Chapter 24
KATERINA
My breath catches as Luca pulls me against his chest.
His arms, strong enough to kill, wrap around me with gentleness.
I hate how my body responds to him, how quickly my pulse races, how easily I melt into his touch even as my mind screams warnings.
"What's wrong?" he murmurs against my hair.
“What’s the point of this?” I hate the vulnerability in my voice, the desperate need for reassurance from the man who left me broken.
His fingers trace my jawline, tilting my face up to his. "I'm not leaving yet."
Forty-eight hours.
That’s what he told the person on the other end of the phone.
Two days to figure out what this thing between us means.
He acts like he wants to stay together, but he hasn’t said anything about me and Enzo going with him to Chicago.
Then again, maybe it’s not possible. I don’t belong to him. I’m a pawn between the Bratva and the Dante family.
Now when Luca is finally feeling a part of his family, maybe he doesn’t want to upset the tenuous connection by taking me and Enzo with him when he leaves.
Luca's eyes darken, and he leans down, capturing my mouth with his. The kiss is slow, deliberate, a promise I don’t think he can keep. Heat coils in my belly as his hands slide down my sides, gripping my hips.
I kiss him back, trying to lose myself in the moment, in the feel of his body against mine.
But even as desire floods through me, a tiny voice whispers in the back of my mind.
Forty-eight hours is all we have left.
And when it's over, will I be strong enough to let him go again?
We break apart at the sound of footsteps in the hallway, and I step back, crossing my arms over my chest like that can protect my heart.
A part of me wants him to leave now.
To end this torturous purgatory.
But another part wants to throw myself back into his arms, savor every second we have left.
He steps closer, backing me against the wall. “Stop fighting us."
"You make it sound so easy."
"It's not." His forehead touches mine. "But some things are worth the fight."
I close my eyes, unable to protect myself when he’s so close. He must know it, as his lips brush mine again, and I'm caught again.
As Luca's lips leave mine, my phone vibrates in my pocket. When I check it, the screen displays a blocked number, and my stomach drops. I step back, breaking our connection.
"I need to take this.”
Luca's eyes narrow. "Who is it?"
I force a casual shrug. "Probably work. Give me a minute?"
He doesn't believe me. I can see it in the way his jaw tightens. But he nods once, giving me space.
I slip outside the room and head to the terrace, closing the French doors behind me. "Hello?"
"Katerina."
I recognize the voice immediately and my blood runs cold. "Maksim." I look over my shoulder to make sure Luca can't hear. He’s standing inside, his dark, knowing eyes watching with concern.
I turn away again. “Why are you calling me?” He rarely ever does. He worked closer with Pyotr.
A low chuckle vibrates through the line. "We've known each other too long for me to delegate this conversation, don't you think?"
The Pakhan’s voice carries a casual warmth, but I know it’s fake. I've seen Maksim Vasiliev shoot a man between the eyes while discussing the weather with the same pleasant tone.
"I'm sorry about Pyotr," he continues. "A regrettable loss. He was always so… dedicated to our cause."
"What do you want?"
"Want? To check on you, of course." His voice drips with false concern. "After all, you're living with your brother's killer. How are you managing that particular arrangement?"
"I'm fine," I say carefully. "The situation is complicated."
"Indeed." He pauses. "Complicated enough that you might be willing to help simplify things?"
And there it is, the real reason for his call. I close my eyes, seeing me, Luca, and Enzo together, imagining the life I almost dared to hope for.
"Your brother's death seems to have affected you less than expected," Maksim observes. "Perhaps your time with the Dantes has changed your perspective on family loyalty."
I grip the phone tighter, moving farther away from the French doors where Luca watches me.
"Pyotr threatened my son."
"Ah, yes, young Enzo." The way Maksim says my son's name makes my skin crawl. "The boy with Dante blood. How convenient for you to align yourself with his father's family when it suits you."
He has some nerve. He made the deal with Lorenzo that put me in the Dante home. "That's not what—"
"All these years away from Luca Dante," he continues, cutting me off. "Now suddenly, you welcome him back with open arms. You spread your legs again for him despite knowing what his return has cost us. What it's cost you."
My heart pounds. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything, Katerina. I'm stating facts." His voice hardens. "You've chosen your bed partner over your blood. Over your people."
