Page 27 of Tragic Empire

“Most of her free time she spends volunteering at the orphanage twenty minutes from her Penthouse on the upper west side of Manhattan. She’s a black belt in Judo, despite her acting like she can hardly throw a punch in her Empire training classes.”

Nowthat’ssomething I wasn’t aware of.

“Keep going.”

“Ana hates cooking. She thinks that food always tastes better when someone else makes it for you. She doesn’t like bugs or dirt or clutter, which is why the Knights employ a housekeeper who cooks.”

“Name?”

“Agnes. She’s a fifty-eight-year-old widow who is grouchy but has an apparent soft spot for your fiancée and her now deceased mother.”

“Great, I’m sure she’ll love me,” I grumble sarcastically.

“Ana Knight also has an eidetic memory,” he drones on. “She appears to be able to disassociate to some degree, a skill I’m sure Cole was helping her with.”

My cold dead heart gives a painful beat at the information. Sympathy for the poor girl, I’m sure. Ana Knight is never going to be able to forget that day, because Ana never forgets anything.

And now she’s stuck with me.

“Armani and Colton have decided to go to New York with the pair of you. They’ll live in the same building and watch your backs. Ana doesn’t have a developed friendship with either of them, but I’m sure they’ll be helpful in warming her up eventually. She’ll need a friend, and obviously Jade can’t go. She and Dmitri won’t risk the twin’s safety.”

“I wouldn’t want them to,” I agree quickly. “Neither would Ana.”

I think.

“We’ve made positive contact with Gerard, and he’s firmly on our side. Whatever we need to keep Ana alive, he’ll back us. He wants to confirm her safety, so he’ll speak with her before the contract is signed.”

“That’s fine.” It’s not like Ana is going to say anything concerning to him. She’s agreed to this.

“We’ll do the wedding here, tomorrow evening. No need to waste time. The depression is going to hit her hard and soon, I can see it in her eyes. She’s waiting to fall apart, and the sooner she does?—”

“The sooner we put her back together,” I finish.

My father has always told me that I’m the kind of man that needs to be needed, just like him. I thrive when people rely on me. It’s the only thing that fills me with a sense of pride and purpose.

Ana Knight needs someone more than anyone else in my life has needed me in a long time, so I volunteered to marry her. And she chose me.

If anyone can get her through tremendous grief, it’s me.

ChapterNine

Ana

The next morning happened in a whirlwind of chaos. Before I even woke up, the Moretti mansion was filled with countless people, all of them working together to set up a wedding.

Mywedding.

When Dante and Apollo suggested doing the ceremony as soon as possible, I agreed. I didn’t expect them to suggest the very next day, but still, I didn’t protest. There was no reason to wait, especially when every moment counted. I knew that I’d need to return to the city, to give The Kings a leader and to mourn.

I knew that if Killian didn’t wake within the next few days, I’d need to arrange funerals without him—something I sincerely hoped would not end up falling on my shoulders. All I could think about doing was crawling into my bed to sleep for days, maybe weeks. So, a wedding thrown together in a single day would have to do.

It’s nearing noon now, and Jade and I are sharing a bowl of fruit salad. She’s shoving as much as she can get into her mouth while she has a free minute—a mom habit she developed since Cesar has started trying to grab every bit of food he’s too young to even eat. The mixed berries, melons, and grapes are cold and fresh, but I pick at them slowly, still finding it difficult to feed myself.

I haven’t taken any other medicine since last night, not wanting to be drugged up and groggy on my wedding day. Thankfully, there’s enough distraction and noise going around the house to keep me from retreating into my mind and being bombarded with unsavory images.

Mostly, I find myself wondering about my husband-to-be. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since agreeing to this union, though I haven’t exactly asked after him. I would hate to be a bother, especially since he likely has a million things to do in order to make today a success. And like me, I’m sure he’s still processing what we’ve agreed to.

Jade was possibly even more shocked than I was when we talked after last night’s meeting. She didn’t have the faintest idea that her father was going to suggest I marry into the family—let alone that Cassio of all people would volunteer to be my groom. After the surprise wore off, and I assured her that I was happy with the arrangement, she was thrilled.