Emma from the room. For all her sweetness, Elena is the most ruthless one here. I can see that because that little speech was in itself the starkest warning. I have no choice—this is how it is and I can only hope that the man I marry is the one they want the most—Maverick.
25
Maverick
Just being here is crushing me. The air is always different here. Denser, choking and laced with threats and tension. I’m not sure why I thought bringing Sophia here was a good idea. Maybe we should have remained at the Rubicon and hidden away until my brothers grew tired of searching? Then again, I’m a fool if I thought that was ever gonna happen.
As I dress for dinner, I hate the fact I have slipped back into my role here as if I’ve never been away. The clothes I wear caress my skin like an old friend and remind me of how easy it is to live with great riches. As Maverick, I live a more basic life that is one hundred times better than this. There I have no responsibilities other than doing my job when I’m required. Ridding the streets of the very people my brothers do business with, which is why my one rule was that I don’t do mafia. I may have turned my back on being one, but I will not betray my own kind on the instructions of a government who are more corrupt than any Mafia Don.
I almost consider calling for Sophia to escort her down to the meal, but I know that would show my weakness in an instant. So, instead, I allow the maid assigned to her to show her the way and head down to join my brothers in the den for the usual pre-dinner drink, where we discuss business before leaving it behind to enjoy a family meal.
Dante is the only one there and he looks up and nods as I step foot inside the room.
“Lorenzo.”
“Dante.”
As I fix myself a drink, he says thoughtfully, “What made you return?”
“I thought that was obvious.”
“The girl?”
“Her name is Sophia.”
“Of course.”
His voice is laced with humor and it irritates me. “Have you got something to say to me, Dante?”
“Rather a lot as it happens but I doubt you want to hear any of it.”
“You’re right.”
He sighs and then lowers his voice. “When you left, Lucian took it upon himself to prove that he was more than capable of filling your shoes. You should be worried about that.”
“Why, he’s welcome to it?”
“Because of the family name, reputation and respect our father built up.”
“You think they respected our father? He was no different to Lucian. He was a tyrant that had no feeling and I blame him for ruining all our lives. If Lucian decides to model himself on a monster, that’s up to him.”
“Keep on telling yourself that, Lorenzo, only you believe you mean every word. Tell me, if he marries the girl, would it bother you?”
I consider my answer carefully because Dante is no fool and it’s obvious he’s seen something I’m not willing to reveal. “Should it?”
“If you love her it would change everything.”
“Love.” I almost spit the word. “Love gets you nowhere, Dante, of everyone you should know that. Where has love ever got any of us? Love has ruined your life and you have never stopped searching for something that probably isn’t there anymore.”
Immediately he reacts and flies at me and I face him down like the soldier I am. Getting in his face, I fix him with a look of warning he would do well to heed because I have always been the strongest brother and he obviously remembers that because he snarls, “You know nothing about me brother, you chose to walk away—remember. If you think love has destroyed me, then you are more lost than I realized.”
“Well, isn’t this nice?”
We look up as Romeo heads inside the room straight for the whiskey bottle. “Brothers scrapping like the kids they still are. Don’t expect me to join in, I grew up years ago.”
He regards us coolly and I shrug and turn away. Dante also retreats, and Romeo laughs softly. “You know, I almost envy your choice, Lorenzo. Miss. Moretti is an intoxicating woman. She would look good on the arm of any man and I’m guessing would be quite the whore when required.”
I push down the anger his words were designed to create and just shrug. “From what I’ve heard, you’d know a lot about