"You don't know anything—”
"I know he abandoned you once already. I know he killed your brother without hesitation. And I know about this affliction that causes captives to sympathize with their captors. Stockholm syndrome, I believe it's called."
Anger flares hot in my chest. "I'm not a captive." Except I am.
I’ve tried to convince myself that Lorenzo had some affection for me and Enzo.
That the Dante family respects me. But Maksim is right.
"Aren't you? Look at your situation objectively. The Dantes have you isolated. They've turned you against your own brother. And now Luca has you believing he's your protector when his very presence puts you and your son in the crosshairs."
I swallow hard, hating that he’s right.
"Consider your priorities carefully," Maksim continues. "Is Luca Dante's bed worth your son's safety? Worth your life? Because that's the choice you're making."
Terror snakes through me. "You want me to betray him."
"I want peace," Maksim counters smoothly. "And revenge. Luca Dante has killed many of our men. Blood demands blood. You know our ways."
I stare at the dark garden beyond the terrace, my mind racing through impossible scenarios.
Luca, who fought through an army of Bratva to save our son.
Luca, whose hands killed my brother but also cradle Enzo with such tenderness.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we take matters into our own hands." His tone grows colder. "And in war, Katerina, there are always casualties. Children included."
My blood freezes. "You wouldn't—"
"I would do whatever necessary to restore balance." He pauses, I’m sure to let the impact of his words sink in. "Think of your son. Think of what Luca's presence has already cost you. One life for many, including Enzo's."
Through the glass doors, I can see Luca pacing, glancing in my direction. The man I've loved, hated, and loved again. The man I need to sacrifice to save my son.
"I need time," I whisper.
"Twenty-four hours," Maksim concedes. "After that, the choice will no longer be yours. And don’t think about telling anyone. If you do, Enzo will pay. We have eyes everywhere.”
The line goes dead.
I lower the phone wondering why I was thinking that I could have a happily ever after.
Even if Luca wanted that too, it’s impossible.
Not with me caught between two worlds.
Two worlds on the verge of going to war.
I could warn Luca, tell him everything.
We could run, but for how long?
The Bratva's reach is extensive.
Enzo would never know safety, always looking over his shoulder.
Or I could give them what they want. Save my son. Save countless lives.
And destroy my heart in the process.
All of a sudden, forty-eight hours seems too long.
Luca should leave now, I think, even though I know the Bratva wants their revenge and will go to Chicago if necessary to get it.
Behind me, the French doors open. Luca's warm presence soothes, but I can't bring myself to turn around.
"Everything okay?" His voice carries an edge of suspicion.
"Fine." I slip my phone into my pocket, forcing a smile as I face him. "Just work."
"What did they want?" His hand slides possessively to my waist, and I fight the urge to lean into him.
"Nothing important." A lie.
Luca studies my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. "You're pale."
"I'm tired." At least that's true. "It's been a long few days.” I step away from him. "I should check on Enzo."
"I'll come with you."
"No." The word comes out sharp. I soften my voice. "I mean, I need a minute. Alone."
His jaw tightens, but he nods. As I slip past him, his hand catches mine. "Whatever it is, we face it together. I'm not going anywhere."
The irony nearly breaks me. It's not Luca's leaving I fear anymore. It's what will happen if he stays.
I return to the cottage and dismiss Sofia who sometimes agrees to help Enzo with homework. Enzo is playing in his room, blissfully ignorant of the turmoil surrounding him.
Twenty-four hours to decide whether I sacrifice the man I love to save our son.
“Hi, Mommy.” Enzo grins at me. I smile back but inside, my heart is cracking.
“Hello, sweetie.” I sink to the floor beside Enzo and join in his game of cars. How could I have been so foolish? For a few blissful days, I allowed myself to imagine the three of us together. Now that dream feels like a cruel joke.
The Bratva won't stop until they have Luca's blood. If I warn him, they'll come for Enzo. If I don't, I become Luca's executioner.
I've spent years caught between two worlds, the Dantes and the Bratva, maintaining a precarious balance that's now completely shattered.
My brother's betrayal, Luca's return, our rekindled love, it was all destined to collapse.
My loyalties have always been divided, but my heart knows the truth. Enzo comes first. Always.
Even if saving him costs me everything else I hold dear.