Page 21 of My Solemn Vow (The Mafia Arrangement #1)

“Kerrianne was quite attached to him. I don’t know what to do.” I admit.

“I’ve got a few good wolves looking for a change of scenery. I’ll have them shipped over for you. Take your pick.” Patrick purses his lips. “I know it was your preference to have someone less familiar with the current pack. Makes ’em more objective.”

“Much appreciated. Now more than ever, I would like someone who sees everyone as a threat. The not knowing what happened and all.” I’ve always seen Patrick as an adviser of sorts, and I’ve never taken his generosity toward me, and Kerrianne, for granted.

“Whoever you don’t need here in the cities, we can move about the country to deal with the issue with the Bratva. D’Medicis really fucked the duck with that before the truce,” Patrick adds.

I wasn’t here and don’t know the extent of the information we have on the D’Medicis now, but what I learned while in South America is confirmed with his words. The D’Medicis married one of their women off to a Bratva heir.

Patrick rotates, turning to look in the same direction as me. It’s obvious he’s watching Antonella talk to Aunt Deidra, just like I am. “She seems to fit in. Deidra has taken to her. You could have gotten a much worse shake in this deal.”

He’s not wrong. Everyone seems so happy for us and genuinely accepting of her, but I don’t care for the observation. I haven’t come to a decision about her yet, and everyone’s assurances are falling into the unasked-for-opinions pile until then.

“Why are you so excited about this deal?” I examine him, trying to figure out the big secret I’ve been left out of.

“We need this truce to stick...” Patrick answers, adjusting his cap.

“You and the D’Medici girl have given us a much-needed break.

Your father negotiated a strong deal in our favor.

The Italians think we took the short end of the stick by giving us this woman.

” Patrick shakes his head and laughs. “The D’Medicis are backward on the deal with the Bratva.

The craic is that the Russians wanted your bride over the one they received in negotiations.

Though Nikolai is quite chuffed, Igor is bent over it. ”

I raise a brow at that. Interesting.

Patrick draws a breath and keeps explaining what I missed while I was away. “Now the D’Medicis are buyin’ the shipment we couldn’t sell to the Syrians because they ended up with the Gardaí. The Bratva don’t have a place to send the shipment they stole from us.”

“And based on information I found while hunting... we know where they’re keeping it.” I see why Patrick is getting excited over the dealings.

“We can get those back, and my son can find a buyer so we turn a tidy profit.” He smiles.

“And now, two massive arms dealers are linked to the D’Medicis.

If we play our cards right, it’ll no longer be a competition.

We can control which wars we back.” Patrick pushes his shoulder against mine, trying to make light of everything and reassure me.

“And you get a woman who will make a good mate. If for no other reason to like her, she was strong enough to tell Igor Popov no. Could be worse.”

“It seems a little too good to be true.” I try to express my concerns diplomatically and concisely. “She’s so willing to come and be part of our family. I’m supposed to believe this isn’t all a ruse?”

“Well, not everyone grows up with a silver spoon in their mouth that isn’t laced with poison.” Patrick raises an eyebrow. “You’re turning down a mother for your child?”

I can’t withhold my glare. I shouldn’t have shown my hand like that. But no one knows my daughter better than me. No one should have more of a say over her life than me. ‘She doesn’t need a mother’ is on the tip of my tongue.

“Don’t think ya can do both jobs. In our world, youngins need a woman who has been raised in this life.

Your daughter could do far worse than to have a schoolmarm for a surrogate.

” Patrick warns me. “You may not have picked Antonella, but would you have ever picked someone? A head of the pack must have a family. Men like us aren’t meant to be alone. ”

Schoolmarm? Makes sense if she was at the school when she called the truce.

My silence clearly not appeasing Patrick, he leaves me with one last thought. “Take a look at how they treat her when you’re at their funeral later today. Maybe it’ll clear up the differences.”

I let Patrick’s words stew as he walks away. All the while, I look at Antonella as she listens to some of the younger women in the pack.

Antonella looks over, as if to check in on me. Her brow knits together as she observes me, but one of the younger women places a hand on her forearm and draws her attention back.

There are many people here that I should speak with and family members I could catch up with, but I can’t take my eyes off her.

What do I do with you, darling? What is this pull?

My wolf cocks his head, and I mimic his movement, looking at her intensely.

She says something to the small group and then dismisses herself. Gracefully stepping around the fresh grave and past headstones, she makes her way to me.

Her sultry voice is low in volume, keeping the conversation between us. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, the older man came to talk to you. It looked like you were debating hurting him. I thought maybe you needed a buffer.” Antonella’s offer is unexpected and oddly settles some of the rage burning in my gut.

But the calm I feel doesn’t cross my face, and Antonella interprets my lack of response as a dismissal. “Alright, well, let me know.”

She takes a step to walk away, and I wrap my hand around her wrist, spinning her back to face me .

“Thank you for coming to check in with me. I appreciate your awareness of the world around you.”

“You’re welcome.” Antonella doesn’t try to pull away from me, though her eyes lock on where we’re joined. My fingers are nearly white where they’re pressing into her wrist.

Why is she so calm? Did they drug her?

Patrick’s words come back to me. She was raised to be a wife in this life.

Why are you the way you are? Let me figure out what makes you tick, darling.

“What’s going on?” Antonella stands a little taller and meets my gaze. “You’re upset by something, and I think it’s more than being married to me.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so calm.” I’m honest, but I can’t pinpoint why I trust her with any information. She’s too disarming.

Antonella grimaces, her little nose wrinkling, and I’m drawn to kiss her.

Kiss her . . . of all fuckin’ things.

I stand my ground in the short distance between us, trying to ignore my inner desires. Holding her here, the warmth of her wrist in my grasp, I wait for her answer. Despite being human, there’s something unbreakable about her.

“At the end of the day, there isn’t a choice in the matter. The best thing I can do is make the most of my situation and hope you do the same.” Antonella chooses her words carefully and, with a soft, sad smile, lowers her volume even further. “I’m committed to making this partnership work.”

“I’ll do what I can.” I slowly remove my fingers from her wrist, and my skin mourns the absence of her warmth, cold again in the early afternoon sun. “We should get moving. I don’t want to be late.”

Antonella nods and waits for me to take the lead. With her head held high, she has no problem holding my hand and following my lead.

Everything she does, I want to question. I want to know everything.