Page 111 of Thorns of Death

THIRTY-EIGHT

ISLA

Dinner was a pleasant affair.

Between learning who and what my mother was and the fact she was placed in one of the brothels owned by the corrupt Marchetti empire, my thoughts were swirling with dread.

It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. It lingered in the corner of my mind, conjuring so many emotions—both good and bad.

What if I wasn’t a Konstantin? How could they possibly know who my father was if she was working in a brothel? I had so many questions for my brother and for my husband. And once I got my answers, I’d set some ground rules.

I was sick and tired of being the last to know details about my own life.

I watched Enzo and Amadeo give the Russian dessert a try. Ptichye moloko was referred to as the Russian “Raffaello” coconut candy and melted in your mouth. It was a simple yet perfect milk-based soufflé coated in chocolate. It was a special treat Illias and Maxim used to get me as a little girl. The latter would often sneak me an extra portion while Illias grumbled that it was a delicacy and should be savored, not gorged on.

Maxim and I ignored him.

“So?” I asked them all. “What do you think?”

Of course, it was Enzo who answered. “It’s not as good as Raffaello—”That little Italian prick, I thought fondly. He shrugged nonchalantly. “—but I like it. It’s okay.”

He reached for another cube of it.

“If it’s only okay, why are you grabbing another portion?” Amadeo complained with a full mouth. “Leave it for someone else.”

“I’m saving you from gaining weight,” Enzo snapped back as he shoved a piece into his mouth.

“How about I save you all from gaining weight?” I smacked his hand as he reached for his third helping. “And I eat it all.”

Enrico chuckled. “It’s no wonder you’re so sweet.”

He looked at me like he wanted to eat me, and I could feel all my questions and boundaries crumbling. Those dark eyes that flickered with lust. That sexy Italian voice.

I rolled my eyes. At him. At myself.

I’d checked my phone several times throughout dinner. The status of Tatiana’s health was unchanged. Despite Illias’s warning, I’d exchanged numbers with Sasha Nikolaev. He said he’d keep me in the loop. His brother Alexei was a bit too terrifying and his other brother Vasili was too broody. It left me with the unhinged brother. At least, that was how I perceived them.

God, I really hoped Tatiana would pull through. She had to—for my brother’s sake and the babies’.

Finishing our dessert, we made it out of the restaurant. Enrico behind me, we hung back as Enzo and Amadeo entered our waiting car. Suddenly, I caught a movement from the corner of my eye. I turned my head and my eyes widened.

White hair styled perfectly in a delicate chignon. Diamonds around her neck, glittering, and her frail body wrapped in a fur coat. But it was the eyes, empty and cold, that somehow still burned. Just like her crazy bitch girlfriend. She stood at the corner of the street, and I wondered whether Donatella was around too.

A sliver of fear trickled down my spine as her lips moved. It was only then I noticed the guy next to her. I recognized him from my run-in at the bar all those weeks ago as her daughter’s bodyguard. They both turned around.

“What is it?” The three men—Enrico, Kian, and Manuel—asked the question at the same time, following my gaze across the street.

“That woman in the fur coat,” I murmured. “I’ve seen her before.”

“What woman?” The dark note of Enrico’s voice didn’t escape me.

“She was with—” I cut myself off, my eyes darting to the boys. I didn’t want them to know that their mother was stalking me. I wanted to protect them. So I shook my head. “I’ll tell you later.”

Enrico shared a look with Kian and Manuel. Kian bent his head and kissed my cheek. “I’m going to check it out.”

I swallowed. I might have just met him, but I didn’t want anything happening to him. “Just be careful. I think… I think she’s not all there.”

He nodded. “Do you know her name?”