Page 35 of A Mastery of Crows

Iadjust the strap on my watch as I jog down the steps into the entrance hall. Ahead of me, Cat turns, her brows flicking upward as she takes in my shirt, the smart trousers. After a murmur into the phone she’s holding, she ends the call. “Where are you going?”

I hesitate. “To see my parents. The estate isn’t far.”

The hint of a smile slides away from her face. “Of course. How are they?”

I shrug. Truthfully, I have no idea how to answer that question. And shame fills me at the thought of it. I have been distant, these last few months. Unable to focus on something that no matter what I do, I cannotfix.

I will never be able to bring Nicci back. That’s the only thing they want from me, and it’s something I cannot give them.

A brush against my arm. “Gio?”

I jerk. “I… sorry. It’s not going to be a pleasant trip.”

Her frown deepens. “I can come with you. Although… do they know?”

About her.

“No,” I breathe. “They’re past the point of caring, Cat.”

Although if they could, I can only imagine their views. Slowly, I shake my head. “Just in case – I don’t want you to see that.”

“Then I’ll wait in the car.” Her voice is gentle, but firm as she weaves our fingers together. “I won’t let you go alone.”

“He’s not going alone.”

Cat’s eyes flicker, and she turns to Dante. Jaw tight, he nods to me from the doorway. “Ready when you are.”

I glance between them, my eyes lingering on Caterina. “Come.”

The word slips out impulsively, but I feel better for it. I want her with me for this. Dante stiffens, before he turns and disappears. “He—,”

“I know,” she snaps. But she squeezes my hand. “He loves me. And I love him, but he’s being anass. Doesn’t matter – I’m still coming.”

Tossing the keys that Luc gave me, I follow her out into the bright sunshine and over to the sleek gray Maserati. Even Dante looks reluctantly impressed as he scans it. “The GranTurismo. Nice.”

I bite my tongue before getting behind the wheel, and I wait.

And wait.

The argument, hushed and furious, rages on for long minutes, and I pull out my phone, sending a message to Luc’s new phone.

The response has me grinning as the passenger door opens. Dante swears under his breath before yanking the seat down and climbing into the back.

The extremelysmallback.

The grin continues to tug at my lips as I turn to look, and he scowls at me. His legs are pulled up, twisted awkwardly. “Why are you so happy?”

I snap a photo, ignoring his irritated curse as I reply to Luc. “Because Luc bet on you to get the front seat, and I bet on Cat. To see who was the most stubborn. He owes me a hundred.”

Cat slides gracefully into the car, pointedly not looking into the back. “At least you had faith in me.”

“Luc thought you’d let him have it, so he didn’t whine the whole way.”

“I do not whine.”

Cat scoffs as I pull away from the house. I listen to their bickering as we drive, grateful for the distraction.

This visit… it will not be pleasant.