Page 71 of Vicious Behaviors (The Next Vicious Generation #3)

“Yes, you are. You all are,” She gestures toward the others. “Soon Jude will return to London with Mina, and only come home maybe three times a year, if we’re lucky,” she says, her chin tilting toward my older brother with his wife, laughing at something Lucky just said.

My forehead creases at the remark. Ever since I told Jude about my alter, he and Mina have decided to stay stateside to support me however they could.

But now that I see the light at the end of the tunnel, they’ll have to go back.

Especially since leaving Rolo and Remus to deal with the Firm’s day-to-day business isn’t exactly an ideal situation, unless chaos is suddenly considered good management.

“Even Lucky has his own family now,” Anna continues, my gaze switching from Jude and Mina to land on my jokester of a brother, who has his beloved Frankie tucked under his arm, with Darius grinning widely beside them.

“Lucky doesn’t even sleep at home anymore.

He’s basically living at Frankie’s now.”

“I didn’t know that,” I admit, since going through my own shit has prevented me from keeping proper tabs on my siblings.

“Enzo doesn’t spend much time at home either.

Ever since Alejandro quit the priesthood, and Mammà bought them a house far away from prying eyes so they can live their lives in peace, I rarely see him anymore.

” She sighs, then turns those eyes on me.

“And then there’s you and Izzie. I’m happy for you, Mar.

Truly. You deserve happiness. But I hardly see you anymore except for Sunday lunch. ”

She’s right. So much has happened in the last couple of months that I had to step back and concentrate on my mental health, leaving one of our father’s bodyguards to drive Annamaria home from school.

I didn’t realize how much my absence weighed on her until now, or how all our absences affected her.

“And now Stella’s being inducted, which means she’ll leave me too.”

“Stella will never leave you.”

Anna shakes her head, drying her eyes. “Of course she will. That’s just life.

And I’m okay with that, because it gives me so much joy to see you all so happy.

Everyone’s found their purpose. More so, you all found someone to love.

I’m just sad that I’m not part of it. I feel selfish even saying it.

” Her voice cracks. “I’m ashamed to even feel this way, but it’s true. ”

Another tear slips down her cheek, and my heart splinters for my melancholic little sister.

“What can I do? Tell me what I can do to make this better.”

“Nothing, Mar.” She straightens, brushing her cheeks dry. “It isn’t your fault I feel left out. It’s just the way it is. The way it’s always been.”

“Anna—” I start, but she cuts me off.

“No. Today is Stella’s big day, not mine. I won’t ruin it with childish feelings. I’m here to support her, like I’ve always supported everyone else.”

She forces a smile, walks away, and slips back to Stella’s side. Her smile looks real enough, but the puffiness of her eyes betrays her.

“Is she okay?” Izzie asks, suddenly appearing beside me.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Anna’s always kept to herself. Sometimes it’s hard to know what she’s really thinking.”

“It’s not that hard,” Izzie says softly, shaking her head.

“She’s lonely, Marcello. I see it every Saturday in class.

No one talks to her—like they’re afraid to even get close.

And now with Frankie and the twins graduating from Sacred Heart next month, she feels even more alone than before.

That’s a hard place to be for a girl her age.

How can she discover who she is if she never has any real experiences? Any friends to engage with?”

“She has us,” I insist.

“Does she?” Izzie frowns. “The people she loves are all living rich and full lives, while she remains standing still. She must feel like a porcelain doll locked away in a golden cage, watching the world move on without her.”

“That’s not how we see her. Anna is the heart of this family.”

“But what good is a heart,” Izzie asks, “if she can’t use it to love someone outside her family?”

“You think this is about not having a boyfriend? Anna’s never been the shallow type.”

“She’s sixteen, Marcello,” Izzie reminds gently. “She’s never even been kissed. That’s not shallow. That’s just being human. She’s got a big heart and an empty space inside it. She just wants someone to help her fill it. Even if it’s just a friend.”

“But I’m her friend.”

“No. You’re her brother. That’s different.”

I chew on Izzie’s words as I glance back at Anna. She beams at everyone, congratulating Stella, as if there were nothing wrong at all. But beneath that smile, I see it now—how selfless she’s always been, and how lonely it must feel to watch the world pass her by.

“Let me talk to her,” Izzie says, her voice steady. “Maybe I can organize a girls’ night out. A little fun will go a long way to pull her out of her melancholy.”

“Thank you,” I breathe, pulling Izzie close.

My gaze remains on the front of the room, where people continue to line up to toast Stella’s induction and graduation, until a dark figure strolls in as if he owned the place. Fury explodes through me as his eyes lock onto my sister.

Kirill-fucking-Petrov.

“Well, this party just turned awkward,” Izzie mutters beside me as we watch Kirill greet my parents. Even from across the room, I can see the venom in my father’s eyes as he grips his hand.

“Is that bastard really hard launching his relationship with Stella, today of all days?” I growl, squeezing Izzie’s hand. “Does he have a death wish or something? My father looks like he’s about to kill him where he stands.”

