Page 74 of Devil's Vows

My knee-jerk reaction had been ayes, because I thought I had agency. Now, I’m not so sure.

“He’s easing you into it. My brother…he’s a good man, Gabi. He will be good to you if you are good to him. It’s more than what Darya ever was, and in our world, there’s no such thing as love, never mind marriage for love. God knows I learned that the hard way. But there are things like good, solid marriages, built on mutual respect, built on playing by the rules and sticking to your part. My parents had one of those.”

“This isn’t my plan. I can’t marry Ivan.”

The old Russian isn’t going to stop looking for me. My heart beats faster, already at a racket with everything that’s come to light. I managed to get to this household to protect my brothers, and now I’m going to get out of it—to protect Ivan and his girls.

I already sense it’s going to be like sawing off a limb, but I’m being hunted by a Russian for an inheritance I don’t have. Stripped of anything to do with Randazzo, I’m just a body. He’d have access to hundreds of other women. Why me? Why is he so determined to find me, to the point that he murdered Mother Lucia?

“Okay, don’t marry Ivan,” Milana says, somewhat annoyed. “It’s not as if you’re walking down the aisle tomorrow, but I need out, as soon as possible.” She reaches for me, squeezing my shoulder. “And I promise to help you in turn, to get you out of here.”

She’s like a dog with a bone, and now I know why. Everything I’ve witnessed of her in the time I’ve been here makes complete sense, and I can’t, not in good conscience, refuse to help her.

“I’ll speak to Matteo today, but you must promise me—” I stall, knowing I’m fighting more for my soul than for any vows ever made. “You must promise to get me out of here and away before I can be married to Ivan.”

Before I fall in love with him. I’m already half-way there and it scares me.

“We’re in this together.”

I nod, not feeling it. This situation feels like treason. Like the sticky web of organized crime and its secrets are wrapping tighter around me. Like I’m making friends in places that would make it harder to leave. That I’m trapped by her secret—a secret more dangerous than my own.

38

GABI

Instead of going back to the kitchen, where I left Ivan and his girls with their breakfast mess, I head back to my room to find my burner phone. My brothers wanted me to be prepared and a good thing too, considering what happened to my official phone. I concealed the burner in a sanitary towel, tucked in at the bottom of the box where no man digs willingly.

As Don, Matteo is in charge, but I know Dominic like I don’t know Matteo, and from what I’ve seen, he’d do anything to protect a woman. I lean against the vanity as I dial his number. Milana is desperate, and I can’t let her do something foolish like scale the compound’s monster wall and kill herself in the process.

“Nicky?” I say as he answers.

“What’s wrong,cara?”

His tone holds the same desperate concern from the day I left with Ivan. His hands were tied, and he didn’t like it at all.

Arranged marriage, indeed. One Dominic didn’t sign me up for.

“Do we fetch you?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m totally fine. Milana needs help, though. She needs out. I’m not sure how to make it happen.”

“What do you mean, needsout?”

“Like in escape the Bratva. Her fiancé, Boryslav Petrenko, got killed, and she doesn’t feel safe here.” I have a secret I can’t share, and I’m embellishing now, making up my own story, but in for a penny…

He’s quiet for a moment. “I can’t do that, Gabi. As it is, this thing?—”

“There was an attempted coup, Nicky, on the Fourth of July. In this house. I don’t know exactly what happened, or who was involved, but Milana wants out. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. But is there a way you can keep her safe, with us, inIl Consiglio? Make her untouchable…I don’t know how, but I know I can count on you.”

Best sow the seeds and water them some. My brothers already put me in this position by male Mafia logic; it will only take them an hour to consult and come up withthe most brilliant plan, as if they thought of it all by themselves.

I’m already learning from Milana, thinking on my feet. Don’t fight the cage—make the cage work for you.

“Wouldyoufeel safer if she was under our…care?”

Between us hangs the unspoken deal my brothers made with Ivan. I should ask about the arranged marriage, but until I’m walking down the aisle, it isn’t happening, so I cop out.

“Totally,” I say, sealing the deal. “Ivan won’t hurt me or you while Milana is underIl Consigliocontrol. He loves her too much. I know she’ll be safe with you. No one would hurt her inIl Consiglio, either.”