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His shoulders drop slightly, but he does turn around to look back at her.
“Chiara…”
Our princess isn’t hearing any of it.
“I’m okay.” Her voice wavers slightly as she glances between her brother, Nikolai, and myself. “I really am, Dario.”
And with those words, Nikolai takes a cautious step forward.
“You passed out a few days ago.” He starts saying, watching the way her expression changes with every word. “Do you remember much?”
Chiara blinks at him, her eyebrows drawing together.
“I…I’m not too sure. I remember meeting Papa and Dario, and I remember before—” She glances between us both, a soft blush appearing on her cheeks. “—With the three of us together. I can't remember much after that.”
I take a deep breath in, trying to push down the swirl of emotions that are threatening to choke me.
“That’s okay, Chiara.” I say softly. “We’re here to help you remember.”
Her lips twitch into a faint, fleeting smile, and for a moment, the tension in the room seems to ease.
But then her brother ruins it.
Her stupid, fucking brother who has no business being here—who isn’t even a made man, and who isn’t even involved inanyof this—decides to ruin it.
“She doesn’tneedyou both to doanything,not when Papa and I are right here!”
The anger takes him by full force this time, and I can’t help but scoff.
“Dario.” Chiara says again, her voice firmer this time as she reaches out, her fingers brushing his arm. “Stop this, please!”
The silence that follows is heavy, the air now thick.
Nikolai tenses beside him, his patience wearing thin.
I can’t blame him.
“We’re not here to fight with you. We just want to make sure that Chiara is okay, and that she has everything she needs.”
Everybody she needs, my brother and myself included.
Dario looks at me, his jaw tight, but this time, he doesn’t respond. He simply turns back to face Chiara.
But that’s not good enough for him, because as soon as he has his back to us, he’s muttering under his breath. And since my brother can no longer hold back, he doesn’t hesitate to call him out on it.
And after, well, the things that happen after…
Idolaugh.
Dario.
Nikolai.
Francesco.
Otets.
I smile to myself, knowing this was coming.