Page 31 of Unwritten Vows

Derrick

I’m not looking forward to speaking with my father.

I know the upcoming discussion is going to be long and taxing, but I also know I have no choice but to have it.

I’ve got the fuzzy details of whatever scheme he’s come up with, and not only do I hate everything about it, but I’m also angry he never talked to me or asked if I’d be okay with it in the first place.

After a night of restless sleep in the hotel, I leave first thing in the morning and get to the mansion before breakfast.

“If you want me to work with you, you’re going to have to tell me everything about Edoardo. I want to know what he’s proposing.”

My father swivels his chair to me and tents his fingers, unbothered by my hasty appearance, as if he’s been expecting me all morning. “Well, as I said, he’s not our enemy—no one is our enemy. We have been careful not to make any, remember?”

I say nothing, but can’t help my lip from curling a bit into a sneer. He shot at my girl—therefore, he’s my enemy.

My father continues. “He’s offering us land, no strings attached. This will obviously mean we’ll have to reconsider your new pairing, since she is his enemy.”

Finally, he says what I realize I’ve been waiting for: a reason why Liza and I can’t be together, even though he knows we just got engaged.

I knew it would happen. I knew I wouldn’t be able to have her.

And although I’m raging mad, I also realize that this was always going to be his plan.

I was never going to get something I actually might want in this life.

I’m not allowed to truly want anything, after all.

Now that it’s finally happened, the anticipation is gone.

I almost feel a relief, as if the rubber band has snapped.

Now I just need to try and find the pieces that broke and put them back together.

But it will never go back the way it’s supposed to, I already know that.

It will never be what it was. I just have to hope for the best outcome, and if I want that, I need to play this correctly.

I want Liza of course, but I want her to be safe far more. It’s no good for anyone if I pitch a fit and something happens to her. I’d never forgive myself. So, I keep as level a head as possible. “What did you discuss with him, father? What does this have to do with me and Liza?”

He takes a puff of his cigarette he’s holding, and all I can do is wish it would kill him faster. “He has a daughter, same age as the girl you have right now.”

I clench my teeth together. “Father. I just announced my engagement. Think of the slap in the face that would be. We would make active enemies with the Bolyar.” I’m trying not to release my rage entirely, but it’s proving quite difficult.

He shrugs. “Yes, that’s why this is so perfect, right? Imagine what a scandal it will be when you meet the love of your life, just after seeming to settle down? The public will eat it up.”

My throat works. “You waited until I made it official. Until her father gave us his blessing to go public. Just to make a spectacle.”

My father waits a beat before nodding his head slowly.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry. I can’t do this. I won’t.

“No. I’m not going through with it.”

My father tilts his head to the side. “I’m not sure what makes you think you have a choice in this.”

I shake my head from side to side. “For it to work, you need me to play along. And I won’t.”

“You’ve been so difficult lately, Derrick. I am so disappointed in you. Perhaps I have to threaten your inheritance again? Remind you that without all of this, you will be hunted and killed quite quickly.”

I feel rooted to the spot—that frozen feeling starts to come over me when I know there’s a situation I’m defenseless to, like this one. But I fight against it.

“You need me more than you think you do. I’m not a teenager anymore. I’m your fully grown heir, and I’ve been running your little-known ports for a long time now. I’ve kept your men in line. I’m important to you, and you’d be a fool not to know it.”

He narrows his eyes at me, and finally he puts that goddamn cigarette out.

There’s an ashtray, but he puts it out directly on his desk and leans forward.

“Derrick, I am going to be a mafia king one day. When that day comes, I won’t need anyone who wasn’t 100% faithful to me.

I’ll find a new heir. I’ll remember those who didn’t serve me well.

And as my son, if you consider disobeying me, you’ll be first on my list.”

I don’t say no to him again, but I won’t give in, either. I have something I can fight back with. He’s too careful and cunning to throw caution to the wind and throw me away so quickly.

“What did he say, father?” I ask again, speaking low and dragging out every word.

“He’s willing to give up part of New York City if things go well with us. That’s more than we would have with Bolyar. He’s not that old. He might have a couple decades left in him. I don’t want to be pushing seventy by the time I finally get a piece of the pie.”

“Did you forget that Divny is terminal?” I ask in disbelief.

“Of course not. But I want more than Rhode Island, Derrick. We can have our own piece of New York.”

“What are his terms, father? What did you sell us for?”

My father scoffs. “I didn’t sell us, and I wouldn’t. You have to start realizing what important commodities we are. We’re worth more than you can even fathom. Divny has never respected that.”

Divny barely knows what fucking day it is, so I doubt he really thinks to respect much of anything. We might as well own Rhode Island, and I was just about to secure a spot in the Bolyar’s good graces, one day becoming underboss of the New York City bratva.

I shouldn’t have thought I’d get what I want. I shouldn’t have ever even wanted it. It’s just asking for disappointment, in the end. I know my future is basically decided for me at this point, but I can try to alter some small part of it.

“I’ll stop seeing Liza, but I’m not going to call off the engagement.

I won’t date Edoardo’s daughter, because I think you’re seriously misjudging him.

He’ll roll over on anyone. He’s promising something he probably won’t even be able to deliver.

Bolyar is strong, and he wants New York.

Edoardo just became boss a couple years ago and he’s too fucking aggressive. He’s making rash decisions.”

My father takes my words into consideration without realizing that they are a dig at him, too.

He is acting the same way Edoardo is, he just isn’t as loud about it.

He looks off for a moment and then nods.

“I see what you mean. You’ve always been more cautious.

” He thinks it over, as if considering the words of a poorly trusted henchman.

Finally, he acquiesces. “As you wish. We can see who else is available. We can see what we can do to cause a splash some other way.”

I consider once more trying to sway his decision.

But the truth is, Edoardo is promising a better deal.

And while his promise might be empty, he might also be telling the truth, and it’s better than anything Liza’s father is willing to give up.

In fact, I wouldn’t have been initiated into his Bratva brotherhood for months after marriage with his daughter, and only if everything went well.

It’s just the way they conduct business.

I also have to face a far graver truth now.

While I tried to deny that I was the target on Liza’s back before, there’s no way I can any longer.

If I stayed with her, I’d simply be continuing to put her in danger.

Edoardo might get angry and more aggressive.

I can’t chance it. I can’t be around her every second of the day, no matter how much I want to be.

It seems the best way to keep her safe is to stop seeing her and to at least pretend as though I’m accepting this deal while I figure out what to do. I feel resigned and numb, but it’s about the same as I always felt before I met Liza.

“He better not weasel his way out of his terms, father. But fine. It’s a deal.”