Page 65 of Before Broken Vows

He gives me a long look, then nods. "Fine. I'll hold things down here. But Theo?" His voice lowers, deadly serious. "Be careful. Whoever came for Nicolas today wasn't fucking around."

"I'll be careful," I promise. "But I need you to be careful too. Don't go after these fuckers alone. Wait for me to come back."

Dimitri nods. "I'll look into everything. The ledger, Nicolas, all of it. By the time you get back, I'll have something."

"Good." I stand. "Let's get back to the house."

20

STASSI

The busyness of Rome disappears as we get outside the city. Now, landscapes that you see captured in watercolor paintings surround us. I keep looking over at Theo—his grip on the steering wheel is too tight, and his posture too rigid. He hasn't spoken more than ten words since we got in our rental car and I gave him the address for the navigation.

I check the rearview mirror again. The black SUV carrying Theo's men remains three car lengths behind us. An ever-present shadow. A reminder that nothing about this reunion is uncomplicated.

"Are you worried they'll lose us?" Theo asks, catching my glance. "They won't. It'll be okay."

"No, it's just... you know you didn't have to bring them at all," I say, though I know it's pointless. We've already had this argument.

"It's my son, Stassi. Security is a must. For you too, you know." His words are firm. "I let you do everything else."

It's true. Surprisingly, Theo let me plan all this, down to the rental car. Granted, he wasn't quiet about it, but he let me. So when it came time to discuss travel, his men coming was non-negotiable.

I look out the window to a sprawling olive grove and think how simple life would be to just grow olives and make olive oil.

Jesus, I can't believe I'm bringing Theo straight to our son. After all this time.

With each mile, the tension coils tighter in my chest. My throat feels sore, like I've been screaming, though I haven't made a sound. I've rehearsed what I'll say to Xander like a thousand times.

But how do you explain this?

Remember when I said your father wasn't well enough to see you? Well, here he is.

"Does he still think I'm sick?" Theo asks suddenly, like he's in my head, observing my thoughts.

"I don't know if it's the right move, but I thought I would tell him you're all better now and you're here to see him."

Theo doesn't speak.

"Look, I have no idea how to do this. I'm just winging it," I say, his silence making me nervous.

"And whose fault is that?"

I take a deep breath.

"Okay. You need to stop that."

"Stop what?"

"What you just said. I know it's my fault. I know I fucked up. I know I don't deserve you or your forgiveness. But fear is what drove me away. Fear from your father. I'm trying to do the right thing now, Theo. If you want it all to work, you can't keep taking jabs at me."

Theo breathes deeply and taps on the steering wheel. Thinking. Contemplating my words.

"You're right. It's just... well, shit, it's a lot. And I know I hold some resentment toward you that isn't entirely justified now that I know the full story," he says and looks at me. "Guess I'm just winging this, too."

I smile. "We made a great team once, remember? We still can."

He gives me a side-eye. "Yeah, we were pretty good together, I guess."