“First of all, kudos for finally knowing what hard launching even means, babe,” Izzie teases. “Second, I’m more worried about the psycho twins’ reaction than I am of your father’s.”

Shit. She’s right. While my father is on—let’s call it— good terms with the Bratva’s Pakhan , the Firm is not.

From what Jude has told me, Mikhail’s right-hand man and brother, Aleksandr Petrov, has been nothing but a menace to them, eating away at their turf, gaining more traction and power by the day.

They are one death away from going to an all-out war.

Something Mina wishes to prevent at all costs, but won’t hesitate to engage if the Russians end up killing the wrong person.

The second Mina’s cousins see Kirill swagger over to Stella, Remus and Rolo cut through the crowd like knives.

“Remus. Rolo. No,” Mina’s sharp voice rings out before they can take another step.

The vein on Remus’s forehead looks like it’s about to burst, while Rolo’s fists flex at his sides, and he bares his teeth. Jude and Mina hurry over, dragging them back to a safe corner of the room before Mina’s leash slips entirely.

Frankie, of course, lights up when she sees her uncle here. She bolts toward Kirill, throwing her arms around him, Lucky trailing close behind with a scowl carved into his face.

Izzie and I hang back, watching the scene unfold.

I stay alert, scanning the room for anyone who might take offense at Kirill’s audacity in coming to our home on a day that is supposed to be sacred for the Outfit.

The syndicate’s goodwill in tolerating the Bratva’s presence in Chicago only goes so far. Everything has its limits.

Kirill might be the Bratva’s underboss and not my favorite person on earth, but just by the way he’s looking at Stella right now, there’s no denying his feelings for my sister are real. On the other hand, Stella is all ice, treating him like any other guest, instead of the party-crasher that he is.

After paying his respects to my parents and murmuring a few words in Stella’s ear, Frankie pulls him into the crowd, eager to parade her uncle around. I catch the playful curl of my mother’s lips as her eyes follow him, making Stella’s jaw clench harder.

To my chagrin, the Bratva bastard eventually makes his way over to us, his grin smug even as the capos around us glare daggers at him.

“You Romanos throw terrible parties,” he says by way of greeting, swiping a champagne flute from a waiter and downing it in one gulp.

“Ironic,” I shoot back. “Since I don’t recall my mother putting your name on the guest list.”

“I figured it was implied, seeing as everyone here is celebrating my girl.”

Izzie tightens her grip on my arm, holding me in place before I do something I’ll regret later, like killing my sister’s boyfriend.

Sensing the tension between us, Frankie quickly tries to broker a peace treaty. “Uncle. Marcello. Please be nice. Let’s not ruin the day for Stella. Besides, we’re all family here.”

“He might be your uncle, Frankie. But he’s no family of mine.”

“ Yet, ” Kirill has the gall to wink at me. My fury spikes when his attention moves away from my scowl and shifts over to Izzie.

“So the rumors are true. You bagged yourself a Fed.”

“Former Fed,” Izzie corrects, “I don’t work for the FBI anymore.”

“Good timing, too. Since I was planning to kill you next time I saw you.”

“Uncle!” Frankie gasps, eyes wide in outrage for him saying such a thing.

“No need to scold me, plemyannitsa. It’s not like I’m going to kill her now.”

“I would love to see you try,” Izzie fires back, with a mocking smirk.

“Sass. I like her.” He chuckles, his eyes gleaming.

“Women with fire in their veins always make life more interesting, don’t you agree?

” He grins smugly at me and then, almost absentmindedly, turns to look at Stella again.

For a moment, something soft, almost regretful, clouds his dark eyes before he returns his focus back at me.

“Just be careful, Romano. In my experience, the ones who set your blood on fire are usually the ones who cast the coldest shadows too.”

The silence turns heavy, too heavy, coaxing Frankie to jump in, desperate to break it.

“Um… come, Uncle. Let’s go find Darius. He’ll be excited to see you.”

Kirill nods, but not before leveling me with one last parting remark. “If you love her, hold on tight. Women like her are like embers. You might think you’ve tamed them, but they can flare up without warning.”

Only once Kirill disappears into the crowd does Izzie finally release my arm.

“Seems to me like Stella’s giving him a run for his money,” she says, exhaling in relief now with him gone.

“Good. Let him sweat. He doesn’t deserve her anyway.”

Izzie laughs softly. “I doubt you’ll ever think anyone is good enough for your sisters.”

“True.” I grin, sliding my arms around her waist and pulling her flush against me. “But then again, I didn’t think I deserved you either… and here you are.”

She melts into me, tilting her head back so her autumn eyes catch mine. “I love you.”

Izzie’s words hit me square in my chest, making my heart double in size.

“I love you more.”

“Prove it,” she teases, batting her eyelashes at me.

So, I do. I prove it. I kiss her softly and gently until the noise of the party fades away, and all I can taste, all I can see, all I can breathe, is her.

Izzie is all I need. As long as I have her love, nothing and no one will ever come between us.

Not Kirill. Not the Bratva. Not the Outfit.

Not the fucking FBI. No one. It will forever be us and only us, against the world.

‘She’s ours. Now and for eternity.’