia’s tray slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor. She stood frozen, eyes wide on me.
“Anyone else whose tongue itches to be silenced?” My voice thundered across the hall. “Go on. Test me.”
I let the silence stretch, daring anyone to so much as breathe wrong. My point was carved deep into the room. When no one moved, I lowered the gun and turned to Alessia. “Come here.”
She didn’t move at first, uncertainty pinning her in place.
When did I become the kind of man who shows someone off? The thought burned as I pushed to my feet.
I turned to the uncle seated beside me. “Move.”