Chapter 4 - Blood and Silk
The next morning,
the villa was buzzing with tension.
I was no longer allowed to clean,
instead,
a team of stylists arrived with racks of clothes,
fine silks and cashmere that felt alien against my skin.
They dressed me in a deep emerald gown,
a color that Alessandro said matched my eyes.
Emma was given a dress of soft white lace,
looking like a porcelain doll.
We were being prepared for a public appearance,
a declaration of her status to the underworld.
As I stood in front of the mirror,
I saw a woman I didn't recognize,
no longer the tired widow,
but a woman who looked like she belonged at a king’s side.
Alessandro entered the room,
his eyes lingering on the curve of my neck.
"The Council is meeting at noon,"
he said,
his voice low.
"They want proof."
"They want to see the mark on the child."
I gripped the edge of the vanity.
"She's a little girl,"
"not a piece of evidence."
"I know,"
he said,
stepping closer.
"But this is the only way to keep her safe."
"If they accept her,"
"the entire mafia code protects her."
"If they don't,"
"she is just a loose end to be tied."
He reached out,
his thumb brushing against my cheek,
where Vivian had struck me.
The bruise was still faint,
a purple shadow on my pale skin.
"I haven't forgotten what she did,"
he whispered.
"In my world,"
"a debt like that is paid in blood."
I shivered,
not from fear,
but from the strange heat his touch ignited.
"I don't want revenge,"
I said.
"I just want peace."
"Peace is a luxury,"
he replied,
"that people like us can never afford."
He took my hand,
his palm warm and calloused,
May you like
and led us down to the lion's den.
***
