Page 91 of A Madness of Crows

“A waiting game, then.” Rocco leans back in his seat, arms crossed. “Anyone for tic tac toe?”

Johnno snorts.

Dante and I exchange glances. He turns back to face the Asante estate. “It looks like a fucking prison camp.”

And Cat is in there.

“It is.” My voice vibrates with anger, with tension. “But not for much longer.”

And we wait, silently praying, for the message to arrive.

For the signal to move.

Day 100 – Caterina

Ismooth my hand over the gown.

It arrived an hour ago, delivered with a note, and a box.

The note was handwritten in a narrow, spiked hand.

To new beginnings.

And in the small, black velvet box… I glance down, to where the ring rests just below my knuckle. The thin band of gold gleams back at me.

Stepping forward, I carefully assess my reflection. Cecile has already left, her face livid after watching me pull the ring from the box and slide it on.

She kept glancing down at it as she applied my make-up. But my face is flawless, my eyes highlighted with shimmering pink liner that matches the shade of my lips.

I lift the skirt of my dress, letting it settle around me as I sway my hips, testing. The material is light and soft, golden silk cascading to my feet. My breasts pushed together, held in place with golden laces that keep the dress in place.

Yes, this dress is… perfect.

After a few more minutes, I step out of my bedroom. Stefan is waiting there. His tattooed hands clench, as if he would reach for me before he glances at the guards.

“How do I look?” I turn, showing him my bare back.

“Beautiful,” he murmurs without looking at the dress. But his eyes shift, unsteady as I smile at him. “Are you alright?”

“Perfect.” His eyes caress my face as we walk, searching, but I keep quiet.

Cecile glares at me when we walk in, but my eyes move straight to Salvatore. He stands at the end of the immaculate table, the black cloth laid with gold tableware that matches my dress. Those ice blue eyes drink me in, his face shadowed above the flickering candlelight from the tapered candles, carefully placed in the twisted black candelabras. “Buonasera, wife.”

And even his face twitches in surprise, when I smile back at him. The first true smile I’ve ever gifted him.

“Buonasera, husband.”

Beside me, Stefan stiffens.

I don’t give him another look as I glide forward. Salvatore’s eyes narrow, assessing, but he doesn’t stop me as I move closer, my hand settling gently on his wrist.

His cheek is dry, almost papery beneath my lips as I brush a kiss to his skin before settling into my chair. Cecile, seated on his other side, gapes.

I’m still smiling as he slowly settles into his chair. I can feel Stefan staring at me from the doorway as I reach out, my finger brushing the back of his hand. “Thank you for the gift.”

Salvatore glances down at the ring. “I thought it was appropriate, now that you are feeling… more like yourself.”

A silent command, to return to his bed.